Hi Mark, Thanks for volunteering to take on this project to make Portsmouth ratings even more accurate. Thanks also for letting us know and asking for our input. I agree with you that Portsmouth handicapping does an excellent job already. Having raced the Steeplechase 9 times myself and helped to run it once, I know very well how conditions can favor some given design to make it outperform its rating. If a boat has a "sweet" spot and the course favors that, then look out! I can think of three designs like that in past Steeplechases: The Mystere 6.0XL which Robbie used several years ago on another windy reach to sail out of sight and set the new record that year. About four years ago the close windy reaching favored the Taipan 4.9; allowing it to sail past fast twenty footers to leeward! And maybe three years ago the new Marstrom 20 that Robbie sailed upwind in light-mediun breeze just dazzled the rest of the fleet.

As you pointed out with the America's Cup example, even rating rules will experience the same phenomenon - the various aspects of the rating rule will create boats that differ in what conditions they excel in. Some will do better reacing, some will be closer winded, some will be best offwind with a spinnaker. So when you get a distance race with one prominent condition, you will quickly determine the boat best suited to that condition.

Too few people consider the sailors. The three best crew finished in the top three positions, boat for boat, each on a different class of boat. That is usually what happens.

Finally, the best aspect of the Steeplechase, as in most distance races especially, is just in participating! I can remember finishing well in some and badly in others but I always was glad I raced. Regardless of how the race is scored, the competitors get a real good idea of skill levels out there and the relative performance of the boats involved.

Best regards,
Mike