From Pete's post above:Without new data input, the handicap numbers remain unchanged, even if the sailors increase their skill levels.

Pete, it's the same sailors at the top, I've got no problem with that, but let's talk about the NEW F18's that are now out there, the Capricorn and the Infusion. Based on the top 10 finishes of their own recently completed F18 N/A's, I would say those two boats are "faster" than the old F18 rating. But, due to the nature of P numbers, since it was a F18 only regatta, no data will be used to correct their number.

Now, here is the most stupid part of P number racing. Take Wild Cat as a really good example. 2 Blades, 3 Inter 20's, 4 F18's. Matt was beating just about all of them, boat for boat, most of the races. I was somewhere in the middle of the fleet most of the time.

So based on that, I guess the F16 should be rated FASTER than an Inter 20 and F18, right? And somebody will submit that data and then argue to lower the F16 number further. But let's look at what actually happened.

Some of the boats (Inter 20's) sailed the WRONG course on a couple of the races! They thought they had to go to B mark when they didn't. They were not DSQ'd, as they sailed a longer course, not shorter, so their finish times were not realistic in comparrison to anyone who sailed the correct course. Also, there were boats that flipped. Again, this slows the actual times down and does not reflect the real speed the boat is capable of.

This is why I said in an earlier post, we should measure the course, take times, see how fast a boat is "When Sailed Properly", by a top level skipper and/or crew.

If Alex had been there on his Inter 20 with Nigel, they would have stomped us all, boat for boat, no doubt. If Robie Daniels had been there on his Capricorn, he would have been right behind Alex and Nigel, boat for boat, no doubt. And they both would have been well ahead of me, no doubt.

Using finish times in triangle racing on a gusty, shifty, crash filled race course is just plain stupid, but that's all we have.

I, being of engineering background, would prefer we come up with a formula that measures the boat's sail area, weight, beam, waterline, and pick a -standard- for crew wt. and use that. This takes out the variables of wind, skill, luck, etc.

Otherwise, you are going by who is having a good day, vs. who is having a bad day and if the conditions favored a light boat or a heavy boat.