Sh*t's weak and MYOFB, geeze guys way to think it through.
Put your personal feelings for Mark aside for 2 minutes and read what he's saying. All he's saying is the brackets (provisional number) needs to stay on until there is supporting data for the number and all that means is the F20 cannot be used at the Area Qualifiers for the Alter Cup. I for one am in 100% agreement with Mark on that point. The Area Qualifiers have their own issues and allowing boats to be used at a qualifier that have unsupported numbers is a bad idea.
Correct me if I'm wrong - but nobody said anything about using the boat in a qualifier except Mark. The boat does have a provisional number which does not currently allow it to compete in the Alter Cup Qualifier. Is 5 events enough information to establish a non-provisional number? If that non-provisional set point was increased from 5 to, say, 10 we are probably going to lose 1/3rd of the existing Portmouth non-provisional numbers to provisional status since so few regattas submit results.
Ah you edited your post...
No, 5 events as described is not enough to remove the brackets in my opinion. And Yes, there are a LOT of boats that currently don't have provisional numbers but by all rights should (SC22, SC20 (tall rig) and M20 all come to mind)! If I were the supreme ruler of the DPN universe there would be a truckload of boats with brackets! Heck, I'd even take it a step further and use SCHRS as a base then allow the number to move as supporting data dictated. But on the flip side, as the talent moved out of the class the boat would not be allowed to get slower. Yes I know... I'm a dick.
