Bottom line looks like most agree PN is not working very well. So we either fix it or change to a different system.
The MHC can have more impact that you may think. Our biggest problem is getting this group to agree on anything. The second biggest problem is getting this group to actually get behind something and push it. As individuals we have all banged our head against US Sailing and have decided we have better things to do with our time. As a group though there are ways to get stuff accomplished.
There is a reality with US Sailing and organizations running races, it is that US Sailing can only recommend too. We as race organizers can do anything we want. Just need to have the Notice of Race properly competed to notify all of the racers of the organizers intentions. What rating system will be used, even what rates for each boat will be used. Then the racers can decide whether to race in that race or not. We can then tell the PN committee this is the way it is going to be and either they join in or go play by themselves. It they chose to be irrelevant then so be it.
So if Cyber wants to set the ratings for the Race and the sailors agree to race to those ratings, who cares what the Portsmouth committee does or does not do?
At one of our Clubs we actually did that for a regatta. We had a breakfast where all of the racers as a group decided what every boat's rating would be for the race. Those that were known to be new sailors got their ratings "helped". Experienced sailors with the better boats got their ratings lowered. The result of the race was actually the same. However, all of the sailors felt that the race was at least more fair than before. Even with playing with the ratings the results were not even close (it did not matter is the reality)
Sailing is on a very big decline. Trying to get a new sailor into a catamaran and have them "compete" is almost laughable at this point. A) they will need years of experience to catch up with ability for starters. Second if they buy the wrong boat with a poor rating they can't compete even if they became "good".
Then we ask ourselves why no one wants to get into sailing?