There is some confusion with regard to rating handicaps.

When calculated right the ratings are :

SCHRS / ISAF

F16 2-up 1.01 (all winds)
F16 1-up 0.98 (all winds)

A-cat 0.97 (all winds)
F18 1.01 (all winds)



Texel system

F16 2-up (light winds)= 102 - (heavy winds) = 102
F16 1-up (light winds)= 99 - (heavy winds) = 104

A-cat (light winds)= 99 - (heavy winds) = 104
F18 (light winds)= 102 - (heavy winds) = 102


Some will remark that SCHRS/ISAF are still listing 1.02 for the 2-up F16 version. This is an error. I've tried contacting them several times to correct this mistake but I'm getting nowhere. The SCHRS committee is downright impossible to contact. But the truthful rating under SCHRS/ISAF for the 2-up version is definately 1.01 = equal to F18.

As many will know I've been involved in the Texel rating modifications among which the singlehanded boats modifications. I'm completely in agreement that the current SCHRS ratings (as well as the pre-2005 Texel ratings) were significantly off the mark concerning (all) singlehanders. That is with the possible exception of the Hobie 14. Both system are overestimating the singlehanders in speed and all singlehanders are suffering from this, that includes the A-cats, FX-ones, I-17's and such.

It is my experience that the A-cat can't sail to its rating (around the course) compared to the F18 neither. It appears that the A-cats are much better sailing of 102 (Texel) themselfs. That is on average !

It is certainly true that these singlehanders can be quite fast in light winds but they also loose their speed advantage quite quickly when the winds build. I think Texel has got an resonably good setup now, only problem is that Race committee have decided not to use the stronger wind ratings. Meaning that they are still using the light winds rating for winds in the range of 9 to 20 knots. This is not fair. If a RC only wants to use 1 series of handicap numbers then they should use the average value of the light winds and strong winds value. Otherwise the singlehanders get highly punished.

At my own club, the RC made a very good call (and I didn't even ask for it in any way); they took the two texel ratings and calculated the average value and they are using that one for all races.

This means that the F16 2-up versions remains at 102 and so to the F18's while the A-cat, F16 1-up go to (99+104)/2 = 102 average.

This is turning out to be a rather fair rating for the A-cats/F16's 1-up. Sure we have slight advantage in the light winds but we're also equally disadvantaged in the stronger stuff. In the middle (medium) winds the rating seems to be spot on. So "win some - loose some and in general conditions pretty equal" I think that is much more fair to the singlehanders.






You will find that the A-cat has alot of trouble sailing to 99 as well. And I also feel that the FX-one is not excempt from these troubles neither.

I don't think it is a F16 problem but much more a doublehander versus singlehander problem. That means that the trouble runs right through the middle of the F16 class. Of course, as stated alot of times by other, we are finding in the F16 class that 1-up and 2-up version are very comparable to one another over a wide range of conditions. This is underlining the effectiveness of the "averaged 102 rating" for the 1-up version. The data is continuing to come in and there is no doubt in my mind that the SCHRS system is just wrong and that the selective use of only the light winds Texel rating series is equally wrong.





I'm pretty much in disagreement to that. And I refer to many other sailors commenting that the F16's are indeed capable of beating the A's and F18's when the F16 crew is of comparable skill. We must not forget of course that there are pretty good teams sailing in the F18 class and A-cat class. We as F16 are not as lucky in that yet. But still, I've had more then my share of F18's trying to run me down before the finish line and fail, on elapsed time while sailing in either mode (2-up or 1-up).

But having said this; we may be arriving at a point were some people will believe that and others will not, no matter how much more info is presented. I for one am personally very happy to race A's and F18's off the 102 Texel handicap in either mode. I'm quite sure the A's will hand me my behind on the upwind leg and feel very comfortable when they reach A-mark well ahead of me, only to motor passed them on the downwind legs under spinnaker. In racing it is all about reaching the finish line first, not about who reaches the A-mark first. A distinction that some A-cats sailors have trouble with.

The rest of the game is all about sailings skills and the amount of practise hour you and your crew have put in.

Wouter