Like I said, Texel is more fair. Your Tornado example actually underlines this (as well as the others like the supercat 20). I mean how much different is a 2005 tornado to a 1999 tornado REALLY. Or do want us to believe suddenly that 1999 tornado's were anything but highly developped ?
Wouter
BUT it can be developed and so
should be getting faster. But now as the Texel system is (still??) based on the old T without kite and twin wires; anyone sailing an old (Standard T I'll call it) is stuffed.
There is a basic problem with any rating rule that pegs it's starting point to a development class (or box rule). The development class (or box rule) boats
should get faster over time as the sailors make material changes to the boat which makes it faster. All sailors should be getting faster in their boats, but with a development class, there is scope to sail better and also make the boat faster. You cannot make a One design class like the Dart 18 any faster as the rules preclude it.
Again I make the statment that the Tornado is not a one design as the rig setup can be different. Thus it was a mistake to peg texel to this boat.
Better sailors should always (IMO) win, but any sailor of a development class (or box rule) also has the ability to improve the boat.
Consider another example, Simon and Wouter sit down and produce "rating rule 1 - RR1" and decide to peg the rule to the new boat I am developing (The Stealth Hungry monster design - SHMD) which will rate at 1.00 (it looks like the boat will rate about the same as a Tornado 2001 under SCHRS and Texel for info).
My boat has a Alu mast as I'm not feeling rich (but the same section as the F16's so it's a wing)....
The rating rule takes into account all the same things as Texel and SCHRS (roughly) and so the handicaps are SCHRS 0.95, Texel 0.95 and RR1 1.00. Under all 3 systems I have handicap that I understand and so off I go sailing and have loads of fun. I'm not winning any races as I'm still learning how to set the boat up. I'll live with that.
After a season or so I decide I should have had a carbon mast as I need more control / lighness up top so I buy one (and add some lead to the boat to keep all up weigth the same) and now I have a nice carbon Wing mast and it makes a massive difference - I have a faster boat because of this; I'm now winning everything (I know it's not probable, but bear with me). So I changed the Alu mast for a carbon one and I'm now winning, but my handicap is the same.
I've spoken to some of the Tornado boys and they say that the Carbon Mast is "always better"; more power in the light stuff, More control in the heavy stuff, We are going faster in all conditions.
[color:"red"]
But the Tornado Handicap has not changed!!!!!!!!! [/color]
Is this right ?
Now the supporters of Portsmouth, might, at this point, jump in and say that Portsmouth deals with this becasue as the Tornado's are winning, then the handicap will come down as the results data is collated after each season. BUT it is too late by then. The winning is done.
The whole point of SCHRS and Texel was that you can turn up with anything, get it measured and then be allocated a rating that is fair.
SCHRS had a penality of one point for a Carbon mast that was removed some time ago, perhaps it should be put back......
Question for Wouter, Did Texel ever have a Carbon mast factor?