Kieth, wow, that clears things up a bit. I never looked at it that way. Good points.
But what if it works? Wouldnt we be shooting it down to early to critize and say it wont work?
Maybe its time we open up to "other" options. Sometimes what seems like a fluke, can turn into something good.
Like I said, me, myself would not mind a phrf number. If that is what it will take me to sail against other sail boats, by all means I am up for the challenge. Only the end results and collected data will prove if the system trully works or not.
You already have a PHRF rating (from the conversion formula) and you can already race against other boats using a PHRF rating if you so choose. Many established mono races are opening up to multis and beach cats. On the Chesapeake we've been slowly opening up venues for beach cat starts. I've raced in four this year. It was a total gas racing with the 200 boat fleet in this year's NASS Annapolis to Oxford race, for instance. From that experience I've thought a little about what it would take to do head's up racing combining sport boats and multis, or even just be on the same course, and what things might endanger being asked back.
Acceptance to these races means overcoming years of pre-conceived notions about beach cats and multi-hulls in general. So far I think we've proven ourselves worthy. But it doesn't take much to undermine that, I think in many circumstances you're one or two incidents away from being banned on safety reasons.
There are those that feel that the record of the R-33 so far is undermining things in that regard, and point to the effective banning of the design or modifications to rules to specify stability requirements from the Great Lakes region and West Coast as proof. Fear is that if pushed too far multi hull participation itself might be endangered. The results so far have been to blame crews and start a new racing organization.
Anyway, my points weren't made simply to try to shoot down what they are trying to do. I'm not convinced their simple approach to handicaping will keep people happy. You only need to have scored a series or two to see that, IMO. I believe the three things you can discuss that will get people riled up is politics, religion, and sailboat racing handicap systems. Just witness discussions about whether Texel or Portsmouth is the way to go... And I'm not convinced that the sport boats will show up en mass, as they already have a spot in the show and won't care to be pummeled by high-performance multis.
If it turns out to be a multhull enabler, awesome. Visibility for the sport is a great thing. Like I said, I wish them luck, and I don't bring these things up to disuade people from joining in. But maybe somebody adds them into the thought process. I hope their motives are pure. Sometimes a new body helps, other times it merely splinters what you have and weakens both.
