I want to apologize for two things: 1. The delay in posting the results (due to my haste to catch a plane to Utah for skiing) 2. Worse, I cheated Ricky out of third place because I can't read numbers. So, Jared, please forward Todd Riccardi his trophies. (In my defense, if there is any, the software would not score the results properly, so I was doing it by hand, the old fashioned way, with wind blowing result pages all over the beach). At any rate, here they are

Thanks Rick! I'm amazed how fast the Marstroms went after the wind started to drop a bit on day 1.
We were maybe only about 10 minutes behind Brett until a few miles south of Anglefish and ahead of Mike until then. But when the wind dropped into the low teens they just turned on the afterburners, Mike especially who used some of the dying pressure ahead to catch way up to Brett.
Without opening up a can of worms. How does everyone feel about the ratings in this particular race? The n20 was definitely a bit faster downwind in the lighter conditions both days. Upwind in breeze we were faster but they were slightly faster on day two in the lighter stuff upwind.
I'd say the n20 rating should be closer to the F18 and the m20 should be dropped a bit.

The issue with updating DPN is getting enough statistical data to support a change. To complicate the issue further distance race data is excluded. Since getting supporting data is a dead end we pretty much have what we have for the foreseeable future. We always have the option to use SCHRS or Texel. At the end of the day handicap is flawed and hugely imperfect regardless the system that is used. Someone made a very good point about handicap racing recently in another thread... handicap racing a way for all us to get together on and off the water, take for what it is and don't take it too seriously.

I'm done going down this rabbit hole, but I could be talked into a good old fashion **** fight... well until I get bored with it anyway. A good opener would be... the Alter Cup should be a DPN Championship.

DPN handicap racing??? Next thing you know, you'll allow paddles and shortcuts on the race course...

That's crazy talk Mike!

Why does the Marstrom 20 keep the same rating with curved blades?
(they would have gone back to their straight blades if it was slower?)

Legitimate point but a similar point can be made regarding the F18, F16 and N20. Both the F16 and F18 have had major changes with daggerboard design. The N20 has gone to an open sail plan and totally different mast. The only class that can point fingers and bitch about numbers is the H16 IMO.

There really is no point in complaining about DPN numbers when there is absolutely no way to address the issue (see previous post). Yes I have approached the DPN committee with a request to review the numbers and a method to do it but unfortunately it was a non starter. So... until the DPN committee is willing to think outside the box DPN is what it is. And again, we always have the option to use SCHRS and/or Texel, Sailwave supports both systems.

Dave's assessment is just about spot on.

As to the M20 curved boards, it's my understanding that they are allowed as part of the class rules, so no adjustment factor was made. There may be more to it, I'd have to dig.

Mike