hi ya Phantom sailors, I clicked on a Y&Y link and ended up here, I noticed you liked the Grumpf Cartoon... there's a serious message in there somewhere.
Anyway I thought I'd chirp in with a bit experience on trying to assist a class association manage a class with 2 handicaps... to put it simply, it sucks... no seriously sucks. And the reason is quite simple- 80% of clubs who claim to use PY do not submit their data, and further compounding the problem with dual handicaps for different delineations of the same class, well for some its a conceptual nightmare, for others they simply won't care what you have to say about which boat falls in to what category... good luck.
The RS100 was designed with 2 recommended numbers from RS. It was done with the best of intentions and down the line, if numbers justify I reckon the class will have two starts at major events. But that's a long way off yet...
In the grim and murky backwaters of weekend sailing, our results (what there are of them anyway) were primarily submitted as just the RS100- despite a joint statement from both RS and the RYA asking for the results to be broken down and both the online and offline systems hosting fields for both our rig configurations.
Even with all the conjecture and positive dialogue with the class, the RYA still published a single EN based on only 3 results... they state very clearly the PY system is for clubs, not classes; and as the clubs had only 'requested' a single PY through their returns, despite a field for both, only a single PY was published.
I would imagine you will face the same problems if you end securing two PYs; compounded by a lot of BS regarding your handicap already. What little returns you get will be for 'the Phantom' not the Phantom and the Classic Phantom as you would hope for. What may seem simple, logical and perfectly sound if it were a day job, really doesn't transpire on the Annual Return with the amateur resources that effectively control the PY returns.
The solution is bi-fold- firstly encouraging your clubs to return your results ensures the average is a true average. You can run some analysis by consulting the RYA, but my guess would be you actually have a disproportionate amount of Epoxy returns- which in theory, totally blows the bandit accusation out the water. If a few more of the older, slower boats actually featured in your returns it may well be a different story and you'd see the handicap go up, not down!
Secondly, encourage clubs to locally adjust as the system intends- I understand Pitsford has a system for this already... time for a case study and sharing amongst other clubs and classes!!!
Hope this gives you a little insight in to trying to run multiple PYs, it ain't a dig or bitch; it's just some experience... in my experience, you cannot dictate anything, you are powerless to the will of the clubs and the data they submit- which as a rule of thumb, is about 20% of actual races, mainly from the larger clubs and inland venues... again, does this support you lot being true bandits... no quite the contrary when you stop and think about it.
I'm not sure what will happen in April when the 2011 list is released, but I'm guessing the RS100 will go to one Experimental Number. Whether or not this is good or bad or indifferent is not a topic for here; but it is not what the manufacturer intended, nor what some of the punters bought into... which will no doubt cause some grief and moaning... the sort of shit no class needs.
Be very careful about wanting to go to dual numbers. It could well be a poisoned chalice.
Happy sailing and hope to say hi at the Stevie Nicks,
Jimbo - ex Phantom for 3 months but f*** me it hurt too much
