Position in Handicap Race

[DuncanAdams]

Out of interest how do others perform in a general handicap race in an f3-4 would a well set up 12 (design 8 or similar) be in front of a laser?

should a 12 be pointing higher than Laser radial or Lark?

[Jennie C]

The whole point of handicap racing is that two equally well set up boats, sailed over a fair course and by two equally competent helms should have the same result, ie the handicap system should remove the variability between the classes.  Whether or not it does often depends on whether or not the course set favours a particular type of boat eg a course with a dead run won't suit an RS200 as well as it would a 12, and there's also the question of what handicap system is used as these differ, eg Great Lakes v RYA PY.  Club variations can being even greater influence - we have been handicapped as 'a 12' in an old design but taking the PY for a double bottomed T foiled boat!

[Antony3514]

Duncan,
As a follow up to what Jennie has written a few points.
1.  We sail a Design 8 at the club.  They have allowed us to use the age adjusted handicap that is on this site somewhere.   A Design 8 and a full rig Laser are pretty close on PY on this basis, and on my observations over many years this is about right.
2.  Course and wind strength are key - taking out the minor variable of skill levels in the boats!   Light and upwind are basically good for the 12, stronger and broad downwind legs will suit the Laser.  Small changes in leg angles often determined the winner when we sailed at Royal Harwich, a weather going tide was bad news for us as it shortened the beat and lengthens and broadens the off-wind legs.
3.  You should always out-point them - unless they are pinching to avoid hiking.   In a force 4 pull the kicker on harder.
4.  An old Lark is basically a 12 built of floppy GRP with a spinnaker.... whether they beat you is likely to depend on effective use of the spinnaker.


Hope this helps.   Have fun.
Antony

[DuncanAdams]

Thanks, both,
just trying to gauge as i have been told I'm not pointing high enough last week. and could not keep up with a radial yesterday.

Got a few things to sort out on the boat e.g stop things from pulling out before I can get the set up right.