The goal of the handicap system is to allow a fair and realistic opportunity for boats of varying size, design and performance sailed in a competent and seaman like manner to achieve a podium finish. The system rewards boats that regularly compete and finish races.
The Handicapper, in consultation with the Yachting Operations Office, oversees the handicap system. The role of the Handicapper includes liaison with fleet captains, maintenance of the overall fair and reasonableness of the system, detection of irregularities and advising of manual adjustments when deemed necessary.
At the start of each season/series entered boats within a division/fleet are allocated a four-digit handicap based on previous performance evidence available at the time. A boat’s race elapse time is multiplied by the handicap number to obtain the corrected time. It is this time that is used for scoring purposes.
The handicap system is performance based and supported by the Finishing Line race management software package. It is generally known as the TCF Pen 3 option. The software utilises the parameters outlined below to adjust and update handicaps for each race based on previous performance.
HANDICAP ADJUSTMENT PARAMETERS FOR SATURDAY KEELBOAT, MIDWEEK AND FROSTBITE SERIES
2.1 Saturday and Frostbite fleets handicaps are adjusted as follows:
2.1.1 First place getter will go up by 1.5% , Second place getter will go up by 0.75%, Top third of other finishes will go down by 0.15% , Next third of finishers will go down by 0.3%, Last third of finishers will go down by 0.45%
2.1.2 All handicaps are normalised to base handicap for all boats
2.1.3 Should there be less than five finishers in a race, the handicap penalty for first and second places are halved.
2.1.4 Boats that are scored DNC, DNF, OCS, etc will not be adjusted
2.1.5 Boats given average points will not be adjusted.
2.1.6 Boats gaining three or more consecutive places will be reassessed by the Handicapper.
2.1.7 Boats entering for the first time or with a change of ownership that may substantially alter its performance shall be given a handicap of 1.0000 for the first three finishes. The Handicapper shall then make a reassessment to determine a suitable handicap.
2.2 Midweek fleet handicaps are adjusted as follows:
2.2.1 The corrected time for each boat that validly finishes a race is divided by the average corrected time for all finishing boats.
2.2.2 For each boat that records a corrected time lower than the average corrected time, its handicap will be increased by the percentage by which its corrected time differs from the average corrected time divided by three. For example, if a boat’s corrected time is 94% of the average corrected time for a race, a difference of 6%, its handicap will be increased by 2%.
2.2.3 For each boat that records a corrected time greater than the average corrected time, its handicap will be decreased by the percentage by which its corrected time differs from the average corrected time divided by three. For example, if a boat’s corrected time is 103% of the average corrected time for a race, a difference of 3%, its handicap will be decreased by 1%.
2.2.4 Boats that are scored DNC, DNF, OCS, etc will not have their handicaps adjusted
SEASON AND/OR SERIES START
3.1 At the start of each season and/or series the Handicapper shall reassess all handicaps from the previous events and adjust the handicaps to group boats with similar performance ability.
3.2 The reassessment shall include analysis of previous finishing positions, margins and podium places.
3.3 The reassessment may also take into account expected conditions. For example, lighter wind for frostbite racing compared with stronger sea breeze summer conditions.
