Handicapping in the 2010 FSS Annual Regatta

By Jerry Ross and Dick Campbell  

This article is intended to provide an overview of the updated FSS handicapping system being introduced at the 2010 Regatta. Questions are welcomed.

A brief overview of Scoring is also included.  

Key to abbreviations/terms

• ABCDE – HA course; prior marks (e.g. T9, etc.) have been renamed, and will be distributed at Rockland.
• Divisions 1 & 2 – Established classes for competition, where boats of 27 feet or less (Div 1) compete with larger boats (Div 2).
• HA – Handicap Alley, is an additional leg in the course. Assigned marks provide the additional distance equal to the difference in handicaps between boats.
• Handicapping – An effort to create a level playing field that will be fair to all. Established for each competitor by assigning a value reflecting projected performance. Based on various factors in an effort to have competitors participate equally.
• Hamlin rating – Rating system developed by naval architect Cy Hamlin to calculate projected speed, based on specific characteristics.
• Projected S/NM – A rating for a boat based on past actual or calculated speeds during the past 3 years.
• S/NM, SNM – Seconds per Nautical Mile is the projected time for a boat to travel a Nautical Mile. Used for Hamlin rates, actual averages, and projected rates.
• Scoring – In sailing, points are won by crossing the finish line after completing the course. It is based on Actual time adjusted for the handicap allowance for the course distance. First place earns .75 points, all others earn the value of their finish (2^nd earns 2, 6^th earns 6, etc.). Regatta positions are determined by descending point totals after 3 days; ties are broken according to average S/NM.
• Trend Line formula – A math expression that allows for a value (Y) to be calculated from another value (X), based on recent data. We will use it to calculate projected times for boats based on their Hamlin rating.

General

Sailing handicaps are normally expressed in terms of seconds per nautical mile (S/NM). When boats compete, their race time is their Actual time minus the product of their Handicap multiplied by their course distance. Finishes are based on this “net” time. Handicap Alley avoids this “after race” adjustment.  

FSS at Rockland                                                       

We have been using the system developed by Cy Hamlin. Dick Salter has been the caretaker of this system. Skippers are responsible for providing this information to Dick at least every 5 years, or whenever their factors change.
            A Friendship for which the required paperwork has not been submitted, will have one assigned by Dick. This assigned Hamlin rating is subject to a reduction of up to 10%. These reports are the responsibility of each skipper.  

For 2010

Projected S/NM will be factored into the handicapping with the Hamlin ratings. When actual times for all the races during the prior 3 years are not available, they will be calculated.
            Missing times from the prior years’ 7 races (2 in 2007, 2 in 2008, 3 in 2009) will be projected based on Actual times of similar Hamlin-rated boats through the use of a “Trend Line”.  

Trend Line

            When all boats’ actual S/NM are plotted against their Hamlin S/NM a scatter chart is created. A line through these plots represents the same differences of marks both above and below it, and is known as a “Trend Line”. When this line is expressed by a formula, missing actual times can be estimated for a boat based on its Hamlin rating.  

Projected S/NM

For example – with 7 races sailed over the past 3 years, Projected S/NM are calculated:

1.      A boat with 7 times will have its total divided by 7;

2.      A boat with 3 times will have this total, plus 4 times its “Trend Line”, divided by 7;

3.      A boat with no times will use the Trend Line calculation.  

Handicap Alley

            Provides the opportunity to have the difference in handicaps reflected in different distances for each boat. In theory, this provides for all boats to cross the finish line at the same time such that finishes are known immediately.
            This is accomplished by comparing the handicaps for each boat to the largest handicap (slowest boat) in the fleet so that the difference in ratings is expended over additional distances. Since the basic course (ABCDE) is 4 nautical miles (NM), faster boats are sent through Handicap Alley (HA). They round a mark that has been calculated to provide the distance represented by the difference between their handicap and the largest handicap in the fleet.
            For example if boat A has the largest handicap at 700 S/NM, then boat B with a handicap of 675 S/NM must sail an extra distance, based on:

1.      The time boat A is to sail 4 NM is 2800 seconds (4NM x 700S/NM)

2.      During this time, boat B should sail 4.15 NM (2800 seconds divided by 675 S/NM)

3.      Boat B will sail around a mark which is .075 NM inside HA in order to sail a total distance of 4.15 NM (½ of (4.15- 4) in, then out)

HA marks are set for distances calculated this way, subject to adjustment for the number of boats that may be rounding some marks.  

Other

• Projected S/NM are based on actual times of a boat, or one with similar characteristics over the past 3 years.
• Trend Line adjustments that appear too high will be reduced to avoid excessive allowances.
• For this first year of adjusted handicaps, the use of Projected S/NM will be dampened by combining them with Hamlin ratings on a 1:4 ratio (Projected to Hamlin). Future calculations will be evaluated to adjust this ratio.
• Prior race times include the effects of a number of variables (varying wind speeds, tides, sailing skills, boat/crew, etc.) such that no additional allowances are included.