How do you promote racing the Classics?

There is a debate in Australia on how best to promote Classic Yacht racing: a measurement or performance handicap system? The latter is currently in use, with push back against the former. As reported in Southern Woodenboat Sailing, “the reasons touted range from ‘too expensive’ to ‘the fleets are too diverse’ to ‘it’s a hassle to weigh and measure’.

“And yes there are some negatives. But perhaps we should consider the up side. Providing fairer competition might only be the secondary motivation. The primary reason, would be to sail under a system that rewards boat owners for maintaining and upgrading their craft, rather than the current ubiquitous performance handicapping that promotes mediocrity. The worse condition your boat is in… the better your handicap!”

Experienced offshore sailor David Salter, a veteran of Sydney Hobart Races, offered this view:

“Any proposal to enhance the elusive goal of ‘fairness’ in handicapping yachts should be considered with an open mind, but it must first be practical. A measurement-based system for classics – however detailed it might be – could never encompass the huge variety of individual physical characteristics within a fleet, let alone derive a reliable index of performance differentials between those differences.” – Full report