Portsmouth Yardstick 

Introduction

The RYA Portsmouth Yardstick is a scheme operated jointly by the RYA and its Affiliated clubs.

Since its introduction in the 1950s, the RYA has resisted publishing the Portsmouth Numbers without, in the same document, publishing details of how the Numbers should be used and how clubs should assist the RYA in determining meaningful Numbers for publication. This is still the case and is why this website includes recommendations on the Schemes use, including methods of number adjustment and the current Portsmouth Numbers. In the interests of correctness, readers and users of the Numbers should read the text before applying Numbers.

No part of this website or attached publications may be re-produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the RYA. If you wish to refer to this site on other websites, please provide a link to this site.

!2012 Portsmouth Yardstick Returns!.

As the Olympics finish and the Summer comes to a close it is the time of year again where clubs need to help the RYA build on the Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme.  

It is vital that EVERY club returns its Portsmouth Yardstick data to the RYA in one of 3 forms:  

-          Using the www.PYS.org.uk website
-          Completing an electronic return form available from the right
-          Requesting a paper return form  

Why Return?
Have you or your club members been dissatisfied with the Portsmouth Number(s) published by the RYA? In order for the RYA to change or publish a number for a boat the RYA must receive data to base a Portsmouth Number. The RYA Portsmouth Number list is based on data captured in the annual return! Without this return data, the RYA will be unable to support clubs in establishing Portsmouth numbers to be used for club racing!  

What does the RYA need to know?
The RYA needs to obtain:

-          Where your club is
-          Who submits the return
-          The type of water you sail on
-          The boats that sail at your club
-          The Portsmouth number you currently use for each boat
-          MOST IMPORTANTLY THE NUMBER YOU THINK EVERY BOAT AT THE CLUB SHOULD BE USING!  

If there is one piece of information that the RYA want it is the Portsmouth Number that you think each boat should be using or on the returns form the “proposed number”.  

How do I get this information to the RYA?
The most efficient method is to start using (if you are not already) the www.pys.org.uk this website not only allows the RYA to gain the relevant return information but to further help the club by actively recommending Portsmouth numbers that could be used for club racing.   Alternatively you can submit an electronic return form (downloaded from the right of this page) and email it to PYReturn@rya.org.uk   Alternatively you can email PYReturn@rya.org.uk and request a paper return form for either Cruisers or Dinghy’s.  

When does this need to be completed?
The sooner the RYA receive data the better! The deadline for paper and electronic returns is the 1st December 2012, if you are using the PYS website actively you do NOT need to fill in a form, instead a snap shot of your data will be taken on the 1st of December 2012.  

!Remember!
If your club does not submit its Portsmouth Yardstick data to the RYA before the deadline your club is not supporting the scheme and subsequently the RYA will not be able to aid your club’s Portsmouth Yardstick racing effectively!”  

Portsmouth Yardstick Documentation

The RYA has now published thee revised Porstmouth Yardstick Documentation. These documents have been designed for both sailors and clubs to gain a better understanding of how the scheme should be best used and getting the fairest results when allocating Portsmouth Numbers.

The documentation takes form in 6 documents:

- Introduction: this is a brief introduction to the scheme as a whole, its objective and who can use the scheme.

- Number adjustment & Club list: Gives guidance to clubs on methods of calculating number adjustments and how these should be applied to a clubs "club list"

- Using the Scheme: Includes a variety of standard definitions used within the other documentation along with some other key principles.

- Running Races:provides details for race officers as to how races can be run, the types of races that can be run and the advantages of each type.

- Pursuit Race: Is an excel spreadsheet used by a club to calculate the starting times for holding a pursuit race with the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme.

Specimen Race: Is one of the methods that a club can use to calculate any number adjustments required to give fairer handicaps. This worksheet takes the club through the steps in carrying out such a calculation.

All of these documents can be downloaded from the downloads tab to the right of the screen.

In the near future the RYA intends to publish a standard document on writing Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.

PYS.org.uk

To the right there is also a link to the RYA's Race analysis website which is mentioned within the documentation. This website offers a facility to easily give a clubs race data to the RYA and a meaningful club list of Portmsouth Numbers. The RYA strongly recommend that all clubs adopt the use of this website if they have not already.