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.

Calling all clubs – PY Return 2013

As the summer season starts to come to a close it is the time of year again for all sailing clubs holding handicap racing for Dinghies, Keelboats and Multihulls using the PY to return their data to the RYA.

At the start of each sailing season the RYA publish the Portsmouth Number list containing handicaps for a large variety of classes. Clubs can use the Portsmouth Number list to aid development of club handicap lists. The Portsmouth Number list relies solely on club data from the annual PY return to be as accurate and relevant as possible.

It is crucial for the future of the scheme for the RYA to receive as much data as possible. No matter what volume of racing a club runs every return is as important as the next. It is also important for clubs to realise that if they do not submit a return, the Portsmouth Number list will not reflect their racing.

Clubs can return their data to the RYA by registering with and using the PY Online website (www.pys.org.uk) or by completing an electronic return form (available from the download tab to the right). All returns should be with the RYA by the 16th December 2013.

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.

SCHRS

Clubs that have an active multihull fleet within their club racing may use the SHCRS system for rating multihulls. If a club also races mixed fleets where Dinghies, Keelboats and Multihulls race together an agreed conversion rate is used between the RYA and the SCHRS to convert SCHRS to PN "look alike" number. A link to the SCHRS page on converting their numbers is seen on the right of this page.

Any club that uses PN's for Multihulls or PN "look alike" numbers based on SCHRS number is strongly encouraged to use to use the PYS analysis site to further adjust PN's to ensure they are as statistically as accurate as possible.