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.

PY Return 2013 half way point

As we reach the end of October we also reach the halfway point for PY returns. The RYA are still actively seeking PY return data for handicap racing held over the 2013 season in Dinghies, Keelboats and Multihulls.

It is vital to the scheme that the RYA receives as many returns as possible to maintain an accurate and relevant handicap list to aid clubs in handicap setting and to give starting points for new classes.

If your club has not submitted a return for 2013, it is not too late! Returns are accepted until the 16th December.

The RYA would like to give thanks to the following clubs for already having submitted their PY Return:

Bradford on Avon SC, Cookham Reach SC, Dovey Yacht Club, Fisherrow Yacht Club, Great Yarmouth and Gorlston SC, Hayling Island SC, Hertford County Yacht Club, Loch Ard SC, Loch Ventnor SC, Rickmonsworth SC, Shirehampton Sailing Club, Strand on the green Sailing Club & Waveney and Olton Broad SC.

The RYA would also like to thank the following clubs for using the PY Online website (www.pys.org.uk) to submit their return data to the RYA:

Aldenham SC, Ardleigh Sailing Club, Attenborough Sailing Club, Bala Sailing Club, Bartley Sailing Club, Blackwater Sailing Club, Blithfield Sailing Club, Bolton Sailing Club, Bosham Sailing Club, Bowmoor Sailing Club, Brightlingsea SC, Broadstairs Sailing Club, Broadwater Sailing Club, Budworth Sailing Club, Burghfield Sailing Club, Carlingford Lough Yacht Club, Carsington Sailing Club, Chichester Yacht Club, Clevedon Sailing Club, Clyde Cruising Club, Dinghy Section Combs Sailing Club, Cotswold Sailing Club (CSC), Crosby SC, Datchet Water Sailing Club, Delph Sailing Club, Desborough Sailin Club, Downs Sailing Club, Draycote Water Sailing Club, East Lothian Yacht Club, Elton Sailing Club, EMBERTON PARK SAILING CLUB, Emsworth Sailing Club, Exe Sailing Club, Grafham Water Sailing Club, Gurnard Sailing Club, Hastings and St Leonards Sailing Club, HBSC, Herne Bay Sailing Club, Hickling Broad Sailing, Club Hollowell, Hornsea Sailing Club, Hunts Sailing Club, Hykeham Sailing Club, Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club, Lancing Sailing Club, Largs sailing club, Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club, Lilliput Sailing Club, Littleton SC, Locks Sailing Club, Lyme Regis Sailing Club, Lymington Town Sailing Club, Maidenhead Sailing Club, North Herts and East Beds Sailing Club, Northampton Sailing Club, Oxford sailing Club, Papercourt Sailing Club, Paxton Lakes Sailing Club, Poole Yacht Club, Porthpean SC, Queen Mary Sailing Club, Redesmere Sailing Club, Redoubt Sailing Club, Ripon Sailing Club, Rotherham Sailing Club, Royal Findhorn Yacht Club, Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Rudyard Lake Sailing Club, Scaling Dam Sailing Club, Seafarers Sailing Club, Severn Sailing Club, Shoreham Sailing Club, Shotwick Lake Sailing Club, Silverwing Sailing club, Snettisham Beach Sailing Club, South Bank Sailing Club, South Shields Sailing Club, Southport Sailing Club, Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club, St Catherine's Sailing Club, Starcross Yacht Club, Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Stewartby Water Sports Club, TAMWORTH SAILING CLUB, TATA Steel Sailig Club, Thornbury Tonbridge Town Sailing Club, Twickenham Yacht Club, Up River Yacht Club, Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club, West Oxfordshire Sailing Club, West Wittering Sailing Club, Weymouth Sailing Club, Whitefriars Sailing Club, Wilsonian Sailing Club & Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club. 

(Club list as of 12/11/13)

If your club is not listed please support the Portsmouth Yardstick scheme and submit a return, there is still plenty of time!

 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.