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Handicap Lists & Pursuit Race Calculator

Your club's handicap lists are visible on the public website, along with a pursuit race calculator tool.

Public Handicap Lists

Visitors can view your club's handicap lists at:

/clubs/{slug}/handicap-lists

Each list shows: - The handicap system used (PY, IRC, etc.) - Class-by-class handicap values - Summary information

Pursuit Race Calculator

The pursuit race calculator is a tool for working out start time intervals for pursuit (staggered start) races:

/clubs/{slug}/handicap-lists/{list-slug}/pursuit-race-calculator

In a pursuit race, slower boats start first and faster boats start later, so that in theory all boats finish at the same time. The calculator reads the rating system on the selected list and works out the correct order automatically:

  • For systems where a higher number means a slower boat (e.g. PY, ASY, YTC, SCHRS), the highest-numbered class starts first.
  • For systems where a higher number means a faster boat (e.g. SRS, IRC, ECHO, NHC), the lowest-numbered class starts first.

How to Use the Calculator

  1. Navigate to the handicap list you want to use
  2. Click Pursuit Race Calculator
  3. Set the start time of the first boat and the race duration
  4. Pick a class, optionally pick an Ability variant, and click Add to race. Repeat for each boat taking part
  5. The Start Times table updates instantly, listing each entry with its handicap and calculated start time, ordered earliest-first
  6. Remove an entry with the Remove link to recalculate the remaining fleet

Ability Variants

The Ability dropdown lets the race officer give an individual sailor a start time that reflects how they usually sail their class. Options are Standard (the list's handicap), +5% / +10% / +15% / +20% faster, and -5% / -10% / -15% / -20% slower.

A variant scales the boat's expected elapsed time: "+10% faster" means 90% of the standard time, "-10% slower" means 110%. For PY-style systems the handicap number is multiplied by that factor (PY 1100 at +10% becomes 990); for higher-is-faster systems (SRS, IRC) it is divided by it. The adjusted handicap is shown in the table, and the entry is labelled with its variant, e.g. Laser (+10%).

The same class can be added several times with different variants, for example a Standard Laser and a Laser (-15%) for a less experienced helm. A slower variant can become the first starter and shift every other start time later.

Saving and Sharing a Race Setup

The page address updates as you work, recording the start time, race duration, and every class with its ability variant, for example:

?start=09:00:00&duration=90&class=Laser&class=Laser:-10

Bookmark the page or share the link to re-open the same setup later. Classes that are no longer on the handicap list are skipped when the link is opened.

Start times recalculate automatically whenever you change the start time, duration, or the set of classes — there is no submit step. The reference boat (the one starting at the chosen start time) is determined by the rating system, and every other class is delayed by duration × (1 − relative speed) so the fleet should converge at the finish.

Standalone Pursuit Race Calculator

A standalone pursuit race calculator is also available at /resources/portsmouth-yardstick/pursuit-calculator. It works the same way but uses the national RYA PY numbers instead of a club handicap list, making it useful for ad-hoc race planning without needing a club account.

Recording Pursuit Results

The calculator is for planning. To run a pursuit race inside a series, print a start sheet from the race page and keep the results, see Pursuit Races.

Both pursuit calculators (the club one and the standalone national PY one) show a Keep your pursuit results card under the start times, telling visitors that a pursuit run in Sailboat Racing keeps its results, with a Register a club link.

See Also