Ratings and Handicap Systems
Handicap racing allows races in which dinghies or yachts of different speeds compete against each other.
Subsequent calculation adjusts the finishing positions to determine the finishing order of the crews. The actual time it took each boat to complete the race is adjusted by a numerical multiplier, known as a ‘handicap’.
Handicaps come in two general types:
- Ratings, a numerical measure of a boat’s speed, is calculated using physical parameters of the boat – length, beam, displacement (weight), sail area etc. A Rating is wholly objective as it addresses the performance of just the boat.
- Empirical Handicaps (commonly referred to as simply ‘handicap’), in which a numerical measure of a boat’s speed is based on the past performance of the boat in previous races. An Empirical Handicap is thus a measure of the performance of both the boat and the crew.
Ratings
The following ratings systems are recognised by World Sailing:
Empirical Handicaps
Other National Ratings and Handicaps
In addition to the the systems that World Sailing currently recognises, there are many more Ratings and Handicaps which are perfectly acceptable and applied by Member National Authorities.
The two most commonly used alternate systems and schemes are:
| MNA | Country | System / Scheme Name | Boats | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RYA | GBR | Portsmouth Yardstick | Dinghies | Handicap Rating Combination |
| DSV | GER | German Yardstick | Dinghies & Yachts | Handicap Rating Combination |