BYRON racing handicap system - Any thoughts/experience?

[Sea Simon]

I have decided to open a new topic under technical, in the hope I might reach a few more viewers, and perhaps get some more feedback?

Has anyone experience of the Byron handicapping system?

My local regatta and race organising committee, and many others in the West Country it seems) appear to have dropped the RYA's NHC scheme in favour of the Byron system; the PY system also seems to have fallen into disuse for cruisers (but is still strong for dinghies).

Not having had much luck with my general enquiries so far, I have opened a BRe specific enquiry, and request for rating with Byron software at http://www.byronsoftware.org/boats/
by completing the on line form.
This necessitated many measurements, some of which (due to my ability, the boat being beached at the time, and me measuring "single- handedly" are as accurate as I can make them!

I have made an "appropriate" donation, and hope to hear from Byron in a couple of weeks?

Will update here when I have feedback.

[Peter T]

Simon
I have a vague recollection that you asked me (in a different thread) what handicap number I was using but I can't find the relevant post now.  I am using an unmodified (by Byron) PY number of 1085 simply because there is no Byron number (yet!) and this is a PY number that some BREs have apparently used.  It will be interesting to hear what number Byron come up with.  I have a feeling that 1085 is fine in a breeze but a bit harsh in light winds. 

Well done for making the submission, let me know if it is a nice big number but if it comes out lower than 1085 then please keep it to yourself!

Peter - BRE 75

[Sea Simon]

Thanks for that Peter, you are correct!

Will do!

NB. For info...
Byron numbers...
Hawk 20 1094
Squib 1119
Hunter F1 1002
Swift 18 1112
Etap 21 1067
C Shrimper 19 1228
Leader in my prospective fleet, a good helm, in an Albin Nova at 930

Nothing heard from Byron yet.

[Sea Simon]

Byron have now supplied me with the following ratings, by email:

"Based on Class information and that provided for Boat: Swallow BayRaider Exp :RNSA -Two Sisters, the handicap is 1071 with a uSA/Disp ratio of 18.1, a dSA/Disp ratio of 28.3 and a light displacement hull speed of 5.73 knots.
It is noted that Two Sisters was built in 2016 as a water ballasted DayBoat and does not have any form of crew hiking facility; the vessel has traditional woven polyester type sails consisting of a roller furling jib, fully battened mainsail with conventional roach and mizzen sail making a total sail area of 17.7sq.m, plus a mast mounted pole, bowsprit and the class asymmetric at 10sq.m.
If  'no asymmetric' then the handicap is 1096.
If  'no asymmetric' and 'no pole' then the handicap is 1099.

This type of craft is expected to have a wide range of race performance returns dependent on crew number, course and wind strength, if the course is a Windward/Leeward style course rather than an Olympic style course then a lesser performance can be expected."

My input data, that they used:
"Bweb:http://swallowyachts.com/
Class: Swallow Yachts, Bay Raider Expedition. Same hull as Bay Raider 20, but different rig.http://swallowyachts.com/range/bay-raider-expedition/
Boat: Two Sisters of Golant
Sailno: 052
Year: 2016
Units[]: kilogrames and metres
Loa: 6.05m
Lwl: 5.71
Beam: 2.05
Draft: 1.42
Edisp: 520
Sdisp: 1460
Hull[]: Monohull
Construct[]: GRP
Iballast: no permanent ballast
Keel[]: S :Swing Keel/Ceterboard -add min draft in Notes
Keelmat[]: Same as Hull material
Kballast: nil
Rud[]: Th :Transon hung
Eng[]: Outboard
Fuel: 2L
Fitout[]: Basic fitout / as per builders specification
Rig[]: Yawl/Ketch (all extra SailArea/dims/description below)
Mastmat[]: Carbon fibre
Airdraft: 7.5
I: 3.85
J: 1.97
K: 1.78
L: 4.33
Hsfreef[]: Yes above deck, no other/replacement carried
P: 6.47
E: 2.75
MsBatroach[]: Fully battened but normal cruising roach
Saw: 17.7
Sailmatl[]: Standard-cut Basic Woven Polyester (ie basic dacron/terylene)
Spiny[]: Builder's Downwind Asymmetric only
Spinc: nil
Spina: ?
AsymHoist[]: Fractional
Spole[]: Spinnaker pole and/or wisker pole
Bowsprit[]: Fixed stub type (max length included in stated LOA above)
Otherhc: RYA NHC said to be  0.770
Notes:   Rig is a fractional sloop with a small mizzen.
therefore Yawl or ketch???
Rig as per this photo.
http://www.swallowyachts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/fvpgbb91cropped.jpg
self-made 2m long jib stick to suit builder supply jib.
Jib is conventional roller furling type, not the optional self-tacker on a club boom, as offered on this boat.
Factory supplied HYDE Asymetric cruising chute flown off factory standard fit wood sprit, length 1.1m.
Area of assy spinni not known.
No furler for asymetric spinni.
Yard figures:
Min draft centre board up = 0.25m
D max with centre board pivoted down is 1.42m.

Many thanks for your work on this rating/handicap system; it is much appreciated!
A donation will be made."

If any errors can be seen in my data please let me know, then I will try to raise a query with Byron.

I made a donation to Byron to run this rating computation, so if you find it useful, I would appreciate you making a small donation to The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) on my behalf; thanks.

Peter T - re your earlier...
Good in parts? 1085 is within range, but perhaps not where you might have hoped? 

Personally, I wish I hadn't mentioned by jib stick, home made from an old fishing rod! A proper carbon fibre fly-away pole may well become a winter project if I am to be "penalised" for my bodgers stick