PY Ratings

Portsmouth Yardstick Numbers (PY's) will be used to calculate the race times of each boat that competed in the races. It's taken from the RYA PY Number returns for 2007 and updated for 2008 results.

It's as good as it gets, till the 2008 returns have been collated and the 2008 - 2009 numbers released.

It's not going to change much - more "fine tuning" on the part of the RYA.

The final race of the series will be a "pursuit race", this is where boats set of at timed intervals based on their PU number so that every boat "should" finish the race at exactly the same time. The races are run over a fixed time, usually 90 minutes (or 120 if enthusiastic), based on the time of the slowest boat. For example Optimists start first (as they have the highest PY No.), with the 29ers starting last (having the lowest PY No.).

So if you have a boat with a low PY No. you can have more of a rest whilst the slower boats get underway.

The break point between Slow and Fast Handicap fleets is a PY of 1100, boats with a PY of 1101 or greater are classed as "Slow Handicap", those with a PY of 1100 or lower are classed as "Fast Handicap".