Fleet 72 at Saratoga Lake Sailing Club has one Ensign-only event each season. For the rest of the season we race against a mix of boats, all smaller than the Ensign: Thistle, Flying Scot, Mc Scow, YFlyer, Kestrel, and Laser. For these club races we use the Portsmouth system with the Ensign having a PY last year of 0.969. In addition, boats of each class are scored against other boats of the same class without a handicap, leading to both club-level and fleet-level awards.

Based on our experience I do not understand the concern that we need a new system in order to have competitive races against other classes.

In addition, if the ECA were to invest in the ORR-EZ program for the Ensign, we could not use it unless all the classes we sail against would do the same. We have no way to force them to do this. To further complicate matters, our Flag Lt. Race has told me he does not think that ORR-EZ is available for dinghies, which make up most of our sanctioned fleets.

Vic Roberts
#2032 - Journey



-----Original Message-----
From: mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com [mailto:mailer@mail2.clubexpress.com] On Behalf Of Ensign Sailing Forum
Sent: Friday, January 5, 2018 10:26 AM
To: vic@victorroberts.com
Subject: re: [Ensign Sailing] Velocity Prediction Programs and Handicap Ratings <<$187709241044$>>




A most excellent proposal which I endorse wholeheartedly. Having a polar diagram was one of my first requests to the community to no avail. Being able to compete competitively in other classes would make the Ensign a more attractive and marketable boat. On Thu, Jan 4, 2018 at 5:42 PM Ensign Sailing Forum <ensignsailing@ensignclass.com> wrote:
I would like to start a discussion about the handicap systems being used by the clubs our Ensign members are sailing in. All of us are not fortunate enough to race strictly one-design and therefore when competing against different kinds of boats a handicapping system is used. The two older and most popular are the PHRF and the Portsmouth systems. These formulas are both based on empirical performance observations which have been collected over the years. They are owned, maintained and administered by US Sailing.

Newer handicap systems, developed and owned by the Offshore Racing Association but administered by US Sailing, are called the Offshore Racing Rule and the Offshore Racing Rule-EZ. I know of at least one Ensign sailor whose club is using ORR-EZ. It is based on a Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) initially developed at MIT/Pratt Institute. The ORR relies on measurements of all speed affecting variables required to competently predict reliable handicaps. The ORR-EZ is a simplified version for one design production boats based on class specified measurements.

The ORR-EZ Velocity Prediction Program can be used to create a Polar Curve specific for the Ensign. Polar Curves tell you the predicted maximum velocity made good for your sailing angle relative to the True Wind Direction at various True Wind Speeds.
It would cost a few hundred dollars to obtain a VPP from the Offshore Racing Association for a generic Ensign. The formula does have the ability to factor in empirical observations.

Are any of you in clubs that use the ORR-EZ handicap system?
Do any of you feel that having a Polar diagram generated by a VPP for the Ensign would be of any helping for training purposes?

References:
http://www.ockam.com/2013/06/03/what-are-polars/
http://www.ussailing.org/reference-guide/#offshore-anchor

Pete Kogut
Fleet 23 Canandaigua NYAttachment(s):
Polar_Diagram.png (109.5 KB)

I would like to start a discussion about the handicap systems being used by the clubs our Ensign members are sailing in. All of us are not fortunate enough to race strictly one-design and therefore when competing against different kinds of boats a handicapping system is used. The two older and most popular are the PHRF and the Portsmouth systems. These formulas are both based on empirical performance observations which have been collected over the years. They are owned, maintained and administered by US Sailing.

Newer handicap systems, developed and owned by the Offshore Racing Association but administered by US Sailing, are called the Offshore Racing Rule and the Offshore Racing Rule-EZ. I know of at least one Ensign sailor whose club is using ORR-EZ. It is based on a Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) initially developed at MIT/Pratt Institute. The ORR relies on measurements of all speed affecting variables required to competently predict reliable handicaps. The ORR-EZ is a simplified version for one design production boats based on class specified measurements.

The ORR-EZ Velocity Prediction Program can be used to create a Polar Curve specific for the Ensign. Polar Curves tell you the predicted maximum velocity made good for your sailing angle relative to the True Wind Direction at various True Wind Speeds.
It would cost a few hundred dollars to obtain a VPP from the Offshore Racing Association for a generic Ensign. The formula does have the ability to factor in empirical observations.

Are any of you in clubs that use the ORR-EZ handicap system?
Do any of you feel that having a Polar diagram generated by a VPP for the Ensign would be of any helping for training purposes?

References:
http://www.ockam.com/2013/06/03/what-are-polars/
http://www.ussailing.org/reference-guide/#offshore-anchor

Pete Kogut
Fleet 23 Canandaigua NY