The Club Handicap Officer

10:38 PM Sun 11 Oct 2009 GMT

'Wobbly Boot (WSC)' Sail-World.com /AUS &copy Click Here to view large photo

It's very rare for a sailing club handicap officer to honestly say he has a friendly understanding of his mathematical skills to fairly apply a performance time factor for mixed fleet racing.

Generally he drinks alone at the bar and is often referred to as 'The knee-capper' with the critics always outnumbering the sailors who he can honestly call a personal friend.

In all fairness the handicapper cannot factor in a time frame for human error and generally the sailor who has become his own handicap with a selection of poor tactical options looks to place the blame against his or her handicap.

The problem is not solely an issue with Performance Handicap racing at the Whitsunday Sailing Club its universal and it is very difficult to maintain what most skippers, tacticians and crew hands consider as an even chance.
Some have been guilty of commenting they have been 'sandbagged' well before the sails are tensioned and are basically beaten before they start.

They are looking for someone to blame when a time damaging error occurs with a poor start followed by a below average upwind boat speed and a slow spinnaker set.

All of these errors are human related and no handicapper should ever be blamed for the 'dill factor' associated with the decisions form the cockpit or a messy crew technique on the deck.

Personally I learnt at an early age that the person at fault was the individual sailor and with that came a code of respect for the handicap officer when he said - No one is perfect we all make mistakes and mistakes cost time.
'First you have to learn to make all the right choices then it becomes a little easier to finish ahead of the clock'. Queensland Trainee Race official Henry 'Pop' Hardgreaves said.

However the modern challenge is far more diversified with so many different designs no competing for club championship trophies.

The battle for the John Sails trophy over the Whitsunday Sailing Club Pioneer Bay courses clearly showed that the Club handicapper has produced the right figures with the Terry Archer skippered Africa heading the point score on count back from Wobbly Boot (Craig Piccinelli) and the John Hudson helmed Riff Raff.

Wobbly Boot rated.788 has the fastest three race aggregate of 2 hours 50 minutes 47 seconds while the trophy leader Africa (.737) trails Riff Raff (.691).

Only 38 seconds separate the three crews which clearly indicate the handicap formula has given all three crews an even chance to win the 2009 Johns Sails trophy series.

The Wobbly Boot crew will need to step up to retain their corrected handicap speed advantage to ward off the challenge from Africa and Riff Raff when the class racing continues this week.

Meanwhile the Club handicapper deserves to enjoy a more friendly post race fellowship and a vote of confidence when he enjoys his XXXX Frostie at the bar.

by Ian Grant

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