Just looked at the proposed new handicap system. I think - unless of course the +s and -s are back to front - penalising people for using wooden masts and cotton sails is a little harsh, especially if you're giving a bonus of 10 points for having carbon spars, laminated sails and a big kite!

That apart it all looks good to me!

Yes Chris, you are perfectly correct. I hope the intention is obvious but the + / - are wrong way round. I typed the table and should have realised, sorry!

I was scratching my head a bit on this but then thought that they were going to be elapsed time adjustments which would then make sense. However it seems that by Bens answer they will still use the merlin age handicaps and apply this most excellent fudge factor which make a lot of sense. However the handicap table is rubbish! what is should do is grandfather a design lets take some proctor mkxxx say built in 1958 and the same design built in 1963, well according to the handbook system they should have different handicaps and the 1963 boat amy have to race off say the same as a 6ft plus wide boat as they were beginning to be built. this is rubbish. What is also rubbish is the handicaps are chosen by random dates in the book. now i have a boat with a certificate date of 1963 but appearsain the handbook as after jan 1964 so i have to give a sistership built maybe 4 weeks before me 30 secs an hour....we have the same hull...hello! so in order to get round this printing handbook issue choice of handicaps, i will have to go and buy a dacron mainsail to get equal terms....clearly this is wrong and should be looked at buy the Vintage handicappers or could we once and for all apply a sensible handicap to the boats ( which is what merv/ ben are trying to do) by looking at the PHYSICAL attributes of aboat, ie width etc.
Re the yearbook as a source of hull dates..check the latedst book and 3690 is marked in AFTER jan 2008, I am sure i saw a lovely picture of her sailing at shorham in 2007 so Mr handicapper please can we scrap the year book date bands , especially if you can prove you have a hull built in the preceeding year especially when it comes across a rating band. 
Also could we have clarification on the vintage series handicaps to apply as well as year book or from a level playing field. Additional suggestion, boy crew -15 twin poles -5

ah...now see based on py 1000...all makes sense. except for the +/- bit. Ben you are a genius!!

Andy Cap,
I can't claim any of the 'glory' here, I just do the dodgy typing!
The table (+/- reversed) will be the only figures used and not in conjunction with the age related handicap already published. This only relates to the De May Series of events. The age related figures are published by the Rules and Measurement committee and may be used as per their suggestion (ie. mixed handicap fleets).

The few events I did last year were good fun, didn't even know we were racing under a handicap system! can you invent a handicap against "rocks per minute"? maybe they already have one at Hampton as they are well practiced at the fine art!

Last year some clubs used a handicap and some did not. This and the increasing popularity of the series has led Mervyn to firm things up a bit with a basic set of rules and a first stab at a handicap that he hopes will work and encourage people to come along.

PS. For anyone new to this - Mervyn is not a mythical figure that I have invented, I am sure he will do his own posting when he gets back to his computer at work.

Plus/minus corrected now!