The start of the new Summer season on 12 April also sees the start of new innovation: the Croydon Yardstick (CY).
Why are Croydon Sailing Club (CSC) introducing CY?
Anyone that’s sailed at South Norwood Lake would probably agree that it is a unique sailing experience, so while the Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) has served us well for many years, it was felt that, like many other sailing clubs across the country, CSC’s yardstick should be more representative of the particular features and circumstances of our club and its location.
What is CY intended to do?
Much like a golf handicap, but calculated using classes of dinghy not individuals, CY is as an evolution of PY that will make it slightly more challenging for classes of dinghy that have performed above reasonable expectation over recent seasons and open up opportunities for classes of dinghy that have consistently underperformed over an extended period.
CY is purely intended to ensure a more level playing field for all CSC members and is not designed in any way to penalise or benefit any individual or individuals over any other.
How was it calculated?
CY is based on two of the 3 methods recommended by the RYA: manual calculations, based on recent race results, plus common sense.
In the future, we hope to bring in additional data from the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick Race Analysis Website, the third method suggested by RYA, which was not available to us this time around due to an RYA system upgrade.
How do the changes affect me?
With each class of dinghy sailed at CSC now allocated a Croydon Number (CN) rather than a Portsmouth Number (PN), the exact effect will depend on the class on dinghy you sail at CSC.
Here’s how PNs compare to CNs for the most popular dinghy classes at CSC:
| Class | PN | CN |
|---|---|---|
| Byte | 1190 | 1190 |
| Byte C2 | 1146 | 1129 |
| Comet | 1190 | 1190 |
| Enterprise | 1097 | 1097 |
| Firebird | 1256 | 1256 |
| Heron | 1345 | 1365 |
| Laser | 1087 | 1103 |
| Mirror | 1385 | 1390 |
| Pico | 1300 | 1300 |
| Topper | 1313 | 1313 |
In a typical race, this means that a Byte C2 will have to gain an additional 20-30 second advantage over a Comet to win during the Summer season, and that the rest of the fleet will have to make up an additional minute on a Heron in a pursuit.
Will CY ever change?
Yes: to ensure that it remains fair to all members and dinghy classes, CY will be reviewed at the end of each season to take into account the most recent race results and changes in the make up of the CSC fleet.
CY will not change mid-season unless their are exceptional circumstances.