Relating Boat speed to PY

[wotayottie]

I've googled and googled and not found the answer (if there is one).

Is it possible to relate cruising speed to PY handicaps?

ie if you are comparing 2 boats one with a PY of 1000 and one of 1100 does that mean that the 1100 one will be 10% slower? ie if the faster boat is cruising at 5 knots the slower one will be going at 4.5knots?

Or something else..........................??

On average - yes it does. But it is average of all points of sail and all weathers. And where there is good data available ( some PY are based on race reports but others like for your CW have to be calculated cos no one races them) the PY number is very much real world. It is a performance based handicap system unlike IRC.

If you decided to race your CW then your handicap would start off at that number and then be adjusted race by race according to your cumulative race results.

 

[TSB240]

The PY for our 24 foot lift keel boat is very heavily influenced by the very few that are or have been raced.

All of the raced boats have had any heavy gear, interior woodwork, interior linings, removable galley etc removed and carry the lightest of mooring gear and outboards.

Our boat in cruising trim is probably carrying up to half a ton more gear than one of them!

If I should consider racing I know that in order to maintain our handicap that our 33 year old 24 foot boat would be asked to give time to some up to 50% bigger on the o/a length.

I am sure that the we would be no match for the "Pocket Rocket" though

The best guide for cruising boat speed comparisons is the theoretical hull speed.