Oh dear, what have I done?
 
The new 2016 PYs have moved -5 for the 10.2 and +4 for the 8.4. The gap, if I can do my PY sums is hence 95 seconds on an hour sailed by the 10.2.
 
That 10.2 re-rating is based on 185 races, a fair chunk of which are likely to be me in club races.
 
Now i am not too bothered by what the spreadsheet says after a handicap race, but that does strike me a quite a difference. I thought I was my own personal handicap as it was, but I am feeling a bit picked on now.
 
Where else are 10.2s being used in club handicap racing? 
 
 

 I'm glad you volunteered this - because when I saw the change I (privately) cursed you!
 
I don't think it's all you though. I have on occasion donned the 10.2 rig in one-off handicap races in light airs (because the 8.4 mainsail is awful in light winds).
The issue I acknowledge is that if we mainly race the 10.2 in conditions where it's relatively very quick, then we'll get hammered like this.  What we need are lots of volunteers to enter lots of handicap races in Force 4 plus and to capsize/get over-powered & come in behind the Solos and Laser Radials!
 
I still think the 10.2 sail is so much nicer to use in light winds - ie the top opens up rather than hooking to windward and stalling - that I'll continue to use it then. I may not win any more, but it'll be a nicer sail.
 
Andrew

Dear Clive, I used the 10.2 quite a bit last season on Windermere. At around 82kg I obviously struggled in the fresher breeze, but basically find it so much faster off-wind that its worth taking some pain upwind. However, to normal club racing I doubt the new handicap will do too much damage. In my opinion its still far better to use than the 8.4. And roughly speaking, even with this years handicap numbers I would still have the same results I got last season and the season before. 
Got to be honest, I really didn't like the 8.4 unless it was blowing like stink.
JN

Hi. Following this with some interest. At 95kg probably one of the heavy weights in the 8.4 I agree up to 15 knots the 10.2 is the better rig and above this the gains are eroded. I do however  mainly sail the 8.4 to make sure I keep in practice sailing with the small sail ready for the main events. This includes light winds below 10knots. Anything less than 7 knots I start having problems maintaining speed up wind but still go well downwind. Above 8 knots I can be fully hiking so don't really have a big issue sailing the 8.4. The main thing is I am sailing the same rig as the other 100s so have no advantage with rig choice.
Chopping and changing rigs plays havoc on my sailing as I find I sail differently with either rig. I think the main thing is to try and work out why it is rubbish in light winds, stick with it to make it better or the heavier guys need to work out how to sail the big rig faster in the windy stuff, but that takes commitment for more of us to sail the 10.2 at the events to keep sailing close and good.
Still got to fix my rudder pintle before Frensham but still hoping to get there and will probably sail with the 8.4 unless there are more 10.2, but as I said I don't really like chopping and changing just to suit the weather

Looking forward to a good year ahead, starting injury free for once.

Anyone planning to go to the training at Weston in April?

Cheers
Steven

Gentlemen,
 Delighted to get a bit of handicap help for the 8.4 this year. At 72 kg the lower end of the wind scale should be my advantage but as we know the 8.4 sail has it`s issues in the light stuff. Surprised that RS haven`t addressed the hooked top end of the leach, whilst we`re a one design class many of us are predominantly handicap racing and would help to have a main that can be set with better twist in the light stuff. Have made some improvements, the usual loosely tied tack helps the bottom end and have found that for handicap club sailing using a stiff top batten helps alot to open up the top of the sail and avoid that hooked and closed leach that kills your light air acceleration. It flattens the top of the sail but at least allows some twist, if RS don`t want to change anything in the sail shape have a think about batten stiffness.
Simon 

 I would like to claim a share of the 'glory' for getting the 8.4 number increased, it surely must have something to do with my lousy sailing last year during club racing at CYC.  Results may have sucked, but I had a good time (in the main) and broke very little which is generally my measure of success.  Plus I passed on some interesting new language and capsize techniques to my fellow club members during light and breezy days alike, so everyone was a winner surely!  
 
Its interesting to read quite a few posts from people who chop and change between the sails.  I only have an 8.4 but this has me thinking that maybe contemplating a bigger sail for some series wouldn't hurt, perhaps for the summer when the water is warmer and sea-breeze can go missing or very light at times inside Chichester harbour.
 
 
 Looking forward to trying some travel this year so see you out there.

Clive
I may have had an inadvertent effect.  Call it the blue stipe bogey since you know you love it.  I use the 10.2 rig when it is under F3 as it is more fun to sail in the light stuff.  However this will impact the PY.  Of course we know that the overall PY of the two sails should be about the same since when we had the two rigs at the Nationals they were evenly paced across the wind range, except in the lightest breeze.
The blue stripe bogey will only have a small impact though as I only used the 10.2 about 10 times last year.
David