Pwllheli
Sailing Club put the Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) new handicap scheme for
cruiser racing to the test over a freezing cold and windy weekend.

Following
a talk by Mike Urwin, RORC Technical Director, in the region, the sailing club
decided to run its Easter racing under both IRC and the new NHC with racing
being dual scored under each scheme.

With
a snow covered Snowdonia forming the backdrop, some sailors were put off by the
force seven conditions but a healthy fleet including some newcomers ventured
out.

The NHC replaces the Portland Yardstick (PY) racing for cruisers and aims to give clubs a uniform scheme that can be easily adopted for their racing.

The
smiles on the faces of the Pwllheli
SC sailors as they returned to the club bar certainly
confirmed that a blast was had by all, but what of the results and handicaps?

Stephen
Tudor, Honoury Secretary for the club said: ‘It is early days to see how
the new NHC pans out but for the purposes of this weekend it was perfect. It
provided a quick handicap that could be used by all and we all certainly
enjoyed the weekend using it.

 ‘Pwllheli will
continue to run dual scored IRC and NHC racing throughout 2013 and it is
anticipated that the RYA’s National Handicap for Cruisers will encourage new
entrants to racing in Pwllheli.’

Bas
Edmonds, RYA Technical Manager, added: ‘It is great to see that after a winter
of hard work developing NHC it is starting to be used, and from the outset, at
the start of the season, it is proving successful.

 ‘Pwllheli Sailing
club has really embraced the concept that both the RYA and the RORC Rating
Office are promoting, which is a two tiered handicap scheme, which caters for
those beginning their racing careers and those wishing to take it more
seriously.

 ‘As sailing seasons
around the country are being kicked off we expect to see a rise in the number
of NHC races being sailed and hopefully more happy sailors in the clubs.’

For
more information about NHC visit www.rya.org.uk/racing/Pages/NHC.aspxor contact the RYA
Technical Department – technical@rya.org.uk