Development = faster?

Sorry to add to this one so long after the rest of the discussion...but on the original point about development classes PYs being wrong and slow to change...

Look at the merlins, how big is the fleet, how long do the boats last and how often do the rules change?  If you have a lot of old boats sailing because they last a long time, and the rules don't change that frequently, irrespective of how many good people compete on PY or do the Open circuit, you aren't going to see much change in the PY because there just aren't enough new boats around to make a significant difference.  And if most of the class is in older boats, why should they have to try to sail to a new, lower, handicap.

Cherubs would be different - there are far fewer of them, but after a major rule change in 1997, the PY only started dropping significantly in 2001, but it is still dropping as more new rules boats are built and more older boats are converted.  (maybe this is the best guide for the need for an updating inthe rules - once the PY has been stable for 2 years after the last rule change, then it is time to consider the next step...)

I must admit I like helm handicap (or yardstick systems) in parallel with boat handicaps as this takes into account both the skill of the helm and the suitability of the class the water you are sailing on.  It is also good for the newcomers as they then have an aim to improve their personal handicap by 5 points over the season or whatever...

I agree completely - and that's true in all development classes though. 

My point was how quickly the Cherub PY has changed in comparison to other development classes because getting 4 or 5 new boats out there means that probably 30% of the fleet are bang up to date.  In the Merlins, for example, you would need to have more like 50 new boats built to have the same impact, and as far as I know they aren't building Merlins that fast (partly because the boats last a long time)

The rule change in 97 for the cherubs made a significant difference in the boat. The increase in sail area moved the point where the boat starts to plane down the wind range. The change in the hull restrictions meant that you could have a much narrower hull on the waterline and you could move the widest point to a more efficient position further back in the boat.

For the old boats with modified rigs you get earlier planing and in a 12ft boat planing is the key to performance. For the new boats you also get a light winds improvement, however they do take some time to learn to sail.