New Options for Portsmouth Scoring

As you may know, since 1973 US SAILING has endorsed the North American Portsmouth Yardstick as an empirical handicapping system to provide equitable scoring of different boats sailing the same course.  Based on the Dixie Portsmouth Yardstick this system used two or three digit handicaps, with the option to use an adjusted handicap based on the wind speed or “Beaufort Number.”

  
In 2020, US SAILING has decided to move away from the traditional US SAILING Portsmouth Yardstick for Portsmouth scoring (Dixie Portsmouth Numbers) to the Royal Yachting Association’s Portsmouth Yardstick.  Although the scoring formulas are similar for both systems, there are some significant differences:  

• The US SAILING PY relied on modification and updates through its volunteer Portsmouth Committee, the RYA PY relies on PYOnline which is an online portal for clubs to submit and manage data for their sailors. 
• US SAILING PY uses two or three digit handicap factor, the RYA PY uses a three or four digit handicap factor, as such the scoring formulas are VERY different.  In general, most US SAILING PY DPN ratings can be converted to RYA PY ratings by multiplying the DPN by a factor of 11.58.  In other words, you can’t mix the RYA and US SAILING ratings, pick either one or the other. 
• The US SAILING PY used various BN factors to adjust the handicap factor based on wind speed, the RYA PY uses a single handicap factor regardless of wind speed. 
• The US SAILING PY table contains 1,696 boat models, the RYA PY table contains 97 boat models.

Without going into the “why’s” (see https://www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/portsmouthyardstick/  for details) we will just deal with the “hows.” 

CHANGES
Regatta Network has converted the existing US SAILING PY table to include the RYA rating for all 1,696 boats.  As such, in Regatta Network, you ‘ll now have the option to use:  

• The existing US SAILING PY DPN based on the current (2017 US SAILING Portsmouth Table) with BN factors.  (HOW TO:  On the scoring options tab of the Edit Event Information console, only list the classes to be scored with Portsmouth.  Entrants will choose their rating from the lookup with BN factors). 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The US SAILING PY DPN based on entrant entered rating.  Note:  all entrants need to enter the US SAILING DPN, not the RYA rating.  (HOW TO:   On the scoring options tab of the Edit Event Information console, tick the box to “Do Not Use the Portsmouth Database).  Entrants will enter the rating of their choice).   As the organizer you will need to verify that all entrants enter the appropriate DPN  rating. 
  
  
  
  
  
•  RYA PY scoring using rating the calculated rating based on the 2017 US SAILING PY table.  (HOW TO:  On the scoring options tab of the Edit Event Information console, tick the box use the RYA Rating.   to be scored with Portsmouth.  Entrants will choose their rating from the lookup with BN factors).
  
  
  
  
  
• The RYA PY scoring using an entrant entered rating.  (HOW TO:  On the scoring options tab of the Edit Event Information console, tick both the USE RYA Rating box and the Box to Not use the Portsmouth Database.  Entrants will enter the rating of their choice),  Again, as the organizer you will need to verify that all entrants enter the appropriate RYA rating. 
  
  
  
   

For information on joining PYonline and submitting your club's results, please see:  http://www.pyonline.org.uk/ we will be posting details on downloading your results from Regatta Network to submit on PYonline shortly. 

Regatta Network Lite

 Recent events have brought significant changes to business’ everywhere, and Regatta Network is no exception.  Our costs from our hosting, security, email and SMS providers have increased to the point that we have to reconsider features offered to no-charge events. 

As you may know, in the past we’ve allowed clubs to use Regatta Network for their club level “free events,” as a learning tool to familiarize themselves with Regatta Network.  However, several clubs have been abusing this offer and running every event as a “free” regatta and collecting registration fees or "donations" directly. 

As such, effective immediately, no-charge events will automatically be shifted to Regatta Network “Lite.”

Regatta Network “Lite” will provide normal registration processing, but will not include the following: 

• Listing on the Regatta Network calendar
• Access to Email or SMS messaging consoles
•  Event Websites
•  Online Scoring
• Online Notice Board

Registration data will be captured and can be exported to the scoring program of your choice.  The results generated can be uploaded to the results archive on Regatta Network. 

Working with Waitlists in the Age of Covid 19

For many  events, capacity constraints and wait lists are a fact of life. Many facilities can only accommodate a set number of boats. Wait lists in the Regatta Network system are based on the number of paid entrants received for a specific fee. As a reminder, the Waitlist Limit is established when setting up the registration fee, and will allow entry into your event until the limit is reached.



Once that limit has been reached, and entrants are being actively wait listed, we recommend you revise the Waitlist Limit downward, say from 50 to 35 or 40. This will let you delete entrants that have to drop out and override the wait list status for entrants currently wait listed. Otherwise when you delete a paid entrant, the waitlist will open up for the public, and let anyone jump in line in front of the wait listed entrants.

Step-by-Step: To override the waitlist status for an entrant --
> Click "Edit Event Entries"
> Click on the entrants name
> At the bottom of the next page, click the check box to "Override waitlist for this registrant "
> Click button to Modify this entrant.
> Notify the Entrant either through the email console, or directly to edit their registration form.

With the fluid nature of state and local "Stay At Home" orders due to Covid-19, you may wish to capture registrations, but not accept payments until you are sure the event will be able to happen.  In this case set the waitlist limit to "-1"  and the system will accept the registrations but not allow payment.

With "Multi-Registration" fees, the fee will disappear when the waitlist limit has been reached, to let the entrant pay for the classes or races that are available.  So you may want to include a custom question to capture second choice for their registration.

Waitlists do not function with Meal or Merchandise fees, only with registration and multi-registration fees.   As always if you have any questions regarding using waitlists, feel free to contact us.