DOES THE HANDICAP MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Or is it us not the system?
I have recomputed the results for each of the races. What I have found is that the placement of boats has generally not been greatly affected by the handicap system. The exception is A4 shown below where there are significant differences in Spin A1 and Spin B2.

I suspect that Viking benefits from being new and improving significantly each week. Similar disproportionate improvement may also explain Tide the Knot.

It will be interesting to see what the pattern is over a season.

SEE DATA ATTCHED AS A4

Why HAKA?

I am one of the shyer, more timid racers in the club. I felt that if this was to have any credibility it needed to have a “manly” name. I also needed to give credit to its New Zealand origins. What better than to name it after a warrior dance. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zvs4T4RU30 (or go to Youtube and search for “Haka all blacks”

WHAT NEXT?

I plan to post results using this system and to make very cheap awards at the end of the season. I plan to produce similar results for the JIB and Main Fleet.

There are some who suggest that a system like HAKA PHRF can be used to make one design racing more competitive by making an allowance for older boats and boats with older sails. Accordingly time permitting I will produce results for the the Etchells Fleet.

My expectation is that racers of all skills will be so impressed that they will take up a collection to pay for me to spend the month of January in New Zealand and February in Australia, sailing and studying the nuances of the system in order to report back next spring.