PORTSMOUTH YARDSTICK - Handicap Factors :
		Number of minutes to round a standard course
		for very good sailors in a top boat :		Average	Light Wind
		(different colors MAY not be comparable)		conditions	conditions
		offshore	Farr 40	58	59
		multihull	Tornado (Int.) 2 Trap & spi	59	63
		monohull	A Scow	62	63
		monohull	49er  (Int.) (olympic)	71	none
		multihull	Hobie 18 Magnum	72	77
		offshore	Beneteau 35 (charter ?)	76	79
		multihull	Hobie 16	76	82
		keelboat	Soling (olympic)	83	85
		offshore	Nonsuch 30	85
		monohull	14    (Int.)	86	87
		multihull	Hobie 14	86	95
		monohull	470   (Int.)	87	91
		Sailboard	Sailboard Div IIC (SA = > 7m2)	87	84
		monohull	Albacore (15')	91	94
		monohull	Laser   (Int.) (olympic)	91	94
		monohull	29er	92	none
		keelboat	Yngling (olympic)	93	96
		monohull	Laser II (Int., w/Trap & Spi)	94	96
		offshore	Shark 24	96	97
		monohull	Byte	97	98
		monohull	Sunfish (Int.) All Rigs	100	103
		monohull	Optimist Pram  (Int.)	134
	from email :
	Both Jeff Feehan and I have reported on chasing keelboats around a course.
	While it is true that either a longboard or a Formula board can have better
	VMG on any point of sail than pretty much any monohull,  those favorable
	conditions often don't last for the whole course.  It is not top speed that
	wins the race, it is the average speed, and that is strongly affected by
	good sailing as well has having the right equipment for the job.  I feel
	that I actually do better against the speedy dingys than the big, race
	oriented and well sailed keel boats.  Their VMG upwind can be very
	impressive.  If there is good wind, of course I am faster downwind,
	but the trick is to stay close enough on the upwind legs.
	Jack (Sarasota)