The B14 class members have been asking the Class Association for a while, to offer advise on handicap numbers for old alloy rig B14s. Having looked at results and information we have from within the class committee’s personal experiences over the last 10 years, reviewed the numbers.

The B14 that we see raced on the circuit, has for 2018 been given a handicap of 862 under the Portsmouth Yardstick published by the RYA. The Great Lakes Handicap System is currently under review and will be published in the future, but is currently 852, which we feel the best sailors in the fleet cannot perform to. This is being reviewed with live data accumulated with the trackers and times at the Great Lakes events. To help us and help the assessors, we need more B14s attending, so providing more information. It is a case of helping us to help them.

So having reviewed the alloy rig issue, which is on the older Rondar B14s, have come up with a provisional guide number of 890 to help clubs and sailors of old B14s to increase participation and so provide more data for the clubs and RYA. In doing this it is purely an advisory as per the Merlin Rocket system when it started a few years ago. This number we feel, is a fair representation of the old style alloy rig B14 and is a starting point for clubs to use to encourage competitive sailing in B14s running old style rigs/sails. This is not an advisory for the TT circuit as the class association is already running the Classic TT series within the Grand Prix TT series.

To make this work, you need to advise your clubs of the detail on line, and get the clubs to make returns to the RYA if they are not currently doing so ensuring they are labeled as "B14 Tin Rig" - yes even the case is sensitve here! Enjoy a great season and lets show the sailing world what a great boat/class we have in the B14 Class Association

B14 Class Association Committee (UK) March 2018