I trust you plan to send your Portsmouth Yardstick return to the RYA. The deadline is 31st October. Perhaps you have already done it.
Along with the Portsmouth Yardstick return, the RYA has sent you a general questionnaire about your use of the PY system. One of the questions concerns which software you use to prepare results. I am keen that all clubs that use HAL's Race Results fill in the questionnaire and mention the program. The RYA plans to start an online results archive to gather statistics. They will accept input from the most commonly used programs and it is in your interest and mine that HAL's Race Results should be one of the programs.
If you have not done it yet, there are two programs that can help you prepare your club’s PY return. There is HAL’s PY Analyser which has been around for some time. You may well have a copy on your computer already. There is also a new program this year called HAL’s Performance Analyser, which is rather easier to use. Both are available to download at http://www.halsraceresults.com/downloads
HAL’s PY Analyser offers to make an Excel spreadsheet for you to send to the RYA. Unfortunately the RYA has changed the format since the program was written and can no longer accept spreadsheets in this format. However you can easily copy the data from the spreadsheet to the paper return form.
Alternatively you can use the more general purpose Performance Analyser, which does the analysis for you but does not produce a spreadsheet. This program also analyses your other handicap results that do not use the PY system, such as IRC.
Whichever program you use, I urge you to send in a return so that the statistics that support the PY system can be improved. And don’t forget to send in your questionnaire as well.
Happy sailing for the remainder of the season.
Peter Hopford
HAL's Race
Results
01305 263524