One-design racing
One-design racing is a racing method which may be adopted in sports using complex equipment, whereby all vehicles have identical or very similar designs or models, avoiding the need for a handicap system.
Motorsport
One-make racing series[1] (also known as spec racing series[2]) are racing series in which all competitors race with identical or very similar vehicles from the same manufacturer and suppliers. Typically, this means the same type of chassis, powertrain, tyres, brakes, and fuel are used by all drivers.
The idea behind one-make car racing is that success will be based more on driver skill and car setup, instead of engineering skill and budget. One-make series are popular at an amateur level as they are affordable, due to the use of a common engine and chassis.[citation needed]
Examples of one-make racing series from around the world included the Dodge Viper Challenge,[3] Ferrari Challenge,[4] Porsche Carrera Cup[5] and Supercup, Radical European Masters, Power Maxed (formerly John Cooper Works) Mini Challenge[6] and Commodore Cup. There are also various formula categories that use one-make racing, such as Formula 2 (which since 2011 exclusively uses a car design by Dallara), Formula Renault,[7] Formula Mazda,[8] Formula Car Challenge, and the W Series.
The Formula One race series are not one-design nor one-make racing series as they allow participation by different manufacturers, each designing their own chassis and powertrain (within limits set by 'the formula'). Some spec parts are mandated, such as tyres and sensors.
Sailing
There are two primary methods of competition in
In between One-design and handicap racing, a number of other approaches exist. One-design classes can be contrasted with a
A further category, the
Having a rigid one-design specification keeps design experimentation to a minimum and reduces
The one-design design idea was created by Thomas Middleton of the Shankill Corinthian Club located 10 miles (16 km) south of Dublin, Ireland in 1887. He proposed a class of double ended open dinghies of simple clincher construction in pine with a lifting boiler plate capable of being lifted. The boat was called The Water Wag. The idea was quickly adopted by sailors in Ireland, England, India and South America. The Water Wag Club still thrives in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.[14]
The Solent One Design Class was one of the earliest one-design classes formed after discussions took place in 1893 and subsequent years. It quickly became popular, and was patronised by some of the most energetic and best known yacht owners in the Solent, Portsmouth and Southampton waters including Sir Philip Hunloke, the King's yachtmaster. Formed under the auspices of the Solent Sailing Club, the class was adopted by the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Island Sailing Club in 1895. The dimensions of the boats were length overall, 33 ft 3 in; Waterline length, 25 ft; Beam, 7 ft 9 in; Draft, 5 ft; Sail area, 750 sq ft.; Displacement, 5 tons with 2 tons 13 cwt. of lead in the keel. Cutter rig with 6 ft bowsprit. Designed by H. W. White, ten were built in 1895/6 by Messrs. White Brothers of Itchen Ferry, Southampton and another twelve were built in the following year. The class enjoyed ten years of keen racing but the Metre Rule, which was introduced in 1907 effectively killed the class. The only boat still afloat is Rosenn, formally Eilun, sail number 6. Now, fully restored, she has been identified as meriting inclusion in the National Register of Historic Vessels of the United Kingdom. She is kept in Lymington where she is still racing and winning on the Solent.[15]
Conversely the Howth 17,[16] designed just four years later by Sir Walter H. Boyd of Howth, Co. Dublin is still actively raced[17] and is the oldest one-design racing keelboat still sailing as designed. While fifteen of the current fleet were built from 1898 to 1914, new boats can still be added, most recently in 2017.[18]
As a general rule, the tolerances are strictest in smaller boats like dinghy classes and small keelboats. In some cases the tolerances are specified in a confidential Building Specification and often everything is designed and produced at the same factory or a very few factories. Examples are the
However, in the Optimist dinghy, one of the world's largest classes, a tighter specification introduced in 1995[19]/with ongoing scrutiny[20] has resulted in boats from the 20+ approved builders[21] on four continents being of identical speed, for example at the 2017 World Championship.[22]
In medium- to large-sized boat classes, One design would refer to conformance to a standard
In other classes, the one-design class may have organized around an existing fleet of similar boats that traditionally existed together often for commercial purposes[
In contrast to 'one-design', other sailboats race under a variety of handicapping rules and formulas developed to allow different type boats to compete against one another. Formula rules include the
Soaring
There have been several attempts to bring the advantages of one-design to the sport of competitive glider racing. The most successful of these has been the Schweizer 1–26 class with 700 aircraft completed and flown between 1954 and 1981.[25]
Schweizer Aircraft principal Paul A Schweizer was a proponent of the One-design concept. He intended the company's 1–26 to be the aircraft to establish a one-design class in the United States. He wrote:
"The true measure of pilot ability and experience is usually shown by his final standing in a contest. What could be more indicative of this when pilots are flying identical sailplanes with identical performance. One-design competition is the sure test of soaring skill."[26]
Other one-design gliders have included those made in Russia by Aviastroitel, in Poland by Warsztaty Szybowcowe Orlik, and Germany, where for example the DFS Olympia Meise was planned for the 1940 Olympic championships.
References
- ^ new Nissan 370z one-make racing series launched motorauthority.com
- ^ 'what is a spec racing series' complex.com
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Carrera cups worldwide porsche.com
- ^ Power Maxed minichallenge website www.minichallenge.co.uk
- ^ Renault sport website (English language version) www.renaultsport.com
- ^ "formulamazda.com website". www.formulamazda.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-06-11.
- ^ a b "History of the PY" (PDF). Royal Yachting Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 Dec 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ^ "History of PHRF in Southern California". Archived from the original on 10 Jul 2019.
- ^ description of National Handicap for Cruisers (NHC) rya.org.uk
- ^ Bill Lee Thinks Outside the Box Rule www.sailingworld.com
- ^ "Transpac 52 Box Rule" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 Apr 2008.
- ^ Recent Results for Water Wags afloat.ie, June 2015
- ^ Information on the Solent One Design classicyachtinfo.com
- ^ Howth 17 hyc.ie
- ^ HYC racing 2022 hyc.ie
- ^ "New addition to vintage fleet". Afloat. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
- ^ Cheaper and More One Design www.wilkessail.net
- ^ Page for the technical committee ensuring one-design compliance of Optimist dinghies optiworld.org
- ^ Optimist builders optiworld.org
- ^ 2017Worlds www.wilkessail.net
- ^ National Class A Scow Association: class specifications www.ascow.org
- ^ article re Americap-ii racing yachtingworld.com
- ^ "SGS 1–26 A,B,C & D Schweizer". www.sailplanedirectory.com. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
- ^ Schweizer Aircraft Corp: The 1-26E for Sport Soaring, page 3. Schweizer Aircraft Corp, undated.
External links