Lots of posts here today...
I just wanted to add in my thoughts;
I agree with comments made by Scott (ECH) and Coraline. I was incredibly happy when I got 2nd place in the aircraft catagory last year, mainly because I was not expecting to win a thing leading up to the voting. I was concentrating on the aircraft builds and I thought the competition was awesome - builds that in my mind were much better than mine. I liked the competition.
Setting up a contest where there is a sizable handy cap, to me does not seem like much of a competition. I think that would diminish it. I would rather know that the builds that won were the best ones in the category. I wouldn't want to win by a technicality, or by an exclusion. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd love getting prizes, but to me it wouldn't be a real solid win.
Just my two cents.
Jason