PHRF numbers

[captcraig]

To those of you who race handicap, I was curious about your ratings and how you fair in races. Ariel 157 was given a PHRF rating of 246 and the Commander at our club has a 255 (I think). Ariel 157 has 5 first places and one 2nd and the Commander is also doing well. People are grumbling about the number being a bit high. In our PHRF fleet there are Catalina 25s and a Catalina 27, C&C 24 and various other boats.

[Ed Ekers]

Generally on the west coast an Ariel and a Commander will carry the same rating. San Francisco Bay gives us a 258 (262 – non spin). We now sail in the Santa Cruz area and here we get a 252.

I think the ratings are fair. One way that we are able to justify it is by looking at the results in two particular races we do each year. Both of these events are pursuit races where the start times are in reverse order based on your rating.

I am always amazed that after a 7 – 9 mile windward/leeward course the finish line becomes crowded with Cat 30, Moore 24, Olson 30, Santa Cruz 50, Santana 22 and our Ariel. We will all finish with in a very short distance of each other. The finish order is often determined by the weather we were sailing in and the condition of the seas. If the breeze is moderate the displacement boats do well and if the breeze is stiff the ultra-lights will plane to a top finish, but it is always a tight finish.

We have done a lot of races for many years with our Ariel and have listened to all the gripes about our rating. My feeling is any boat can win a race if the conditions are favorable and the boat is sailed well. The boat is the vessel and the people sailing it win the race…..GOOD LUCK……..ed

[captcraig]

Thank you Ed for your input. Most of those wins were in heavy air (20-30 MPH). One thing I have noticed is that when the boat gets slammed with a gust it burys the rail and takes off instead of rounding up. Our lake stays relatively smooth in strong winds which may give the Commander and Ariel an advantage in those conditions