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WHICH WAY TO THE STARTING LINE?
Getting started in sailboat racing doesn’t have to be intimidating.
By J A Booker,
President, West Florida Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (WFPHRF) www.westfloridaphrf.org
It’s hard to watch or read coverage of the latest around-the-world-challenge or the recent America’s Cup event and not be inspired by the majesty of these racing machines. Fact is, few own this type of yacht, but, most everyone associates them with yacht racing. As a consequence, many sailors have never considered the possibility of racing themselves. Still, there’s always room for one more boat or one more crew so if you are even a little curious to try, here’s how easy it can be.
First, sort yourself into one of two groups: “I have a boat (or access to one) that I want to race,” or “I don’t have a boat.” You Have a Boat You Want to Race
Let’s start with those who have a boat to race. You might think that twenty-year-old cruiser of yours isn’t suitable for racing, but with a little patience, elbow grease, and some study, you could be on the racecourse in a couple of weeks.
Step One. If you have a boat, the first step is to join US Sailing. Go to www.ussailing.org for more information. This is the governing body for sailboat racing in this country. Your membership gives you access to tons of information, including your own copy of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), which govern all sailboat racing. They’re extensive so don’t expect to memorize them in a couple of sittings, but you can study the Rules in Brief which will give you enough basic knowledge to get started. The first thing you might want to memorize, however, is the starting sequence. It can be the most exciting five minutes of the race, but things happen fast, and it’s a good idea if you’re not familiar with the sequence to understand what’s happening (and why that’s probably the worst time to ask a general question!). It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of the RRS on hand to refer to after certain situations; it’s the best way to really learn them.
Step Two. You’ll need to contact your regional Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF), and get a rating or handicap certificate for your boat. Oh, no, you say, not another regulatory body. Hold on; this isn’t as bad as it sounds. What PHRF does is to make it possible for different types of boats to race against each other. The PHRF rating system, like a golf or bowling handicap, levels the playing field so that very different types of boats can compete fairly. In West Florida, contact West Florida Performance Handicap Racing Fleet online at www.westfloridaphrf.org. You can download an application that requires a little time, some basic knowledge of your boat, and a tape measure, to complete.
Step Three. Get a sail number. You'll also need a way for the race committee to recognize your boat, which means put a number on your mainsail and any overlapping headsail. You can choose your own number, but make it distinct. You can get an official number from US Sailing by going to www.ussailing.org. Click on the heading for "Racing," scroll down to "Sailing Numbering System," and follow the instructions. Here, you'll also find information about size and proper placement of the numbers. Your sailmaker can help with this, too.
Step Four. Find a time and place to race. Every event is required to publish a Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions. You’ll often find these on the yacht club or sailing association’s Web site or posted on bulletin boards at sailing organizations. These two documents will tell you who and what types of boat are eligible. If you’re eligible, complete the registration and follow the Sailing Instructions (SIs). Have your boat safely equipped and crewed, show up on the starting line at the right time and you’re off. Remember to thank the race committee when you finish; most of the time they’re volunteers. You Want to Race and Don’t Have a Boat
If you’re in the “without-a-boat” group, it’s even easier to start racing because you will crew for someone else. Depending on your skill level and demeanor, it’s not impossible to show up two hours before looking for a ride and spend the rest of the day racing. If there is a skippers’ meeting the night before, start asking around then. Put up a “looking for a ride” notice with your name and contact information on bulletin boards at yacht clubs and sailing centers; Some clubs even have crew wanted listings on their Web sites. Someone always needs crew.
Mid-week club races are the easiest place to start, as they typically are short and fairly informal in their structure. Usually there is no skippers’ meeting, so hit the docks early and start asking around. Be honest about your experience and ability. Better to get a “no” answer than find yourself in a position where your role is critical, and you don’t know what to do. Pay attention to how many folks are hanging around the boat. If it looks full, it may be. If it looks empty, they probably need help.
When you get an invite, be willing to jump in where necessary. Help set up the boat before leaving the dock and stay around after the race until everything is cleaned up and put away. Ask questions, but pay attention to the timing. You should have an understanding of your role and what is expected before racing. Asking in the middle of a complicated maneuver may not get you a meaningful answer. It may be that you are offered a role as “righting moment technician” a.k.a. “rail meat.” Don’t fret. This is a great place to observe and learn.
When racing is over, be appreciative. If you’d like to race on that boat again, say so. Have contact information available, and ask the skipper to put you on his crew list. If you’re called to crew again, give a definitive answer and honor your commitment. Knowledgeable crew are good to find, but reliable, helpful and gracious crew are most highly valued.
Take the time to follow these few easy steps, and you’ll be racing in no time. Practice, study and practice some more. Who knows, you may find yourself on a Maxi after all.
Want to crew or need crew? Visit Pressgang, the online boat and crew listing service offered by Southwinds magazine. Go to www.southwindsmagazine.com
The PHRF Boat Ratings Process
What is a rating certificate and how is my performance handicap determined?
By J A Booker,
President, West Florida Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (WFPHRF) www.westfloridaphrf.org
If you’d like to race in a PHRF event, you’ll need to get a rating certificate. This document contains important information about your boat, your pledge that all information you reported is complete and accurate, and your performance handicap. In West Florida we use different handicaps based on the type of course you are sailing and whether you are sailing with or without a spinnaker. The certificate provides the race organizers with all the information they need to place you in the correct division and score you properly for the event.
Many sports use some sort of handicap system to level the playing field for competitors with different skills levels, size or experience. Performance handicap racing is different in the sense that the boats have widely varied performance characteristics, while skippers are assumed to have equal skill. The rating associated with a specific boat is a measure of predicted performance and is expressed in a number of seconds per mile. At the conclusion of a race, the scorer will use the number multiplied by the distance of the race to add or subtract from the elapsed time.
Your handicap is determined in one of two ways. If you own a production boat, the process is relatively straightforward. US Sailing annually publishes a list of the handicaps that every PHRF region in the country has assigned to one of these boats. As an example, after indexing each region to the rating for a J/35, we use these numbers to calculate a weighted average for the whole country. We then calculate another weighted average using just the numbers from five selected regions that have similar sailing weather (Long Island Sound, Charleston, Chesapeake Bay, Galveston Bay and Southern California.) The more meaningful of these two averages is assigned as the base rating for your boat.
If your boat is a new design, a custom design, or a modified production boat, things are a little more complex. If it raced somewhere before, we often start with that number as a provisional rating, provided it is close on some other measures. Using a calculation of sail area to displacement ratio on different points of sail, waterline length, beam, and hull shape, your boat is compared on each point to other boats that are similarly configured. Using a formula called Schell regression and several other ratios for comparison, we assign a predicted performance base rating.
From the base rating we then add or subtract adjustments for headsail size, engine and propeller type, and multiple other factors to determine the final rating for your specific boat. This number levels the field for vessels for windward/leeward courses assuming 8-12 knots of breeze and that everyone uses a spinnaker. From this “BUOY” number we then consider how much horsepower you lose in non-spinnaker events. The calculated difference is your non-spinnaker offset and is added to your BUOY rating to assign your non-spin BUOY rating.
Since different boats’ relative performances vary considerably depending on the type of course, we also calculate a factor for Reaching Leg Courses (RLC) and Offwind Courses (OWC.) These factors are added to both BUOY numbers to create a certificate that ultimately includes six distinct rating numbers. The result allows you to race your boat in both spinnaker and non-spinnaker events and have a reasonable expectation that things are level.
Our job doesn’t stop there. The final, and most important step, requires that we monitor the results of races. Observed performance takes the guesswork out of the handicap system. Sometimes one boat of a specific design is much slower or faster than its sisters. If we have data from actual racing that contradicts the predicted performance, a rating change might be in order. This doesn’t mean that a boat that is handled poorly will get a rating credit. Nor does it mean that catching a shift no one else saw will precipitate a rating hit. We take great pains to consider only boat-related factors in a rating review.
The final result is a rating certificate that is unique to your boat. Accurate measurements are essential. If you need help, log on to www.westfloridaphrf.org for information on applying, instructions and contact information for your area representative. This volunteer is available to walk you through the process. Once we have your completed application, typically you will have a rating certificate within two weeks.
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