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| March 2007 |
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Improving Our Own Competitive Arena
Just finished reading Peter Nelson’s opinion on the P-30 Class. I respect your opinion Peter, but let me count the ways PHRF lets us all down. First of all, the rating is NOT determined by any complex formula. That is the beauty of it and also the failing. There are some basic formulas to get the starting handicap in the ballpark, then over time, it is adjusted based on the ongoing PERFORMANCE (that is the real meaning of the P in PHRF). Problem number two is that this performance adjustment isn’t always made in every district evenly. Often favorites develop in a region and adjustments are resisted. You question why race committees often try to fit boats by displacement. Well, let’s say we place a Jeanneau 37-2 against a Wavelength 24. Their handicaps are close at 173 VS 172. Now let’s say that there is any type of reach involved. The hull speed of the Jeanneau is going to be well over the approximate 6 knot capability of the WL-24. What about a good high wind day? The WL-24 may take off on a plane! Either way, the true performance of these two boats is in no way similar and should not be paired together if at all possible. Level racing is NOT a reinvention of PHRF, rather it is a gentleman’s (or gentleperson’s) agreement to recognize the close similarities between certain boat designs for competition. (There are national forums on what’s next after PHRF to improve fairness? (Americap II?) Check US Sailing for more information.) My experience in racing and being involved in handicapping and scoring PHRF since about 1984 and racing my own boat mostly in PHRF since 1993 is that it is not a perfect system. The fact that it is a simple system makes it easy to use and allows many of us to gain experience racing and to compete. Anytime overall length, displacement or hull configuration is vastly different and coupled with variable conditions, the fairness of the system breaks down. When these things are fairly equal and the ratings in a class are within 20 seconds/mile, things can be on parity. I don’t begrudge the level fleets when they can happen. I envy them. We had a nearly level fleet at WIRW last year and even with my novice crew, we had some of the best racing ever. If I were you, I would be figuring out how to join them, or create interest in other similar designs to yours for level or nearly level racing. The P-30 fleet put in a lot of effort to organize and selected a narrow group of boats to keep the racing fair. Please don’t begrudge them their fun. They earned it through diligence and a lot of hard work to organize. I know, I’ve tried for over four years now to get the WL-24, O-25 and J-24 to race level. It is not just about displacement. These boats have similar hull designs, and sail plans as well. The similar waterline length and beam makes for very even sailing in all conditions. Once we start throwing in other similar rated boats such as the Moore 24, the fairness drops away with the sail area to displacement ratio and much narrower beam making for a very different performing hull. Very fair to race them under PHRF, but no way racing level. Of course, in a perfect world we would all race the same type boat and handicaps would not be needed. I raced the Santana 20 in fleet for a year. I learned a lot about competing and the cost of minor mistakes. It is simply the best way to race, but you couldn’t get me to own a Santana 20 even though it is the local fleet of choice. I like the amenities and performance of my boat. I am willing to race PHRF or level to get that. Truth be told, I would love to race a J-105, but I can’t afford that. In the end, handicap or level, it is about perceived fairness in racing. Enjoy your boat Peter and please give some slack to those who have put the effort into improving their own competitive arena. Hope you all have a great 2007 season! Strive to win, but don’t forget to enjoy the process. Bill Schafer Ohana “Of course, in a perfect world we would all race the same type boat and handicaps would not be needed.” That pretty much sums it up. Said another way, it’s not a perfect world and handicaps are needed to get people out on the race course. Of course PHRF (P is for Pacific) isn’t perfect, nothing is. The P as performance enters into it when it seems a person’s boat is rated too high because they are winning all the time. Now, is that because the boat is being raced more efficiently, then the rating goes down because it’s being sailed more to its potential. However, if a boat’s losing all the time, in which case nobody’s really paying attention to their rating other than them, is it because the crew is not sailing the boat to it’s optimum or is the rating just too fast. Tough call, thus adjustments, some popular, some not. Nobody is begrudging your building a close fleet to make your racing “fairer,” more like one design. I think what Peter is commenting on is that, if this trend were to catch on, there would be lots of small classes as opposed to a few larger classes. Is that a bad thing? Who knows. As long as your boat fits into someone’s close class you have people to race against. This may work well at large regattas like Whidbey but not where there’s only a few like boats, if any, in smaller yacht club races. No one can blame anyone for “improving their own competitive arena,” so more power to you. And actually that’s what Peter is trying to maintain also, when you think about it. I love your comment; “Strive to win, but don’t forget to enjoy the process.” Words to live by.
I hope you had a better Valentines Day than I did... Forced to Move Dinghy at Shilshole
Alcohol is the Safest Fuel
Trying to Locate Tartan 30, Molika
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