Starbuck's wrote:

Terry,
There are many different guesses as to what PHRF stands for, according to US
Sail it is Performance Handicap Racing Fleet

http://www.ussailing.org/phrf/

Yah, yah, close enough. He did say 'Perf.' I couldn't recall the
acronym exactly. I don't race. -TK

When I race, there are very few penalty flags raised. Most experienced
sailors know when they commit a rule violation and take their 720 penalty.
I probably have only seen two penalty challenges made after the race, even
if their is lots of arguments made during the race. Normally the skipper
who committed the penalty realizes it, and takes his 720.


"Terry Spragg" wrote in message
...

wrote:


I have just volunteered to be on the local club race committee and I
know nothing at all about sailboat racing. BTW, what is a "Perf"?


Performance History Rating Handicap

Used to match skippers and luck -o -the -wind instead of bank accounts. A
smart guy in a crappy old boat can beat a billionaire on handicap.

It's a lot like a golf handicap.

It's rating is seconds per course mile to be deducted from total time.
It's based on every race ever held under the rules. There is a book that
says what boat gets what allowance. Check out the PHRAssociation.

A well organised race has different classes all supposed to finish at the
same time, makes for a nailbiting finish, or not.

You will probably be set out in a rain barrel to record protest flags.

You must time every class start, every finish, adjust times, then declare
the winner. You must also score penalty turns, etc.

At a meeting, after the race, in a bar.

You poor SOB.

I was a professional umpire for one softball game. That was enough.

Terry K

Starbuck's wrote:
PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is handicap system for sailboat
racing. It is design to equalize the performance rating between different
sailboat designs. It normally is only used for local "Beer Can" sailboat
races. Most serious competitive racers prefer "One Design" races so it
equalizes the sailboat and highlights the performance of the captain and
crew.

Since no handicap system is close to perfect, you will have every sailboat
owner complaining his PHRF number is not correct. Normally once a year the
race committee will hear arguments for PHRF adjustments, for the rest of the
year, half the fleet will complain that their rating is not fair.

Good Luck



And that's supposed to be fun?

Major anal, IMO.

But what do I know? I'm a proud stinkpotter.





wrote in message
ups.com...
I have just volunteered to be on the local club race committee and I
know nothing at all about sailboat racing. BTW, what is a "Perf"?

Gould,
If you want to have fun, place yourself close to the windward mark during
one of the PHRF races. You will hear more cussing and name calling than you
do in rec.boats.



wrote in message
oups.com...

Starbuck's wrote:
PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is handicap system for sailboat
racing. It is design to equalize the performance rating between
different
sailboat designs. It normally is only used for local "Beer Can" sailboat
races. Most serious competitive racers prefer "One Design" races so it
equalizes the sailboat and highlights the performance of the captain and
crew.

Since no handicap system is close to perfect, you will have every
sailboat
owner complaining his PHRF number is not correct. Normally once a year
the
race committee will hear arguments for PHRF adjustments, for the rest of
the
year, half the fleet will complain that their rating is not fair.

Good Luck



And that's supposed to be fun?

Major anal, IMO.

But what do I know? I'm a proud stinkpotter.





wrote in message
ups.com...
I have just volunteered to be on the local club race committee and I
know nothing at all about sailboat racing. BTW, what is a "Perf"?

Steve,
The collisions are normally minor, but don't you love the way people call
out conflicted rules in an effort to place blame on the other party.


"Steven Shelikoff" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 09:02:42 -0400, "Starbuck's"
wrote:

PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is handicap system for sailboat
racing. It is design to equalize the performance rating between different
sailboat designs. It normally is only used for local "Beer Can" sailboat
races. Most serious competitive racers prefer "One Design" races so it
equalizes the sailboat and highlights the performance of the captain and
crew.

Exactly. When I used to race Hobie Cats, we didn't have those problems.
And collisions rounding the marks (which happen a lot) were relatively
minor since they were small light boats.

Steve

wrote:
They DO take it seriously. One of em called tonight to arrange a
lesson in flag ettiquette (or something like that). I am NOT the
yachty type. My cockpit is filled with extra fuel cans and my idea of
flag useage is to clothespin em to the shrouds if ever needed, I am so
screwed.


Don't be too proud to tell them your level of competence?
They may assign someone with you for a few races. On our race committee
boat we'd see at least three of the gung ho junior sailors helping out.