Date: 8/10/2006
Name: Roy H. Lewis
email: barcode845@earthlink.net

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subject: PHRF #

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PHRF numbers are based -- as best as I understand, sailing in 10 kts of wind, windward leeward courses, and in water with no current --- zippo, zero, nada, ZERO CURRENT.

Now if there is a current ( AKA river) then PHRF Time on Distance (TOD) FAVORS the faster boat ( lower PHRF #) in most* cases. Now if the SJ 21's are pitted against Catalina 22, on a river --- the Catalina-22 has little chance. Basically the current makes the course ( distance sailed over the WATER) longer then measured between bouys. Now if a SJ-21 is racing against a Santana 20 with a PHRF of 222 ..... on a river -- then the advantage shifts to Santana 20.

* There is a slight window --- when you are tacking with the current and running against the current, when the current is between .1 and .5kts where it would favor the slower -- higher PHRF boats.

Check out a web page I made.

http://www.914barcode.com/phrf-tot.html

for more detailed information on how PHRF TOD gets distorted by current.

Best PHRF races, are races held with spreads less then 20 seconds/mile, but many clubs can not do this, as there are not enough boats racing.

YRALIS, Yacht Racing Association Long Island Sound uses 252 as do many others. Be careful interpreting PHRF Northwest #'s as they have basically multiplied all their PHRF mumbers by 1.1 A boat with a PHRF of 100 goes to 110 and a boat with a PHRF of 200 goes to 220 ---

PHRF Northwest seems to have their act together --- which is why their membership has gained over the years, where-as YRALIS seems to have dropped.

Roy
"Overtime" 2441

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