Has anyone had any experience with the Offshore Racing Rules handicapping system (OR-A or OREZ) vs PHRF? The Gulf Yachting Association is switching next year and I'm looking forward to it. I'm hoping to finally compete with the J29s and Pearson Flyers in light air. We have about 5 that show up every Thursday night. With the PHRF rating system (my rating is 168) we are competitive only with winds over 12-15 knots.
Here is a pic of us yesterday in about 4 knots of breeze. This race was bizarre. It was an out-and-back around a set of fixed marks, but the wind shifted dramatically at the leeward mark making it a spinnaker carry for the entire race. Most of the race had about 5 or 6 knots of wind ranging between a beam reach and a run.
David H.
"Beach Belle"
C36 Mk 1. Sail No. 154
Mobile, AL
David
Mobile, AL
S/V Beach Belle
1983 Catalina 36 Mk I #154
Std. Rig, Fin Keel, M25
Where did you get that rating? The Lake Michigan PHRF rating for a tall rig is 135.
Lou Bruska
Sojourn
1985 C-36 Mk-I TR #495
Eldean Shipyard
Lake Macatawa (Holland, MI) Lake Michigan
Rallyback@comcast.net
I've been sailing with it for years. A J29 rated about 120.
The J/29 polar chart at 8 knots says their wind VMG of 3.948 knots. The polar chart on our website says a C36 would get 3.609 knots. After an hour, they would have a 0.339 nm lead on us. At our current speed, they should owe us 338 seconds to catch that up in light air. That's crazy and that why PHRF doesn't really work at low speeds. I'm excited to see how it changes.
David
Mobile, AL
S/V Beach Belle
1983 Catalina 36 Mk I #154
Std. Rig, Fin Keel, M25