What boats have a PHRF rating of 0?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sep 29, 2008
1,936
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Doing up some race results and my wife was asking about PHRF ratings and who would have a zero (0) to set the standard. I have no idea, does anyone?
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,936
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
Interesting

Sounds like it would be fun to sail a Swan sometime.
 

jimg

.
Jun 5, 2004
175
catalina 27 dana point
For other comparisons, Yippee Kai Yay, an Antrim 40 rates from 0 to -21. A Santa Cruz 52 rates -54 to -60, and Magnitude an Andrews 80 rates -141 to -168. Magnitude would have to beat me by 3hrs 32min in a 37 mile race to correct out over me. He has no problem doing that.
 
Last edited:
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
is a phrf of 201 good or bad
That depends on what you want to be good. It is an indication that the boat is slow, at least in light winds so your time will be adjusted. Now if the wind is blowing like crazy and you can reach hull speed anyway, then it may be a good thing as you may win a race with corrected time.
 
Sep 19, 2006
643
SCHOCK santana27' lake pleasant,az
she handles great in heavy wind i've had her out in 40+knts without reefing and had a blast she seems to walk away from most other boats in light wind as well
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,985
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
In addition to Franklin's approach

That depends on what you want to be good. It is an indication that the boat is slow, at least in light winds so your time will be adjusted. Now if the wind is blowing like crazy and you can reach hull speed anyway, then it may be a good thing as you may win a race with corrected time.
another answer is Who are you racing against? If it's a group who also rates close to you, it's fun, if not everyone's all scattered and until the RC does the calcs, nobody knows who won. That's why they group PHRF ratings in "classes."
 

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
8,161
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
it is neither

is a phrf of 201 good or bad
It's neither good or bad. It's simply an equalizer so boats of different designs and equipment can race each other. It's a handicap. Take a look at the phrf list to see how your boat's rating compares to others.... but make no judgments.. You should try to sail your boat to its maximum potential to enjoy the benefit of its rating.
 
Oct 2, 2006
1,517
Jboat J24 commack
It depends on the race

On a short W/L (windward/leeward) race with (4) 1 mile or less legs small sporty type boats tend to sail well above there number because they reach full speed much faster after ever tack

When we do longer races (36 miles)it comes out really close in many cases unless the water is really rough which gives a big advantage to BIG boats
 

Alan

.
Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
PHRF is only one handicapping system. It's far from perfect. And it is only really effective when boats of similar handicaps race against each other. The system breaks down dramatically as the separation in numbers increases. If you've ever seen a scratch sheet of a very diverse fleet the race committees will group like boats together without mixing the faster and slower boats in any way.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,936
Catalina 310 #185 Quantico
PHEF - Far from Perfect, but ...

It at least adds some fairness in there. Biggest thing of all if you are racing day in and day out is the skill of the skipper and crew. That is the fun thing about sailing. If you are very detail oriented you got a ton of tactics and understanding of the boat and the physics of it's environment to master to just get competitive. If you are a gadget freak there is always something new to try and figure out to make things better. Overall there is fun for everyone.
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
PHRF - Far from Perfect, but ...

Franklin, Joe & Allan all make good points. Our club splits our fleet at the 180 rating (and separates those who want to fly spinnakers). The trick is to find a boat that will sail to its rating with consistancy (also a crew issue!).

We have boats that sail better downwind than close hauled. Others sail better in heavier wind (12 Kn +) than in the light air "drifters" of mid summer. The lighter boats do better in flat water than when it is lumpy from wind and wakes. Overall, a good boat with a clean bottom, new sails, and a competent crew will push its ratings in most any conditions.

Our race boat found it was better to be the highest rated boat in the "A" fleet than the lowest rated one in the "B" fleet. It was more fun to stalk bigger boats in the "A" fleet with our better performance than to be looking back to figure out who would correct over us in the "B" fleet!
 
Jan 22, 2008
32
Beneteau FIRST 42 Coos Bay, Oregon
I sat on a PHRF committee for a few years and worked the race chair for our yacht club.
There are falts in the rating system but a new design can be re-rated over its first couple years to dial in its numbers. Hull speed is not taken into account as many designs exceed computed hull speed, Hull speed is only a factor when a boat is designed as a full displacement hull which many of the boats designed over the last 30 years dont fall into.
If racing PHRF, an advantage would concist if you used a boat with a tried and true set of numbers (cut in stone so-to-speak)and up-graded it to newer designed sails and spars.. Two examples would be a Santana 22 or a J-22.. both have numbers set-in-stone and cannot be changed without a big hassel.. but if you put a set of kevlar or carbon sails and an epoxy bottom on the boat, they will "out-run" their numbers by about 10%. another boat far outside its numbers is the early style Catalina 22 with a swing keel.. rated at 270 a good number of years ago.. we faired the bottom and keel,
did an epoxy bottom and rigged it with a carbon mast and "3-DL sails"
The boat would compete with boats (around-the-mark) rated at 180..
But for the general perpose, and the weekend racer.. PHRF is not a bad way to compete..
By the way, my boar rates in the 80s depending on where I race, and with the kite up, she's spooky!
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.