PHRF humor in southern california
- Thread starter LuzSD
- Start date
- Status
Isn't that a stitch? It's great to approach a project like this with a sense of humor.
BTW, I think my 102 rating sucks, especially when compared to a Cat 42 which is the same. But, since I have won my share of races, maybe it isn't so far off. Of course, now my agony is that everyone else will get their ratings raised except me!
BTW, I think my 102 rating sucks, especially when compared to a Cat 42 which is the same. But, since I have won my share of races, maybe it isn't so far off. Of course, now my agony is that everyone else will get their ratings raised except me!
One? Won? Won one? Me, too!!!
Actually, it agree and think it's a great idea. Our C34 Fleet One has been racing here on The Bay for almost 25 years now. Over the course of these years only a few adjustments have been made to the one-design handicaps, all with, as you guessed, some discussion. What has resulted is quite remarkable: the Racing Division has handicaps that are within about 150 to 155 and the cruisers range up to 162. It has resulted in some fantastic racing and is very fair for all concerned. It has made strategy and quality of sailing very important in all the races. While we have different divisions for our yearly SF Cup or the C34 National regatta, during the year we all race together.
Of course, our excuse is it's all one-design!
Hilarious. I can identify.....
Second to the last paragraph:
"If there are five or more boats who race against you that you think have an incorrect rating, it's you, not them."
Or words to that effect.
Yes. I can identify with that. They gave me a rating of 118 and there is absolutely no way, Jose, I'm going to be competitive. And with all the junk (golf carts, storm ground tackle, etc.) I have on board it is just adding insult to injury.
They are correct about one thing though, and that part isn't so funny, and that is about the proper way to get your boat into racing trim.
Otherwise, it's a great read.
Second to the last paragraph:
"If there are five or more boats who race against you that you think have an incorrect rating, it's you, not them."
Or words to that effect.
Yes. I can identify with that. They gave me a rating of 118 and there is absolutely no way, Jose, I'm going to be competitive. And with all the junk (golf carts, storm ground tackle, etc.) I have on board it is just adding insult to injury.
They are correct about one thing though, and that part isn't so funny, and that is about the proper way to get your boat into racing trim.
Otherwise, it's a great read.
Race To Your Phrf
This is a term I have heard often and yet to understand or to hear an explanation of its meaning.
Can any one add to this concept ??
Broad Reach
This is a term I have heard often and yet to understand or to hear an explanation of its meaning.
Can any one add to this concept ??
Broad Reach
I've always taken it to mean "race your boat as fast as it can go" and don't worry about the guy next to you. Unless you've been racing in the same group for a while and know for sure the other guy's handicaps, instead of worrying about how much time you'll make up on your handicap, keep going as efficiently and fast as you can, 'cuz the only thing you can control is YOUR boat (unless you're into covering and all that stuff). At the end of the day, the corrected times will be the only thing that counts.
That said, we race with a nice bunch of skippers with our handicaps proven by years of experience as noted above. Others race, uhm, well a little, if not a lot harder.
I'd love to hear others' thoughts on the phrase.
That said, we race with a nice bunch of skippers with our handicaps proven by years of experience as noted above. Others race, uhm, well a little, if not a lot harder.
I'd love to hear others' thoughts on the phrase.
Reverse Engineer Your Rating
Many years as a club handicapper made me realise that a good way to tell if your handicap is right or wrong is to 'reverse engineer' any other set of results for a race of your fleet. You can calculate a 'Sailed To' rating using the average of the others.
Today's hand calculators do this nicely if you just work in seconds for everything.
Either take the corrected time of the winner, remove his allowances and calculate what yours would have needed to be for you to win.
Quite often even you will understand that nobody would ever grant you a rating as generous as that!
Alternatively do likewise for all other boats in the race and average their results. Then compare with the handicap you needed to have the same time - and also compare the winner's time. This will show the handicap necessary for you to be a mid-fleet boat. If your rating is more favorable than this I suggest you keep quiet!
I once charted these 'Sailed To' ratings for all boats in our handicap fleet over the whole season. It surprised me to see the several winners had wide ranging variations in their Sailed To's. Often they either had a brilliant race or a disastrous one. Others, including myself, had a smaller range of performances indicating we were much more consistent performers.
The club operated a performance based handicapping system where handicaps were altered from time to time to reflect each boat's performance. The winners were those who had frequent disasters so their handicaps were never whittled down and this relegated the likes of me to mid fleet positions every time.
In effect we were rewarding the erratic and zany sailors who did no race planning and just sailed by the seat of their pants. They needed to get it wrong several times each season to ensure their handicap was not docked!
Golf handicaps work this way too!
Many years as a club handicapper made me realise that a good way to tell if your handicap is right or wrong is to 'reverse engineer' any other set of results for a race of your fleet. You can calculate a 'Sailed To' rating using the average of the others.
Today's hand calculators do this nicely if you just work in seconds for everything.
Either take the corrected time of the winner, remove his allowances and calculate what yours would have needed to be for you to win.
Quite often even you will understand that nobody would ever grant you a rating as generous as that!
Alternatively do likewise for all other boats in the race and average their results. Then compare with the handicap you needed to have the same time - and also compare the winner's time. This will show the handicap necessary for you to be a mid-fleet boat. If your rating is more favorable than this I suggest you keep quiet!
I once charted these 'Sailed To' ratings for all boats in our handicap fleet over the whole season. It surprised me to see the several winners had wide ranging variations in their Sailed To's. Often they either had a brilliant race or a disastrous one. Others, including myself, had a smaller range of performances indicating we were much more consistent performers.
The club operated a performance based handicapping system where handicaps were altered from time to time to reflect each boat's performance. The winners were those who had frequent disasters so their handicaps were never whittled down and this relegated the likes of me to mid fleet positions every time.
In effect we were rewarding the erratic and zany sailors who did no race planning and just sailed by the seat of their pants. They needed to get it wrong several times each season to ensure their handicap was not docked!
Golf handicaps work this way too!
- Status