Table of Sailboat speeds

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A

APBY

What is out there in the aqua world of (semi) documented speeds of sailboats?

I read in a Rhodes 19 section of a "Mass Bay PHRF" (what is that "PHRF"?)
Of the Rhodes 19 is 264 seconds per. mile, Etchells is 129, J24 is 168, and a J22 is 177 seconds per. mile.

So - is there such a table to speed comparison of all (or most) of the performance sail boats?
I'm looking mostly at center boaders back to the Lightning, but any comparisons would be great!

Thanks, Randy
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Interestingly some of the boats carry negative

numbers and some are listed as nearly 300. Several of those with high numbers have been featured is books and stories about ocean crossings.
 
Feb 26, 2004
98
Pearson 365 Ketch Memphis, TN
The PHRF is a racing handicap

In very general terms the larger the number the slower the boat. Here a negative number is a "good thing". Different racing groups may give the same type a vessel a slightly different rating based on their experience. The group you mentioned sails in Mass Bay the group jing26 mentioned sails on Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts Bay, the Gulf of Maine, and Lake Winnipesauke.
 

Joe A

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Feb 4, 2008
117
Macgregor 26S Lake Wallenpaupack / EastCoast
fast boats

129 seconds per mile would equate to 27.9 miles per hour
 

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Definitive speed / performance data for sailboats

Go to USSailing.org and do 'search' for POLARS and/or PERFORMANCE PACKAGES.

If your boat has been raced (seriously) there should be available a polar (2 dimensional) graph of your boat's 'target' speeds versus windstrength versus true wind direction. These 'polars' are not cheap.


Alternatively if the boat type/model has a racing record (derived from the results of many regattas using either PHRF or 'Portsmouth', etc. ratings systems) and there is an 'owners group' (internet discussion group, etc.) someone belonging to such group may share this info (either 'self derived'/ purchased, etc.) with you.

:)
 

Taylor

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Feb 9, 2006
113
Warwick Cardinal 46 Seattle, WA
Not all that fast.

> 129 seconds per mile would equate to 27.9 miles per hour

The formula takes the handicap of seconds per nautical mile and adds a fixed value depending on conditions - for moderate conditions the value is 550, so 550 + 129 gives you 5.30 knots.

The actual correction factor formula is CF = A / (B + PHRF) where B is chosen for conditions, and A is chosen based on the average PHRF value of the fleet. All finishing times are then multiplied by by CF. See the bottom of this page: http://www.ussailing.org/phrf/what_is_phrf.asp

For time on distance scoring, (and more practically) it is not the absolute rating that matters, it is the delta between you and another boat. So in a ten mile race, if you rate 129 and I rate 120, I need to beat you by (129-120) x 10 = 90 seconds to win on corrected time.

At least I think that's how it works.

To answer the primary question - faster boats have lower PHRF ratings, and they can go negative.

Trivia - PHRF originally stood for "Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet"
 
Sep 19, 2006
643
SCHOCK santana27' lake pleasant,az
it shows my boat at 201??? :(

but i'm usually towards the front of the pack???
 
A

APBY

Boat speeds I learned about

Thanks for all your replys.
They were a great help!
Randy

I learned about the two sail boats I was looking at, (with your help) that the:

1)
Rhodes 19 has a low of 218, hight of 288, and an average of 255

2)
Lightning ODR (what ever "ODR" is - I assume it's the classic Lightning sail boat)
is a low of 153 and high of 195, and an average of 174

in the PHRF (Performance Handycap Racing Fleet)
 
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