The PCYC Board has unanimously approved the rating system proposed by the technical committee. The 2010 rating system will use ORR-based and YRA's PHRF-DW -based numbers to derive the Pacific Cup Rating.
As in prior years, faster and certain hard-to-rate boats will race under a rating derived from the ORR rating method, while the remainder will race under a rating derived from one provided by the NC-PHRF committee. These ratings will be scaled to provide overall results.
In the past, the Pacific Cup technical committee had done the job of starting with the 'round the buoys PHRF rating, and applying a range of factors to it, including displacement, LWL, and others, to arrive at a rating intended to be more appropriate for downwind racing. For 2010, the PHRF Committee, with input from (and overlap with) the PCYC Technical Committee took on the rather monumental task of creating appropriate downwind ratings for the entire fleet.
For more about the YRA's methods, see their FAQ. As explained to the PCYC board, the PHRF committee performed a similar exercise to what PCYC would have done, with additional factors including looking at sail area and at actual downwind performance. (This puts the P in Phrf).
The PHRF committee also has more formalized and structured procedures for review and appeal, as appropriate.
The Pacific Cup Rating has always differed, sometimes markedly, in relative handicaps from the straight PHRF rating. Boat A might owe time to Boat B around the buoys, but the reverse may be true in a majority downwind race. The use of the PHRF-DW rating is expected to provide fairer racing as well as consistency across a range of downwind races.
What about ORR?
The rather more complex (and somewhat pricier) ORR rating is adopted for certain faster boats per the NOR. A wind matrix will be applied to derive a single value, and then both the ORR and the PHRF-DW values will have a number added to them to put them on par for overall standings and, if required, intra-fleet standings. See the official explanation here.
Bottom Line
There's been some confusion about how to read the new numbers. Competitors should recall that the absolute number is irrelevant. It's only how your numbers stack up against your competitors that matters. "I got a 93" is less of a useful fact than "Now that sled owes me 27 seconds per mile instead of 12." The PHRF Committee will continue to review its ratings (sometimes with the helpful suggestions of competitors) and will continue to provide us with a basis for fair and enjoyable racing.
