Dear Racer:

Not sure it was a Pensacola venue problem since 31 boats did the Pensacola race the week before. That is a recent high for that event. Just as much logistics and expense to do that race as to do Challenge Cup. I guess you could debate that those boats represent a different "market". But there were only a couple of multihulls that could be towed. So, the rest were sailed home like they came...on their bottom.

BTW, PYC put on a GREAT show at their club with three days of free rum and free lunch/dinner plus party. They went all out.

As far as the rating issue, PHRF, as we know it, is done/over/gone unless Tom Beery can be cloned. Since Tom is using the EXACT same VPP program as ORREz to produce his ORA1ratings (the new PHRF certificates that you just received) which he has made to look like your old PHRF certificate, what do you all want to use to produce rating for handicap racing in the GYA?

Note: As stated above, ORREz actually produced those certificates for Tom for 339 that were in the GYA Database (see regattaman.com).. Tom relabeled them ORA1. They are an abbreviated form on ORREz with two wind speeds (Light and Medium) and four courses (WL, RL, etc). Therefore, a total of eight ratings. There is a General Purpose Rating which is equivalent to the one-number-for-all-conditions that old PHRF used. That ORA1 rating can be VERY different for several boats because the VPP program "sees" and rates those boats differently from the five guys sitting in Pascagoula reviewing race results. It's that simple.

One more historical point: Using ORREz ratings in 2018 and 2019 for Class A & B, NOYC won the Overall Championship. Their J35 beat both M32s; and in 2019, a PontYC's J90 with a symmetrical chute won A Class. That had never happened in the previous 10 years of C Cup under PHRF. The M32s ran away with A Class in those prior 10 years. Why did that happen? In 2018 under ORREz, M32s started to give A LOT of time to those displacement boats which evened the advantage M32s had when they started to plane downwind in a plus 15 knot sea breeze.

So, what's the answer to the rating you want to use?

Note: the only wrong answers is that you want Tom Beery et al to continue to rate your boat.