AUSTIN YACHT CLUB KEEL HANDICAP FLEET

RATING PROCEDURES

 

  1. Ratings will be assigned by the Handicap Committee based on each AYC member’s application for such rating.
  2. The PHRF Rating Certificate will be used by AYC members to apply for a rating, and when completed by the Handicap Committee, will serve as the official rating certificate on file.  A copy will be furnished each member.
  3. In general, ratings will be consistent with the ratings of the US-PHRF National/Regional ratings, and will be classified into one of three categories as to their current status:
    1. IMMEDIATE:  Ratings determined and set by a majority of available Handicap Committee members on a class for which there is insufficient prior notice to develop a rating through the normal quarterly procedures.  Depending on the available time and resources, such ratings will be set in accordance with item #11 below.  All immediate ratings will be placed in Review status at the first meeting of the next quarter.
    2. REVIEW:  All ratings which are placed under review by the Handicap Committee for the current quarter.  A class may be placed in Review status more than once and may remain in this status for consecutive quarters.
    3. OFFICIAL:  Ratings not presently under review by the Handicap Committee.  Such ratings shall not be altered or changed except where outlined in the sections below.  Official ratings may be placed in Review status at the first meeting of each quarter.  See #8 below.
  4. Review of ratings will be a continuing process and will be in accordance with paragraph #11 below.  Except in special circumstances such as a change in equipment or boat measurements that would, in the opinion of the Handicap Committee, result in a change in boat speed of 3 seconds per nautical mile or more, ratings will not be changed more often than quarterly.  It is required that the individual boat owner/skipper making such changes notify the Handicap Committee prior to entering any race with such changes.  Official ratings will be published at the beginning of each quarter.
  5. Review of ratings by the Handicap Committee can be initiated by:
    1. The Handicap Committee
    2. An owner* requesting review of his/her own class.
    3. An owner requesting review of any other class.

NOTE:  REQUESTS FOR REVIEW OF RATINGS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HANDICAP COMMITTEE IN WRITING.

 

*An owner must be a member of AYC.


  1. The minimum rating change will be 3 seconds per nautical mile.  The maximum rating change will be 6 seconds per nautical mile, except as stated in sections #12 and #13 below.
  2. Rating change for a given class will be applied to all stock boats of the same class.
  3. Handicap Committee meetings will be held monthly with the 1st and 3rd meeting closed work sessions.  The 2nd monthly meeting of each quarter will be an open meeting.  Quarter periods begin on January 1 of each year.
  4. The owner(s) of a boat for which a rating change for that class is being considered by the  Handicap Committee will be notified in writing at least 10 days prior to the open meeting of that review quarter.  Owners and other interested parties will have the right to be present and to be heard at the open rating meeting held each quarter.
  5. If an individual’s boat is found to deviate from the configuration of a stock boat of its class, it is subject to immediate change in its rating as determined by a majority of the handicap committee.  It is an individual’s responsibility to declare deviations from the stock boat configuration; however, protests by another owner will be entertained.  Such rating changes will be placed in Review status at the first meeting of the following quarter.  All boats are subject to measurements including but not limited to:

      P1, P2, B, J

      Locations of black bands on mast and boom

      LP of Genoas (170% of J)

      Spinnaker size – maximum width (180% of J), maximum height (.95 of mast)

      Length of spinnaker pole (equal to J)

      Beam, Displacement, Ballast, Draft, LOA, LWL

  1. Ratings will be established by the Handicap Committee utilizing data from some or all of the following sources:
    1. Central data base (USYRU)
    2. Other regional ratings
    3. Comparison of boat configuration to the configuration of boats with known US-PHRF ratings.
    4. Comparison of ratings provided by other rating systems, e.g. MORC, Portsmouth, etc.
    5. Local race experience.
  2. If, in the case of a boat which is new to the lake, and for which there is little or no national data available, it becomes obvious that a boat’s initial rating is grossly in error, the Handicap Committee may change that rating by any amount at any time during the first two quarters of local experience.  This change would be based on the experience of other stations, previously unknown information becoming available, or local results.  At least 10 days notice must be given in the event of such change.
  3. The Handicap Committee reserves the right to deviate from the general procedures outlined herein as in such cases as an obvious error in rating assignment which, in the opinion of the Handicap Committee, precludes fair and competitive racing.  Changes in ratings under these conditions will be made only after notification to all owners of that class has been made in writing.  A 10-day response time will be allowed following the date of the letter of notification.  Rating changes of this type can be made only with the unanimous vote of the Handicap Committee.  Such rating changes will be placed in review status at the first meeting of the next quarter.
  4. No member of the Handicap Committee shall be allowed to vote on any decision affecting the ratings of his/her class.