San Juan 7.7 PHRF rating

[scrobey4]

I am new to the group and new to racing. I have recently purchased an old J/24 and looking forward to getting a start at PHRF racing her at the local club. The current TOP DOG in the fleet is a San Juan 7.7. Realizing ratings vary from region to region and club to club, I was wondering if those of you who race or race against 7.7''s could share ratings . I understand there are two models of the 7.7. How should the J/24 do against the 7.7?

[paulk]

According to the PHRF books I have, the San Juan 7.7 rates from 186 to 207, depending upon where you are and the version you have. J/24''s are more tightly controlled, so range between 160 and 174. In any case, you should blow the San Juan out of the water most of the time. PHRF ratings are based on boats doing a triangular course on average, so on that sort of course you should beat them by at least twelve seconds a mile (186-174=12), or by as much as 26 seconds a mile (186-160=26) depending on what your different ratings actually are. You should definitely be beating them boat for boat; i.e. finishing ahead of them. If they''re finishing close enough behind you to win on corrected time, they''re sailing better than you are, which is what the rating system is supposed to show. Good luck!

[bporter]

Do yourself a favor though and look for a local One Design fleet. The J/24 is one of the most common O/D boats out there.

O/D vs. PHRF is a frequent holy war topic on some web sites, but since you have a popoular O/D boat you should ccertainly be able to participate in it.