PHRF RATING COMMITTEE (TYC)
LAKE TAHOE
CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS & CLASS RULES

Last modified July 7, 2011

Purpose:
To establish an independent, unbiased committee, under U.S. PHRF sanction, that will evaluate and establish performance ratings for yachts sailing in events and regattas sponsored by the Tahoe Yacht Club and other sailing events using PHRF ratings.

Evaluation and rating will be carried out as may be deemed necessary by the PHRF Rating Committee or upon request of the TYC Race Committee Chairman, PHRF Chairman, or upon petition from a member yacht owner for review and modification of his or another yacht's rating.

Membership:
The PHRF Committee shall be comprised of five to seven members who either by their knowledge and experience are qualified, or are qualified to represent different divisions of the PHRF fleet. Members shall be appointed by the PHRF Chairman to fill the categories appropriate to be representative of the fleet. The Trans-Tahoe Race Chairman may be asked to sit in an advisory capacity (non-voting). Committee members may be removed by a two-thirds vote at any scheduled meeting of the PHRF Committee. The Chairman may appoint a Marine Industry Representative (MIR) to serve as a rater in order to expand the knowledge base of the PHR Committee, membership in TYC is not required.

Sanctioned Events:
All sailing events sanctioned, sponsored, or associated with races by T.Y.C. shall be governed and scored by the Lake Tahoe Sailing Fleet (TYC) PHRF systems and ratings as adopted, as well as any other events sailed on Lake Tahoe requiring PHRF sanction and ratings.

I. Class Rules & Requirements:

A) PHRF handicaps on Lake Tahoe are for use inner-club and inter-club racing, Class events, Trans-Tahoe, national events, and are available for "cruising/racing" auxiliary sail yachts.

B) It is the boat owner responsability to report data and changes to all boats. Owner agrees to represent themselves in all PHRF matters. Owner agrees to provide truthful testimony concerning his boat in all cases. This is in accord with US Sailing R.S.S.

C) Yachts must be self-righting mono hulls (Ref. ORC Special Regs. 1. I & 5.2) of at least 20 feet in length (LOA).

D) Unless class rules, club rules, or requirements for a race specify otherwise, each yacht is expected to meet the minimum accommodation and equipment requirements as specified in the Offshore Racing Council (ORC) Special Regulations Governing Minimum Equipment and Accommodation Standards, applicable race rules, and State and Federal regulations.

II. Handicaps:

A) Handicaps in seconds (3) per nautical mile are assigned to each boat, and represent a "base rating" with "adjustments". Standards and requirements are:

1.Standard hull, interior, keel, rig, as originally designed and built.

2.All sails shall be cut in accordance with the latest IYRU, or class rules; this includes girths on mainsails, head sails, and spinnakers/asymmetricals, the number, placement and length of battens (except as provided in the following sentence), and headboard restrictions. Full-length battens are permitted without restriction.

3. Jib overlap (LP) no greater than 155% of the fore triangle base (j).

4. Spinnaker pole length (SPL) no longer than J.

5. Spinnaker maximum width (SMW) no greater than 180% of SPL.

6. Spinnaker luff (SL) no greater than 95% x the sq. root of I Sq. + J Sq.

7. A folding prop, a prop solid in an aperture or a retractable outboard

8. A handicap may be assigned to a yacht, which does not conform to all of the above assumptions but does meet sail plan and hull requirements of a recognized one-design class.

B) Ratings can be changed at any meeting of the handicapper’s council, by a majority vote of the handicappers present. Any member of the Lake Tahoe PHRF Fleet may appeal the base rating of any boat in writing. Such appeals, when accompanied by supporting evidence will be considered at the first subsequent meeting of the PHRF committee and may be determined by standard procedures or postponed for further investigation at the committee's discretion. A member may appeal his own rating in writing to the PHRF committee chairman on the standard PHRF appeals forms after having competed for one season under his assigned rating. U.S Sailing PHRF procedures and fees will be followed for any appeal.

C) Adjustments: Penalties or Credits, in seconds (3) per nautical mile, are applied to the base ratings for variations or modifications to standard boats; specifically but not limited to:

1. Modifications: All modifications to hull, keel and rudder are handled on a case by case basis. Owners must report all such modifications to the chief handicapper prior to racing in any event. Disqualification from a race and from future races may be assessed by the PHRF committee for non-compliance. Lake Tahoe PHRF generally assumes that all modifications are made to increase boat speed. Penalties or credits are in three sec./mile increments.

2. When modifications become too extensive, Lake Tahoe PHRF may declare that the boat is a new class and will establish a new base rating different from the boat's original class.

3) A new design or previously un-rated boat may enter one of two possible PHRF venues:

1. 1. 1. an initial provisional rating or
      2. base rating

If the Owner does not request a provisional rating in writing, he or she will be assigned a base rating. Base/provisional ratings will be established by the average of six predetermined venues. These venues will have similar sailing characteristics to those of Lake Tahoe and will be determined by the PHRF Committee. Should a boat not have adequate data in the chosen six venues, it will be subject to the provisional rating process discussed below. All boats having current Tahoe PHRF base ratings will continue with those ratings unless modified by the PHRF Committee. If an owner elects to enter Tahoe sailing competition under a provisional rating, he or she will be assigned a provisional rating under the above methods and will sail with this rating for one complete series (spring or summer). Upon completion of the first full series of racing, Tahoe PHRF Committee will meet and review and evaluate this boat's sailing performance during the series. At this time an owner may present to the PHRF committee data and may be asked for testimony relating to the boat's performance and current rating. The PHRF Committee, based on observed performance of a particular boat and any other pertinent information, may or may not change the rating at this time and the boat will be required to sail an additional full series under the existing rating. Upon the completion of the second full series (spring or summer) of racing, The Tahoe PHRF Committee will assign the boat in question, a base rating. This rating will be determined by the PHRF Committee's observations of performance. At this time, the owner may again present documentation and testimony in order to provide data that may influence the decision of the PHRF Committee.

4) At any time an owner/Tahoe PHRF member may petition the PHRF Committee to modify the rating of his or her boat. This should be in the form of a written letter to The Chair of the PHRF Committee in which he/she outlines the justification, including supporting data for a requested review. The PHRF Committee will consider all such requests and will make a positive or negative decision regarding the petition. The owner of the boat will be notified in writing by the Chair of the PHRF Committee as to the Committee's decision. If the PHRF Committee determines to change the rating, the protocol for the establishment of a provisional rating will be applied as discussed above and the owner will be notified in writing by the Chairman.

5) It is the sole responsibility of each boat owner to advise the TPHRF Committee of any changes to his/her boat that in any way change the configuration of the hull, foils, sail plan, mast or rigging of the boat that could potentially impact the enhanced sailing performance of the boat. Failure to do so will be considered a violation of the US Sailing rules of good sportsmanship as outlined in Rule 69, "Allegations of gross misconduct." Included in such violations are providing false or misleading information to the TPHRF committee, attempting to cover up violations on behalf of the owner or the crew of the boat in question, or attempting to manipulate the provisions of the PHRF rules or the "Racing Rules of Sailnig for 2009-2012 for the advantage of said owner/boat.

6) If a boat owner makes any modifications to his/her boat that could potentially impact the enhanced sailing performance of the boat, the owner must notify (prior to the next opportunity to race) in writing, the chairman of Tahoe PHRF Committee as to the precise nature an specifications of such modifications. This matter will be brought before the PHRF Committee and this body will rule on effects of any modifications and will change a rating as they may deem appropriate (see Sec.II; 1-8, & Sec. IV; A-D). This process will require a provisional rating as described above.

7) Acceptance of the rules: By participating in a race conducted under the US Sailing Racing Rules 2009-2012, and the TPHRF Rules as posted, each competitor and boat owner agrees:

1. to be governed by these rules
2. to accept the penalties imposed or other action taken under these rules
3. with respect to any such determination, not to resort to any court of law or tribunal.

III. Sail and Rig Limitations:
Normally, US Sailing, IMS, PHRF, and specific class rules limitations and restrictions apply regarding sails, methods of trimming, etc. unless specifically indicated in the sailing instructions of the event. The PHRF committee reserves the right to evaluate new developments and to adjust ratings as may be indicated.

IV. Rig and Sail Verification:
Since ratings are based on " standard rigs and sails," the verification of rig and sail dimensions by physical measurement is considered to be necessary to assure the uniform application of handicaps.

Lake Tahoe PHRF Fleet may accept the following as verification:

1. Any current or still accurate measurement rating certificate, such as IMS, IOR, MORC, or other acceptable to the PHRF committee.

2. Physical measurement by the chief handicapper or other designated fleet handicapper.

3. Physical measurement certified in writing as accurate by the owner.

Changes must be reported to the Chief Handicapper. If hulls, sails or rigs are protested through normal procedures or through observation of committee members, PHRF reserves the right to require actual measurement by a fleet handicapper. Disqualification or other penalties may result from non-reported changes or modifications to a yacht.

V. Penalties & Credits:
The following are the standard guidelines used by the committee for assessing penalties or credits. However, the committee will use its discretion in assessing the effect of changes to any yacht.

A. Head sails: LP up to 155% "J": No Penalty

LP over 155% "J": - 6 sec.

(Includes Blooper)

B. Mainsails: Extended " E " measurement up to 10%,

oversized foot up to 10%: - 3 sec.

over sized foot over 10%: individually rated

Extended "P" measurement:

oversized luff " P " up to 5%: -3 sec.

oversized luff " P " up to 10%: -6 sec.

oversized luff " P " over 10%: individually rated

C. Tall rigged boats: Extended " P" & "I" Measurement

up to 5%: - 9 sec.

up to 10%: - 15 sec.

over 10%: individually rated

D. Spinnakers:

Over-sized pole and/or spinnaker girth (SMW) or both

up to 10%: -6 sec.

up to 15%: -9 sec.

over 15%: individually rated

Asymmectricals/Genakers, if used in addition to std. spinnaker: -6 sec.

Boats given PHRF ratings as outlined in the US Sailing publication "US PHRF Affiliated Feet Handicaps" of the current year that have specific limitations under one-design rules and have been rated with these limitations, ma not be eligible to race with the above mentioned allowances (Sec. V) in sails, spinnaker and rigging. TPHRF will evaluate these situations on a case by case basis.

VI. Base Ratings:
The rating committee may choose to establish a base rating of a yacht using current U.S. Sailing PHRF, from venues selected by the Committee whose conditions are similar to Tahoe and may determine to modify these ratings based on performance that is observed while competing on Lake Tahoe.

The rating committee may choose to look at the types of race courses most predominantly set in determining a base rating.

Only one rating for all events shall be used for each boat or one-design class. Lake Tahoe PHRF Fleet will establish and maintain Lake Tahoe PHRF ratings and annually report these to U.S. sailing PHRF for publication in the PHRF Handicaps Manual.

VII. Fees:
The committee shall establish reasonable fees for membership and PHRF certificates.

VIII. Exceptions:
PHRF ratings are intended to provide equitable time allowances for yachts of different designs and balance fleet competition. Not withstanding the committee reserves the right to declare any yacht " exceptional" and adjust its rating accordingly.

See the PHRF Fleet Tahoe (TYC) Handicap Numbers Chart

For information on the PHRF Fleet Tahoe (TYC) and handicaps, see the PHRF Rating Committee (TYC) Lake Tahoe Constitution, By-Laws and Class Rules
or the 2009 PHRF Handicap Numbers for the PHRF Fleet Tahoe (TYC).

For more sailing information, contact: Dan Hauserman, Sail Committee Chairman. For a complete schedule and details of Sail Events, see the Notice of Race page.