Lake Erie Multihull / GLMRA

PHRF Class Rule

 

  • Purpose

 

The aim of this rule is to provide a simple equitable handicap for multihulls on Lake Erie and those areas choosing to use GLMRA. Lake Erie Multihull PHRF and GLMRA are a handicapping system directed by amateurs for amateur sailing. Because it is a handicapping system based on race data analysis between racing/cruising multihulls, it requires class rules. This will establish a standard for comparing like boats and designing penalties for unlike boats. The following class rules will provide a   standard so that the Handicap committees with a standard to design appropriate penalties. The strength of PHRF is that it is adjusted by the local handicapping committee and these rules are to provide guidance to that Handicap committee who still has the final control of assigning a PHRF rating based on local conditions and racing needs of their participants.

 

A caution must be used in using Lake Erie Multihull PHRF as in any rating system it can only meet some of the needs of particular competitors.  Each competitor must choose if they want to race under these class standards. The spirit of the rule requires that owners and designers shall not seek means of artificially reducing a boat’s rating, e.g. increasing the performance, without a corresponding increase in the rating.

 

  • Class Requirements

 

Lake Erie Multihull PHRF Class Requirements are primarily intended to be limited to interclass racing of "Cruising/Racing" auxiliary multihull sail yachts, and not to establish equipment or construction standards. Adequate equipment and crew for conditions to be encountered is inescapably the responsibility of the skipper and already addressed by US Sailing's "Recommendations for Offshore Sailing". This includes ORC Special Regulations for both Monohulls & Multihull.

 

To meet the definition of a "Cruising/Racing” the class requires an auxiliary power system and adequate accommodations for cruising.  Further the yacht shall have a floatation system sufficient to prevent the boat from sinking if swamped or overturned.  Yachts shall be raced within the parameters of the measurement rule. It is expected that appropriate heavy weather management equipment, safety equipment, and consumables will be on board.

 

  • Important Notice

 

The safety and the entire management of a boat, including insurance, shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/competitor who must ensure that the boat is thoroughly seaworthy and manned by crew sufficient in number and experience who are physically fit enough to face bad weather conditions. The owner/competitor must be satisfied as to the soundness of the hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear on board. He/She must insure that all the safety equipment is properly maintained, stowed and in date and that the crew knows where it is kept and how to use it. The ultimate decision on whether or not to race remains the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner or his representative. The establishment or use of these rules in no way limits the absolute responsibility of the owner/competitor. He/She shall recognize their obligation to this notice to the attention of any third party whom he/she seeks to involve in any activity governed by these Rules.

 

Boat ratings are calculated in good faith from data available. GLMRA or Lake Erie Multihull cannot accept any liability for error or for changes in the Rule which a owner/competitor considers to have disadvantaged or adversely affected his/her boat or, conversely to have advantaged any other boat. 

 

  • Handicap Classifications

 

These suggested classifications to be used by the designated Handicap Committee.

 

( P ) - For a class to be granted permanent status it is required that there are at least 3 members of a particular one-design class with the same design and sail plan, with 10 or more finishes on file with the Handicap Committee. These ratings are usually reviewed once a year or when appealed.

 

( A ) - A regular rating is indicated and could be changed by the Handicap Committee only twice a season after reasonable input by all parties affected by the change.

 

( R ) - Restricted handicaps could be issued to all yachts which do not meet minimum Lake Erie Multihull PHRF standards specified for normal Class. Multihull Yachts with restricted rating will not be allowed to be valid for any invitational race and race sponsors will be informed that it is strictly up to racers to protest that yacht prior to start if they feel it would be unfair to allow them to compete in the regular Lake Erie Multihull division. The race committee could also determine the boat would be unmanageable in a particular race. It would be best if more than one such boat could come together at a particular race to create a development division.

 

( T ) - Newly assigned handicap which the designated Handicap Committee feels that has not been adequately tested. This handicap can be changed at any time after consultation with the other Committee members and it is their opinion that the situation makes it inadvisable to wait for next regular scheduled meeting for reconsideration.

 

·        Administration


The Rule is a system of measurement designed to classify boats for competition with a single figure allowance based on time and distance. The Rule will be administered by Lake Erie Multihull with consultation of the GLMRA consortium who will be solely responsible for any changes in the Rule. Requests for interpretations of the Rule shall be made through Lake Erie Multihull / GLMRA and shall be valid for the current year and may be incorporated into the Rule during the annual review.

 

·        Rating Certificates


Rating certificates will be issued Lake Erie Multihull and Certified by GLMRA.
No boat shall have more than one valid certified GLMRA certificate at any time and the issue of a new certificate for a boat automatically invalidates older versions.  The original or a  copy of the certificate shall be kept on board the boat.

 

Changes of ownership sail number or rated dimensions of the boat will automatically invalidate a current certificate.  When the rating authority has reasonable evidence that a boat does not conform to her certificate or that there has been a breach of the Rules, the certificate may be withdrawn and the owner will be informed in writing.  In the event that a rating authority becomes aware that a certificate has been invalidated while the boat is under the jurisdiction of a race committee the matter shall be reported to the race committee.

 

Certificates will be valid on payment of the appropriate fee for the current calendar year only. Notice of Race may specify the last date that a new rating certificate may be changed.

 

  • Units of Measurement

 

Sails in feet to one decimal place, all other linear measurements in feet to two decimal places.  Weight shall be measured to the nearest pound.

 

  • Multihull Handicap Rating Committee

 

Only the local Lake Erie Multihull Handicap Committee can assign or change a rating. The Committee will be made up of active multihull racers with  additional technical advisory by the Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association (GLMRA) consortium. The selection of this committee would be by appointment of the current Chairman of Lake Erie Multihull.

 

  • General


The GLMRA rating is calculated as a Time Correction Factor (TCF) to three decimal places.  Corrected time shall be calculated from this rating to an accuracy of the nearest second. The GLMRA / Lake Erie Multihull Rating Committee may withdraw or suspend a boat’s GLMRA certificate without compensation when there has been a gross breach of the Rules or of good manners or sportsmanship. The number of crew permissible on boats shall be determined by the race organizing authority.

 

  • Measurement and Compliance

 

The basic class rule for GLMRA / Lake Erie Multihull sail design and construction is that the sail must be standard to the design standard or one - design class rule without any excess construction or be assigned a penalty.

 

Their are penalties assigned on special sails and restrictions concerning legal methods of trimming sails that apply to Lake Erie PHRF Multihull racing. There is no restriction on the number of sails except you must carry aboard what is declared at the time of rating to the Handicap Committee. In general, sail makers are familiar with or could be supplied design standards to design non-penalty sails. The intent is not to restrict the use of these nonstandard sails but to give the Handicap Committee guidance in assigning penalties in fairness to those boats that meet the established standard. Batten patterns may be any layout and construction material as specified by design standard to be penalty free.

 

In addition to sails, rig construction or other adjustments must meet design specifications used to establish the rating to be permitted without penalties.

 

Many multihulls use both asymmetric and symmetrical spinnakers which changes the handicapping depending on which is used. When the rating is established the Handicapping Committee must know which or both are going to be used during the length of the particular rating assignment.

 

Reachers will be considered as additional sails for rating purposes, unless specified in the base rating, and must be reported to the Handicap Committee as such.

 

A jib is defined as any sail, other than a spinnaker that is to be set in the fore triangle.  Jibs may be sheeted from only one point on the sail except in the process of reefing the sail. No two jibs can be carried simultaneously in a luff groove device, except briefly while changing sails.

 

Measurement data shall be obtained by direct measurement or derived from another rating. Sails shall be measured according to the IMS rule. The accuracy of measurements supplied shall be the owner’s responsibility. It is a breach of these rules for any owner or individual to intentionally supply false information. The GLMRA / Lake Erie Rating Committee will use the supplied data as a basis for rating but reserves the right to overrule specific data or to standardize the dimensions of a class of production boats. The GLMRA  / Lake Erie Committee may require an owner to submit his boat for measurement at any time.  The boat will be re-rated by GLMRA / Lake Erie Multihull Rating committee based on new measurement data.

 

  • Rating Review or Appeal

 

Any request for review of a handicap of a yacht must be submitted to the Chairman of Lake Erie Multihull in writing. It also must be accompanied with documentation. Since ratings are based on race analysis the best documentation is past race data. The receipt of a request for reconsideration the appellant will be notified of meeting time and date. If appeal is another yachts rating that yachts owner will also be notified. If either party wishes to make a short presentation to the Handicap Committee they may do so at the meeting. No ratings will be changed after a particular race series has commenced and no rating change will be retro active to a previous race, other than those restrictions the decision of the Handicap committee will be effective immediately.

 

An owner or anyone with a valid interest in a boat’s certificate may request a review of the rating of a boat by submitting a completed appeal form available from Lake Erie Multihull / GLMRA, accompanied by the appropriate fee.
Review shall be based on all the available evidence.  Where necessary rated data shall be re-taken by an authorized measurer.  The decision of the GLMRA / Lake Erie Multihull Committee shall be final.


For series produced boats the rated data may have been standardized by the rating authority.  The Standard data shall not be subject to third party review or protest.  However, a rating review may be requested by the manufacturer or the class association of a series produced boat.  Modifications to standard data shall be declared by the owner.

 

A rating protest may be submitted to a protest committee.  A protest committee may refer the matter to the rating authority with the appropriate fee. In the event of a protest, the boat’s rated data may be re-taken by an authorized measurer appointed by thr Rating Committee. Findings of a protest shall determine which party shall pay for the measurement.

 

  • Moving Ballast

 

Water ballast is permitted provided that this is done in the manner the boat was designed for and that the procedures involved are referred to in the rating certificate, otherwise moving ballast is not permitted. For example outboard propulsion cannot be removed and placed in a location other than normal stowed position.

 

  • Empty Weight
     

Empty boat weight is the weight of the boat and shall include the following (all of which should be itemized)

 

a) Rigging and spars (including spinnaker pole(s), standing rigging, backstay, runners and checkstays, halyards, main sheets and vang(s),
b) Main engine installed or outboard engine in stowed position,
c) Trampolines and netting,
d) Batteries and fitted berth cushions on board in their normal positions if carried while racing.  The weight of these items shall be noted.
e) All permanent fixtures and fittings and items of accommodation whether detachable or not, including washboards, bunk and floorboards and saloon table (if fitted for racing) on board in their normal positions,
f) Sails, but not more or less than 1 mainsail with battens, 1 jib with battens, 1 reacher/screacher and 1 spinnaker if any of these sails are to be used for racing,
g) Headsail and spinnaker sheets,
h) Anchors, chains, warps, bumpers/fenders and mooring lines,
i)  Safety equipment,
j) Cooking and catering utensils

 

The following shall not be included in the Empty Weight:
a) Spare standing and running rigging,
b) Fuel, water and the contents of any other tank (spare gas or propane bottles shall be remove),
c) Food,
d) Clothing, bedding and personal effects,
e) Tools and spare parts,
f) Loose gear,
g) Crew,

 

When, for practical reasons it is not possible all the items of equipment mentioned above (e.g. fuel), it is acceptable to deduct the weight from the gross weight.  The rating authority reserves the right to refuse such data when inadequate detail is supplied.

 

 The rating authority may calculate the empty weight of an unweighed boat based on information contained in another rating certificate, designer data or from nay other source.
 

  • Crew Limitation

 

Since multihulls are very sensitive to weight changes ratings are based on a standard crew minimum of three. Yachts racing with less than three are subject to penalties unless minimum crew limit is set to less than three by the race instructions. This does not override requirements of minimum crew limits set by race instructions for a particular race.

 

  • Modifications

 

Unreported changes in rig, sails, rudder, hull, dagger boards, center boards, or ballast will result in immediate suspension of Lake Erie Multihull PHRF rating. Reinstatement of rating will be done only after inspection by the Handicap Committee. Blatant violation of unreported changes will result in action under rule for Gross Infringement of Rules or Misconduct. Notification of changes must be made to the Handicap Committee at least two weeks prior to the race at which the new modification/rating is intended to be used.

 

Modifications in Rigs or Sail Plan where no change in hull shape or ballast has resulted will receive a rating adjustment. Standard Rig and sail plan is considered to be fore triangle and mainsail dimensions no greater than originally specified. Adjustments will result from modifications to weight, trim, or underwater shape in rudder, etc...  Work which is exempt from reporting would be grounding damage or filling and fairing of the magnitude associated with batten sanding. If in doubt REPORT! It is assumed that any changes in yachts, other than approximate replacement of broken or damage components will increase the speed of the yacht.

 

  • Auxiliary Power

 

Any yacht which is unable to motor either to the starting line or from the  starting line of a race shall be subject to protest either by race committee or another yacht( except for (R) rated yachts ). The protested yacht is subject to inspection by a member of the Handicap Committee and if the yacht is found not to be in it's rated racing trim with respect to motor, fuel, propeller, strut, etc. it is subject to a time penalty or disqualification.

 

  • Compliance

 

Lake Erie Multihull is administered by volunteer handicappers who give freely of their time and knowledge to support good and fair handicap sailing. We neither have the facilities nor the inclination to police rule compliance. We consider that we are engaged in a sporting activity and anyone participating in violation of these class rules is guilty of unsportsmanlike behavior. Lake Erie Multihull reserves the right to suspend a yacht sailing under these class rules for flagrant or systematic violations.

 

Who We Are Apply for a Rating PHRF Class Rules Deb's News Articles PHRF Rating Forms Race Schedule Home Page Members Crew List For Sale