Solving the PHRF Confusion Getting your number RIGHT by Claudia Kondracky
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					Everyone complains about they're PHRF rating that they are always wrong. The people who give you the PHRF are, after all, sailors too. They save the good PHRF's for themselves. So how can you get a fair PHRF. This article will give you simple tried and true ways for this. First you have to understand how your PHRF number is established. You know when they ask you how much your boat weighs, the length and beam of it etc. There's a formula that establishes your PHRF. However, this is not the only thing that goes into establishing this number and here is where you can win or lose seconds. All boats come with a base PHRF but it's in the massaging of this number that an accurate PHRF will be established. When you get a brand new boat whine a lot. How can this boat sail to this PHRF? Be right there when the measurer comes to your boat. Make sure he's not just eye balling the length. Of course it's best to use the metric system for this because measurers will take your word for the conversion. Offer him beer, this will make the numbers that much easier to convert. For the first race, lose. Yep, lose. They will look at your PHRF sooner if you do. No one likes it when a brand new boat hits the line and wins everything in sight. You don't want to set off any red flags for them to give you an even worse PHRF. Remember the saying about the squeaky wheel. Complain about your PHRF. Another way is to complain about someone else's PHRF. If yours isn't accurate, how can theirs be? When they win, under your breath mummer PHRF, PHRF. It's sure to get people's attention.  Let's break down the PHRF system further. To subtract from your PHRF, you get spanked. You don't want this. You're going for what are called pity points. A simple whine should get you three pity points. This adds up for distance racing but you should try for even more.  So to even out the spread, you want your competition to get spanked. Points to remember to massage your PHRF number: 1.  Find out the favorite whiskey of your handicapper 2.  Stick paper plates to your keel 3.  Go to PHRF meetings dressed as a G man 4.  Complain about other boats PHRF Good luck to all in getting the point they deserve, whether higher or lower!