Interested in a boat for 2018 TransPac

[BobJ]

One of the great things about the SHTP (in my view) is that it can be raced without an engine. The requirement for an engine is only for local races in the Gulf of the Farallones - the OYRA series, SSS's SHF and HMB races, etc. Here's that rule:

"A boat shall have a mechanical propulsion system that is quickly available and capable of driving the boat at a minimum speed in knots equivalent to the square root of LWL in feet (1.8 times the square root of the waterline in meters) for 4 hours."

The issue for the SHTP is that when a boat's PHRF rating certificate states the boat has an outboard (but it doesn't), an equivalent amount of weight should be carried. In my opinion, that extra weight need not be carried on the transom since the outboard is not required to be mounted. I suppose weight should also be carried to substitute for a fuel tank and fuel but I don't know how much - I leave that question for those at a higher pay grade. Like George. George gets paid a lot more than I do.

[Lanikai]

Maybe if there's another deep promo I'll get a handheld chart plotter.

Don't forget Not-so-Strictly-Sail show in late April. There are usually a few vendors there with some loss-leading deals on handheld VHFs and chartplotters. Personally I can't imagine going as far offshore as you'll be without at least one basic, waterproof handheld GPS and an army of AA batteries in a watertight container. My own phone and tablet are barely reliable on land!
One ill-timed slip of the laptop/tablet/phone off the chart table and into your bilge puddle, or rain squall while you're napping with the hatch open, and then, well...
I'm sure you can find people here willing to lend stuff.

[WBChristie]

One of the great things about the SHTP (in my view) is that it can be raced without an engine. The requirement for an engine is only for local races in the Gulf of the Farallones - the OYRA series, SSS's SHF and HMB races, etc. Here's that rule:

"A boat shall have a mechanical propulsion system that is quickly available and capable of driving the boat at a minimum speed in knots equivalent to the square root of LWL in feet (1.8 times the square root of the waterline in meters) for 4 hours."

The issue for the SHTP is that when a boat's PHRF rating certificate states the boat has an outboard (but it doesn't), an equivalent amount of weight should be carried. In my opinion, that extra weight need not be carried on the transom since the outboard is not required to be mounted. I suppose weight should also be carried to substitute for a fuel tank and fuel but I don't know how much - I leave that question for those at a higher pay grade. Like George. George gets paid a lot more than I do.

Nice red herring there Bob. It has nothing to do with engine requirements, and everything to do with PHRF. The NC PHRF guidelines state:

Engine
Do you have an inboard, outboard, or no engine at all?

One would assume that on applying for a PHRF cert that if you didn't have any engine at all, you would state NONE and the certificate would be adjusted accordingly.
The minutes from the Jan 2018 NCPHRF meeting show the following:

NEW BUSINESS/FROM THE OFFICE/FROM LAST MEETING:
DW Rating Shift/Modifications.
Jim Antrim talked about the work he’s done over the last few months tweaking the DW rating
formulas. The new formulas change the weight of the SA/D and D/WL ratios so they are more fair.
Running the new calculations on previous Pac Cup races resulted in a tighter spread of the
corrected times, which everyone was in favor of. Jim will work with George & Laura to get the
new calculations into the PHRF DB. Laura will re-issue 2018 PHRF Certificates already processed
so that the new DW ratings will be reflected on 2018 PHRF Certificates.
Rules & Guidelines re-write
Will table this topic untill Brooks is present.
OWNER NAME BOAT NAME CLASS/MODEL
Phillipe Jamotte Double Espresso Olson 30 OB
Question from the office: Olson 30 OB doing the STP- if they leave their outboard at home does
their certificate need to be modified to show the engine is not on board?
Answer: YES, he should update his certificate to show “none” for the engine.

So, we expect to see an outboard on Phillipes O30 and gas in the can.

[BobJ]

The SHTP does not require an engine. I hope it never does.

Phillipe can declare no engine and PHRF might adjust his rating. If they do, precedent suggests he offer compensating weight. There is absolutely no reason for him to take an engine and fuel if he doesn't intend to use it.

If you think my response is a red herring you don't understand how this works.
.

[oregonian]

Hello again jamottep, Bob, and WBChristie, thanks for some of the clarification, but I see that the rule, as written, makes no mention of "local races only". Is that aspect just a long standing , accepted, Rumor? WBChristie, you say "so we expect to see an outboard on phillipes O30 and gas in the can". You forgot "and the outboard bracket on the stern ". Thanks again for the clarification. I've fallen behind on my rules knowledge as I've kept my hand on the tiller and away from the mouse. Thanks again

[WBChristie]

The SHTP does not require an engine. I hope it never does.

Phillipe can declare no engine and PHRF might adjust his rating. If they do, precedent suggests he offer compensating weight. There is absolutely no reason for him to take an engine and fuel if he doesn't intent to use it.

If you think my response is a red herring you don't understand how this works.

Right. There is absolutely no reason for Phillipe to take an engine if he doesnt want to.

[BobJ]

Correct. He just needs to declare that on his certificate. Your point?

[BobJ]

Hello again jamottep, Bob, and WBChristie, thanks for some of the clarification, but I see that the rule, as written, makes no mention of "local races only". Is that aspect just a long standing , accepted, Rumor? WBChristie, you say "so we expect to see an outboard on phillipes O30 and gas in the can". You forgot "and the outboard bracket on the stern ". Thanks again for the clarification. I've fallen behind on my rules knowledge as I've kept my hand on the tiller and away from the mouse. Thanks again

I guess you guys don't do much racing. Each race Organizing Authority writes a Notice of Race and states which rule set they're requiring. OYRA, for example, requires the NorCalORC equipment set, from which I quoted the engine requirement. However that rule set DOES NOT APPLY to the SHTP. There is nothing in the SHTP's NOR or SER that requires an engine. May it always be so.

[WBChristie]

Correct. He just needs to declare that on his certificate. Your point?

Too funny.

[BobJ]

Gary, read the rules for the SHTP and tell me where I'm wrong.
.