PHRF Certificate Renewals/General Rating Information

Hello, St. Petersburg Sailing Association members!


PHRF rating renewal time is upon us, so we wanted to send a friendly reminder to our members to make sure boat modifications and changes are reported to West Florida PHRF or the SPSA ratings chair (if sailing with a provisional SPSA rating). We believe it's important to keep ratings adjustments up to date to ensure we're all competing respectfully and in a sportsmanlike manner. Below are some examples of the types of credits and penalties we should report to WF PHRF. 


For all classes: Modifications you've made such as increases in rig height/boom length, modifications to underwater appendages, the addition or removal of ballast, or adding an oversized spinnaker need to be reported to West Florida PHRF or the SPSA ratings chair. The full list of penalties is available in appendix C of the West Florida PHRF Class Rules document, which is linked below. 


For cruiser class: In addition to the credits and penalties outlined for all classes in the WF PHRF rule book, the cruiser class enjoys additional credits, as well as a sail cloth penalty. WF PHRF assumes woven polyester is the base material for cruising yachts and applies a penalty for sails made from laminate materials. Sail age is also important to note on your rating application, as credits are issued for woven polyester sails over five years old. Please remember: if you are currently receiving a sail age credit and have purchased new sails, you should report this on your PHRF renewal application. If you add items such as a folding/feathering prop or a roller furling system, these additions should also be reported. With regard to any bulk equipment and canvas credits, these items must be on your boat and fully deployed at all times when racing. 


For more information on credits and penalties, please see appendix C of the West Florida PHRF Class Rules document. 


Microsoft Word – WFPHRF Class Rules CURRENT as of 8-12-21.docx (westfloridaphrf.org)


Thank you, and happy sailing! 


Charles Archer

Rating Chair SPSA

rating.chair@spsa.usÂ