Jere Dennison
Back in the early 1970’s, the IOR (International Offshore Rule) was quite the rage, and new racing designs flowed off drawing boards to maximize performance under specifications of the new rule. The problem was that a huge number of yachts built to the old CCA rule, which had predominated in the 1960’s, were rendered competitively disadvantaged by the IOR. And an expensive measurement process was required to generate an IOR rating. Many skippers were turned off by this new system and the search was on for a low-cost alternative rating system that would allow them to compete fairly against a wide range of hull designs.
At FBYC, Fred Williams with his pre-IOR Morgan 35 devised a simplified rule based on a minimum of boat specifications that a skipper could use to calculate his own rating at no expense. In 1974, an offshore fleet formed at FBYC using this rule that was called "The Bounders." Although it proved popular among many cruising types because of its hassle-free approach to family racing, the more serious racers in their new and glorious IOR designs quickly dubbed this new fleet "The Boozers" in a somewhat condescending manner.
Meanwhile, according to history posted on the PHRF of the Chesapeake website, in Southern California a group of yachtsmen developed a new approach to handicapping, and organized the Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet. The British were already using the Portsmouth Yardstick system of handicapping different classes of day sailors to facilitate their racing together. Portsmouth numbers were assigned on the basis of observed performance. Similarly, the Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet assigned handicaps to classes of cruising boats based on observations of actual performance, instead of operating on measurement or design information. They made supplemental use of the same measurements when performance data was not available, but not in a rating formula. The system was inexpensive, easy to administer, and produced ratings quickly.
In 1975, a Chesapeake sailor, Auzzie Jackson, visited Southern California and became interested in this new and popular handicapping system after picking up a policy book and reading it. He was so enthusiastic that he brought the system home to the Fishing Bay Yacht Club to be used in club racing. The first Chesapeake PHRF system under the patronage of Auzzie and Fred Williams soon spread throughout the Southern Bay and to clubs in the Northern Bay as well. Thereafter it became recognized by CBYRA for High Point competition.
Throughout the late 1970’s and into the 1980’s, PHRF (now the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) of the Chesapeake experienced rapid growth to over 1000 rated yachts. Until 1981, management of the fleet was headquartered in Richmond under the able supervision of Fred and Auzzie. After this date, administration shifted to Baltimore where the cumbersome system of manual record keeping was shifted to a computerized database. The rest is statistical history: the PHRF handicapping racing fleet, administrated by PHRF of the Chesapeake, continues today as the largest handicap racing fleet on the Chesapeake Bay.
To show its appreciation, PHRF of the Chesapeake presented a plaque to the Fishing Bay Yacht Club on the occasion of the commissioning of our new clubhouse in 2002. The plaque that hangs on the second floor of the clubhouse honors the memory of Fred Williams and the contribution of Fred and Auzzie to the introduction of PHRF on the Chesapeake and eventually to the entire East Coast. The plaque reads as follows:
Frederick Lindsey Williams
July 1927 – February 1999
Commodore of the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in 1968 is best known for his love of life, enthusiasm for sailing, and his vision of the needs of racing sailors.
In 1974, Fred created the "Bounders" fleet to provide an enriched experience for the Club’s members who wanted to participate in offshore racing with an older boat. In order to expand the fleet, in the following year, he and Auzzie Jackson brought the Pacific Handicap Racing Fleet database from California and the "Bounders" evolved into what is now the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet or PHRF. Fred served as 1st President of PHRF of the Chesapeake. His missionary work and personal assistance with other Chesapeake Bay clubs convinced our Bay sailors that PHRF was remarkably fair and simple. His tireless efforts helped to spread this locally controlled performance based system throughout the Chesapeake and eventually the U. S. East Coast. Today PHRF is the largest rating system used in all North American offshore club races.
Our Bay sailors hoist a "Bravo Zulu" to you, Fred.
And today, the IOR is but a faded memory.
Your Historian/Archivist wishes to thank the following individuals for items recently donated to be hung in our facilities:
Long-time member Charlie McDowell for burgees, courtesy flags, and commemorative flags used over the past 20 years as a co-owner aboard Blow Up, a Swan 44, and as owner aboard Drummer, a Morris 32. Countries visited during this period of time include Spain, Antiqua, France, Canada, and Bermuda. Notable passages include a Mediterranean circuit, an Atlantic crossing, the Marblehead to Halifax Race, and the Marion to Bermuda Yacht Race. Also gifted to FBYC are some 17 nautical books and publications for our library. Unfortunately Charlie is retiring from sailing and is relinquishing his membership to make a place on our roster for a more active sailing family. Charlie, come on back and visit us anytime.
Louise Brierre, widow of Roland Brierre, for the large mounted and framed NOAA chart of the Rappahannock River Entrance that now hangs in the ground-floor stairwell foyer of the main clubhouse.