Beginning in 2026, the FLYC will require all racers to register their boats for competition. The purpose of this registration is to ensure that each competitor is assigned an accurate handicap. Applications are good for the current race year and must be renewed each season to make sure the boat data used for scoring stays current.

Click on the form image to download and print out the application. Follow the instructions below. 

Instructions

1. Please provide the information requested. If you’re not sure, leave blank. Sail measurements must be witnessed by a member of the race committee or certified by a sailmaker.

2. Attach any previous handicap/rating certificates or measurement forms, if available.

3. Submit form to any member of the FLYC Race Committee.

Once received, the Race Committee will make arrangements to perform any additional measurements, if required. Data submitted on the form is subject to verification and validation by the Race Committee. 

The FLYC Handicapping Process

Here’s what happens once you turn in this form:

A member of the Race Committee will look up critical data about your boat from verifiable sources such as US Sailing and SailboatData.com. Data include dimensions such as (but not limited to) length, beam, draft, displacement, reported and measured sail area, principal rig dimensions, and precomputed ratings (if any).

Since US Sailing is the governing body for the sport of sailboat racing, data from that organization is given precedent over data from other sources. However, if there is a significant difference between US Sailing and other sources, the Race Committee may elect to measure the questioned data directly on your vessel. If found to be inaccurate, actual measurements will be used and US Sailing will be contacted.

Principal measurements from your boat, rig, and sails will be used to compute a “derived rating” (DR) for your vessel. This will be used later in the process.

If your boat (Note: Your specific boat, not someone else’s) has been previously handicapped by an organization recognized by US Sailing, and there have been no changes to your hull, rig, or sails since that certificate was issued, that rating will be assigned to your boat. You will need to submit a copy of your rating certificate with your application for this to occur. If the certificate is for a rating system other than Portsmouth Yardstick (e.g., PHRF, ORR, IMS, etc.), the rating will be converted to a Portsmouth Yardstick rating using formulas from the Portsmouth Yardstick Handicapper’s manual.

If there is no evidence of a prior rating assignment, the Race Committee will use the published rating in the most recent issue of US Sailing’s Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) handicap document.

If your vessel make/model does not have a precomputed PY rating, then the Race Committee will look for a precomputed Performance Handicap Race Fleet (PHRF) rating. Since these ratings are assigned by region, we will attempt to find a rating assigned either in the Great Lakes or on the Chesapeake before resorting to rating assignments from more distant regions. The Race Committee reserves the right to take PHRF ratings from various regions and average them.

In all cases, the assigned ratings will be compared to the derived rating computed above as a sanity check to ensure they are reasonably similar.

If no preassigned handicap ratings can be found for your boat from sources recognized by US Sailing, the Race Committee will assign a provisional rating based on the derived rating computed from principal boat and rig data. This rating will be subject to review at the end of the season. Rating adjustments will be based on “Moss Factors” generated by the FLYC scoring program over the course of one or more sailing seasons.