Q: What does the ORR do?
A: The ORR professional team maintains up-to-date scientific measurement and calculation to:
- Use its proprietary ORR Velocity Prediction Program (ORR-VPP) to determine a boat's speed potential at different wind speeds and wind angles.
- Compares data from hundreds of boats to predict the performances of a range of boats at different wind speeds and wind angles.
- Applies time on time scoring to compare each boat's finish to the elapsed time of first boat to finish.
Q: How is the ORR rating system fair?
A: The ORR is an equitable rating that makes racing fair by:
- Determining the ratings for different types of boats in order to race on courses that have a variety of wind speeds and directions and be fairly handicapped.
- Allowing crews to compete based on talent and skill rather than conditions that favor certain boat types.
- Minimizing the effect of costly optimizations to hulls and rigs.
Q: Does racing under ORR really make a difference?
A: Fair racing under the ORR results in:
- Encouraging owners of existing boats with limited budgets to participate in local, regional and offshore racing.
- Top finishes based on crew performance rather than certain favored types of boats.
- Decreasing an owner's inclination to only enter races that favor his or her boat.
Q: What is the intent of the Offshore Racing Rule?
A: ORR is intended to be a non-type-forming measurement rule that fairly rates properly designed and well prepared boats which are equipped for offshore and inshore racing. It must be clearly understood by all who use ORR that it is not a development rule and therefore is not intended for sailors who are looking to “beat” the rule or find loopholes to take advange of the system. In order to discourage attempts to design yachts “to the rule”, the algorithms of the VPP are non-public and limited access. ORR will be updated on a regular basis to as the designs and science of naval architecture advances with innovations.