In September 2012, the Cruising Club of America was delighted to fulfill its pledge of $10,000 to the ORA for ORR handicapping in offshore racing. This grant shows the continued notable role of the Cruising Club of America that began with earliest use of a velocity prediction program (VPP) for handicapping over thirty years ago in the Newport Bermuda Race.
A fair and reliable rating rule needs accurately measured data from every boat in the fleet to predict how each will perform over a range of wind speeds and points of sail. In addition, the rating system needs to be easy to understand and use by the race organizers and the racing sailors. Sheila McCurdy, past commodore of the CCA and advisor to the ORA, said, “These funds will help the ORA develop useful materials to help crews prepare their boats for competition and track positions within the fleet over the course of the race.” She continued, “The leadership of the ORA are extraordinarily knowledgeable about yacht design and performance. The ORR is a robust rule for use in coastal and offshore races around the country.”