Announcing
Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association
(GLMRA)
Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association has been formed! GLMRA’s purpose is provide racers with a rating rule and certificate, universally accepted throughout the region such that on any day a well prepared multihulled yacht and skilled crew, fairly sailed and respectful of GLMRA, USSA and ISF rules, regulations and procedures, may equally have the opportunity to win in competition. This group/rule is intended to encourage innovation and participation in racing on the Great Lakes, minimize confusion and partisanship, allow for the expedient development of boats and equipment, encourage innovation and safety as well as respect balanced interests of fair competition and sportsmanship.
GLMRA has been organized by representatives from lakes Erie, St Clair, Huron and Michigan. Historically, racers from this region have dealt with a different rating authority from each area. Given the relatively small size of the multihull fleet and the need for the group to travel throughout the region to place meaningful numbers on the starting line, the need for a unified rating authority/rule and single portable rating was obvious. In 2005 multihulls in the following events will be scored using GLMRA ratings:
• All Lake Erie events
• All Lake St Clair events
• All Lake Huron events
• Chicago Mackinac Race
• Bayview Mackinac Race
• All Great Lakes Single Handed Society events (incl. Chicago and Port Huron Solo Macs, St Clair Solo, Trans- Superior)
Why aren’t more Lake Michigan events included?
LMPHRF was invited on several occasions to join the effort but declined. The recent announcement about creation of a LMPRF multihull subcommittee was a response to the GLMRA effort to unify the entire region under a single rating authority, but fell short of the desired result of providing a single portable regional rating under a single rule structure. Announcements will be made as additional events are added. Lake Erie Multihull and Lake Huron/St Clair have unified with GLMRA.
What will my GLMRA rating be?
For 2005 GLMRA will mostly “normalize” the various PHRF ratings from around the region, that is to say where there are differences in a particular boat from one area to another, GLMRA will arrive at a single rating (TOT and TOD,) to be used. Additionally, a simple written rule document will be provided, specifying precisely how sails are to be measured, what must be aboard while racing, etc. Boats will apply for a GLMRA rating by completing an application including a sail measurement certificate and submitting a copy of their latest PHRF certificate, if available.
During this season GLMRA will also be working to gather as much weight data on the fleet as possible. A weigh in configuration will be specified and one-off designs (non series-produced boats) will be asked to provide a load-cell weight. All boats participating in the Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association Championship Regatta (formerly Great Lakes Multihull Championship, Bay City Yacht Club) will be weighed at the event.
What will be done with the weight data?
GLMRA seeks to compile accurate and consistent measurement data in order to better determine the performance characteristics of the various boats. While a pure measurement rule may or may not be possible, more science will be applied to the rating process in the future in order to develop the fairest possible race ratings. After the data is gathered during the 2005 season this data will be directly incorporated into the development of a fair rating process for future years.
Who is GLMRA?
Any owner obtaining a GLMRA rating certificate for their boat is a member. Other individuals who have expertise or experience necessary to assist the organization may also be invited to join. The founding members include:
• Jim Frederick – Lake Erie Multihull, Put In Bay Yacht Club – lemultihull@coastalwave.net
• Deb Schaeffer – Lake Erie Multihull - bigstorm@coastalwave.net
• Tony Hammer – Viking Multihull and Bayview Mac Multihull Handicapper – ahammer@mnsi.net
• Meade Gougeon – Bay City Yacht Club, Viking Multihull - mag@gougeon.com
• Matt Scharl – MORF, Great Lakes Single Handed Society - maspic@mindspring.com
• Ron White – Chicago Yacht Club, Chief Measurer CYC Race to Mackinac - stampede@skyenet.net
GLMRA will hold its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Championship in Bay City in August. All of the membership will be given the opportunity to provide input into the ongoing development and management of the Class, whether in attendance at the Championship or not.
I don’t travel away from my home lake to race, so why should I care about GLMRA?
The largest events in the region typically see in excess of 60% of participants traveling from outside the given home area. Locals clearly benefit from competitors traveling into their home area and GLMRA seeks to encourage even more travel and participation by providing a single portable rating certificate for the entire region.
What will the fee be to aquire a GLMRA rating?
The fee for issuance of a certificate will be $35.
Lake Erie Multihull will be providing administrative support for GLMRA and issuing certificates. The address is:
GLMRA
c/o LE Multihull
2131 N Camp Perry Rd
Clinton OH 43452
www.lake-eriemultihull.org
Stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks including the rule document for 2005 and rating application forms. Any of the founding members listed above may be contacted with questions.
Pass this info on to your friends!
I assume that this will apply to beach cats too? Does this mean I will need a certificate to race in the Steeplechase and ILYA regatta this year (if I can make it)?
Jake,
GLMRA, just like Lake Erie Multihulls, is for the big multihulls -- cruisers and cruiser-racers (and outright racing machines like "Running with Scissors"). Lake Erie Multihulls has been very successful in getting its boats included in a number of big-boat races on Lake Erie, and it looks like they are trying to expand that into other parts of the Great Lakes.
Does not have anything to do with beach cats.