Welcome to the Texas fleet of ORC Club!

ORC Club is a simplified measurement system which uses a computer velocity prediction program (VPP) to remove any perception of subjectivity and guess work from sailboat race handicapping.

Although widely used around the world, the system was not available in the United States because US Sailing was actively marketing the Americap II handicapping system, a system using the same ORC owned velocity prediction program.  When ORC Club became available in the U.S. in 2005, a group of Galveston Bay racers adopted ORC Club, believing it would be a fairer system than the PHRF for handicapping their races, and more cost effective than other measurement based systems.

In 2006, the system was adopted by Lakewood Yacht Club to handicap the fleet racing for the prestigious Bacardi Cup in the 150 mile offshore Harvest Moon Regatta.  In 2007, The Galveston Bay Cruising Association adopted it to determine the winner of the the Race to the Border's Marion Hayes Memorial Trophy.

ORC Club can adjust for wind, course configuration, and heavy items on your boat such as air conditioners and generators common in racer-cruisers.  And if two identical boats, with identical measurements, apply for a rating, they will receive identical ratings, whether they are in Texas or any where else around the world. Boats from outside the area can come in, and they will have a 100% compatible certificate.  Any difference in rating can be explained by a different displacement, different sail measurement, crew weight, etc. 

Nothing is left to local or subjective adjustment, so if your J/109 rating is different than your competition's, it is because something is different in the set of measurements on his boat.

Who to contact:  ORC Club is provided by the Offshore Race Congress.  In most contries, it is administered by the national racing authority.  In the US, however, it is not administered by US SAILING, but is administered on a local basis.  US SAILING administers a similar, but more expensive, system called the Offshore Racing Rule or ORR.  Unlike ORC Club, ORR is not an international rule.

The international organization, the Offshore Race Congress, has a website at ORC.org where an on line application form can be completed.  In Texas, once your certificate is created, it will be forwarded to the local  administrator.  

For racers or organizers in the U.S. but outside of Texas, you may want to contact ORC directly, or we can help you get in contact with them if you are interested in developing an ORC Club fleet. 

For racers or race organizers outside of the U.S. who are reading this, please contact your National Authority or learn who it is at www.orc.org .