I can echo Brendan's take on this. I approached PHRF of the Chesapeake a couple of years ago about modifying the OD rating of the boat and quickly realized that the perception is that if you're changing anything, you must be gaming the system. From my calculations, just asking for a modification gets you an automatic 3 additional seconds per mile.

I must add that, in the process of sailing this boat in PHRF over the past 7 years, I've come to respect the original design more than ever. I've considered a mast-head spin, Code zero, shorter spin pole, asymetric, etc, etc, etc and have always concluded that the added (perceived) performance does not outweigh the penalties most PHRF committees will impose. The Express's achille's heal is short chop in light wind, in which case, pushing a PHRF rating to the limit may be necessary. Short of that, the boat is as close to perfect as it gets. A typical PHRF match-up: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/slideshow?a=67b0de21b33cae85a4... uto=0&idx=97&m=1&d=1155949394558

We won....

:: I brought this up with YRA once, and was told this
:: penalty is for kite size rather than actual spin pole
:: length (ie, just shortening your pole won't get the 6s
:: reduction). I forget the actual details, but suffice it
:: to say that getting a stock E27 rating changed will be
:: difficult, as there is a lot of local data on the
:: performance of these boats. The PHRF committee tends to
:: take a dim view on modifications and will not make it
:: easier to do better on rating than with the current ODR.
::

:: --brendan

::
::
:: :: Has anyone ever address the fact express 27 is rated in
:: :: PHRF with a penalty pole that mandatory – 6 sec
:: :: deduction. That is a significant change in rating and
:: :: seems worthwhile to consider and that six sec for the
:: :: small amount of extra kite marginal.