Dear Competitors:
The US Sailing Offshore Office announced yesterday that the 2025 ORC Certificate Applications will open tomorrow Friday, January 17, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST. 

Competitors who received an ORC rating in 2022-2024 will receive an email inviting them to apply when the application opens. 

If you are a new competitor who has contacted the USSailing Offshore Office regarding the application process, you should also receive an email inviting you to apply. 

If you are a new competitor who has not contacted the USSailing Offshore Office or you’re a returning competitor from pre-2022, you will need to make an application for your ORC Rating Certificate. Details on how to apply for your ORC rating can be found at the link below.

USSailing’s application was designed to be completed in sections. The deadline for the 2025 Bayview Mackinac Race to APPLY for your ORC rating certificate is May 1, 2025; you are encouraged to APPLY sooner to ensure timely issuance of your certificate. Your initial application may be submitted without having all of the final measurement data. The initial application is a high-level overview of your configuration and season plans. You can submit your initial application without having all the final measurement data. 

The deadline for submitting all rating requirements to ORC and ORC Amended Certificates (Test Certs) is June 1, 2025, at 1700 hours EDT.

Please have the correct boat data when completing the information for your ORC rating, including accurate crew weight, all required sail certificates, etc. 

The ORC rating certificate process contains a section that defines all changes that must be reported. The configuration shown on your certificate is the configuration your boat MUST race in. Remember, we will be enforcing the ORC Minimum crew weights, as well as the Maximum crew weights, for the Racing Monohull and Cruising Divisions. 

Per USSailing, once your certificate is finalized, any changes will incur an amendment fee for re-issuance. If you are considering changes (e.g. new sail, measurement, crew changes, etc.) note this in the comment box on the base application. This will alert the Offshore Office that you may have changes, and they should wait before finalizing your rating.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or our Technical Chair, Art LeVasseur at macktech@byc.com.

Tim Prophit Chair,
2025 Bayview Mackinac Race
Mackchair2025@byc.com

Please Note: These communications are unofficial and informal. They are intended to provide information quickly and efficiently. This communication does not replace the Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions, which are the “Official” documents.