I'm located in Southern California and interested in racing with a local club. They told me I need a PHRF rating.

My sail number is 149, which is also my hull number.

The local PHRF site says:



I called the local PHRF and they said I could not use 149 unless the association that owns that block would allow me. (I called the association and they would not)

The guys at the local club say racing with my hull number is absolutely OK.

Anyone know anything about this? Could the person I spoke with at PHRF be wrong? Is the J30 a class of boat included in the exception in the quote above?

I'd prefer not to change the numbers on my sail.

The reason PHRF won't accept your sail number is that it could be assigned by USSA to someone else. So... Here's a suggestion.
Apply to USSA for a sail number. Request 149 or a number that starts or ends with 149. Regardless of your official number
Apply for a PHRF cert. with your assigned sail number
When you register for a race or series advise the race Committeee that you will be racing with sails numbered 149. Unless there is another boat racing with that number you should be OK