IRC Yearbook 2009

IRC YEARBOOK 2009
LOOKING BACK,
LOOKING FORWARD
It has been a successful year for the IRC as it grows in
At the end of 2007, 23 countries on all six continents
had ﬂ eets of 25 boats or more, satisfying the
numbers and expands internationally, there have also
requirements of ISAF Regulations for International
Rating Systems. At the end of August 2008, this had
been some significant ruling changes. Mike Urwin sees increased to 25 countries.
Looking forwards, what does this suggest for the
this momentum continuing in 2009
potential ultimate IRC ﬂ eet size? While that can never
be predicted with any certainty, we can make some
A
t the end of August 2008, the latest date for which estimates. Historically, and while the data no longer
complete ﬁ gures are available at the time this was exists to support this, it is thought that at its peak, IOR
written, the number of IRC-rated boats worldwide rated some 10,000 boats each year. Given that was
was up from 2007’s 6,402 to 6,734, an increase of 332 some 20 years ago, and that the number of people
boats or just over ﬁ ve per cent. Looking in more detail sailing has increased since then, this suggests that the
at this, a signiﬁ cant proportion of this is growth in well- total worldwide ﬂ eet of ‘rated boats’ today is probably of
established IRC countries; France with an increase of the order of 10,000-12,000 boats. In parallel, and as a
122 boats and Italy with 81 for example. It also reﬂ ects separate exercise, we can look on an individual country
the increasing ﬂ eets in those countries that have more basis. The last time I did this, admittedly a couple of
recently adopted IRC. Bulgaria with a ﬂ eet in 2008 of 38 years ago, I arrived at an answer of 11,000-11,500
Mike Urwin – boats, up from one in 2007 for example. Japan from 81 boats. If this is correct, then the current ﬂ eet size is
Technical Director, to 117, Sweden from three to 30, Uruguay from 21 to 39, still only two thirds of what we might get to. Will we get
RORC Rating Office Finland from three to 13, Germany from 38 to 51 to there? I don’t know. But in terms of the management of
name but a few. The indications for the continued IRC, that is what we are planning towards.
growth of IRC in the immediate future look promising. And will the ﬁ nancial alarms during 2008 affect this
The total number of boats rated at the end of 2007 or other aspects of our sport? If I knew that, I probably
was 7,355. This compares with 6,845 at the end of wouldn’t be in this job. The past, however, suggests that
2006, an increase of 510 boats, or nearly 7.5 per cent. in times of ﬁ nancial uncertainty, the numbers of rated
4
IRC 09 Opener P3-6_bs.indd 4 1/12/08 08:45:17
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48 | Page 49 | Page 50 | Page 51 | Page 52 | Page 53 | Page 54 | Page 55 | Page 56 | Page 57 | Page 58 | Page 59 | Page 60 | Page 61 | Page 62 | Page 63 | Page 64 | Page 65 | Page 66 | Page 67 | Page 68