IRC YEARBOOK 2009
Rule 11.1 permits a race committee to amend this, amendments are not to stop a measurer doing so.
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generally recommended except in very specific circumstances. Other useful and simple issues that can be checked are rig details (No. of
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It is however worthwhile clarifying whether or not Rules 26.1.5 (d) and (e) spreaders etc.), rig material, and internal ballast.
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which address regattas run on consecutive days apply. A suitable clause Finally, IRC Rule 19.2 includes the phrase ‘Anyone who has a valid
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might read: interest in a boat’s certificate may also request rating review from the Rating
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Notice of race: Authority’. To be clear, the Rating Office has interpreted this to include clubs

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x.0 For the purpose of IRC Rules 26.1.5 (d) and (e) this regatta is [is not] on and race committees with whom a boat is racing.
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consecutive days and the sails carried shall [shall not] remain the same.
5. Courses
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2.11 Discards With the ever increasing range of boat types racing under IRC, it is
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Incorporating an excessive number of discards into a series can lead inevitable that courses and conditions will have an effect on race results.
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to distortions in the series result. For instance, if a particular boat is very Race Committees can go a considerable way towards minimising these
competitive in a narrow range of conditions and uncompetitive in other effects by considering carefully the types of courses set. Conditions are
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conditions, if she has the opportunity to discard all those races outside her of course beyond the control of a race committee, but even then course
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conditions, this may produce a result which does not properly reflect her location may be significant. Some of the issues that a race committee might

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overall performance relative to others in the fleet. It is recognised that a then consider are:
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large number of discards is appropriate in a long series. A small reduction Course Type. Courses without runs and with only reaches will inevitably
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however may be appropriate in some circumstances. favour bowsprit rigged boats and lighter boats generally. Conversely, all
runs will favour boats with conventional spinnaker poles and the heavier
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2.12 Safety and Stability Screening boats. Including both types of course will give everybody a chance on their N
Page 54 of this Yearbook gives full details of the screening of boats for races. day, but over a series a balanced range of courses is very desirable.
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Organising Authorities should note that is they are using the SSS System, Current. Beats against the current will tend to favour faster more windward
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then with effect from 1st January 2009, the adjustment element of SSS for oriented designs and vice versa. In the limit, an all downwind, down current
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compliance with a particular category of ISAF Offshore Special Regulations course will almost inevitably produce a winner from the small slow end of
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(OSR) has been discontinued. the fleet. When possible, selecting courses to minimise these effects will
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Prior to 1st January 2009, an Organising Authority stated in its Notice of produce more equitable results generally.
Race the minimum qualifying SSS Numeral. This SSSN was made up of A second issue with current is that boats will inevitably try to minimise
the SSS Base Value plus any adjustment for compliance with a category of (or maximise as appropriate) current effects. This becomes particularly
Offshore Special Regulations. With effect from 1st January 2009, Organising relevant when there are current gradients across a course and boats are
Authorities will specify the minimum qualifying SSS Base Value. In overall trying to get out of a foul current. Unless the shoreline is very steep to, the
terms, the effects will be zero except that the requirement for a boat to comply smaller (shallower draft) boats will be able to do this more effectively. In
with the conditions of any adjusted SSS Numeral at all times irrespective of these circumstances, it can be worth considering either moving the whole
the OSR category of the race she is competing in will disappear. course away from the shore so that everybody is in the full current all the
time or alternatively including a series of passing marks to force boats into
3. Measurement the current.
Measurement generally is beyond the scope of this guide. However, an IRC Weather Conditions. No race committee can influence the weather! They
Measurement Manual is available on the Rating Office website. can however influence where the course is positioned. If it is particularly
rough, larger heavier boats will be favoured upwind. So if a series features
4. Policing a number of heavy air races, it might if possible be worth considering a
Always a thorny subject! As with the rest of sail boat racing, certification less exposed course area on occasion if this is a possibility. Similarly, very
has to some extent to be self policing. There are however steps race constricted course areas (narrow channels for instance), particularly in light
committees can take to help and occasions when a more pro-active stance airs, will favour the lighter and more nimble boats in the fleet.
is appropriate.
Before a regatta or series starts, race committees should require that all 6. Dual Scoring
competitors show the original of their certificate to the regatta office. It is At the 2003 IRC Council meeting, Councilors again noted the Irish Sailing
good practice to take copies a) for the file and b) so that a complete set of Association policy that whenever possible club races should be dual scored
all competitors certificates can be made available to the fleet. As well as under both ECHO (the ISA’s personal performance handicap rule) and
(obviously!) the TCC, particular points to note on a certificate are: IRC for boats holding certificates for both. The logic of this is that a personal
handicap facilitates entry into racing for the less experienced and enables
● The date Is it valid? Is it after the cut-off date for certificate lodging? them to compete against and gauge their performance against the more
● Crew Relevant if crew number/weight or classification experienced sailors while at the same time not discouraging the latter group
restrictions are in force. (who will probably have penal personal handicaps) by offering this group
● Headsails Is the boat rated for multiple headsails or for a single roller parallel IRC results. The RYA’s Handicap Group have now reviewed this long
furling headsail with/without a heavy weather jib? standing and successful ISA policy and noting that IRC is complementary to
personal handicaps have agreed that this should also be RYA policy. Rather
All of the above and other related information is also contained in fleet therefore than splitting fleets into IRC and PY or local for club racing, clubs
listings now available to all on the Rating Office website, www.rorcrating. are therefore recommended to consider dual scoring under IRC and PY or
com. Race organizers needing any further information should contact the local (personal) handicap as an alternative. Further advice is available from
Rating Office at info@rorcrating.com. the Rating Office for any clubs wishing to adopt this policy.
If there is to be pro-active policing by the race committee, do any checks
in public so that the fleet can see what is being done! It is obviously generally 7. Certificate Validity – ‘Certificate Year’
both impractical and undesirable to fully re-measure boats. However, some With an increasing number of boats traveling the world to compete in major
simple checks can increase individual competitor’s confidence that the rest races, it becomes increasingly important for race organizers to check
of the fleet is correctly rated and reduce ‘bar talk’. certificate validity. A particular issue is that the ‘certificate year’ is different
The primary issue, and the easiest to check is sails. Certificates show from the northern to the southern hemispheres. For Australia, New Zealand,
all the relevant data for each boat. Note that for both spinnakers and South Africa and most Asian countries, the start of the IRC new year is
headsails, certificates show the maximum permitted area for each. In the delayed until June to better match the sailing seasons in those countries.
case of headsails, note that in addition to maximum rated area, there is also Thus, a ‘south’ boat coming north in the early part of the year will need to
a maximum rated headsail luff length. While there is no requirement under revalidate her certificate earlier than if she was staying at home. Organisers
IRC for sails to be stamped or signed by a measurer, there is equally nothing are urged to check and advise boats as appropriate.
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IRC 09 Org Notes P59-61_bs.indd 61 1/12/08 09:33:45
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