USA versus Hong Kong while waiting for the 20kt westerly to blow in beneath the Golden Gate at the 1984 San Francisco Big Boat Series. This was peak IOR with a record 68 boats racing at the St Francis YC’s premier event, including five Maxis plus one Mini Maxi – Winterhawk being Peter Blake’s former Whitbread racer Ceramco. In 1984 only the very best programmes could compete seriously, with names like Conner, Whidden, North, Blackaller, Deaver, Cudmore and their peers filling the crew lists. As IRC performed so well at the 2025 Admiral’s Cup, delivering very close results immediately yachts finished, so here in 1984 the similarly simple, time-on-time IOR system delivered great racing, although the hot 15-boat Class B of 50-odd footers tested the envelope that year with a whopping rating spread of 14.6ft…
working out the small number of measurements required. Monica appreciates the fairness of a formula but prefers her racing without the need for a PhD in fluid dynamics. So Monica has moved into the domain of rating systems. A rating system uses measured data about the boat’s design and sails to predict its potential speed and attempts to set a fair time correction before racing. Examples include YTC in the UK, AMS in Australia, SRS in Sweden, OSIRIS in France; these systems can often have an element of handicapping on top. Monica may not be interested in the likes of full-blown rating systems, with many inputs, but at a stretch Monica may use systems like CSA in the Caribbean, IRC Standard Certificate and ORC Club.
Next is a personal favourite of mine. I don’t know how many phone calls we have had with the Carls of this world. Let’s meet him: Carl ‘Complexity Enthusiast’ Carlsen; Carl owns a modern performance racer-cruiser, maybe a Grand Soleil 44 or recent Jeanneau Sun Fast and wouldn’t dream of sailing without a fully optimised IRC or ORC certificate. He can talk for hours about rating trials, default propeller factors, mast measurements and the nuances of hull measurement tolerances. His crew roll their eyes when he starts quoting rule numbers mid-race, but they know he’s the reason the boat sails with every last optimisation. So Carl has either an endorsed IRC certificate, ORCi certificate or perhaps an ORR certificate if he is over in North America.
Now you would think that it would stop there, but, no, we have one additional level of owner. Meet Valentina ‘Visionary’ Venturi. Valentina campaigns a cutting-edge yacht, think IMA, Admiral’s Cup Team, TP52, with a professional skipper, boat captain and full-time race crew. She loves the thrill of steering downwind at 20kt but, when it comes to the fine print of IRC or ORC measurement, hull scans, sail data and rating optimisations, she works with her boat captain and designers. Her role is to set the vision and ambition and ensure her team have everything they need to deliver results while enjoying her sailing. Valentina’s team use IRC Endorsed and ORCi certificates, but demand more from the systems with consid- erations for grand prix type developments. Think powered control systems, appendage trim tabs, interceptors, mast rotation, water ballast transfer rate… the list is long.
Ranged in between these archetype personas there are plenty of intermediate owners: the engaged Grand Prix owner who monitors rating changes and optimisations, or the cruiser-racer who uses a simple system but keeps spreadsheets to optimise for their Wednes- day evening racing. This endless variety illustrates why no single rating system can serve all sailors.
While I have a vested interest in IRC and YTC as custodian of both and, yes, I admit to some protectionism, we need to focus on the needs of our personas. Competition between rating systems can be an evil necessary to drive improvements in accuracy, usability and fairness. But tit-for-tat marketing, aggressive claims or attempts to undermine rival systems are counterproductive. Owners just want to race; confusion and rivalry between scoring systems only make it harder for them to enjoy the sport. Healthy competition balanced with dual scoring, collaboration and consis- tency keeps sailing accessible, fair and vibrant. That means making it easy for casual and performance-focused sailors alike to get a rating or handicap quickly, providing clear guidance on measure- ment, and offering support and tools across all levels so that every- one can engage in racing with the minimum of fuss and regardless of their boat or ambitions. Dr Jason Smithwick, Rating Director
SEAHORSE 41
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