Mike Urwin

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Mike Urwin RORC Rating Office Technical Director
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Outline

• Demographics and Growth
• Rating, not Handicap
• IRC Philosophy
• Secret!
• Development
• Motor Boats. Water Ballast and Canting Keels
• Motor Boats. Rig and Sail Handling
• Code Zeros Headsails or Spinnakers?
• Race Management. Trucks and Ferraris. Little and
  Large
• His Ratings Wrong...
• Rule Changes Process
• 2007 IRC Rule. Significant Changes
• National IRC Associations

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Demographics - 2005

• Country Number Continent
• GBR 1878 Europe
• ESP 934 Europe
• FRA 904 Europe
• ITA 763 Europe
• USA 549 North America
• AUS 535 Oceania
• IRL 389 Europe
• TUR 260 Europe
• POR 127 Europe
• RSA 82 Africa
• BEL 79 Europe
• NED 58 Europe
• THA 50 Asia
• MLT 49 Europe
• HKG 62 Asia
• ISR 27 Europe
• SIN 26 Asia
• Otherlt25 306

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Growth

• The number of IRC rated boats has increased from
  c4,600 10 years ago to in excess of 7000 today,
  ie more than 50 growth.
• New countries in 2006 include Argentina, Japan,
  and New Zealand.
• We anticipate The Netherlands adopting IRC in
  2007.
• Growth continues at a compound annual rate of
  c4.

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Rating, not Handicap

• IRC is a rating rule, not a handicap rule.
• So each Boats TCC is calculated from her
  measured and rated data.
• Only assessment element is the three IRC
  factors Hull, Rig and Overhang.
• Each IRC factor is however objectively assessed
  using a standard agreed methodology.
• Unless therefore IRC is generically (ie to
  affect ALL boats) modified, or something changes
  on a boat, there is essentially NO room for
  negotiation!
• But make sure that we have the full facts.

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IRC Philosophy

• IRC Rules 2.2 2.4
• 2.2 The IRC concept protects the existing IRC
  fleet.
• We want owners to be able to buy boats in the
  reasonable knowledge that they will retain value.
• IRC must be stable. That does not mean no change
  it means we must (try to!) react to innovation
  and developments on the race course.
• 2.3 IRC encourages design innovation consistent
  with
• stability, rounded performance, seaworthiness
  and
• safety.
• IRC is permissive.
• Bowsprits, asymmetric spinnakers, composite spars
  and rigging, water ballast, canting keels, etc,
  etc.
• Undesirable features (eg low stability) will be
  discouraged.
• 2.4 IRC discourages unnecessary expense at all
  levels.
• Difficult yacht racing is not a cheap game!
• Eg rudder post position a few years ago, tungsten
  last year.
• Cost to no sensible gain.

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Secret!

• IRC is a secret rule. The maths and
  methodologies used in the calculation of TCCs are
  not disclosed.
• And they will not be!
• The prime purpose is to mitigate against (no, we
  can never prevent!) design optimisation and hence
  rapid design obsolescence.
• Yes, of course designers have a pretty good
  general idea.
• But they still trip themselves up from time to
  time.....
• The proof is that it works.
• Races are won by new and old, large and small,
  light and heavy, etc, etc.

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Development

• IRC is maintained and developed to take account
  of
• Actual race results
• Technical developments
• Design advances
• Materials
• Etc
• Any resulting changes are applied generically to
  ALL boats in the IRC fleet at annual
  revalidation.
• We want to hear from sailors to help with
  development.
• But through your local IRC Owners Association
  and/or IRC Rule Authority (ie, Yachting
  Australia) please.

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Motor BoatsWater Ballast and Canting Keels

• IRC is permissive.
• So we do not want to ban boats except in
  extreme circumstances.
• IRC has permitted the use of stored power for
  the operation of water ballast and canting keel
  systems ever since they first appeared in the
  early 90s.
• This is consistent with other rules such as the
  Open 60s and Volvo Open 70s.
• For larger boats (c50 and upwards) it is
  physically impractical to manually pump the water
  or cant the keel.
• We do not see any need to directly rate the use
  of stored power for these purposes.
• It is to all intents and purposes implicit in
  the calculation of rating for these boats.

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Motor BoatsRig and Sail Handling

• IRC Rules on the use of stored power for the
  operation of rig and sails were relaxed to
  encompass all boats 2 years ago.
• Recognising the increased use of powered winches
  etc and the wish for IRC to be inclusive.
• For the vast majority of boats, the use of
  stored power for rig and sail handling is no
  advantage whatsoever it is probably a
  disadvantage in speed terms but suits the style
  of sailing of the boats owners.
• For a few large, fast, modern boats, equipped
  with special purpose high power/high line speed
  systems, there is now a potentially significant
  advantage.
• From 1st January 2007 (1st June in Australia)
  powered sail handling systems will be rated under
  IRC.
• For the great majority of boats, the effects
  will be very small.

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Code ZerosHeadsail or Spinnaker?

• IRC Rule 26.3.4
• A spinnaker is defined as a sail set forward of
  the foremost mast with half width (measured as a
  spinnaker) greater than 75 of foot. Any other
  sail tacked down forward of the foremost mast is
  a headsail.
• There is no such thing as a code zero. It is
  either a headsail or a spinnaker.
• IRC treatment of code zero headsails has
  changed slightly for 2007.
• Sailmakers/designers will still want boats to
  have code zero spinnakers.
• There are no (current) restrictions on battens
  in spinnakers or setting a spinnaker attached to
  the headfoil.
• But that position is under review.

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Race ManagementTrucks and FerrarisLittle and
Large

• Nobody would try and race an 18 skiff against
  an Oppie!
• But we try and race 40.7s against Farr 40s. And
  Mumm 30s against Super maxis!
• In theory, IRC should work. But....
• Inevitably the conditions and the course have an
  effect.
• And the wider the spread of boat types and
  speeds, the more significant the effect.
• A new super maxi won the 2005 Sydney/Hobart a
  1978 Nicholson 33 the 2005 Fastnet!
• And a J/105 is RORC Yacht of the Year 2006.

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Race ManagementTrucks and FerrarisLittle and
Large

• So proactive race management can have
  significant effects on the quality of racing.
• The real answer is separating boats into classes
  appropriate to type and speed.
• But that is not possible for major races, or
  where fleets are small.
• Perhaps the organisers of major events such as
  Sydney/Hobart, Fastnet, etc., should consult on
  possible common entry conditions?

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His Ratings Wrong...

• IRC Rule 19 offers the option of a rating
  review.
• That is not formally a protest.
• And Rule 20 addresses rating protests.
• But.... Why not talk to the other owner first?
• Buy him a beer!
• As often as not, misunderstandings are at the
  heart of these issues
• - You have not got the full facts or have
  misinterpreted what is
• happening.
• - Somebody has misunderstood the rules.
• We will not generally get involved on the basis
  of hearsay.
• Only when a formal request for review has been
  filed or a protest lodged.

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Rule ChangesProcess

• The International IRC Owners Association
  Constitution defines governance. See IRC
  Yearbook.
• Proposed rule changes may come from
• - National IRC Owners Associations - IRC Rule
  Authorities
• - The IRC Rating Authority - The IRC Technical
  Committee
• Proposed changes are circulated to all Rule
  Authorities in September each year for
  discussion.
• The IRC Congress meets each year in October and
  agrees changes.
• The IRC Policy Steering Group (RORC and UNCL
  Commodores) have the final say.
• This is an ultimate backstop to prevent IRC
  being hi-jacked.
• Rule changes become effective on 1st January
  (1st June in Aus).

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IRC 2007 RulesSignificant Changes

• The changes to Rule 9.2 permit a boat to hold a
  second, concurrently valid IRC certificate for
  use in short handed races only.
• New Rule 14.2 recognises the effect of novel high
  powered sail handling systems which will in
  future be rated.
• New Rules 24.5 and 24.6 formally incorporate IRC
  Notice 001 from 2006 related to the materials
  used in keels.
• The definition of headsail half width, HHW, is
  amended to be consistent with other definitions.
  The change has no practical affect.
• The definition of mainsail hoist, P, is amended
  to remove ambiguity without changing the actual
  meaning.
• Definitions of Backstays, Runners, and Checkstays
  are now included to assist with understanding.
• The definition of headsail top width, HHB, is
  introduced and Rule 26.7 amended to prevent abuse
  of the simplicity of IRC sail measurement. For
  the great majority of boats, the change will have
  zero effect.

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IRC Administration

• Countries are encouraged to form National IRC
  Owners Associations.
• To act as focal points for IRC issues.
• To contribute to the growth and technical
  development of IRC.
• To contribute to debate on classes and
  conditions for race entry such as
  moveable/variable ballast, stored power, etc.
• To contribute to discussion at the annual IRC
  Congress meeting.
• Etc.
• I hope that this forum might be the starting
  point for an Australian National IRC Owners
  Association.

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Summary

• IRC numbers are increasing.
• The number of countries and major events using
  IRC is increasing.
• IRC satisfies the majority of racing keelboat
  sailors.
• But IRC is not perfect. No rating rule every
  will be!
• We wish to continue to develop IRC into the
  future in the interests of all.
• We wish owners and sailors to be involved in
  that process.

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Thankyou Discussion and Questions