Applications for Keelboat IRC and ORCi Ratings now open

by Australian Sailing on 30 Jun 2016 Boat owners and sailors involved in the winter offshore calendar will enjoy some of the best keelboat events Australia has to offer with events such as the Sydney to Gold Coast, Brisbane to Keppel and Darwin to Ambon races coming up.

These events conducted in late July and early August offer a variety of conditions and weather patterns, but share the common thread of racing and being scored under IRC and ORCi.

Ratings are recognised the best way of competing as they only take into account a boat’s measurements and do not apply any arbitrary or performance based factors to a boat's score. This takes all the decision making off the club handicapper who determines a boat’s score based on past results, and the whole problem of results and competitiveness is handed over to the boat owner and how well they have set the boat up.

In Australia there are three globally recognised rating systems handled by Australian Sailing.

The two most commonly known ones are IRC and ORC International (ORCi). In each of these, data is scrutinised and both systems used in top level events like the Gold Coast, Keppel and Ambon races.

Boat owners wanting to race in the rating divisions of these events should contact Australian Sailing for support and guidance. There is also a wide network of accredited measurers who can help getting your boat started.

The main thing boat owners need to keep in mind is the lead time needed. Often measurements are simple and can be taken easily but in some cases a boat may need to be slipped or weighed. Organising this can take time and a bit of planning makes it easy.

Many boats set themselves up for the expected conditions and Australian Sailing can help with making sure boats get the right rating for the event. Trial certificates look at what impact changes will have on a rating and give the crew insight into the outcome before any expense and work is committed to. If a change has the impact on the rating wanted, then the work can be undertaken and an amendment to the rating issued.

Boats already rated and considering renewing should remember the simple tip to get their sails measured by a measurer before getting the rating reissued. Often sails are found to shrink and a boat’s rating can be improved through taking advantage of small reductions in sail area.

The common thread of advice ever given to Australian Sailing however, is that a well maintained boat, with good gear and a cohesive crew typically rates well. If this is the boat you want to compete with and against, contact Australian Sailing at sailingservices@sailing.org.au to get your boat rated for the upcoming winter races.