IRC Rule Updates, Weighing & SSSC Courses

by Sailing Office on 23 Jun 2006 Dear Member,

A quick update on some IRC Rule related items for your information:

1) IRC Weighing Day
The CYCA are conducting a Weighing Day for those Rating for IRC on 11 July 2006 at Super Yacht Marina-Rozelle. If you wish to weigh your yacht, you would be most welcome. Please contact Roger Wragby at the CYCA on 9363 4445, who can advise re-times/costs.

2) IRC Rule and Spinnaker Limits
I have attached for your information copy of correspondence between CYCA and RORC regarding the current IRC Spinnaker Limit of 3 sails. The correspondence broaches the possibility of increasing the Spinnaker Limits for Cat 2 Races, a practice which was common in Sydney for Long Races under the IOR Rule. I would encourage you to relay your opinion to your Offshore Divisions Representative Julie Hodder, whose email address is CC on this note, so that Julie can in tern, let YA and CYCA on boat owners opinions.
From: Mike Urwin at RORC Rating Office
Sent: Tuesday, 30 May 2006 6:55 PM
To: Glen Stanaway, Yachting Australia; Roger Hickman, CYCA
Not a new issue I'm afraid. We see this sort of thing very often. It is also an issue for instance for boats doing a short handed series and configuring the boat differently for that than for regular racing.
We have therefore looked at the whole thing more than once and in some depth and explored all sorts of possible options. Regrettably, every time, we come to the same conclusion that to relax in any way at all would introduce both additional complexity for all and also increase the potential for abuse. I'm afraid therefore that I cannot offer any realistic prospect of a solution. If however anybody has any novel ideas, I would be more than happy to re-consider.
Touching on Roger's tailpiece, I am tentatively planning to visit Aus during December this year. A formal invitation from the CYCA to be a member of the Sydney/Hobart jury would be of enormous help in cementing that. Provisionally, I would then plan to be in Sydney/NSW for c10 days before Christmas and available to meet owners/clubs/race organisers/measurers etc. I would then also be able to talk to people in Tasmania after the finish. Would that sort of plan be useful to you all?
Mike Urwin
Technical Director, RORC Rating Office
----- Original Message -----
Mike, would you be kind enough to take a look at Roger Hickman's e-mail and respond?
Kind regards,
Glen Stanaway
Sport Services Manager
Yachting Australia
Email: glen.stanaway@yachting.org.au
Phone - direct: (02) 8424 7408
________________________________________
From: Roger Hickman
Sent: Friday, 19 May 2006 12:15 AM
To: Glen Stanaway
Subject:
Dear Glen
Through Yachting Australia I would appreciate it you could forward this to Mike Urwin so that he may consider our situation and a possible solution and refer it back to you for our information.
Situation:
The CYCA runs Category 1 and Category 2 races which may be considered as long and possibly arduous races. The weather conditions that we often experience can be pre-frontal followed by stronger winds for some 12 hours before they abate. This is especially the case for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Sydney to Southport Yacht Race, the Cabbage Tree Island Race and the Sydney to Mooloolaba / Mackay Yacht Race. These races have a long history and the wear and tear on sails can be quite excessive due to the sheer length of time and the potential conditions of the race. Over the years, we have found that the working sails have been addressed well by IOR, IMS and IRC rated systems. We have, however, had sufficient evidence that the wear and tear on running sails is excessive and therefore we have always created an environment where more running sails can in fact be carried.
The IRC rule caters for this extremely well by allowing a boat to carry as many spinnakers as they wish, so long as their rating is adjusted accordingly. There is no question that this is a good option and certainly caters for an owner’s individual desires on their downwind sail requirements.
The IRC rule only allows for one certificate to be held by a vessel and at the CYCA we thoroughly endorse this. The IRC rule is clear and concise and leaves no doubt as to what an Organising Authority is allowed to change or not change in a Notice of Race.
The CYCA, however, has a current issue that is causing consternation amongst some of our more competitive and dedicated ocean racing yachtsmen. Having said the above, they rate their yachts with 3 spinnakers for the Category 4 races and re-rate their yachts with 4 or 5 spinnakers for Category 1 and 2 races. The CYCA calendar is sprinkled with seven (7) Blue Water Category 2 races and one (1) Category 1 race. This requires the owner to re-rate the boat again, again and again, in order to fulfil what they believe to be their most competitive mode.
I might point out here, as Chairman of the CYCA Sailing Committee, we have suggested to owners that they look very closely at the differences in the corrected times to establish if, in fact, the difference between their rating for 3 spinnakers and their rating for 4 spinnakers is enough to warrant the time and money to have it changed. The reply from the owners is without hesitation that the racing corrected times are so close that it is certainly worthwhile.
The racing calendar can in fact be so tight that a boat completing the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and then competing in the Sailing South Regatta is unable to change their rating as there is only a couple of days between finishing the Category 1 race and commencing the Category 4 regatta.
Mike, having read 11.1 which leaves no doubt that its relationship with 26.6.2 of the 2006 RORC IRC rule is such that we are unable to simply put in the Notice of Race “a boat may carry 1 measured spinnaker in addition to their rated number of spinnakers as per their current IRC certificate”. It was the intention of the CYCA Sailing Committee and supported by the CYCA Board that we would in fact do this however on finer reading, we are unable to do so. As you are aware, we have had a little on our plate with canting keels and some of our members are on a roll, bashing us around the head whenever possible. While we fully appreciate the integrity and the sensibility of what is written in the IRC rule, is there any suggestion that you may have for the CYCA in order to address this issue?
Our members are concerned with the cost of continually re-rating between Cat 1/2 and Cat 4 races; our members are concerned of the constant inconvenience to their busy daily lives and our members, in some cases, are concerned that they cannot re-rate between a long race and a regatta. It is also a perception that the wealthy owner can afford the cost of rating and also ensure that his sail wardrobe is new, and thus more reliable. Conversely, the more average owner has plenty of spinnakers but they are not as reliable. While this issue is certainly not unanimous, there is enough heat, as I have mentioned above, for the CYCA to wish for a solution if one was possible.
Mike, please consider. We certainly do not want to set a precedent that you do not want to support however I felt that a discussion with you would assist us as the Organising Authority. The CYCA does not wish to present itself with a protestable situation by simply adding this to the NoR as other organisations have possibly done.
Please comment !
On another note, I am a huge supporter of all dialogue being passed through Yachting Australia as they can be, and should be, a central focus for IRC sailing in Australia. Far too often our members claim that they have first hand information directly from the Rating Office which we subsequently find is not the case.
Further, if you feel that a trip to Australia may be possibly on your agenda, we would certainly extend a very warm and hospitable welcome to you as an International Juror on the International Jury for the Rolex