US-IRC continues to make strides - Five years of success

by Media Pro Int’l on 8 Oct 2009
It has been five years since the IRC rule ( www.ircrating.org) was adopted in the United States. With the recent news of the inaugural US-IRC Championship of Long Island Sound and the New York Yacht Club hosting the Rolex US-IRC National Championship at Newport next year, it is clear that IRC in the U.S. (www.us-irc.org) is healthy and continuing to progress steadily.

'The IRC rule is now part of sailing at all levels, ranging from club races to major offshore events,' said US-IRC President John Brim, who successfully skippers his RP55 Rima2 in national and international events. 'US-IRC exists to both educate American sailors about the benefits of the rule and encourage race organizers to utilize IRC in their events.'

Brim noted that in addition to the new US-IRC Championship of Long Island Sound, there are regional US-IRC Championships for the Great Lakes and on the Pacific and East Coasts, together with the national championship, which rotates among regions each year. IRC is also featured as the principal handicap system in many other major regattas and distance races, including the Acura Key West Race Week, the Miami Grand Prix, the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac distance race, the Pineapple Cup-Montego Bay Race and the Rolex Big Boat Series in San Francisco.

The annual US-IRC Gulf Stream Series, which starts in January and finishes in November, offers a comprehensive season championship that includes 18 IRC events in Florida, the Caribbean and along the East Coast. Newly added for 2010 is the RORC Caribbean 600 Race, which had its exciting inaugural race this year.

In Southern California, the newly formed SoCal52 class (for TP52s of different vintages and with varying modifications) chose the IRC as its rating rule and used it at the first-ever SoCal 52 Regatta in September.

'I believe IRC to be fair, simple and portable,' said Andy Rasdal, owner of the San Diego-based TP52 Valkyrie. 'IRC seems to reward designs that make sense--designs that are exciting to race and will be relevant into the future. But, perhaps most importantly, IRC seems to reward well-prepared and well-sailed yachts.'

The World Stage
'Beyond the U.S., IRC is by far the leading handicap system, offering great opportunities to sailors interested in trying international competition,' said Brim, who explained that an IRC certificate is an international passport for a racing yacht, enabling it to travel across national borders using the same certificate wherever it goes. 'With sailors racing around the world under identical handicap rules, it facilitates traveling to foreign events, knowing in advance exactly how you will be handicapped. Conversely, it is important for big events in the U.S. that attract foreign entries.

In early October, Brim will travel with US SAILING’s Offshore Director Dan Nowlan to represent the U.S. at the World IRC Congress in Paris. The primary focus of the Congress, which will be attended by IRC representatives from 27 countries, is to review the year’s developments and consider proposals for IRC Rule changes. One important topic for this year will be the issues of powered winches and 'stored power.' 'We will see what the other countries have to say,' said Brim, 'but US-IRC does not favor the complexity and expense of powered winches, except for really large boats.'

The U.S. delegation to the World Congress is likely to receive a warm welcome, since IRC officials believe that the US-IRC’s accomplishments here are critical to furthering the rule’s international appeal.

'It is very encouraging to see the increasing international success of IRC as exemplified by the USA,' said Andrew McIrvine, Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, which manages the IRC rule. 'The foresight of the leading clubs in the USA to adopt and promote IRC, and the establishment of the US-IRC to foster its development, have made this the rule for all U.S. offshore sailors who wish to race seriously both at home and abroad.'

Why IRC?
So what are the advantages of the IRC rule? According to US-IRC, the highlights include:

• IRC is professionally administered and continuously refined, taking into account both existing boats and new technology.

• IRC rates a boat objectively, using owner or measurer supplied inputs and a confidential formula, rather than rating based on the opinion of a committee that may be influenced by local factors and skill levels of crew.

• IRC rates time-on-time and so inherently corrects for current and wind conditions.

• IRC encourages speed, and rates the speed, but doesn't punish it. It tries to balance fairly the characteristics of older heavier boats vs. modern boats.

• IRC is a single-number rating that evaluates boats on all points of sail, encouraging all-around performance.

• IRC is collaborative and owner-driven, with international input through owners’ organizations and the annual congress.

• IRC protects the competitiveness of older boats.

• IRC is a fair and uniformly applied system, ideal for major regattas where boats from different regions meet, alleviating issues with conforming ratings.

• IRC costs are reasonable. Obtaining a 'standard' certificate with owner-supplied information or using one-design class measurements costs approximately $5.75 per foot. This type of certificate can be used for most local IRC events. An 'endorsed' certificate involves using a measurer to provide information and costs the same plus weighing costs.

The advantage of a certificate is greater precision, especially for custom
boats, and endorsed certificates are preferred for major championships.

More About US-IRC
The US-IRC Foundation, Inc. works in cooperation with US Sailing (www.ussailing.org) to support and develop the use of the IRC rule in the USA. US Sailing is the authorized body that issues IRC certificates under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) (www.rorcrating.com). The US-IRC Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of leading offshore sailors from throughout the US.

The US-IRC's mission is to promote and enhance inshore and offshore yacht racing throughout the country by expansion of the use of the rule. Supporting partners for the US-IRC rule are Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc., New York Yacht Club, Storm Trysail Club, St. Francis Yacht Club and Oak Hill Yacht Club.

The IRC has been granted 'international' status by ISAF. It has been in existence since 1999 (adopted in the U.S. in 2004) and is now the basis for more than 8000 certificates issued in over 35 countries and 625 IRC yachts active in the U.S.

For more information on US-IRC: www.us-irc.org