IRC rating makes its mark in the South West
by Jenny Howells, RORC Rating Office 24 Jul 2016 12:55 BST
24 July 2016
IRC racing in the South West © Peter Newton Photography
The Royal Dart Yacht Club (RDYC) is one of nine clubs around the UK who are using the RORC Rating Office's Start Up scheme to encourage members to race their boats using the Spinlock International Rating Rule (IRC) in 2016, and is now looking forward to a bumper number of RDYC members entering the IRC classes in Dartmouth Royal Regatta Sailing Week in August.
In 2015 only one boat from the RDYC entered the regatta under Spinlock IRC and only three boats in the club held IRC certificates. Fast forward to July 2016 and the Club now has over 30 IRC rated boats and already six of those have entered Dartmouth Week in the IRC Classes.
The Royal Dart YC is also hosting their first IRC event this year, the Savills Commodore's Cup in July, and has an entry of 27 boats competing in 3-boat teams from RDYC, Teign Corinthian YC, Royal Torbay YC, Salcombe YC, Yealm YC and the Royal Western YC.
The Club is hoping to put their name back on the racing map in the South West by encouraging as many members as possible to race in IRC, which will mean better racing for all, instead of being fragmented between IRC and handicap classes.
The Start Up scheme offers club members a discount in the first and second years of IRC application, and the club co-ordinator benefits from extra administrative and technical back up from Rating Office staff.