Some Thoughts on IRC

Lately we've been spending a lot of time here at McMichael talking about how successful IRC has been for boats in the 40' + range, and contemplating whether that success will find its way to boats in the mid-30' range that are currently racing in PHRF classes. With a flotilla of new IRC optimized designs hitting the water, it's something for us to pay attention to.

The ideal handicap rating system is one that encourages balanced, versatile boats of moderate designs and controllable costs, and IRC has done a great job with this. When a rule catches on and designers try to exploit it, you can end up with boats that only serve that rule, sacrificing form, performance, and sometimes safety. But IRC avoids this pitfall, in part by keeping some elements of the rule confidential.

The IRC rule also does not play favorites with old vs. new designs. At Key West Race Week this year, the IRC-2 division had 13 entries representing 10 different designs from 37 to 46 feet. Included in this spread were designs dating back to the late '80's all the way up to brand new designs, and all were competing on what seemed to be a level playing field. Taking third place for the week was the oldest design of the season, a J/44, while two new Mark Mills designs occupied the top of the podium.

If IRC can gain a foothold in the mid-30' range, I think it will make for some very exciting and close racing, similar to what we saw at Key West this year. Stay tuned for more posts on this topic.