ICRA General Rules
The objective of the ICRA General Rules is to help race organisers keep their documentation simple while helping competitors by keeping the detail consistent from event to event. Much of the rules remain the same with changes representing an evolution based on learning’s from the 2019 season.
- The statement of the fundamental principles of seamanship has been updated to bring it fully into line with the requirements of the main IRC events.
- The confusing use of the term ‘ICRA classes’ has been changed to ‘standard groupings’. A mechanism for reassigning boats between divisions and carrying over scores has been added.
- Minimum requirements for safety equipment have been added. Again these standardise the requirements already in place at national IRC events.
- Using the number of boats in a division to decide overall prizes can be seen as somewhat arbitrary. A means of calculating an Overall Score using the previous years Boat of the Year scores to assess the competitiveness of each division is provided.
IRC Rating Rule and Definitions
IRC is a rating rule to handicap different designs of keelboats allowing them to race together. Each boat’s rating (her ‘handicap’) is calculated using measurements of the boat; her length, weight, draft, sail area, etc. The resulting time corrector, the boat’s ‘TCC’, is her handicap. After a race, each boat’s elapsed time (the time she has taken to complete the course) is multiplied by her TCC to calculate her corrected time (her race time making allowance for the characteristics of the boat). The boat with the shortest corrected time is the winner of the race.
Racing Rules of Sailing
The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) govern the sport on the water. They are revised and published every four years by the International Sailing Federation. The current edition is The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024.The Racing Rules of Sailing is available for purchase through the ISAF Secretariat. You can also download the complete document and related publications .
