The annual IRC Congress was held in Istanbul, Turkey over the weekend of 16 - 17 October.  Delegates from 18 countries reported on IRC activity in 2010 and plans for 2011. The IRC Technical Committee reported that the number of IRC rated boats in 2010 had held up to the same level as 2009, an excellent result in the continuing difficult economic times.  The news will be of interest to ICRA members.
Delegates considered 30 submissions for changes to IRC rules and processes. The most significant of these are:
- Rule 8.2.1 now requires that a boat holding a shorthanded certificate may not use her normal certificate for shorthanded races.
- New Rule 8.10 defines rated dimensions as maxima and minima and that a boat found during equipment inspection at an event to exceed any dimension is not in compliance with her certificate.
- Rule 21.8.1(c) is amended to limit the minimum size of headsail used by a boat rated for a single roller furling headsail.
- Rule 22.4 is amended by the deletion of old Rules 22.4.1, 22.4.3, 22.4.4 and 22.4.5. New Rule 22.4.2 now invokes Crew Number or alternatively maximum crew weight by default unless this is amended by a Notice of Race. Any event already including crew limitations in its Notice of Race will not need to do anything. However, any event which does not wish to enforce crew limitations will need to specifically say so in the Notice of Race. If a Notice of Race says nothing about crew, then IRC Crew Number or maximum weight will automatically apply. For further advice please go to the IRC website, www.ircrating.org.
Minutes of the IRC Congress and IRC Rules for 2011 will be posted on www.ircrating.org shortly.