The long slow death of the cruiser racer...?

[roblpm]

I guess the thing that narks is that IRC have said time and time again that they want to protect the C/Rs from race boats. Resulting in penalties for removing doors etc, but meanwhile what has actually happened is that all the big yards have stopped making C/Rs, and the race boats we get are far heavier than is necessary for their purpose because that's what the rule has encouraged to try and protect the cruiser racers.

So what IRC set out to achieve has in the end been beaten by the designers, and what we have now is a real polarisation of design between cruising boats and racing boats. Even the best new fast cruisers fom yards that are ignoring the rulebook and designing what their customers want look nothing like what is needed to do well on the club racing circuit under IRC. The Pogos, new Elans etc. The type of boat that excels on a reach but is average at best upwind. Only X and Arcona are actually making C/Rs that someone who'd been in hibernation for 10 years would recognise as such, and only Arcona anything in the mid 30s size bracket, The XP33 is not a boat that would appeal to someone wanting to take it on a family cruise as well as race it.

That is not evidence that the IRC policy of encouraging C/Rs has worked, quite the reverse...

I'm just wondering if it's time for IRC to admit that the era of the C/R is over and to end the policy of trying to encourage them, as it clearly isn't working. Let the designers lose creating fun race boats that don't cost a fortune but stand a chance on handicap. Maybe even accept that in 2016 a race boat should plane...

Have you put all this in an email and sent it to the irc people?

 

[lw395]

I guess the thing that narks is that IRC have said time and time again that they want to protect the C/Rs from race boats. Resulting in penalties for removing doors etc, but meanwhile what has actually happened is that all the big yards have stopped making C/Rs, and the race boats we get are far heavier than is necessary for their purpose because that's what the rule has encouraged to try and protect the cruiser racers.

So what IRC set out to achieve has in the end been beaten by the designers, and what we have now is a real polarisation of design between cruising boats and racing boats. Even the best new fast cruisers fom yards that are ignoring the rulebook and designing what their customers want look nothing like what is needed to do well on the club racing circuit under IRC. The Pogos, new Elans etc. The type of boat that excels on a reach but is average at best upwind. Only X and Arcona are actually making C/Rs that someone who'd been in hibernation for 10 years would recognise as such, and only Arcona anything in the mid 30s size bracket, The XP33 is not a boat that would appeal to someone wanting to take it on a family cruise as well as race it.

That is not evidence that the IRC policy of encouraging C/Rs has worked, quite the reverse...

I'm just wondering if it's time for IRC to admit that the era of the C/R is over and to end the policy of trying to encourage them, as it clearly isn't working. Let the designers lose creating fun race boats that don't cost a fortune but stand a chance on handicap. Maybe even accept that in 2016 a race boat should plane...

I don't know how much IRC has changed its formulae over the years.
But it's difficult to change it radically when there are so many boats using it.
IRC is what it is.
Maybe it is easier for people to start a whole new rule than to tweak IRC?
Particularly as it is international.


Personally I would be in favour of binning the whole concept of rating rules and just having a box rule for racng boats.
40ft LOA, a max beam and draft, plus rules related to safety.

But my opinion is of limited value as I don't have the spare cash to buy a new yacht every season or two.

People used to be able to choose to buy an IMS boat or a one design. If enough people with adequate cash thought the same, they could create racing under any formula they chose.
There are plenty of clubs who will stage a regatta for you.

 

[doug748]

Some years ago i looked at the new price of an X332, the JPK does not seem dear by comparison.

Yes, looking at the comment above and secondhand asking prices it looks like another case of:

There are lies, dammed lies and...... new boat prices as supplied to Yachting Magazines.

 

[flaming]

Have you put all this in an email and sent it to the irc people?

No, but I have cornered an IRC chap at an event who was very dismissive. Maybe it might be worth another shot...

 

[roblpm]

No, but I have cornered an IRC chap at an event who was very dismissive. Maybe it might be worth another shot...

Send it!! Copy it to a few people. You must have enough material from these posts to make a reasonable paper on it. Then email a month later to ask what they think. I think people always talk amongst themselves about these sort of things and don't always talk to the powers that be.

 

[Keen_Ed]

Start with a letter to Seahorse? I know they don't really bother too much with actual racing done by mortals, but it might get published... you never know.

 

[TallBuoy]

Start with a letter to Seahorse? I know they don't really bother too much with actual racing done by mortals, but it might get published... you never know.

I think you'll find they do. Looking at the list of rated boats on their website shows the wide range of boats included in IRC from slow little boats up to super yachts.