This season has lots going for it and I'm especially looking forward to our channel crossing at the end of June. Not a particularly taxing bit of navigation (I hope!) but it will be good to stretch the legs a bit. Work and family life makes it difficult to do any passages, the only time we got out of the bay last season was to go to the Isle of Wight for the Round the Island Race. This year I won't be going as I will use my time allowance to go to Cherbourg. Also looking forward to racing the Yacht Club de Cherbourg in the Grande Rade.
Once in Cherbourg it would be great to carry on going. I'd like to go down to Jersey, but I guess we will have to return home. Perhaps we can get another weekend later in the year and go to Torquay or something.
But with the racing season coming on I'm trusting that we will keep our present, highly tuned, crew. It really does make a difference when everyone knows their job and can do it, it's something that money can't really buy and we're definately not the most monied campaign out there. Our season starts with the YCW Spring Series held on four consecutive sundays starting 14th April. I think currently we're the only entry and we've already bought our IRC certificate.
This season sees a mighty change in club racing in the UK with the sport's governing body, the RYA, abandoning Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) for yachts. The system is to be replaced by "NHC" a varying handicapping system which has had input from IRC in its concept as well from WSC's own HALS race results. It's a performance handicapping system who's number evolves as the data gets plugged into it, a bit like the Irish ECHO system. In fact the success of ECHO is one of the only things I can see that it has going for it, I dislike being penalised for being good or encouraging mediocrity. However I accept that club racing needs a fresh injection to make it more appetising. I'm sure that IRC see it as a way of getting more take up for IRC as serious racers will prefer to be rated this way. Perfect, but I think the feedback from the customer to RORC rating is that the price of an IRC certificate needs to be halved. The combination of these two moves will ensure the future of IRC. I even suggested to the boys that we didn't buy an IRC cert this year in a moment of madness, they of course would have none of it. We might not win all the time but at least we are racing and rated fairly.
The introduction of NHC at Weymouth Sailing Club also sees the continuation of all-in fast & slow class starts. This means that NHC/PY/IRC boats of a similar speed all start together, this improves the racing experience for everyone.
At the end of the day it's the wind in your hair and the spray in your face that should be drawing people to yacht racing. Do you know, sometimes you don't even have to go and look at the results? Racing is not about winning, it's just better when you can't wipe that grin off of your face...that's what keeps you struggling and competing. Handicapping can niggle at this experience, one design removes this a little but will expose you as not as good a sailor as you thought you were. IRC rating is a middle way that definately gives the correct results in our bay - more boats need certificates and I'm sad to say Mr Urwin cutting your costs/expectations and halving the costs is the only way that we can save club racing in these parts.
