IRC Racing

by Martin Hartley

Sonata race very competitively under the Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC handicap system. Read this article to make sure you have all the necessary paperwork.

New application

The Sonata is an offshore one design registered with the RORC. As such it is not necessary to have the boat measured when applying for an IRC certificate, unless your boat measures differently from, or does not comply with the Sonata Class Rules. A form is available from the RORC Rating Office in pdf format for download. Simply fill this form in, include payment for the application and send it to RORC (address at end of document). Certificates are returned within 1-3 weeks depending on the time of year. Note that VAT must be added to the quoted fee if payment is being paid by a company or association of any kind, individuals are not liable to VAT.

Annual renewal

If a current IRC certificate is already held, it has to be kept up to date. Any changes you make to the boat may affect your rating and/or invalidate the certificate entirely, although Sonata owners usually maintain the one design status of their boat. Certificates are valid from 1st January to 31st December (except in Australia and South Africa where certificates are valid from 1st July to 30th June). Therefore annual renewal is necessary.

Change of ownership and re-registration

If you buy a boat that has a current valid certificate, this will be automatically invalidated and you will need to apply for re-registration. Contact the RORC office for a form (address at end of document).

If your last certificate has expired then you will need to renew it.

If your certificate has lapsed for 2 or more years and you are a new owner since then, the new application fee applies.

Reprints and copies of current certificate

The RORC charges a small fee for re-prints of lost certificates or copy certificates.

Contact details

Royal Ocean Racing Club,
Rating Office (Seahorse Rating Ltd.),
Seahorse Building,
Bath Road,
Lymington,
Hampshire. SO41 3SE.

Telephone +44 (0) 1590 677030
Fax +44 (0) 1590 679478
Email: info@rorcrating.com
Website: www.rorcrating.com

Last updated 14:48 on 26 October 2023