Industry Partners:

CONFERENCE CALL December 4, 2007

MINUTES: 2007 US-IRC Owners Committee and Technical Advisory Committee Meeting.

ATTENDANCE: Butch Ulmer, Bruce Bingman, Ed Freitag, Mark Mills, Barry Carroll (Chair,Tech.Adisors), George Hinman, Dan Nowlan (US Sailing), Nathan Titcomb(US Sailing), Luiz Kahl (Exec.Director),Tripp Estabrook, Talbot Wilson(PR Advisor), Gero Brugmann(German Owners Assn), Jim Miller, Charlie Leighton (US Sailing), Larry Huntington, Richard du Moulin (Chairman, Owners Assn), Mort Weintraub, John Siegel, Norm Davant.

1. Minutes of September 5 Meeting accepted.
2. Message from RORC Commmodore David Aisher: Thanked the Committees and encouraged continued communication with race organizers to educate them as to utilization of mixed course configurations (W/L, harbor tours, distance) and innovative class splits-sport boats, and use of displacement/sail area ratios.
3. US Sailing Report by Dan Nowlan- Just represented US-IRC at the IRC Congress in Cyprus. Excellent, well-attended, active meeting that confirmed the penalty on spinoas, improved the measurement of mainsail area to be fair to boats with smaller more triangular mainsails, and added a ¾ girth measurement to jibs. Denied the Australian motion to require all IRC boats to be weighed, but recognized that Australia could require this for their racing. Next Meeting London October 18. At US Sailing, plans will soon be made to schedule IRC measurer training; Dan will coordinate with Luiz Kahl. In Mexico, at their request, Dan just returned from measuring 25 boats for the Mexorc circuit; all boats were measured for IRC and ORR both in case owners want to race one or both rules.
4. Mark Mills commented that there are many designers now focusing on IRC, and that IRC will have to work hard to maintain the level playing field between new and old.
5. Luiz Kahl reported on returning from a very successful West Coast tour of four clubs- Los Angelos YC, Del Rey YC, Newport Harbor YC, and San Diego YC- with host Jim Madden, Barry Carroll and Rich du Moulin. There are now several clubs/events planning to offer IRC racing in 2008.

   The 2008 IRC Nationals are tentatively scheduled at Travers Island Michigan upon completion of the Chicago-Mac and Detroit-Mac races. The Gulf Stream Series NOR is posted and entries have just begun.

6. John Siegel reported on a very successful St.Francis Big Boat Series and the formation of a San Francisco Bay IRC Owners Committee. When the structure and charter are complete, US-IRC can post them on our website to assist other local committees. Ed Freitag will work with Bruce Bingman to make similar progress in the Chesapeake (which just hosted the 45 boat East Coast IRC Champs where 40 boats were from the local bay area).
7. Bruce Bingman emailed the minutes of his report on the meeting of the IRC Committee at the US Sailing Annual Meeting. Bruce will have to step down as Chairman but will remain on the Committee. His successor will soon be selected.
8. Talbot Wilson reported on the exciting announcement by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club of the North Rock Trophy for the winner of the combined St. Davids and Gibbs Hill Divisions in the 2008 Bermuda Race. A spectacular trophy is being built.

The 2008 US-IRC Handbook is being printed and will be mailed to subscribers of Sailing World with the January mailing (imminent) and also available for distribution at various events.

Other announcements about IRC are pending.

Next Meeting- early February, exact date to be determined.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard du Moulin, Chairman