If you want to race, you need a handicap of some description. There are many club systems, as well as the Portsmouth Yardstick administered by the RYA. However, the IRC rating is rapidly gaining international acceptance and is ideal if you aspire to any offshore races. The big advantage is that you do not have to pay for a professional measurer, nor do you have to have the boat weighed if you have evidence of the designed "empty weight".

Sergeant Pepper has a TCC of 0.855 which is quite low for a 33 footer. This compares to a Trapper 28, Nicholson 35, Sadler 32 or an Etap 28, all of which have ratings between 0.850 & 0.860.

The measurement data from Sergeant Pepper's IRC rating application is listed in the table below. You should contact the RORC rating office for your own boat, as you cannot rely on the measurements from another. The rating is administered by Seahorse Rating Limited (telephone +44 (0)1590 677030 or email: info@rorcrating.com or simply visit their website on www.rorcrating.com

When you contact them, request a copy of the IRC Yearbook, which is a comprehensive guide about the rating, and includes detailed instructions for how to complete the self measurement. The cost for a rating certificate is £7.00/m LOA.

IRC is a self-measurement system so there is no requirement either to have your boat officially measured or weighed unless you want to, or unless you need an Endorsed Certificate.

Generally, acceptable sources of date are:

Linear measurements

Official measurement (RORC or local club measurer)
IRM, IMS or IOR measured data
Measurements supplied by a sailmaker
Owner or representative measurement
Designer or builder data
Class standard hull data

Weight

Official weighing on Rating Office loadcell
Weighing on calibrated single point loadcell
Weight derived from IMS, IOR or other rating certificate
Weighing on weighbridge
Designed weight, or weight derived from designed sailing displacement
Class standard weight or sistership weighed data