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    Friday
    Aug082014

    What's all this Jargon mean ?

    It's all very well saying 'get an IRC rating' but then you are faced with an application form full of acronyms and jargon!   For those not familiar with IOR, IMS or later ORC rating certificates (and there we go again with the acronyms!) it can all look a bit daunting.   
     
    There are of course the official IRC definitions which are part of the full rule text, and this is NOT intended to replace those, but it is a quick guide to what all the letters mean. Most measurements are taken in accordance with the 'ERS' defintions - the Equipment Rules of Sailing published by ISAF (International Sailing Federation).  

    See also our simple sail measurement guide and measurement drawings.

    RORC: Royal Ocean Racing Club - and Rating Office - joint owners of the IRC Rule
    UNCL: Union Nationale pour la Course au Large - joint owners of the IRC Rule
    TCC: Time corrector IRC
     
    Hull:
    LH: Hull Length (note that sales brochure Length Overall sometimes includes pulpit/bow roller, not included in LH)
    LWP: Waterline length
    BO: Bow overhang
    SO: Stern overhang
    y, h, x:  Additional measurements taken at the bow and stern
    DLR: Displacement/Length Ratio
     
    Rig:
    P: maximum hoist point of mainsail (on mast)
    E: maximum outhaul point of the mainsail (on boom)
    J: from the mast to the forestay attachment point
    FL: Forestay length
    STL: Spinnaker tack length
     
    Mizzen rig:
    PY: maximum hoist point of mainsail (on mizzen mast)
    EY: maximum outhaul point of the mainsail (on mizzen boom) 
     
    Mainsail:
    MUW: Mainsail upper (7/8) width (ie. taken 7/8 of the way up the leech)
    MTW: Mainsail three quarter width (ie. taken 3/4 of the way up the leech)
    MHW: Mainsail half width (ie. taken 1/2 way up the leech)
     
    Headsail:
    LLmax: Maximum luff length on any headsail
    LL: Luff length of largest headsail
    LP: Luff perpendicular - from clew to luff
    HHW: Headsail half width (ie. taken 1/2 way up the leech)
    HTW: Headsail three quarter width (ie. taken 3/4 of the way up the leech)
    HUW: Headsail 7/8 width (ie. taken 7/8 of the way up the leech)
    HSA: Headsail area
     
    Spinnaker:
    SLU: Spinnaker luff length
    SLE: Spinnaker leech length
    SF: Spinnaker foot length
    SHW: Spinnaker half width (half luff to half leech)
    SPA: Spinnaker area
     
    Mizzen staysail:
    LLY: Luff length
    LPY: Luff perpendicular
     
    Stability and safety 
    STIX: Stability Index
    AVS: Angle of Vanishing Stability
    SSS: Safety & Stability System

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