IMOCA tightens up its rules

Following an EGM, the Open 60 class association have introduced new rule amendments

At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the International Monohull Class Association (IMOCA) earlier this month, a number of key decisions were confirmed by the members designed to sustain the growth and health of what has become ocean sailing’s largest and most successful class of raceboats. The two key elements confirmed by a representation of 52 out of 59 possible members votes, related to the overhaul of the technical rules for the boats, and secondly to the official IMOCA calendar, which was confirmed through until 2009. Both elements provide a level of stability for the next cycle of the circuit, which includes over ten major events.

The key changes to the IMOCA rule include:

1. Measurement: A general tightening and tidying up of the rules themselves, along with improved clarity on measurement principles and protocol.

2. Safety: Tightening of stability rules, to include a new calculated worst case AVS (Angle of Vanishing Stability) of 108°, designed to halt the recent progression of more powerful designs that while conforming to the static stability 127.5° criteria, have had a worsening stability in the dynamic situation of water ballast and swing keel on the ‘wrong’ side. The current fleet just fits in to this new rule.

3. Cost reduction: The IMOCA Open 60s remain very good value for money, but the Class is conscious of ever-increasing pressure on budgets as the competitive pressure continues to mount. Banning high density special metals such as Tungsten in keels, allowing only one access of rotation for keels (ie no forward/aft movement), and limiting development of complex foil (daggerboard) systems are just three of the measures agreed by the members.

4. Internal rules: New guidance agreed on membership criteria, and voting powers of project members regarding event choice and timing, should serve to maintain the clarity the Class has aimed to provide on the IMOCA World Championship programme.

In an important step to assist the continued growth of new sponsors coming in to the fleet, the official IMOCA Calendar up until 2009 was agreed. Three new races have been added to the circuit, the China Cup (London-Brest-Qingdao-Shanghai, March 2006), Lorient-Bermuda-Lorient 2-up (May 2007), and the Barcelona World Race (Nov 2007, 2-up, non-stop, around the world Barcelona-Barcelona). The IMOCA World Championship four year circuit now includes over ten major events, primarily solo and two-handed, physically visits seven countries, and boasts active skippers of more than 10 nationalities, and 25 measured Open 60s. The events combined cover over 130,000 ocean racing miles.

2006 Calendar
March 26: China Cup (2-up tbc) http://www.chinacup2006.com
Oct 22: Velux 5 Oceans (Solo. ex-Around Alone. Leg 1 Bilbao – Fremantle) http://www.velux5oceans.com
Oct 29: Route du Rhum (Solo St.Malo-Guadaloupe) http://www.penduick.com

2007 Calendar
Dec/Jan: Possible return race from Route du Rhum finish
Jan: 5 Oceans (Leg 2. Fremantle - Florida)
March: 5 Oceans (Leg 3. Florida – Bilbao)
April: finish of 5 Oceans
May: Lorient-Bermuda-Lorient; tbc, under discussion with Class http://www.penduick.com
June: Calais Round Britain Race (2-up or 5-up tbc) http://www.calaisroundbritainrace.com
Aug: Rolex Fastnet Race (2-up or 5-up tbc) http://www.rorc.org
Sep/Oct: Prologue/Qualifier UK-France-Barcelona
Oct: Short events in south of France
Nov 11: Barcelona World Race (2-up, non-stop around the world) http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com
Nov: Transat Jacques Vabre (2-up, Le Havre-Salvador) http://www.penduick.com

2008 Calendar
Dec/Jan: Possible return race solo from TJV
Feb: finish of Barcelona World Race
June: The Transat (Solo, UK-USA) http://www.thetransat.com
Nov: Vendée Globe http://www.vendeeglobe.org

2009 Calendar
Feb: finish of the Vendée Globe
May/June: Calais Round Britain Race
Aug: Fastnet Race
Nov: Transat Jacques Vabre

Other shorter events, aimed principally at sponsor hospitality will be added to the calendar.

IMOCA key people:
President: Luc Talbourdet
President, Events Committee: Roland Jourdain
President, Technical Committee: Vincent Riou
Chief Measurer: Rene Boulaire
Technical assistance: UNCL and Seb Duclos [tc@imoca.org]
Administrative contact: admin@imoca.org