MOCRA Rating Rule

 

1 Introduction

2 Fundamental Policy, Language & Definition

3 Important Notice

 

4 Administration

5 Rating Certificates

6 Units of Measurement

 

7 General

8 Measurement and Compliance

9 Rating Review

10 Rating Protests

11 RRS 51 Moving Ballast

12 Empty Weight

13 Length on Waterplane

14 Keel, Centreboard

15 Engine and Propeller

16 Rig and Sails

17 Spare number

18 Seaworthiness and Safety

19 Structural Features and Fixed Equipment

20 Minimum Portable Equipment

21 Personal Equipment

22 Minimum Accommodation

23 Time Correction Factor TCF

Appendix 1 Measurement Definitions

Appendix 2 Rating Certificate

 

1.0 Introduction

1.1 The aim of the rule is to provide a simple equitable handicap racing using time correction factors across a broad range of multihull boat types with accommodation required under Rule 22.

2.1 The spirit of the rule requires that owners and designers shall not seek means of artificially reducing a boat's rating, e.g. increasing her performance without a corresponding increase in rating.

2.2 Any reference to the Racing Rules (RRS) is defined as the current version of The Racing Rules of Sailing of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). Reference to the Equipment Rules refers to the current version of the ISAF Equipment Rules of Sailing which incorporate the Sail Measurement Rules. Reference to Special Regulations is defined as the current version of the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations 

2.3 The language of the Rule shall be English. The meaning of any word shall be by reference to the Oxford English Dictionary in the context in which it appears. The words 'shall' and 'must' are mandatory, the words 'may' and 'can' are permissive. The word 'should' is advisory.

2.3 The Rule will be an open published Rule.

2.4 Ratings may rely on owner submitted data (but see Rule 8.4). Some or all of the dimensions of class production boats may be standardised.

2.5 Boats may be required to be weighed at the discretion of

the MOCRA Racing Committee.

2.5 The Rule provides ratings for a broad range of multihulls. Any exploitation of the inherent simplicity of the Rule will be iscouraged. The Rule makers therefore reserve the right to make adjustments or amendments at any time in order to prevent undesirable or unforeseen lines of development.

 

3.0 Important Notice

3.1 The safety of a boat and her entire management including insurance shall be the sole responsibility of the owner/competitor who must ensure that the boat is fully found, thoroughly seaworthy, and manned by a crew sufficient in number and experience who are physically fit to face bad weather. The owner/competitor must be satisfied as to the soundness of the hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained, stowed and in date and that the crew know where it is kept and how it is to be used. The ultimate decision on whether or not to race remains the sole and inescapable responsibility of the owner or his representative.

3.2 Neither the establishment of these Rules, their use by race organisers, nor the inspection of the boat under these Rules in any way limits the absolute responsibility of the owner/competitor. He shall recognise his obligation to bring this notice to the attention of any third party who he involves or seeks to involve in any way in these Rules.

3.3 Boat ratings are calculated in good faith from the data available. MOCRA cannot accept any liability for error or for changes in the Rule which the owner/competitor considers to have disadvantaged or adversely affected his boat, or conversely to have advantaged any boat of another owner/competitor.

 

4.1 The Rule is a system of measurement in order to classify boats for competition with a single figure allowance based on time.

4.2 The Rule will be administered by MOCRA. The MOCRA Racing committee shall be solely responsible for any changes in the Rule.

4.3 Requests for interpretations of the Rule shall be made through MOCRA Racing Secretary. Numbered interpretations will be posted on the MOCRA Website. Interpretations will be valid for the current year only and may be incorporated by the MOCRA Racing Committee in the annual review of the Rule

 

5.1 Rating certificates will be issued by the MOCRA Rating Secretary.

5.2 A boat shall not have more than one valid certificate at any time. Issue of a new certificate automatically invalidates the old one. The original or a copy of the certificate shall be kept on board the boat.

5.3 Rating certificates will be issued in the form as shown in Appendix 2, with the heading of the rating authority and any sponsorship as appropriate. A boat may apply to the rating

authority to have her certificate 'Endorsed'. The rating authority will inform the boat of any measurement or other checks required prior to issuing a certificate carrying the notation ENDORSED.

5.4 Change of ownership and/or any changes in sail number or rated dimensions of the boat will automatically invalidate the certificate. Attention is drawn RRS 78, Compliance with Class Rules; Certificates.

5.5 When the rating authority has reasonable evidence that a boat does not conform to her certificate, or that there has been a breach of the Rules, the certificate may be withdrawn and the owner shall be informed in writing. When the rating authority becomes aware that a certificate has been invalidated while the boat is under the jurisdiction of a race committee, the matter shall be reported to the race committee.

5.6 Certificates will be valid on payment of the appropriate fee for the current calendar year only.

5.7 Notice of Race may specify the last date that a new rating certificate may be changed.

6.0 Units of Measurement

6.1 Measurements shall be recorded in units of the metric system. Sail measurements shall be taken in metres to two decimal places, all other linear measurements shall be in metres to three decimal places. Weight shall be taken to the nearest kilogram.

 

7.1 The MOCRA rating is calculated as a Time Corrector (TCF) to three places of decimals. Corrected times shall be calculated from this rating to an accuracy of the nearest second.

7.2 The MOCRA Racing Committee may withdraw or suspend a boat's certificate without compensation when there has been a gross breach of the Rules or of good manners or sportsmanship.

 

8.0 Measurement and Compliance

8.1 Measurement data shall be obtained by direct measurement or derived from another rating certificate.

8.2 Sails shall be measured according to the current ISAF Equipment Rules of Sailing and as detailed in this rule.

8.3 The accuracy of measurements supplied shall be the owner's responsibility. A measurement service is available on application to the MOCRA.

8.4 It is a breach of these Rules for any owner or individual to intentionally supply false information. Attention is drawn to RRS 69, Allegations of Gross Misconduct.

8.5 The MOCRA Racing Committee will use the supplied data as a basis for rating but reserves the right to overrule specific data or to standardise the dimensions of a class of production boats.

8.6 MOCRA may require an owner to submit his boat for

measurement at any time. The boat will be re-rated by MOCRA based on the new measurement data.

9.1 An owner may request review of the rating of his own boat by submitting a completed review application form, available from MOCRA, together with the appropriate fee to MOCRA.

9.2 Anyone who has a valid interest in a boat's certificate may also request a rating review from the rating authority, by submitting a completed application form together with the appropriate fee to the rating authority.

9.3 Review shall be based on all the available evidence. Where necessary, rated data shall be re-taken by an authorised measurer. The decision of the MOCRA Racing Committee shall be final.

9.4 For series produced boats, the rated data may have been standardised by the rating authority. Standard data shall not be subject to third party review or protest. But a rating review may be requested by the manufacturer or the class association of a series produced boat. Modifications to standard data shall be declared by the owner.

9.5 Where the TCF is reviewed by the rating authority and found to be not more than 0.01 greater than before, the contested rating shall be valid up to the date of review.

9.6 Where the TCF is reviewed and found to be more than 0.01 greater than before, the contested certificate will be reviewed by the MOCRA Racing Committee which may recommend that the contested certificate is invalid from the date of issue..

9.7 In either case, the certificate becomes invalid if any re-measurement favours the boat and differs from the certificate by more than is considered acceptable or if specific detail is clearly in error.

9.8 Following review and re-measurement, a new certificate may be issued which may be back-dated to the date that any erroneous data was supplied.

10.1 As permitted by the RRS Part 5, a rating protest may be submitted to a protest committee. A protest committee may refer the matter to the rating authority with the appropriate fee.

10.2 In the event of protest, the boat's rated data may be re-taken by an authorised measurer.

10.3 Subject to the RRS, the findings of a protest shall determine which party shall pay measurement and rating costs.

 

11.0 RRS 51 Moving Ballast As an exception to RRS 51, water ballast is permitted.

12.1 Empty Weight is the weight of the boat in the following dry condition:

12.1.1 Fully rigged with all spars (including spinnaker pole(s) if any), standing rigging, backstay, runners and checkstays, halyards, main sheets, and vang(s).

12.1.2 Main engine installed, or outboard engine aboard in stowed position.

12.1.3 Trampolines and netting.

12.1.4 Batteries and fitted berth cushions on board in their normal positions if carried while racing. The weight of these items shall be noted on the boat's certificate.

12.1.5 All permanent fixtures and fittings and items of accommodation whether detachable or not, including

washboards, bunk and floorboards and saloon table (if fitted for racing) on board in their normal positions.

12.1.6 Sails, not more than 1 mainsail, 1 jib, 1 reachers (only if rated), 1 spinnaker and 1 storm jib.

12.1.7 Headsail and spinnaker sheets.

12.1.8 Anchors, chains, warps, mooring lines.

12.1.9 Safety equipment

12.1.10 Cooking and catering utensils SEE RULE 22.4

12.1.11 Fenders

12.1.12 All above items shall be noted on certificate.

12.2 The following items shall not be on board for weighing:

12.2.1 Spare standing and running rigging.

12.2.2 Fuel, water and the contents of any other tanks. Spare gas bottles shall be removed.

12.2.3 Food.

12.2.4 Clothing, bedding and personal effects.

12.2.5 Tools and spare parts.

12.2.6 Loose gear.

12.2.7 Crew.

12.3 When for practical reasons it is not possible to remove all items and equipment (e.g. fuel), it is acceptable to deduct the weight of these from the gross weight. The rating authority reserves the right to refuse such data when inadequate detail is supplied.

12.4 The rating authority will calculate the empty weight of an unweighed boat based on information contained on another rating certificate, designer data or from any other source.

12.5 In the absence of other information, empty weight may be calculated by deduction of the items detailed by Rule 12.2 from a boat's sailing displacement.

13.1 Catamarans rated length shall be taken as the distance between Forward Measurement Point and the Aft Measurement Point shown in the Diagram.

13.2 Trimarans rated length shall be taken as the overall length of the outer hull. Though the boat's rated length shall not be taken as less than 80.0% of the mainhull rated length (Between Forward and Aft Measurement Points).

13.3 In the case of rudder cut-outs etc the port and starboard hull shell aft edges shall be bridged.

13.4 Measured with the boat in sailing trim with all items included when weighed in accordance with Rule 12.

  

14.1 Full details of a boat's keel, rudder and other appendages shall be supplied to the MOCRA Racing Committee at the time of rating application.

14.2 Keel Factor (AF) for daggerboards or centreboards = 1.0 Keel Factor for fixed keels = 0.980

14.3 RRS 52, Manual Power, shall not apply.

15.1 Boats will be rated with either:

15.1.1 Outboard engine (i.e. an engine where the propeller may be removed from the water while racing).

15.1.2 Inboard engine, including strut drive and sterndrive configurations. Propeller type shall be declared at the time of rating application. The propeller shall be at all times ready for use, not retracted, housed or lifted.

15.2 Engines shall be capable of producing a minimum speed

of 1.8 x square root of RL in knots. (5 knots for an 8 metre boat) Outboard engines shall be securely fastened in their normal stowage positions for racing. Attention is drawn to Offshore Special Regulations 3.28

15.3 PF = 0.98 for a single folding propeller. PF= 0.97 for two folding propellers. PF = 0.97 for a single fixed propeller, 0.96 for two fixed propellers. Feathering propellers are rated as folding propellers. The propeller factor for outboard engines PF=1.00

 

Carbon Mast factor - A mast incorporating carbon fibres shall have a Carbon Mast factor = (1+ ((Mast length / Rated Weight^0.355))x 0.008))

A Mast without Carbon Fibres shall have a Carbon Mast factor = 1.000

A mast which cannot rotate shall have a Mast Rotating factor (MRF) = 0.0

A mast which can rotate shall have a Mast Rotating fFactor (MRF ) = 1.00

And a Mast Thickness factor (MTF) = 1.32 -(Max Mast Transverse /Max Mast Fore and Aft )

Rated Mast Area

= Mast length x Max Mast Fore and Aft x MTF x MRF

16.1 General

16.1.1 Non-standard rigs should apply with full details of sail inventory.

16.1.2. Sail numbers shall be displayed in accordance with

RRS 77, Identification on Sails.

16.2 Sheeting of Sails, Bowsprits and Spinnaker Poles

16.2.1 All sails shall be set and sheeted in accordance with

RRS 50, Setting and Sheeting Sails, with the following

additions.

16.2.2 RRS 54 Forestays and Jib Tacks shall not apply.

16.4 Spare number

16.5 Mainsails

16.5.1 The mainsail foot (E), quarter-width, half-width,

three-quarter-width, shall be determined in accordance with the Equipment Rules of Sailing.

16.5.2 The area of the mainsail roach above the three quarter width is determined in accordance with the appropriate diagram above right: The measured area of the mainsail shall be calculated as follows:

MSAM = (0.375 x (((P x 0.75)/3) x ( E + MTW + ( 3 x ( MQW + MHW )))) + (MTW x 0.5 x P/4) + foot round area + the area aft and above the line AE as appropriate.

Note: The measurements of AE will generally be determined by the ends of batten pockets and corners of headboard.

16.5.3 Mainsail aspect ratio factor = 0.7 + ((P / EC) /10.1) , Where EC = (E + MQW) / 2

16.5.4 Rated Mainsail = Measured Mainsail Area x Aspect Ratio factor

16.6 Headsails set outside the Foretriangle

16.6.1 A sail set outside the foretriangle with an SMW not less than 60.0% of SF may be set on a furling system or used without one.

16.6.2 A sail set outside the foretriangle with an SMW less than 60.0% of SF shall be set on an effective furling system which shall be the means of deploying the sail.

16.6.3 A sail set outside the foretriangle, with an SMW less than 60.0% of SF, not set on a furler, shall be measured and rated as a jib.

16.6.4 The longest luff (SLU) , leech (SLE), foot (SF) and width (SMG) dimensions of each type of spinnaker carried shall be declared and will be shown on a boat's certificate.

Measured Spinnaker Area (MSAS) = (SF x ( SLU+SLE ) / 2) +

( 2 x (SMG - (SF / 2 )) x ( SLU+SLE ) / 6 ))

Rated Spinnaker Area (RSAS) = MSAS x 0.08

16.7 Headsails

16.8 Foretriangle Area (FTA) = 0.5 X FL X LPF

Measured Sail Area Jib (MSAJ) = (0.5 x LLJ x LPJ ) + (2/3 x LFJ x LFRPJ )

Rated Sail Area Jib = FTA + max (0, (MSAJ-(FTA*1.30)))

16.10 Total Rated Sail Area = ( Rated Mast Area + Rated Jib + Rated Mainsail + Rated Spinnaker )

18.1 The issue of a rating certificate does not imply that a boat is necessarily of good design, safe or seaworthy. Race organisers are recommended to select the appropriate Category of Offshore race (Offshore Special Regulations 2.01) and specify the Category in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.

 

19.0 Structural Features and Fixed Equipment: Attention is drawn to the requirements of the Offshore Special Regulations - Section 3

19.1.1 Irrespective of the inclusion of a Race Category in the Race Instructions the following items shall always be carried by a multihull when racing under the MOCRA Rating Rule:

19.1.2 A bilge pump and bucket. - see Offshore Special Regulations 3.23

19.1.3 An engine

19.1.4 A compass. - see Offshore Special Regulations 3.24

20.0 Minimum Portable Equipment: Attention is drawn to the requirements of the Offshore Special Regulations - Section 4

20.1 Irrespective of the inclusion of a Race Category in the Race Instructions the following items shall always be carried by a multihull when racing under the MOCRA Rating Rule:

20.2 One anchor and suitable warp. - see Offshore Special Regulations 4.06

20.3 Two red hand flares.

 

21.0 Personal Equipment: Attention is drawn to the requirements of the Offshore Special Regulations - Section 5

21.1 Irrespective of the inclusion of a Race Category in the Race Instructions the following items shall always be carried by a multihull when racing under the MOCRA Rating Rule:

21.2 Lifejackets, one for each crew member - see Offshore Special Regulations 5.01

 

22.0 Minimum Accommodation

22.1 Boats less than 8.00m LOA shall have a minimum

headroom of 1.22m over a length of 1.35m.

22.2 Boats greater than 8.00m LOA shall have a minimum of 1.50m headroom over an area of 1.00m2 of cabin sole.

22.3 There shall be a minimum of three bunks of adequate size suitable for use at sea.

22.4 A cooking stove adequately mounted. Adequate fuel safely stowed. Adequate utensils for the normal crew complement.

TCF = 1.74 x (Rated Length^0.2814 ) x ( Rated Sail    Area^0.3546) x PF X HF X CMF

(Rated Weight)^0.3124

E The foot of the mainsail .

Empty Weight The weight of the boat to the nearest 1 kg, in the

 condition of Empty Weight, less the weight of any deductions

 to the nearest 1 kg (see Rule 22.3).

FL The forestay length measured from where the forestay meets the

 deck, or from the jib outhaul in the case of a bowsprit, to the

 forestay attachment point on the front of the

 mast or to where the forestay intersects the front of the mast,  

 projected if necessary. 

LFJ Foot length of jib from tack point to clew point.

LFRPJ Maximum distance from a straight line joining tack and  

 clew to the foot of the sail.

LLJ The longest luff length of any jib or headsail when stretched

 sufficiently to remove any creases.

LLRThe longest luff length of any reacher headsail (set outside

 of the foretriangle, set flying on a roller furling system) when

 stretched sufficiently to remove any creases.

LOA The length overall of the hull excluding bowsprit and other

 rigging if any, stem fittings, stern fittings, pulpits, any over

 hanging rudder and rudder hangings.

LPF Distance from the base of the mast perpendicular to the forestay.

LP The longest luff perpendicular of any jib or headsail measured

 as the shortest distance from the clew point to the outside of the

 luff or luff tape. For a cutter rig with more than one forestay, LP

 is measured as the shortest distance from the aftmost clew point

 of any jib or headsail when set on the centre line of the boat,

 to the foremost forestay.

LWP Length on waterplane in the condition of Empty Weight

 (see Rule 15.0).

MHW The half width of the mainsail, measured as the shortest

 distance between the half leech point and the luff, bridging any

 hollows in the leech of the sail.

MQW The quarter width of the mainsail, measured as the

 shortest distance between the quarter leech point and the luff,

 bridging any leech hollows as above.

MTW The three quarter width of the mainsail, measured as the

 shortest distance between the three quarter leech point and the

 luff, bridging any leech hollows as above.

P The vertical projection of the mainsail

SF The longest foot length of any spinnaker, measured between

 the clew points.

SLE The longest leech length of any spinnaker, measured from

 the clew point to the head point.

SLU The longest luff length of any spinnaker, measured from

 the tack point to the head point.

SMW The maximum width of any spinnaker, measured between

  the half luff and half leech points.

 

E        Mainsail Foot Length 16.5

ISAF             The International Sailing Federation 8.2

LL     Headsail Longest Luff Length

LOA Length Overall 13.1

LP     Headsail Luff Perpendicular Maximum Length 16.3

LPF  Foretriangle Perpendicular

LWP Length on Waterplane 13.1

MQW            Mainsail 1/4 Width

MHW            Mainsail 1/2 Width 16.5

MTW            Mainsail 3/4 Width

P        Mainsail Luff length

RF     Rig Factor 16.2

RRS  The Racing Rules of Sailing 8.2

SF     Spinnaker Foot Length 16.6

SL     Spinnaker Leech Length 16.6

SMW            Spinnaker Half Width 16.6

TCF   Time Correction Factor 23