An update on regattas and IRC rules
Visit JPK 1030 is designed to shine in IRC races, a prestigious market highly prized by builders.
The IRC is a handicap class, allowing yachts of all sizes and generations to take part in the same regattas. Based on a time penalty calculation, the fastest boat, the one that crosses the finish line first, is not necessarily the winner of the regatta. This principle is inherent in regattas run under handicap gauges.
The dominant IRC rule insidiously encourages builders to stay within a framework so as not to incur heavy penalties. One of the main objectives of the IRC rule is to protect the existing fleet, i.e. the boats built over the last 30 years.
We don't want one highly innovative boat to render several generations of yachts obsolete, as the rules evolve more slowly than technology. To say that an IRC boat should be designed like one built 20 years ago is a step too far. In fact, over the last ten years or so, things have been changing both in terms of IRC rules and owners' habits.
At the same time, the rules are becoming more flexible, leaving the door open to more fun boats. And the international IRC circuit now includes many offshore double-handed races. Coastal, semi-offshore and even transatlantic regattas are appearing, and demand continues to grow, with several events sold out.
So which is the best IRC boat?
According to Jean-Pierre Kelbert, it's the yacht that best suits the current rules and the types of regattas it will take part in. In this sense, the JPK 1030 is ready for the IRC ocean racing championship and major events such as the Sydney Hobart, Middle Sea Race, Le Fastnet and Transquadra.
JPK in the construction race
Faced with strong demand, the market responded with a spontaneous generation of high-performance 9-10 m sailboats. In 2019, the J/99 le SunFast 3300 the MMW33 and the JPK 1030 .
All these new boats are destined to shine in offshore IRC regattas. Without even mentioning the 2024 Olympic Games, which will be looking for a sport for the offshore racing event, we can sense that the builders are very dynamic on this range of boats.
Even if one regatta season is quite insufficient to draw up an assessment of the confrontations, the JPK 1030 has already shone in some prestigious offshore races. Winner of the Fastnet, Jean-Pierre Kelbert still has sparks in his eyes when he talks about it. With Alexis Loison and Léon, his JPK 1030 fresh from the workshops, they won the doubles category. They left the second, a SunFast 3300 more than four hours behind them in real time and five hours in compensated time.
JPK 1030 price versus competitors
- Visit JPK 1030 is a new-generation IRC boat, designed to be powerful and suitable for long IRC races, such as the Fastnet or the Transquadra. Available from ?135,900 inc VAT.
- Visit SunFast 3300 (Technical data) is bold and seems to perform well in the midrange. This Jeanneau is well built, but remains a notch below JPK standards. Its slightly more affordable price will surely be offset by the ad hoc preparation. The SunFast 3300 is also a likely one-design championship, boosted by wide distribution. Available from ?129,720.00 inc VAT.
- Visit J/99 (Technical data) is classically a J, in other words, an excellent inshore regatta boat. The Vendée-based design office has evolved one of its hulls to better meet the demand for double-handed offshore racing. The J99 is slightly more powerful than the rest of the range, but remains more conservative in its choices. Available from ?137,880 inc VAT.
Visit MMW33 is built in Spain by the Mestral Marine Works (MMW) shipyard. Designed by architect Michèle Molino, the yacht went into production in 2018. The MMW 33 may be less beamy, but she'll be faster as soon as the wind eases. Available from ?156,000 inc VAT.
The potential buyer's point of view
Stéphane races in the IRC aboard a refurbished and carefully prepared Figaro1. He takes part in short-handed club regattas, and has competed in the Island Race against all these new IRC boats. In summer, his regatta boat becomes a coastal cruiser with minimalist comforts. A Transquadra would not displease him, but for that he's mainly looking at the latest generation.
"I feel perfectly at the heart of the target, it's my type of regatta and this new generation of boat seems full of promise. They really have the look of a racing boat, much more so than my one-design from 30 years ago. And I imagine the performance will be there.
After the trial, I'd say the JPK 1030 is much more forgiving and therefore more fun than many of its competitors. However, I was perhaps expecting more downwind speed. It's still an IRC boat, which is to say relatively conventional. The boat gives the impression that it could have a much bigger mast and sails, but that's a matter of measurement and penalties.
On the other hand, the JPK is at the top of the current class, so you can certainly fight for the top places and have fun at the same time. Everything works perfectly and easily on board, and for that reason alone I love this boat. I'd love to shoot it in the breeze, it must be really comfortable."
