Former Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Admiral and Commodore Andrew McIrvine has called for Cape 31 boats to race in their own class at Cowes Week.
In a letter to Eurosailnews (August 14th), McIrvine said the Cape 31 is “an excellent boat” with “a successful class structure” in the UK and abroad.
He noted the class had its own mini-series at the regatta, but two boats chose to join IRC 1, usually made up of non-planing offshore-capable boats such as Performance 40s.
“With good planing conditions there was no chance of the rating system dealing with the disparity,” he wrote.
Former Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Admiral and Commodore Andrew McIrvine
McIrvine said the problem worsened when low numbers in IRC 0 led organisers to merge it with IRC 1 and add the Cape 31s.
As Afloat reported previously, the Cape 31s swept an extraordinary Cowes Week 2025.
“This was great for them but a disastrous decision for the future of larger boat participation in Cowes Week,” he said. “What is the point of bringing your TP52, or IRC1 boat if the Capes will win everything?”
He added that the Black Group “has always been for offshore capable boats” and pointed out the Cape 31’s “upper wind limit of 22kts” means they are “far from offshore capable.”
“They should be in White Group in their own class or Cowes Week will continue to shrink,” McIrvine concluded.
McIrvine's full letter to Eurosail is below:
There is no doubt that the Cape 31 is an excellent boat. Designed as a one- design they have built a successful class structure both in the U.K. and abroad. They had their own class and mini-series in Cowes Week. 2 boats decided to eschew their own class and 'invade' IRC 1 otherwise populated by non-planing offshore capable boats, mainly Performance 40s. With good planing conditions there was no chance of the rating system dealing with the disparity of the Capes to the rest. Then due to the very poor turnout in IRC 0 it was decided to combine them with IRC 1 to up the numbers for the major trophy days and then add the Capes as well. This was great for them but a disastrous decision for the future of larger boat participation in Cowes Week. What is the point of bringing your TP52, or IRC1 boat if the Capes will win everything. The Black Group has always been for offshore capable boats. The Capes have an upper wind limit of 22kts and are far from offshore capable. They should be in White group in their own class or Cowes Week will continue to shrink.
