IRC

[ratings 0]

IRC is this the best handicap out or is PHRF ? for good fair results

[markm 30]

Difficult to answer the question well.  When IRC is good, its good, definitely better than a performance oriented handicap such as PHRF and no one will win under it without sailing well.

There is a second aspect to all rating rules however, and it comes back to a question of whether the boat should conform to the rule or whether the rule should accurately assess a boat.

The old IOR was a true horror in that respect, you conformed or didn't play.  IRC is decades ahead of that at least but I'd contend still has some way to go.  To be competitive under IRC, you match your sail plan to the rule or better, buy something built with the rule in mind as well.

My personal opinion is that whilst not bad, basically IRC is still a rule that a boat needs to conform to rather than a rule which accurately assesses a boat.  If you have a boat that fits, not so bad, if you don't, well you could throw lots of money at the problem, modify, go slower and be closer to the rule but probably buying a different boat is just a lot easier.

Using an extreme, one of the Shaw 30s I think got a trial cert which came back saying they should be about 5% faster than the fastest TP52, you could have God on helm and Huey on tactics and still a good day will be defined as any day you weren't DFL. 

IRC's defense has always been it's a cruiser racer rule which is fair enough but it seems to rate Ker40s and TP52s just fine so my cynical side can't help thinking it can rate race boats when it wants to.

FWIW, my opinion is about 35% of the NZ fleet would be wasting their time, they'll be easily beaten regularly by lesser quality crews in boats that more closely conform to the rule.

So back to the question, if you accept a proviso that boats need to conform to the rating rule they are racing under, yes, IRC is Definitely stronger at rewarding high crew proficiency than a handicap such as PHRF.  If your criteria though requires it properly assess any design or configuration and still reward the best sailed boat, have my doubts about that.