Club racing of the International One Metre Yachts at Coalhouse Fort RYC takes place on Wednesday mornings throughout the year as well as the 4th Sunday of each month. The club also plays host to a Number of Regional and National meetings during the year on Sundays – see club calendar.
The International One Metre (IOM) is a class of Radio Controled Yacht used for racing under World Sailing Racing Rules of Sailing. It is a measurement-controlled box rule originally created by the ISAF-RSD, now the International Radio Sailing Association (IRSA), in 1988 in an attempt to harmonise the various one metre rules created around the world. The IOM Class Rules specify a standardised sail plan and control of the other major performance dimensions (displacement, length, and draught) while allowing some freedom in hull design. The IOM is now the largest and arguably most competitive of all radio sailing classes.
In the UK there are currently over 1000 registerd IOM’s with a strong national open event series as well as club racing through out the country. Although Carbon fibre is allowed in the construction of the Fin and Rudder, construction of the hull must be of either wood or Glass fibre. This makes the class very popular for the amateur builder and most of the professional builders have plans and kits for home completion.
Maximum overall length 1000mm
Maximum draft of 420mm
Minimum total weight 4kg (Excluding burgee!)
Three closely controlled sailing rigs
This allows the top sailors and designers to produce a range of designs within the one class. (There is a website on the internet that has a database of designs listing over 215 different designs currently.) The same CAD software that the top keelboat designers’ use is used by IOM designers, in fact some of the top round the world yacht designers have designed IOM yachts.
With three closely controlled sailing rigs, a maximum overall length and weights which are kept to within grams of the minimum weight, the emphasis is on boat set up and control, with even the smallest of changes in mast rake or sail camber being “felt” by the skipper. Once you get over the concept of sailing from the shore rather than in the boat, there isn’t really a lot of difference in the racing, we race to the same standard racing rules with a few minor amendments. In fact the only real difference is that we can get up to 16 races in a day.
We recommend buying 2nd hand to start off, but under the guidance of club members. This way the right boat can be selected for you. Quite often word of mouth is a good source, but lOM’s for sale can be found on the Model Yachting Association For Sale section.
The club is proud of the achievements, within the sport, of a number of its skippers. With a history of some the top Regional and National skippers from whom much can be learned about racing and boat setup.
Coalhouse Fort Radio Yacht Club 