Turning a classic yacht into an IRC-rated boat was an interesting but ultimately rewarding experience, explains John Maclurcan, owner of Morag Bheag.

Morag Bheag is a 34ft Illingworth and Primrose yacht, designed in 1963, built in 1969 of Honduras mahogany and weighing six tones. She has a relatively short “long” keel with a trim tab style rudder, very typical of her era when boats of her type bridged the gap between long keel boats and IOR type keels.

The boat has a sweet light displacement underwater shape and an entry very much like an S&S boat. She has a low aspect ratio masthead rig with single spreaders and a relatively long boom. She has been racing on the harbour since August 1969.

Having raced on “Stormy Petrel” under CHS, I was aware older yachts could be competitive, so when this rule developed into IRC, I had “Morag Bheag” measured for a bit of fun. I submitted her as she was, with no alterations and no “rating chasing”. As the boat had never been measured, there were three areas to address.

First, she was measured on the slipway by John Anderson, which took less than an hour. I then had to paint the black bands at the mast head and the end of the boom for the mainsail.

Second, the sails which needed to be measured were done at Lee sails. The sailmaker had the measurements, but John Anderson was required to check and stamp the largest headsail, spinnaker and main.

Finally, the most complex part was the weighing of the boat. I joined a group from the Middle Harbour Yacht Club at Blackwattle Bay after emptying “Morag Bheag” of all her gear at the Squadron. Lifting a boat of this vintage in strops (even though it was only out of the water for a few minutes) was a concern to me and the boat suffered a small amount of damage to the rear of the keel which was subsequently fixed on our slipway. Unloading, weighing and reloading took a morning. Careful allowance for the fuel in the tanks was assessed and considered in the end result.

“Morag Bheag” has proven to be very successful in the two years she has raced under IRC winning the CYCA S.O.P.S. point-score twice. She is perfectly balanced to windward, so a joy to sail upwind with a surprising turn of speed and a good boat through chop, all which suits that particular series. The main thing to remember of course is that the rating won’t make you win. You still have to realize the potential of the hull. Commitment, a good clean bottom, modern sails and a good crew are the key to our success.

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