International Monohull Open Classes Association

Encyclopedia : I : IN : INT : International Monohull Open Classes Association

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The International Monohull Open Classes Association (IMOCA) is an international association within the sport of sailing which administers the monohull Open 50 and Open 60 classes of sailboats. The association is responsible for defining and updating the class rules for Open-class boats, and has the additional aims of co-ordinating events involving Open boats, and promoting their use.

The Open 50 and Open 60 monohulls are high-performance racing boats, designed principally for single-handed competition. Several high-profile yacht races are based around these boats, such as the VELUX 5 Oceans Race and the Vendée Globe.

Classes

The Open 50 and Open 60 classes are the main focus of IMOCA. As the names imply, these classes are "open", meaning that they do not represent fixed boat designs; instead, they are defined by a "box rule" which permits any design, as long as it meets certain restrictions. The restrictions limit the lengths of the boats to 50 or 60 feet (15.24 m or 18.29 m), and places certain safety requirements on the boats such as minimum stability requirements. These classes are recognised by the International Sailing Federation.

Open 50 and 60 boats are typically light and high-powered, with large sail-plans. Typically consisting of large carbon-fibre shells, there are few concessions to comfort.

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