If you are intending to race your Mirror above club level then it is important to be aware of the Class Measurement rules.
The current rules were ratified in 2015, they are due for a fairly significant update in late 2026 - early 2027 which would hopefully allow a larger number of older boats to measure.
These rules do exactly what they say on the tin - set out the core measurements that make a Mirror, a Mirror. If you are doing work on your boat or fitting or replacing equipment it is worth checking the rules - both for guidance and also to ensure that you don't end up with a spinnaker pole that is too long, a spinnaker that is too big, or a rudder that doesn't meet the rules or similar.
If you want to compete at National or Worlds level then your boat will need a measurement certificate*, you can check with Australian Sailing whether your boat has had a measurement certifcate in the past (at which point it is simply a matter of getting one issued by AS in the current owner's name), or whether your boat needs to be measured from scratch.
*if your boat was built before 1990 (hull number 69000 or below) it is unlikely to have a measurement certificate and there are sometimes exemptions in place for Nationals, but this will not be the case for World Championships.
Getting your Mirror measured
Please, please, please! Start this process in plenty of time - measurers are busy in the run up to December/January when most Nationals and Worlds are held and Australian Sailing staff go on leave over the Christmas/New-Year period. If your boat needs measuring from scratch allow at least a couple of months for the process.
Step 1: work out what needs measuring - there are 2 levels of Measurer - "Sails & Spars" who can only do sail and spars (boom, mast, spinnaker pole); and "Official Class" who can measure everything
Step 2: Find a measurer: there are 4 ways of doing this:
| Contact IMCAA or your state association |
We have a list of measurers who are familiar with the Mirror class, unfortunately we do not currently have a measurer in every state. |
| Australian Sailing (old) |
The old official search page lists every measurer ever registered (and tells you whether their status is current), some officials' listings have contact details, otherwise it may be a hunt to track them down. This page will probably be taken down at some point, but until then it is very useful |
| Australian Sailing (new) |
The new official search page operates on an opt-in basis, and the number of measurers who have opted to put themselves on the list and offer their contact details is currently very limited, hopefully this will improve over time. |
| Word of Mouth |
Ask around your local clubs and any other dinghy sailing contacts - often local knowledge is the best! |
Step 3: Get the boat measured. Ask the measurer beforehand what they need and what you should prepare eg if you have sails to be measured then make sure there is somewhere they can be fully unrolled ... for hull measurement the boat will need to be weighed ... You should be prepared to help the measurer eg holding one end of a tape measure, turning the hull over so both top and bottom can be measured etc
The measurer will sign and number foils, sails and spars that they measure. For the Hull they will fill in and (assuming the boat measures) sign a form which they will then give to you - this is a very important document!
Some measurers will ask for payment - this is legitimate (they are giving up a chunk of their time to do something that requuires skill and concentration) but relatively uncommon, even if they don't ask for payment it is polite to offer and at least to give some token of appreciation (box of chocolates/bottle of wine/whatever seems appropriate).
Step 4: Apply for your measurement certificate (only necessary for hull measurement)
You will need the following:
- An electronic (scanned) copy of the boat’s measurement form
- The boat’s World Sailing (ISAF) plaque number (or for older/timber Mirrors, the number carved into the inside of it's transom)
Details of how to apply can be found athttps://www.sailingresources.org.au/ratings-hub/measurement-certificates/
