APBA Rules At Winternats (esp. numbers)

[Merc1]

Can you tell me where does the rule book state this

General Racing Rules take precedent over Cat. rules where a conflict exists

I feel like a member of congress dealing with the big bill they passed. Does anyone REALLY know what the book says? LOL!

Why would those not be legal?

[sam]

I always thought the 1" border was interpreted to allow the top or front edge of the border not to have to be extended to make a full inch if the boat was not large enough in the number area ... not that a puffy cloud bubble background was legal.

Remember - the referee at each race may offer his or her own interpretation until such time as the rule is reworded and this particular referee is announcing his interpretation well in advance.

I also feel the word "solid" connected to "background", clearly outlaws puffy/cloud/bubble backgrounds.

Since the spirit and intent of the rule is to make numbers more legible to scorers ... any less legible interpretations violate the rule's spirit and intent regardless of letter and are therefore are illegal.

[Merc1]

Sam, Do you honestly think that Joe Waterson or anyone else who has this type of background on their numbers intended to Violate this rule? In my opinion the Pro category has got it right this time. Strongly contrasting colors are good enough.

[ian]

I have not read all the posts in this thread, but if I had a dollar for every time we on the judges stand spent a half a lap saying things like,"is that an 1 or a 7"? I would be rich. We should have, in all of those instances, thrown the driver out. However, we dont. We wander up in the pits and inform the driver that the numbers are illegible, and then walk away.
Pretty numbers are great, if you're main goal is to have a PRETTY craft. Race numbers are for identification on a RACE craft. It's fun to sit around and try to interpret rules to fit ones own agenda. I have been guilty of that myself, but all you are doing is distracting from the main event, which is a boat RACE.
Now I am going down stairs to do something truly important, like polish throttles....

[Jack Stotts]

Merc1, the words on GENERAL Safety and RACING Rule taking precedence over category rules is on the Rule Book title page just inside the front cover in the 07 and 08 books. I don't have my 09 book yet. It's in the third paragraph from the bottom in the 08 book. It, in essance, says General Safety and Racing Rules take precedence over category rules. Cat rules, however may be written to be more restrictive. The more restrictive may then prevail.
One could go crazy with the rule book so be careful. I think I'm about to lose it. I sure hope the opening of the 09 season comes quick. Jack

[Jack Stotts]

Russ, I would say you are correct but let's see what the real brains have to say. You know what they say about opinions.
Boy we have sure beaten this subject to death haven't we. Been fun though and a lot of folks have done some serious reading and thinking so, I guess, not all is lost. Jack

[Jack Stotts]

Ian, let's see the throttles when you get done. What's wrong with the black ones? Jack

[aojesus]

Russ, I would say you are correct but lets see what the real brains have to say. You know what they say about opinions.
Boy we have sure beaten this subject to death haven't we. Been fun though and a lot of folks have done some serious reading and thinking so, I guess, not all is lost. Jack

We are fine with whatever the decision is, we just want to fix it before Pineville if we need to. The hydro is Joey's KPro boat and he has never ran it at a stock race. We hope to know in a couple weeks if we can make it to Pineville. We look forward to seeing you again.

[jeff55v]

Now I am going down stairs to do something truly important, like polish throttles....

Going downstairs to polish your throttle... is that code for something else?

[ian]

Um...maybe.....

[YankeeRacing]

I am a Referee, Scorer, and Mother, (Mom kind not the other mother),
It is simple, if we can't read your number we can't score you. If you have followed the rules, and we still can't read your numbers, obviously the course is too far out and every available racer who can help get numbers should be on the stand to help.
I usually give a racer a warning and give racer until the next race day to fix. If racer choses to race with the same numbers on the same day, then he/she is again taking a chance of getting scored or NOT.
It is interesting to note that racers are reading the rulebook. And here I thought racers couldn't read.
I have always thought that it would be nice to have the rulebook in index form.
Want to know about numbers:
Go to Numbers in the N section.
Want to know about helmets, go to the H's and look up all rule pertaining to helmets.
Connie

[Matt Dagostino]

Great Idea...................

I have always thought that it would be nice to have the rulebook in index form.

Connie

Connie
That would make to much sense for APBA. It is a joke trying to read the APBA rulebook. You have safety rules, general rules, cataglory rules, rules that supersede rules, rules that are in the general rules that may pertain to your cataglory but you have to be a lawyer to figure it out.

I understand that the J Committee, which appears to be the most pro-active cataglory in APBA as of late is attempting to 'unify' the J Class rules to all be in one part of the rulebook and have some sort of index as you referenced!!

I have no idea how APBA has let our rulebook get so confusing!!

[Jack Stotts]

Boy do I share Matt's feeling. It seems no matter what you look up and come to a conclusion on a ruling, there is something someplace that refutes it. I dropped out of the referee pool because of it and suspect it is a reason it is, sometimes, difficult to get referees.

[Kev43V]

Connie
That would make to much sense for APBA. It is a joke trying to read the APBA rulebook. You have safety rules, general rules, category rules, rules that supersede rules, rules that are in the general rules that may pertain to your category but you have to be a lawyer to figure it out.

I understand that the J Committee, which appears to be the most pro-active category in APBA as of late is attempting to 'unify' the J Class rules to all be in one part of the rulebook and have some sort of index as you referenced!!

I have no idea how APBA has let our rulebook get so confusing!!

Cause legalese is a infectious disease: D

[Gunjumper]

I would like to know what is illegal about Joey's hydro- if it is. The white background is no less solid or under 1" at any point than the runabout. Ed/ Scott? GL