2008 rule/tech changes???

[STEVE FRENCH]

How many have a date of manufacture on their rigs..required this year.

I'm gonig to use number stamps and just heat'em with propane torch just enough to melt numbers into transum?

Or, would dremel with pointed port'n bit be the way to do it?

Dave Mason, What year did you and John Reed build Alans DMH?....2004?

Any other requirements/changes 2008 before our first tech inspection?
1. Drivers;
..a. Jacket flak upgrade
..b. ??
..c. ??
..d. attitude adjustments

2. Rigs;
Hull manufacture date....depend'n on this date;
..a. Rounded pickles on rigs built after 2007
..b. reinforced cockpit sides after 2007
..c. ??
..d. ??
..e. Nitrous oxide plumb'n

Any-year-built....... upgrades ?

I know I'm responsible to read the 2008 rules....but with my A.D.D./attension disorder....(and basic lazyness)...

19P
"NEVER READY RACE'N"

[Dave M]

Reads DMH

Was built in Spring of 2004 (completion) And a fun time it was having John in the shop weekends on end. Miss that guy.

I plan on placing a date stamp on my NEW boats built after the rules actually come out onto the transom using a wood burner, or soder or something. Your stamp idea sounds good, but I don't have stamps large enough to be legible.

[Dew1us]

What is the reason for the Date of Manufacture? None of the boats we ever built had numbers stamped into it.

[bill van steenwyk]

regarding ID #'s on boats

I don't know whether the regulation Steve French has mentioned is a new APBA rule but I do know that there has been a US Coast Guard regulation since at least the mid 70's that requires registration of boat builders and the placing of serial numbers in an area where they are prominently displayed. I first became aware of this regulation in the time frame mentioned when bringing boats built in Mexico into the U.S. through a border crossing that required inspection of the boats by US Customs. If the regulation/rule being mentioned is something APBA has come up with, it is following a regulation that has been in force for many years, but probably not enforced because of the part time construction of hydro's and runabout's by folks that really don't make their living doing it except in a few cases. I used a "electric pen" that plugged into a 110V outlet and is commonly used as a childs toy. They are probably still sold at hobby shops and that type outlet, or even at Wally World in a wood burning hobby kit.
In my case, I had to comply with the regulation as the boats were being inspected by customs before entry into the U.S. and had to meet that regulation and many others. The first time I took boats across from Mexico to the U.S. in South Texas, they almost made me remove the top decks on all of them to check for drugs, but that is another story. I was able to get around that by having them inspect thru the drain holes with a dental mirror and thru the dash lightening holes using the same type mirror on an extension.

Also another story is that one of the main costs of the boat after it was back in the U.S. after construction was the bribery cost to the Mexican border guards when taking material into Mexico for the construction process. That was more expensive that the labor that went into the boat. I tried for 6 months to do it legally thru the Mexican authorities in Mexico City but finally gave up due to red tape. Found out later all they wanted was money also, but would never say so out loud.

[Dave M]

ID #'s

I believe APBA passed a Hull Date Of Manufature requirment along with the rounding pickle tips, and kevlar cockpit rules. Any new boat built after I think Jan 08 is required to have the date permantly affixed to the transom.

I think it is so that they can tell if the boat is required to have rounded pickle tips and kevlar in the combings. Boats built prior to this date are grandfathered. So if you have a manufacture date on your transom after Jan 08 I imagine they can have you cut your combings apart to see if you are legal with Kevlar. I doubt an inspector would do this to someone unless they suspected something.

[G Stillwill]

From what I read in the minutes there was no rule passed for the pickles or the combings its supposed to have test data by the next national meeting. Ther rule is for Mods and its any boat built after the 2007 season.