Submitted by Bob Wartinger:
These were the proposals that affected the O-classes directly…
Rule 503.12, Ballast definitions of what constitutes ballast and attachment requirements.…..Passed Withdrawn from the original rule proposal were statements regarding the percentage of total boat weight, (e.g. 10 % which could make up the total weight of the ballast (challenge for inspection….for one thing. A committee was formed to work up improved wording for the intent….I’m assigned to the committee along wit a couple of others)
Rule 522.01, Ist paragraph, “For O125,O175,O250,and O350 the hull must be only of a hydroplane type with a (maximum sponson length of 60% of the total length of the hull Deleted). driver in kneeling or prone position only. “ Passed
Rule 522.04, Deleted the note in the rule book that a safety cockpit is required for a sitting driver in O350……to be consistent with rule 522.01 change above essentially, the rule book does not now recognize the possibility of reinforced cockpits in O 350……there were concerns expressed that if re-enforced cockpits (capsules) would be required, the class would diminish. This will be re-looked at depending on accident statistics.
Rule 522.02 Reinforced cockpit sides…… Add the new sentence in bold type….” For retrofit of existing boats, reinforcement shall be 2 layers of a minimum of 315 grm. Kevlar material to a total6mm minimum thickness. This should be bonded to clean wood, free of varnish, paint, etc. Alternatively, a panel fabricated as described in the paragraph above, meeting the dimensional requirements, may be bonded to the interior surface of the existing cockpit sides to provide reinforcement.”
This additional sentence recognizes another technique in use for reinforcing cockpit sides.
Rule 522.04 Minimum Dimensions Add a minimum weight with driver for O125 as 170 kg. No minimum weight without driver specified.
Proposed by Estonia…Supported by Russia/Poland (needs two countries to support to be a valid proposal). I will quote verbatim the justification from the rule proposal page as it was presented.
“Justification: Rule with no weight limit for O125 boats was decided before the year 2000, when boats had a best lap speed less than 90 kp/h and a best speed on the heat 82 kp/h. On 2005 best lap speed was already 100hph and an average in the heat 98 kp/h. Now these boats go even faster. O-250 got minimum weights after accidents at speed of 110 kp/h. We can’t wait for such a moment.
Also from a sports position of view we are having boats weights from 80-110 kg and drivers from 60-90. That means boat weight with driver can vary from 140 to 220kg. For 125cc3 engines it is a very big difference and makes some drivers give up. With new addition to the rule we are getting more safety, more competition and less cost.”
There were 31 voting countries in attendance….vote was 27 for, 1 against, 3 abstentions. Every discussion on the subject indicated that all the other countries that run O125 were for the change.
No proposal was submitted regarding weights for O175 and I believe that is due to the fact that the class is primarily seen as US phenomenon. With the manufactures building O 175 motors…perhaps the class will grow in other parts of the world….
Rule 528.10 Machinery-Sole Modifications allowed……Applies to all the stock type motors, including OSY 400. .I won’t reprint al the text here due to it’s length. It defines that in the case of an over bore, the maximum amount of material that may be removed in a passage behind the liner to align with the port. This change can be seen when the new rule books are printed or I can fax it to anyone who is interested.
Rule 508.09.02 Testing Procedures…..Density test for non-gasoline fuels….density value reduced from 0.85 to “be less than 0.830 kg/dm3.”
Cleaned up the areas where a minimum restraint belt of 75mm was required. Changed those various parts of the rule book to 50mm min. for the lap belt, 75 mm. min. for the shoulder belts
As usual, there were well over 100 proposals counting circuit racing, aquabike, offshore, pleasure navigation, etc. and about 20 percent had safety implications. The proposals are submitted in August and distributed to the 54 countries for review prior to the meeting…..meetings during the week can result in slight modifications or withdrawal of proposals. Other than safety proposals, care is exercised because there are by-law rules that prohibit a failed proposal from being submitted for three years after failure to pass. There is some discussion about changing that by-law….but…it’s also a reason why the process has so many steps…..in other words, trying to maintain some stability in the rules.
World Championships O-125, Tallin, Estonia, July 10-12, 2009….O-250, Krylbo, Sweden, August 22-23, 2009, O-350, Auronzo, Italy, August 29-30, 2009, O-500, World Formula Circuit, see UIM website, O-700, Srem, Poland, June 27-28, 2009, OSY 400, Chodziez, Poland, July, 4-5, 2009.
Elections,( Americans elected)
Charlie Strang, Senior Vice Pres.,
Fred Hauenstein, Pres. Sports Commission, Bob Wartinger, Pres. Safety/Medical Commission, ( Commission elections are voted on by the attending countries…..members of the commissions (8) are also voted on)
Safety Cockpit Committee and F-1 Committee, Ziggy Boettle ( Committee heads are voted on by the Council members)
Mark Weber attends as a voting member of the Council as APBA Pres.
Other:
Tom Stanley presented an analysis of driver restraints exploring the head clearance issue.
There was a Commissioner’s Seminar with presentations by Gordon Sutherland/Phil Stacey on duties of commissioner though the lead-up to the race, the race itself and afterwards, Ziggy Boettle on inspection, and Bob Wartinger on a variety of safety related subjects, (well-being of the commissioner, decision making considerations, psychology, etc.).
Many other subjects and activities occurred….be glad to answer additional questions..
Take care,
Bob
These were the proposals that affected the O-classes directly…
Rule 503.12, Ballast definitions of what constitutes ballast and attachment requirements.…..Passed Withdrawn from the original rule proposal were statements regarding the percentage of total boat weight, (e.g. 10 % which could make up the total weight of the ballast (challenge for inspection….for one thing. A committee was formed to work up improved wording for the intent….I’m assigned to the committee along wit a couple of others)
Rule 522.01, Ist paragraph, “For O125,O175,O250,and O350 the hull must be only of a hydroplane type with a (maximum sponson length of 60% of the total length of the hull Deleted). driver in kneeling or prone position only. “ Passed
Rule 522.04, Deleted the note in the rule book that a safety cockpit is required for a sitting driver in O350……to be consistent with rule 522.01 change above essentially, the rule book does not now recognize the possibility of reinforced cockpits in O 350……there were concerns expressed that if re-enforced cockpits (capsules) would be required, the class would diminish. This will be re-looked at depending on accident statistics.
Rule 522.02 Reinforced cockpit sides…… Add the new sentence in bold type….” For retrofit of existing boats, reinforcement shall be 2 layers of a minimum of 315 grm. Kevlar material to a total6mm minimum thickness. This should be bonded to clean wood, free of varnish, paint, etc. Alternatively, a panel fabricated as described in the paragraph above, meeting the dimensional requirements, may be bonded to the interior surface of the existing cockpit sides to provide reinforcement.”
This additional sentence recognizes another technique in use for reinforcing cockpit sides.
Rule 522.04 Minimum Dimensions Add a minimum weight with driver for O125 as 170 kg. No minimum weight without driver specified.
Proposed by Estonia…Supported by Russia/Poland (needs two countries to support to be a valid proposal). I will quote verbatim the justification from the rule proposal page as it was presented.
“Justification: Rule with no weight limit for O125 boats was decided before the year 2000, when boats had a best lap speed less than 90 kp/h and a best speed on the heat 82 kp/h. On 2005 best lap speed was already 100hph and an average in the heat 98 kp/h. Now these boats go even faster. O-250 got minimum weights after accidents at speed of 110 kp/h. We can’t wait for such a moment.
Also from a sports position of view we are having boats weights from 80-110 kg and drivers from 60-90. That means boat weight with driver can vary from 140 to 220kg. For 125cc3 engines it is a very big difference and makes some drivers give up. With new addition to the rule we are getting more safety, more competition and less cost.”
There were 31 voting countries in attendance….vote was 27 for, 1 against, 3 abstentions. Every discussion on the subject indicated that all the other countries that run O125 were for the change.
No proposal was submitted regarding weights for O175 and I believe that is due to the fact that the class is primarily seen as US phenomenon. With the manufactures building O 175 motors…perhaps the class will grow in other parts of the world….
Rule 528.10 Machinery-Sole Modifications allowed……Applies to all the stock type motors, including OSY 400. .I won’t reprint al the text here due to it’s length. It defines that in the case of an over bore, the maximum amount of material that may be removed in a passage behind the liner to align with the port. This change can be seen when the new rule books are printed or I can fax it to anyone who is interested.
Rule 508.09.02 Testing Procedures…..Density test for non-gasoline fuels….density value reduced from 0.85 to “be less than 0.830 kg/dm3.”
Cleaned up the areas where a minimum restraint belt of 75mm was required. Changed those various parts of the rule book to 50mm min. for the lap belt, 75 mm. min. for the shoulder belts
As usual, there were well over 100 proposals counting circuit racing, aquabike, offshore, pleasure navigation, etc. and about 20 percent had safety implications. The proposals are submitted in August and distributed to the 54 countries for review prior to the meeting…..meetings during the week can result in slight modifications or withdrawal of proposals. Other than safety proposals, care is exercised because there are by-law rules that prohibit a failed proposal from being submitted for three years after failure to pass. There is some discussion about changing that by-law….but…it’s also a reason why the process has so many steps…..in other words, trying to maintain some stability in the rules.
World Championships O-125, Tallin, Estonia, July 10-12, 2009….O-250, Krylbo, Sweden, August 22-23, 2009, O-350, Auronzo, Italy, August 29-30, 2009, O-500, World Formula Circuit, see UIM website, O-700, Srem, Poland, June 27-28, 2009, OSY 400, Chodziez, Poland, July, 4-5, 2009.
Elections,( Americans elected)
Charlie Strang, Senior Vice Pres.,
Fred Hauenstein, Pres. Sports Commission, Bob Wartinger, Pres. Safety/Medical Commission, ( Commission elections are voted on by the attending countries…..members of the commissions (8) are also voted on)
Safety Cockpit Committee and F-1 Committee, Ziggy Boettle ( Committee heads are voted on by the Council members)
Mark Weber attends as a voting member of the Council as APBA Pres.
Other:
Tom Stanley presented an analysis of driver restraints exploring the head clearance issue.
There was a Commissioner’s Seminar with presentations by Gordon Sutherland/Phil Stacey on duties of commissioner though the lead-up to the race, the race itself and afterwards, Ziggy Boettle on inspection, and Bob Wartinger on a variety of safety related subjects, (well-being of the commissioner, decision making considerations, psychology, etc.).
Many other subjects and activities occurred….be glad to answer additional questions..
Take care,
Bob
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