Mod Proposals for National Meeting...........

[mercguy]

so, a couple things I have thought about bringing up at the National Meeting:

1) return the class designation back to letters as before (AMH, CMH, etc). It is easier to understand for everyone, including the spectators and the scorers!

2) allow the Yamato 202 (upholding the the same specs as the 102/302 motors are) to be legal to race in CMH. The motor is currently only allowed in OSY400 (the largest PRO class in the world), so give it somewhere else to race, even though there were limited numbers made.

3) open up the use of the various lower units now used in stock/mod and pro to be allowed to be used in other classes of which there is a restriction. Example: allow the Yamato 80/102/302 lower unit to be raced in AMH, etc or the Yamato "hatchet" on a Yamato 302mod motor. Furthur clarifications would be needed and welcomed. But, it is MOD, so lets open up the gearcase use. It gives people a wider choice and more affordable option. Especially sinece there is no height restriction in mod (except for the Formula A classes).

4) remove the Tohatsu from Formula E with all the modifications it is allowed (don't think anyone has built a serious one yet). Reason......if someone with deep pockets wanted to build a full tilt Tohatsu mod (yes, it would cost alot of $$, especially in machine work), it could possibly be a class killer (verified by well known engine builders). There is also no need to allow the current Tohatsu (not a huge inventory of these motors readily available) to be cut up excessively for mod, when there are TONS and TONS and TONS of OMC 3cyl (and 2cyl) fishing motors out there for mod use. Let the Tohatsu be raced according to "stock specs" with a 1 under or 1 over gearcase and 4 blade props in Dmod, where its stock counterpart (44XS) is allowed to race..


I welcome all thought and other suggestions.........

[bh/]

Daren; -surprisingly no comment. Maybe they think you bite.

1)I do not agree. Some one with no back ground in boat racing would think that 'A' would be our fast class. But I do get confused with the mod classes between A/250, and C/500.
2]We do not see many 202s in the east, north or south, and to allow them now into CSH/CSR would only serve to distract attention from 302s.
The 202s should be allowed as a Cmod though. The more the merrier.
3] I have always been a proponent of any gear boot that was legal and available at some time in NA, AND meets a minimum 'R' dimension, should be legal in any mod class. I got a 102 Cmod this summer, only to find my old Y-PRO unit was not APBA legal. So now am spending approx $1K to build a used 302 boot up into a good Cmod legal lower unit, while I have at least five other good units under the bench that I would have used, my 1st choice being a Konny, 2nd the Y-PRO, 3rd an Eldridge, 4th Konig split case, 5th profiled Merc D etc etc. I know what the intent of the rule is, but it is now only serving to increase costs, and limit entries.
4] If a fully modded Tohatsue would be a class beater in FEH, then for safety sake alone it should be limited. Maybe a current DSH stock spec power head, on any mid or lower unit, as per current 497" rules ?

All the above submitted for friendly informed discussion only, so no biting.

[bill van steenwyk]

Eldridge Lower Unit parts still available

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but notice that Brian might need parts for an Eldridge lower unit. When I saw Marshall Eldridge at Lake Alfred last month, he mentioned he still has some parts , shafts, bearings and such. He gave me his e-mail but I have misplaced it. I am sure you could contact him thru HR if you want to find out what inventory he has left.

[sam]

I agree that any LU and any gear ratio should be allowed in Mod ... based on a minimum R (torpedo) measurement for each class ... we don't need someone trying to win in FE by demolishing A units twice a day.

Does anyone truly think a new Konny, Bass or Rossi lower unit would be a class killer device in A? B? C?

1) Boats and props are already optimized for existing equipment and it would be years before anyone broke out from the pack to lead with anything significantly different from today's leaders ... it would just make it easier for people to start ... new blood

2) Inspection would be dramatically simplified (one of the saws of status quo ... "we can't add anything because it will make inspection more difficult")

[Fast Jack]

Changes

Daren, Please E mail your list to the Mod Chairman, to get these on the agenda . I will be at the national meeting - Shawn -region 1 mod com.

[G Stillwill]

Hey Steve I bet that container lid is pretty fast with the for power

[mercguy]

Daren, Please E mail your list to the Mod Chairman, to get these on the agenda . I will be at the national meeting - Shawn -region 1 mod com.

I will be there too Shawn, as the Reg10 mod commissioner. Now, how about some MORE input, be it good or bad! These are just some thoughts brought to me by other members................

[jeff55v]

1) return the class designation back to letters as before (AMH, CMH, etc). It is easier to understand for everyone, including the spectators.

... Let the Tohatsu be raced according to "stock specs" with a 1 under or 1 over gearcase and 4 blade props in Dmod.

Returning MOD to A,B,C etc class designation ought to be a shoe in.
Good gosh! Let's get rid of that cc stuff!

Letting the Tohatsu race (in stock configuration)as a Dmod for points is not likely to pass a ballot. (Although I would sure like to give it a try) Do we know if it will at least be allowed to run as probationary again for '09?

[mercguy]

Tohatsu in Dmod.......

Returning MOD to A,B,C etc class designation ought to be a shoe in.
Good gosh! Let's get rid of that cc stuff!

Letting the Tohatsu race (in stock configuration)as a Dmod for points is not likely to pass a ballot. (Although I would sure like to give it a try) Do we know if it will at least be allowed to run as probationary again for '09?

this is just retarded not allowing the motor to race for points in Dmod! More and more Merc Dmod racers are being left on the beach due to not having enough boats to have a race. Not all regions have a full boat count in Dmod, so every extra entry helps and allows them to race also.

an OMC "A" motor can race in Formula A, a Yamato 80 can race in Bmod, a Yamato 102/302 can race in Cmod, A Merc 44XS can race in Dmod....................goes without reason that the Tohatsu D "stock" motor should be able to race in Dmod for points also!

[Art K]

NBRA has had the open gearbox rule for yearsin the mod classes. Only exception is c mod where you are resticted to a 1 tooth off gear ratio. As far as we can tell no particular unit seems to have a performance advantage. With all styles and makes winning. Sure does open up a lot of options.
Art K

[sam]

NBRA has had the open gearbox rule for yearsin the mod classes. Only exception is c mod where you are resticted to a 1 tooth off gear ratio. As far as we can tell no particular unit seems to have a performance advantage. With all styles and makes winning. Sure does open up a lot of options.
Art K

Thank you Art! That is the kind of real world data we need in APBA to make informed decisions

[Racers Edge]

1) I believe the number designation (250, 350, 500 ect) is a good idea. For a spectator it does make perfect sense, the smaller the number the the smaller the motor, the slower it goes. More importantly from a drivers standpoint it is audibly much easier to hear the difference between 250 and 350 than B, C or D. This is helpful at drivers meeting as well as during races to hear what class is next. This easily also audibly tells the difference between mod and stock.

2) Why would we wand to let a motor that was made in such limited quantities (202) and is no longer in production to race in a class that has new motors available (302)

3) The idea of allowing gearcases like the Yamato hatchet foot to be used in 350 and 500 mod is a horrible one. The current gearcase is very bulletproof and takes no maintenance to speak of to keep them working perfectly. The Hatchet foot is a far more streemlined gearcase who gears are not nearly as durrable. Even the shape of the case would obsolete all current big hub propellers and make current drivers who want to stay competive to spend money on a less durrable gear case and order a new batch of propellers.
I am not arguing this point to protect my current speed (or lack there of). I am sharing my viewpoint to protect two classes that are not having problems currently with lack of gearcase (you can buy a new 302 case and legally run it with an 80, 102, or a 302) We already own three of these amazing gear cases and own plenty of smaller hub four blade propellers that would in theory work great. By attempting to prevent this from going through I am only slowing myself down.

[Danny Pigott]

C Mod

I agree with john keep the gear case rule as is.To change it will only add to the cost of the class.It would not hurt me, i have konig an yamato race gear cases now.I have been in MOD a long time 1972 the year it began in apba an before that in NOA.The rules have tryed to keep the cost down so why change it now.

[sam]

NBRA says their change to allow them did not have this consequence ....

Danny, I think changing the rule would help keep prices down more than keeping it the same. Hundreds of old Konig and Yamato cases could be used vs the decreasing pool of Quicksilver units desired by collectors with more cash than racers

It is hard to find someone willing to part with a fully legal modified stock Yamato case for a C Mod ... when they are sold, it is for considerably more than a stock case ... the law of unintended consequences has kicked C Mod in the butt

[meanred]

[QUOTE=Racers Edge;118960]1) I believe the number designation (250, 350, 500 ect) is a good idea. For a spectator it does make perfect sense, the smaller the number the the smaller the motor, the slower it goes. More importantly from a drivers standpoint it is audibly much easier to hear the difference between 250 and 350 than B, C or D. This is helpful at drivers meeting as well as during races to hear what class is next. This easily also audibly tells the difference between mod and stock.

2) Why would we wand to let a motor that was made in such limited quantities (202) and is no longer in production to race in a class that has new motors available (302)

3) The idea of allowing gearcases like the Yamato hatchet foot to be used in 350 and 500 mod is a horrible one. The current gearcase is very bulletproof and takes no maintenance to speak of to keep them working perfectly. The Hatchet foot is a far more streemlined gearcase who gears are not nearly as durrable. Even the shape of the case would obsolete all current big hub propellers and make current drivers who want to stay competive to spend money on a less durrable gear case and order a new batch of propellers.
I am not arguing this point to protect my current speed (or lack there of). I am sharing my viewpoint to protect two classes that are not having problems currently with lack of gearcase (you can buy a new 302 case and legally run it with an 80, 102, or a 302) We already own three of these amazing gear cases and own plenty of smaller hub four blade propellers that would in theory work great. By attempting to prevent this from going through I am only slowing myself down.

The class names makes sense to none racers. We all just have to suck it up learn to change. It was voted on 2 years ago and won by a large margin of MOD Drivers.

With the 302 available new why would we let 202 in 500cc Mod class is fine the way it is leave it alone.

Racing gearcases in the 350cc 500cc classes in a bad idea as John stated above.

As far a letting the Tohatsu in to the 750cc class is a bad bad idea there is no reason for this. Why would want to mess with out strongest class in MOD that seems to be growing every year. If there is a problem with enteries in some reigons drivers must try to get there buddies there to race.


I would like to see a rule freeze on all classes for 3 years and let all just race and have a good time.

Jim
7-M