Helmet - Legal or Not?

[guedo499]

Yep, I have to ask it, is this helmet legal?

Here's the rule as written in the rulebook:

1) The upper fifty percent (50%) of the helmet must be a single color of the following: yellow or fluorescent (high visibility) yellow or lime green or orange or international orange or fluorescent red.
2) Half-shell and 3/4 type helmets are not allowed.

http://www.apba-racing.com/sites/all...2GRR-GSR_3.pdf

There is a diagram associated with the rule, but is not accurate - the picture to the right is a picture of a 3/4 helmet, and as rule #2 states, that is not a legal helmet. Besides, a diagram is just a guide, not the rule. (Take a look at a lower-unit or exhaust port diagram, the diagram itself is inaccurate, only the measurement specs are accurate.)

Below is a picture of the helmet: Height of the helmet is 10.5", transition line from blue to orange is at 5" (all around the helmet, except the visor). By my math, 5.5 of 10.5 is over 50%, therefore this helmet is legal.

Who's going to agree / disagree with me. Bill B. I already know you are going to disagree, so you can safe your breath (just joshin you, keep fighting the good fight).

I just had 4 helmets painted and have seven total that I have worn that follow this rule interpretation. Legal then, legal now!

[26V]

depends

I'd guess it depends on if the rule is interpreted as 50% as defined by the height or 50% of the area. either way its close! But in mho it is not legal, move the line down an inch and your good.

[sponsonhead]

Shnegative

I'm with Gene on this one.

R-19

[guedo499]

Just an inch?

An inch? I can appreciate an inch, like I can appreciate an additional MPH, but now your getting into the "kinda" and "how you interpret" category.

The answer is straight forward, no interpretation needed. Ask yourself this question, as it currently is painted, is the top 50% orange. The answer is yes. Ask any elementary kid if 5.5 is more or less than 50% of 10.5. There's your answer, simple math saves the day, hurray!!

Same thing comes up when measuring the height of a prop shaft when a rocker is involved. Rule says, find the flat spot and measure from there, not a angle on the rocker. With these helmets, I found the flat spot on each different helmet and measured from there, again, no need of interpretation of what angle the helmet is raced at to find the true top 50% - a lay-down is different than a kneeler, as every boat/driver combination.

Now that's not to say that I could have told my painter to leave the top 65% (approximately an additional inch) of the helmet orange for safety's sake, but that's not what that rule says, the rule says 50%.
OR
That's not to say that the rule SHOULD have stated 65% of the helmet's top should be orange, but that's not what the rule says, the rule says 50%.

[machinedcomp]

Custom Painted Helmet

John,
Your helmet looks good. If a driver can't see that, they probably shouldn't be on the water.
Some of there petty rules are the biggest problem with retention. I've seen safety gear that I wouldn't ask my neighbors barking dog to wear. Nothing is questioned.

[propnuts]

Keep this in mind

In the end it's going to be YOUR head that will either be seen or not floating in the water.

[Brian10s]

Not going to say if it is legal or not but when that close, here is the rule that trumps everything.

8. The Referee shall prohibit use of any equipment he deems unfit for service.

Be carefull when you jerk the Ref's chain - they can bite back sometimes.

[guedo499]

Not going to say if it is legal or not but when that close, here is the rule that trumps everything.

8. The Referee shall prohibit use of any equipment he deems unfit for service.

Be carefull when you jerk the Ref's chain - they can bite back sometimes.

That is the truth on all accounts, but in all seriousness, we have all seen boats in bad condition, kevlars in bad condition and even drivers on Sunday morning in even worse condition. Once #8 starts to be applied, it's Pandora's Box.

The word "safe" is in the same boat as "national security" - the moment something is labeled "safer" or a threat to "national security" is has a halo placed around it, and treated in a completely different light, for good reason. This helmet rule is a safety rule, which must be adhered to or you get a role of neon orange duct tape to apply during driver's meeting.

Do you get tossed out if your max tuck is close on an ASH? No. Do you get caught when you're only 1.5lbs over minimum weight in an DSR? No.

With respect, I'm not making the Ref's job more difficult, but more straight forward - if a helmet is in question, here's a ruler, put your helmet on the table and measure up. Done and done.

[D_Allen_III]

I like your old helmet better anyway, I could look back (or forward) and tell it was you. Made it easier to decide whether I should move over or not

[csh12M]

Devils advocate

For the record, as a referee, I don't have a problem with it.

I wonder though... if you need to take into account the face shield. Your calculations do not. Maybe that is why the diagram in the rule book is skewed the way it is. The intent may be that 50% of the helmet (including the shield) is orange. Since you can't paint the shield they skew the line in the rule?

12M

[Brian10s]

As a Referee, I would not even think twice about it. Mainly because the Ref is usually too busy to mess with this kinda stuff. Personally, I like it. I would like it even more if I was your competition - more money spent on paint jobs is less spent on props.

[Big Don]

Get a small Orange Pavlick Race Boat sticker and put it on the blue and you'll be good to go.

[ricochet112]

Can't count the face shield area, that would bring another safety issue into the mix if one were to paint their face shield.

If you consider surface area and not just vertical height, then it will be real close to 50%.

[jeff55v]

Yep, I have to ask it, is this helmet legal?

I'm glad you brought this subject up again. I have long believed the helmet color rule is far too vague. The term "50%" should be taken out of the rule. Instead a measurement should be made from the bottom rim of the helmet up to the designated cutoff mark (whatever that may be). This would leave all gray areas out of the interpretation.
And if I were required to interpret the "upper 50%" rule, I would not use a ruler to measure the height of the helmet. Instead I would measure SURFACE AREA. Because the lower portion of a full face helmet has much more surface area than the top portion, this would move the "50%" line much lower than your interpretation. How would I measure surface area? I suppose I would need to immerse a questionable helmet in water to measure exactly where the 50% line is.

I'm starting to sound like Alex P.

[26V]

I like the Idea of using the height as a bases for comforming to the rule. However If your going by area you would be luck to reach 40%, no way its 45%. Discounting the face shield you still have 10-15% of the helmets area in the chin bar..... Get an open face then it would be close to 50%