APBA Annual Meeting Agenda

[PopPop]

Points/Field size

My Point of View

This, points based on field size, discussion comes up often. I agree with Sean and others who believe that the national High Point scoring should be based on the size of the fields. You always have region high points. I can not tell you how many people, that I know, in this sport, that have boxes full of third place trophies from 3 and 4 boat, boat races. I gave mine to the local community track meets and they changed the figures from boats to runners and added a plaque. People race because they enjoy it and they want to race. The AOF study was a very small sampling compared to the APBA. If you want an award, go form a committee and give yourself an award.
As for keeping track of high points, base on field size, it is not that difficult. Most people, that are familiar with XL spread sheets, knows that there is a very simple function that can automatically calculate and yield a ranked column of numbers (points) based on the number of entries listed in a previous column. All you do is multiply the points by the field size. I would imagine that the APBA office uses XL or something very similar. I can tell, from following these forums, that our sport has a lot of very smart people and this is not rocket science.
To the national meeting attendees; Put it on a ballot.

Thanks, Phil Doerle

[ryan_4z]

Doesn't AOF don their High Points as a yearly total? This is very different from the first 15 average that APBA uses. While our system may not be flawless, I think it is the closest to it we will get. I would like to see it stay the same.

[PopPop]

Points

Doesn't AOF don their High Points as a yearly total? This is very different from the first 15 average that APBA uses. While our system may not be flawless, I think it is the closest to it we will get. I would like to see it stay the same.

It isn't even close to flawless. And for sure it isn't fair to compare 3rd in a 5 boat field to 3rd in a 12+ boat field.
There are many ways to make things fairer from the getgo. Possibly a 3 heat format. (eliminate duplicate classes). Is FAH real ? Most of what I see is just another ASH race with maybe one real FAH. Same goes for some of the Mod classes. People enter to get more racing or to satisfy some favored soul that showed up with the only rig and wants to race. Get real and get an A-stock. Do some real racing.

[mercguy]

FAH? and other ideas/question

1) why not eliminate this class??? Are there actually more than 6 "real" FAH's out there? What is the purpose of this class? Is it another "dumping ground" for stocks? I have read that there are some modifications that can be done to this motor, but why, if the motor is still in high demand in the stock ranks????/


2) also, I will ask again, why is there no min weight for DMR?

3) allow the use of a 102 foot under a 302

4) alow the use of any foot under a B and C mod Yamato. Or, if that is not a great idea, allow the Y80 to run a Y102/302 foot of vice versa in mod.

[AOFoffice]

My Point of View

As for keeping track of high points, base on field size, it is not that difficult. Most people, that are familiar with XL spread sheets, knows that there is a very simple function that can automatically calculate and yield a ranked column of numbers (points) based on the number of entries listed in a previous column. All you do is multiply the points by the field size. I would imagine that the APBA office uses XL or something very similar. I can tell, from following these forums, that our sport has a lot of very smart people and this is not rocket science.
To the national meeting attendees; Put it on a ballot.

Thanks, Phil Doerle

Phil, I am not saying that we should not change our scoring. Sean's idea might be the best thing to happen to boat racing for a long time. I am saying that a lot of thought and some experimentation needs to go into it before it is done. Yes, an excel worksheet should work. Ten years ago when AOF tried keeping points via number of boats I knew little about computers and less about excel. I now love excel and think it "should" be an easy process to develop a progam. But the program is not developed yet and I can see a lot of unforseen problems. I have scored and refereed APBA races for years, including 2005. I continually see a chief scorer sitting in her room on Saturday night working on the computer program and points while I am out by the pool drinking beer. As a referee, I also have recieved many a call after a race when a driver thinks the points weren't quite right.
For example, a DNF registers as 0 as does a DNS sometimes. OK, so is the excel worksheet going to know the difference? Lets get a program working, experiment with it for a year before we go directly into a new scoring system. This is a major change and should not be jumped into.
Someone needs to volunteer to develop the program, we need to work with it, compare it, and then maybe put it on the ballot the following year.
Connie

[14-H]

RuthieRay. you still did not tell me way we should go back to the old way. ***.

The race should start when the first legal boat crosses the start line. This has the most significance in record setting. How much sense does it make to start the time 1 to 2 seconds before the first legal boat crossses the start line? That's not measuring the true speed of that boat. If we're going to use a time other than when the first legal boat crosses, why not use the time from when the white flag flies, or the green flag for that matter. Anything other than when the first boat starts, is purely arbitrary and has nothing to do with the quickness of that particular race.

[Big Don]

so in your example of the first legal boat starts the race...7 boat race, 6 jump the gun and the 7th boat is 8 seconds late. we should not start the clock until they cross the starting line? hog wash. If your late then your late, you loose.

[888race]

Don

Well put

[PopPop]

Sense

QUOTE; "How much sense does it make to start the time 1 to 2 seconds before the first legal boat crossses the start line?"

It make a lot of sense. That was when you should have been there, D*** it!!!!

[csh12M]

The only thing that is arbitary is.....

Ed,

In spirit I agree with you, but not in practice.

The only thing that is arbitary is someone trying to guess who the first legal starter was and hit the timer.......

Keep the rule the way it is, at least this way it is consistant. Consistancy is what should be strived for in regards to setting and running record regattas.

Just my thought.

Later,
12

[pro350hydro]

If you start the timing at the FIRST legal boat why do we have a clock? You might as well do a flag start. Leave the rule the way it is. Nailing the start "is" part of the competition of the "race". Isn't that what we are doing? Racing right? I know the diehard record chasers will disagree with me on this. But this is my opinion, just as yours is.

Record runs could be more easily fixed with "the first legal boat/start the clock rule".

In football does the play start when the qb throws the ball, or the ball is hiked?

btw, I'm not a football fan just an example

[ryan_4z]

Our records are competition records. Officially, competition starts when the clock hits zero, and so should the records. This is the only way to garauntee consistency in record courses across the nation.

[pro350hydro]

Exactly!

Our records are competition records. Officially, competition starts when the clock hits zero, and so should the records. This is the only way to garauntee consistency in record courses across the nation.

Agreed!


p.s. I am typing this because i was told me message was to short. And that is must be at least 10 characters.

[crankbearing]

list of agenda items!!!

I have forwarded this to Ed, last year and this year.

1) Have Sierra pistons made legal for the 44xs engine in std, .015 and .030. As of two months ago the Merc .030 overs were NLA and .015 not far behind. The sierra's are stated as being a direct OEM replacement with the same weights and all dimensions.

2) The 25XS remanufactured throttle allowed to be used on the Merc J/A motor it is a bolt on with no mods required. This should be a safety requirment as we had a case of a binding throttle on the current setup this year at a race. It caused damage to a new boat on shore and put a scare into a new driver.

3) My remanufactured recoil housings placed in the rule book, the current housing available from merc does not allow the same placement for the rope start handle and requires mods to the cowls for installation.

4) Some lower unit builders are using IKO bearing in place of torrington and they have different part numbers than GB-1112 and B-118 the other number for the IkO should be listed in the rule books BA-1112Z and BA-118Z as well as Fafnir SK8 for the upper driveshaft bearing. These bearings (IKO) if compared would show a performance gain over the torrington and if inspected under current rules should be DQ'd as not being what is listed in the rule book. Just to clarify the addition of any bearing is allowed to be used in the 44xs and 25xs qucksilver lower units for that of rebuild if no modification is required.

5) The rule of No modification to the existing Mercury 44xs racing flywheel are allowed. This would include the hub, flex plate, magnets and outer ring. I am working on a tool that is similar to a cam degree wheel for 4 strokes that would be a simple bolt on tool for use in inspection that would measure the position of the cranshaft #1 TDC to that of the flywheel TDC and measure exact placement of the hub in relation. There is not a rule in the book current relating to this fact. The use of offset keyways and lapping compund should be stated as not allowed for the reasoning of advancing the flywheel without a keyway.

6) I have found that a company has built custom stators to certain people specs and I know that this is a direct performance gain on acceleration. These custom stators will fall under the same part number and should be checked for output at inspection the stock output values are available and should be used as the guideline.

Regards

[hshawwpba]

What is a 301 engine????