The Silly Season

[csh-2z]

1st rule of boat racing. Don't EXPECT a lane. It probably won't be there when you need it, regardless of the rule.

If you want clearly defined lanes go bowling.

John, Those 2 or 3 drivers you mentioned NEED to be watched carefully and thrown out EVERY time they do it. Even if it is a borderline overlap distance. If it is too difficult to judge a boat length from the patrol boat, err on the side of safety and throw them out. Those 2 or 3 drivers NEED to be talked to by the referee. Rules cannot be written to cover every scenario, that is where judgment is needed. Back in the day, guys like that would often wake up the next morning with a different attitude.

They will get the message.

[ryan_4z]

I have seen many drivers change their attitude about first turn etiquette after interactions with the 2-Z(J). (And he was the one who taught me not to expect a lane from my outside sponson.) 'When Farmer speaks, we should all get the message,' D.G. Yuengling.

[pav225]

As much as I was looking forward to LEGALLY coming from lane 9, to chop the Captain in lane 1, a rule change may not be in the best interest of Safety or the sport.

[Matt Dagostino]

Ouch...........would you really do that to The Captain...........(((

[csh-2z]

The Captain would do it to Pav............without a second thought! Actually the Captain would never have been in lane 9 in the first place.

[pav225]

Just kidding Captain. See you in Jan!

[mercguy]

RAM 4x4.....here in Reg10 we regularly have 8-10 DSH's (and the class is still growing)......there is definately more respect given on the race course with faster classes, as **** can happen real fast at our speeds and most racers know it......plus most of these racers are older and have to work on Mondays and have familys to support, so accidents would be detrimental.....

The biggest problem i see has been mentioned earlier.....the inside boat trying to force an overlap.....and some of the feerless younger kids....

[Ram4x4]

Wish he had that many D's running on this side.

[csh-2z]

All it takes is one or two of these young overaggressive drivers to start piling up the wins to start a trend that others begin to emulate. It has been noticed by some in the east and Midwest within the last fifteen or so years that some of the young drivers from the northwest were picking up some dangerous driving habits. I'm sure some of you older guys have seen it on a number of occasions throughout this timeframe. The results are predictable. These drivers must be told to cool it before something catastrophic happens. I've seen guys looking behind them and changing lanes to block people from passing them, literally zig-zagging in the straightaways. It needs to be stopped for the sake of everybody involved. As John has been saying, the flagrant chopping in the turns and total lack of concern for the other drivers on the race course has to stop. That is not the kind of sport this is, and it's going to take some hardass leadership to make things right.

[ryan_4z]

Pav,

You can do this under the current rule. You only have to get there before the Capt. closes the overlap. The only difference is the length of the overlap. But this situation is not the prevailing problem. The situation you talk about is dangerous regardless of overlap, if things are tight. The prevailing situation is, say, the Capt. in lane two, and me trying to get up his inside. If I can't get my pickles past his transom there is NO WAY I am going to make the pass in the corner and I am getting out of there. Regardless of the rule, this is the reality. Passing in the corner is hard and you better already be there or it's not there for you. If the overlap were shorter, I would not expect a lane that I hadn't taken control of. I would be more prepared to drop the throttle quickly when I didn't get there because the lane is not mine.

The other common situation this would help would be in scenarios of three or more boats where the guy in lane two has one lane, obviously has to take it, and then gets thrown out for chopping when there wasn't a lane to leave. Another situation when the guy on the inside had to either get there or get out of it. They should know the lane is not theirs.

Being the lead boat in a situation should give some leeway to dictate the line.

[GrandpaRacer]

John correctly reminded us of the APBA General Safety Rule 17. Rule 16 is equally important, so I will repeat these here. 2017 APBA General Safety Rules
RULE 16 • OVERLAP 1. Each of the respective categories shall establish its own rules concerning when an overtaking boat has established an overlap so as to invoke the risk of fouling.
RULE 17 • BEARING AWAY 1. A boat shall not bear out of her course so as to hinder another in passing to starboard or port.
You can tell by the choice of words that these rules are very old but the intent of each is very clear. So Rule 16 says the Category is required to establish when an Overlap occurs to avoid the risk of fouling. In other words to make a safe lane change. And the second rule 17 says a lead boat cannot move so as to hinder a passing boat. The responsibility is for the lead boat to maintain their course when being passed on either side! So an attempt to pass on either side is perfectly fine and the lead boat has the responsibility to not close the door if the approaching boat has established an Overlap.
John Adams

[Matt Dagostino]

Many folks don't realize BEARING away applies to both starboard and port side............people tend to think bearing away only applies to pushing a oncoming driver to the outside of the course when actually it applies to pushing someone inside also!!

[GrandpaRacer]

Honestly Matt, I did not realize that either until John posted it. They were pretty smart in writing these way back when.

[Ram4x4]

And, it's not just going into and through the turns where lanes are an issue. I can't tell you how many times just on the start I've gotten pinched in the chute. I realize it's not easy to go perfectly in line with the course in the chute when you have a bunch of boats, but I don't see too many heads swiveling either, they just hunker down, take a line and go. If you're half a boat length behind one on the inside and one on the outside and one starts to merge with the other, it can get ugly fast. I recall one race where I was in that situation and I had to back off the throttle hard, and as soon as I did, the guy to my outside and half a length behind me nearly ran me over. He would have if I not had the room to move slightly to the left as I backed off.

In the chute I always try to base my line off anyone to my left, figuring if I stay tight to that side, it leaves room for others on the outside.

[Smitty]

(Quote) ''but I don't see too many heads swiveling either, they just hunker down, take a line and go.'' (end Quote)

Good, Dane. Sounds like one of the things a referee should emphasize at the driver's meeting at every race, both for novices and veterans. It's too easy to get excited, get fixated on what's immediately ahead, get tunnel vision, even when you know better. Yeah, it might get tiresome to hear it every raceday morning, but seems like a good idea anyway.

[csh-2z]

I've seen guys go from the extreme outside lane on the start and go straight to the buoy sawing off the whole field. As much as I don't like the rule of maintaining your lane only applying to the starting chute I don't know how to word extending the chute to the entire run to the first turn. We all know it funnels on the way to the turn and a certain amount of that is acceptable but the referee and turn judges can throw somebody out if they see a flagrant lane change based on GRR 17, mentioned above.

It's another case of turn judges knowing their job and enforcing the rules. It is very difficult for a referee to make that call as the boats are going away from the starting line toward the first turn, and can't really get a boat number. However the turn judge sees the boats coming towards them and can follow the specific boat in question to make an accurate call.

Disqualifying a driver for a driving infraction is no different than being disqualified for jumping the gun. Hopefully the driver learns something from it and doesn't continue doing the same thing over and over again. Eventually you will have safer racing.

[Herb Lanphear]

Prior to this years Nationals, I had only been DQ'd one time in more than 50 years of racing. A video surfaced of that incident after the fact and it was clear that I had left a lane, the other boat tried to make a 90 degree turn, not able to hold his lane, slid into my rooster tail and blew over. I PAID FOR THAT BOAT TO BE REPAIRED! I was more interested in keeping that person in the class than I was of beating him. I don not believe anyone reading this post deliberately chops another competitor, especially having to race against them every week.I am not the 20 to 30 year old driver I was, ( I cannot afford an injury, my parents don't build or buy my boats,I don't go home with as much money as I came with, EVER)but I get good starts and I have fairly fast equiptment. If your coming up my inside looking to force an overlap, it might look as though you did, because your committed and not letting off, and I am letting off to make the turn at the speed I feel comfortable with. Hard to judge from the turn boat! Answer get better starts! If you think someone chopped you on purpose, that is what your drivers rep is for, get the referee involved.Then handle it face to face, if that does not work, well , buy an extra boat, I have 4 CSH's, probably more than enough! Everyone have a wonderful Christmas holiday and look forward to most of you next year! I will bring the Martini's!

[Matt Dagostino]

Everyone have a wonderful Christmas holiday and look forward to most of you next year! I will bring the Martini's!

Herb.............not sure about the other stuff you wrote but bring on the APPLETINI'S.