UIM - Hydro rule changes

[Corin_Huke]

Some of you may be aware that last week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the UIM held its General Assembly. During this week of meetings many different matters are discussed by attendees from different powerboat racing nations. These included safety, rules, the future of the sport, etc. The discussions covered many different racing classes, including hydroplanes.

Details of these discussions and agreed changes for the future are slowly filtering out. Although you guys in the USA have your own set of rules for racing, I thought you need to be made aware of the rule changes that effect hydros. In particular, for those drivers that race in UIM sanctioned events (either in the States or abroad).

One of the rule changes relates to reinforced side protection which is presently in place in the OSY and (pro) outboard classes. At resent this rule relates to only OSY, 0-250 and 0-350. However, it was agreed at the UIM meeting that this will be extended to the 0-125 and 0-175 classes too.

At present, until exact details are published by the UIM, there is some uncertainty as to when this rule change will be implemented. I am certain it will be in place on or before 1 Jan 2008. In the past where rule changes of this type have been introduced, the UIM have provided a period where drivers and boat builders will have the opportunity to update their boats. I suspect that it will be the case for this rule change and it will be a ‘recommendation’ for 2007 and from 2008, reinforced side protection will be mandatory in the classes stated.

So, for any of you guys that are planning to race in UIM sanctioned hydro races in the future, or are thinking about having a boat built, I would suggest that you take a look at the UIM rules so there are no surprises in store. A copy of the appropriate rule (522.02) is attached. As far as I am aware, the only change to the rule wording will be to extend this to the other classes (0-125 and 0-175) as above.

Corin

[Kristi Ellison]

Corin

Thanks for the heads up.

Kristi

[Corin_Huke]

Corin

Thanks for the heads up.

Kristi

You are welcome Kristi.

I shall keep my eyes and ears open for other changes that may impact you guys & girls in the States

[Tom Cronk]

Uim Rules

Does anyone have anymore information on these rules?????
What are the mesurements in inches,thickness of cloth and
what kind?? When will this go in to effect??How about some
information from Bob Wartinger,Fred Hauenstein.
Tom
TEC-Craft Boats

[Corin_Huke]

Does anyone have anymore information on these rules?????
What are the mesurements in inches,thickness of cloth and
what kind?? When will this go in to effect??How about some
information from Bob Wartinger,Fred Hauenstein.
Tom
TEC-Craft Boats

Tom

in terms of the type of material and thickness, the rule states:-

"Reinforcing must be two layers of 315 grm Aramid Fibre (Kevlar) or comparable material"

As for when the rule change is effective from, as I said, my understanding is that it will be in by the 1 Jan 2008 at the latest, but probably a 'recommendation' before then

I am sure Bob will be able to provide more details, as no doubt he was in Malaysia

Corin

[L. Allen]

Thanks AS ALWAYS for the good info, Corin.
(Would you mind doing the math for us too?) (-:

[Fast Freddie]

UIM Rule Changes

A couple of changes that "apply" here:
- Minimum weight in OSY400 increased to 180 kg (~397#) all up. The outfit without driver still has to weigh 100 kg (~221#). In effect 1/1/07.
- Maximum specific gravity for alcohol fuel: 0.85 (prevent nitro). 1/1/07.
- Reinforced side protection in O-125 and O-175. In effect 1/1/08.
- Lots of new green engine class rules.
- Corrections to the electric boat racing rules.
- Reduction of the prize money requirement in F-500 Worlds. 1/1/07
- Require racers from at least two nations and a total of at least 5 to recognize a world championship. 1/1/07

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Bob Wartinger]

UIM Rules

My apologies for not answering sooner....out of e-mail contact due to going to some additional UIM meeting activities in Malasia and returning on the evening of the 18th.....

Looks like Fred has described the UIM changes well.....the note for our drivers that may compete in O-125, O-175 Worlds is that if your having a boat built this year, put in the reinforcement if it is of wood construction. In the Spring, the US is requesting the O-125, O-175, and O-250 Worlds for 2008.....sooooo, if this all comes together, better to get the work done now. Incident reports, photographs of boats after collisions are all indicating that the higher sides plus reinforcement are making a difference in UIM racing. We in the US usually have sides with heights that correspond to the UIM rules, having the reinforcement added will improve our situation.

Bob

[Corin_Huke]

It's good to read your comments Bob. I must confess, when I posted details of the UIM side protection rule change I thought there may be more questions and concerned individuals as to how this is going to impact boats and racing in the US. But it seems like most of you guys (and girls) have got your head around the UIM rules and in some instances have already implemented these in boats and their design....

As for the USA requesting the 0-125, 0-175 and 0-250 worlds in 2008, that's great news. I know that there are many Europeans who are keen to show what they can do against you guys. I appreciate that it's very much up in the air at the moment, but any ideas of dates & venues.To attract as any European drivers as possible, a date in the Fall (late September or early October) would be ideal - that would give people time to ship their boats across the pond after our racing in the Summer has finished. And as far as venue - I hear that Florida is nice that time of year

[Corin_Huke]

2006 UIM Circuit Rules

I forgot to mention, if all this talk about rules has wetted your appetite and you wish to brush up on the UIM rules, you will find a copy of the 2006 Circuit Rule Book (in a PDF format) on the UIM website via the following link

http://www.uimpowerboating.com/vsite...-0-file,00.pdf

The 2007 Rule Book, incorporating changes that were discussed and agreed at the recent meeting in Malaysia, will not be issued until the new year

Corin

[STEVE FRENCH]

A couple of changes that "apply" here:
- Minimum weight in OSY400 increased to 180 kg (~397#) all up. The outfit without driver still has to weigh 100 kg (~221#). In effect 1/1/07.
- Maximum specific gravity for alcohol fuel: 0.85 (prevent nitro). 1/1/07.
- Reinforced side protection in O-125 and O-175. In effect 1/1/08.
- Lots of new green engine class rules.
- Corrections to the electric boat racing rules.
- Reduction of the prize money requirement in F-500 Worlds. 1/1/07
- Require racers from at least two nations and a total of at least 5 to recognize a world championship. 1/1/07

Hope this helps.

Fred

What was the think'n on the min weight (221 lbs) for the rig with-out driver????.........Now there's no-way a heavy'r guy like my 200lbs slab can compete..........I go and buy a exspensive carbon fiber rig to run with the light weight drivers, and now the >RIG< is TOO light???????
Find the right motor (202D) that is ONLY legal in this class....spend a bunch of bucks on it........sit on it for 4 years hope'n to find a site that will allow 15min to run the class..........

19P ......I can agree with a total min weight, but a min weight on the rig discriminates against a large number of potential drivers and any incentive to use the latest technoligy in composits to make weight with a strong/SAFE/light rig................

[Joe J]

The min. weights only apply to UIM races. If you are planning on running APBA OSY, unless something changes at the national meeting, there is no min. weight associated with the class.

Joe

[Al Peffley]

UIM Reinforcement Rules Drawing Questions

Corin & Others who have joined this thread,

Dimensions - I have printed out the 522.02 section of the UIM rules and I have some questions about the drawings on page 182 of the rule book. The drawing dimensions appear to be in millimeters (the scale for dimensions is not indicated on the page, or the prior page.) The reinforcement plies appear to be required on both cockpit sides (port and starboard) and on both sides of each cockpit wall, with the outer Kevlar ply extending down onto the upper deck 75mm. Am I reading the drawing correctly? Can the two required layers be installed back-to-back with a thin Nomex cell core outside (or inside) the narrow cockpit of a used composite-cockpit hydro (my existing cockpit is just over 407mm wide on my composite-hulled 250ccH)? Also, what is the purpose of the 350mm dimension within the overall 2 meter dimension in the lower top view drawing of the hydro layout (between the "A" cross section reference and what looks like the center of a flat-mounted steering wheel)?

Material Selection - Now if a GrEp/Kevlar cross weave material is the Arimid fiber protection layer of choice selected by the boat builder/modifier, then does the Kevlar layer need to be 100% Kevlar -- or can it be 50% of the hybrid Arimid materials cloth mix? Kevlar does not soak up epoxy resin, therefore it must normally be vacuum-bagged with another composite material to stick to a wood or sealed e-glass cockpit side (or it will have weak-bond air voids and/or delaminate from the cockpit side.) We had to vacuum bag my specified GrEp-Kevlar weave protection panel for my OSY hydro built especially for me in 1995 and then attach the flexible, cured panel as an GrEp-Kevlar/Nomex-backed epoxy panel subassembly to the new wood cockpit side (because a pre-preg'd, wet hand lay-up would not stick to the fabric without air voids.) This is not an issue if the whole bare hull or sub-assembled cockpit section is autoclaved, but most hydros are assembled and cured at ambient temperatures. Do you see the potential issues here if I want to mod my US composite O-250 hydro to UIM standards for a 2008 race here? My O-250 hydro was built before the reinforced cockpit rule came into being at UIM, and my OSY-400 boat is only protected on the right side of the cockpit right now...

Al Peffley
15-R/R-25

[Composite Specialties]

Kevlar

That's the first I have heard of that one, kevlar not soaking up epoxy. I layup kevlar panels on my table both with and without vacuuming and it soaks up the epoxy in the kevlar just fine.

Corin & Others who have joined this thread,

Dimensions - I have printed out the 522.02 section of the UIM rules and I have some questions about the drawings on page 182 of the rule book. The drawing dimensions appear to be in millimeters (the scale for dimensions is not indicated on the page, or the prior page.) The reinforcement plies appear to be required on both cockpit sides (port and starboard) and on both sides of each cockpit wall, with the outer Kevlar ply extending down onto the upper deck 75mm. Am I reading the drawing correctly? Can the two required layers be installed back-to-back with a thin Nomex cell core outside (or inside) the narrow cockpit of a used composite-cockpit hydro (my existing cockpit is just over 407mm wide on my composite-hulled 250ccH)? Also, what is the purpose of the 350mm dimension within the overall 2 meter dimension in the lower top view drawing of the hydro layout (between the "A" cross section reference and what looks like the center of a flat-mounted steering wheel)?

Material Selection - Now if a GrEp/Kevlar cross weave material is the Arimid fiber protection layer of choice selected by the boat builder/modifier, then does the Kevlar layer need to be 100% Kevlar -- or can it be 50% of the hybrid Arimid materials cloth mix? Kevlar does not soak up epoxy resin, therefore it must normally be vacuum-bagged with another composite material to stick to a wood or sealed e-glass cockpit side (or it will have weak-bond air voids and/or delaminate from the cockpit side.) We had to vacuum bag my specified GrEp-Kevlar weave protection panel for my OSY hydro built especially for me in 1995 and then attach the flexible, cured panel as an GrEp-Kevlar/Nomex-backed epoxy panel subassembly to the new wood cockpit side (because a pre-preg'd, wet hand lay-up would not stick to the fabric without air voids.) This is not an issue if the whole bare hull or sub-assembled cockpit section is autoclaved, but most hydros are assembled and cured at ambient temperatures. Do you see the potential issues here if I want to mod my US composite O-250 hydro to UIM standards for a 2008 race here? My O-250 hydro was built before the reinforced cockpit rule came into being at UIM, and my OSY-400 boat is only protected on the right side of the cockpit right now...

Al Peffley
15-R/R-25

[Fast Freddie]

Weights

Being a person of "average -> large" size, I have tried for some time to convince UIM people they don't really need the weights without the driver. The answer always comes back to the point that they don't want to encourage lightweight, and therefore either unsafe or very expensive, boats. This year was a small victory in that they conceded to raise the overall weight in OSY-400, admitting that there are drivers that weigh more than 70 kg. (155#) with all their gear on!!! So, now an 80 kg. (176#) driver can get closer to the minimums.

The 350mm dimension at the bottom of pg. 182 is meant to be the position aft of the center of the steering wheel to section A in the drawing. Just a little inaccuracy in printing the book and aligning the section line with the dimension. That is the point where the height of the side must be at least 350mm high.

Fred

PS: The PRO division had 2 minimum weights (with and without the driver) 40 some years ago!