Rules

[Adam]

Hi
Can anyone help me with finding out the rules with regards to boats for water-ski racing?

Many thanks
Adam

[Cyco]

Adam I have a copy of last years rule book at home, will try to find out info later and post.

What you planning on building, I am in the market for a new hull
for next years world championships.

[Burty]

RULE 5: SPECIFICATION OF COMPETING BOATS

The Chief Scrutineer will be responsible to the Chief Judge and the scrutineering standards are given herewith:
5.01 The boat used for towing skiers must not exceed 6.5 metres in overall length. The overall length is measured between the two perpendiculars at the extremities of the structure, including the skin or shell, which constitutes a floating vessel. Any extension to this length is restricted to 1.4 metres, this extension is not to be part of the running surface of the hull measurement. See sketch. A-B Bow to bottom point of transom 6.5m.
B-C Transom to propulsion point (e.g. last tip of propeller
blade, nozzle of jet unit) 1.4m.

PENALTY 12.03
5.02 Total displacement of the engine(s) whether inboard or outboard shall not exceed 9.42 litres or 575 ci. Formula 2 as per Rule 5.34.
PENALTY 12.03
5.03 Numbers must be displayed in black on a background of white, by means of waterproof material, in such a manner they are visible on both sides of the boat when planing. On a white or light coloured boat it is suggested a thin framed edge be placed around the background a minimum of 25mm from the number edge. The minimum dimensions of individual numbers will be height of 300mm, width 225mm, thickness 50mm and spacing 125mm. However, if hull space permits, larger numbers are encouraged. The number can only consist of maximum 3 figures and no boat will be allowed to start in a race until the requirements of this Rule are satisfied.
5.04 Towing Cleat or Eye.
Shall be adequate in itself and shall be adequate for towing the boat when water logged.
5.05 Tow Rope/Mooring Lines.
(a) Shall be strong enough for the purpose.
(b) The tow rope shall be attached to a bow eye and shall be secured in the cockpit, preferably by jamming cleat to avoid the crew having to clamber out on to the bow to accept a tow.
(c) It shall not be long enough to reach the propeller.
5.06 Sharp Edges.
All mascots, lights, bow fittings and other sharp edges shall be adequately protected or removed.
5.07 Windshield (if fitted)
(a) Shall be well secured.
(b) Shall not be of plate or ordinary glass.
(c) Scrutineers may order the removal of any windshield that appears dangerous.
5.08 Steering Gear
(a) Steering wheel and drum shall be secured and locked on to the shaft.
(b) Steering wheel unit shall be fixed to, or through, the dash panel or a steering mounting bar and shall be through bolted and locked.
(c) Steering wheel strength shall be checked, if the wheel is split or cracked the wheel shall be rejected. Wheels of the laminated rim type shall be checked for wear caused by the breakdown of the laminations. Plastic composition wheels shall be checked for early fatigue where the spokes join the boss to ensure the wheel cannot be forced to spin on the internal boss without undue minimum amount of pressure.
(d) Where shackles or such devices are used to attach the steering to outboard engines, they shall not be of a non-ferrous metal. Scrutineers shall satisfy themselves this is so even if the shackles are painted.
(e) Pulleys shall operate freely and shall be through bolted with positive locking.
(f) Steering wires shall be in good condition and shall have free running throughout their path, with adequate tension throughout their travel.
(g) Wires shall be secure and where doubled to form an eye shall be around a thimble and shall be secured with two bull-dog clips or equivalent.
(h) Lock wiring on all shackles, stretching screws etc. in the system shall be secure.
(i) There shall be no undue degree of play in the steering system, but steering wires shall not be over-tightened in a “piano-wire” fashion.
(j) For outboards - attachments to the engine, for inboards attachments to tillers and/or quadrants and their fitting to the stock shall be in good condition and secure.
(k) Engine or tiller and rudder shall operate with full and free movements in the correct sense.
(l) Rudder assemblies, gland keys etc shall be in good condition and secure with locked nuts and/or tight split pins.
(m) Rack and pinion steering shall be in good mechanical condition with no excessive backlash. Casings should also be checked.
(n) All pulleys with riveted pins of non-ferrous materials shall be rejected or the pins shall be replaced by a positively locked steel bolt. Pulleys should also, if possible, incorporate a bush.
(o) All pulleys with any tension shall not cause the yoke to clamp down on the pulley wheel.
(p) All pulleys which use an attachment hook of non-ferrous material shall be rejected.
(q) All attachment hooks shall be closed.
(r) Sheathed steering cables shall not be permitted, morse type systems exempt.
(s) Wires to the steering wheel running across the front of the dashboard shall effectively be shielded.
(t) It is also recommended wires running fore and aft inside the cockpit be similarly shielded.
(u) Jet boats must be fitted with a rudder extending below the bottom of the boat and operating in conjunction with the normal jet steering.
(v) Inboards and Outboards - Repairs to Stern Drives
Should any part of the outboard/out drives be welded or repaired below the cavitation plate line, then a certified x-ray to show structural integrity is required and must be permanently stamped or engraved on the cavitation housing by the repairer with the date of repair for identification purposes. This certification must be renewed every 12 months.
5.09 Control Cables.
All control cables shall be taped or screwed down securely.
5.10 Fuel Tanks.
(a) Shall be secure in all directions.
(b) Shall not leak.
(c) Shall have sensible filling and venting arrangements where applicable, that are not close to any hot parts, such as exhaust manifolds.
(d) Should be insulated or isolated from the engines etc, preferably by bulkheads.
(e) It is recommended there should be an easily accessible means of shutting the fuel supply off from the tanks.
5.11 Fuel Lines and Fuel Type.
(a) Shall be lead resistant and run in a manner to avoid damage. Lines shall be in good condition with proper connectors. Flexible hoses and pipe runs should be clipped up at suitable intervals with fair runs to the engine (at all points of travel in the case of outboards).
(b) Fuel or gasoline is unrestricted and competitors are responsible for the supply of their own type of fuel.
(c) The delivery, transportation, and storage of the gasoline used, shall comply with the law and regulation of the host country. This concerns also the environmental regulation which shall be fully respected.
PENALTY 12.03
5.12 Jack Plug and Throttle Control.
(a) Path and length of the cord shall ensure disconnection of the plug whatever direction of ejection.
(b) Plug cord and attachments shall be adequate, a spare plug to be carried in the boat.
(c) Shall actually cut the engine completely when operated.
(d) No device shall be fitted to render the jack plug inoperative.
(e) Control unit shall be within easy reach of the driver in his normal position.
(f) Unit shall be attached securely to the boat structure.
(g) All throttles must be operated by foot whether inboard or outboard. Throttles must be spring loaded to close at the engine and must function accordingly.

5.13 Seats.
Seats shall be of adequate strength and firmly secured.
5.14 Engine Mountings and Transmissions.
For Outboards.
(a) Engine brackets shall be secure and in satisfactory condition.
(b) Engine mountings shall be attached to the transom with at least four bolts.
(c) All bolts shall be adequately tightened.
(d) To restrict the height a single outboard is mounted on the transom with the outboard trimmed so the prop shaft is parallel to the bottom of the hull, the centre of the prop shaft will be no higher than the bottom of the hull (plank or vee). No removal of metal from the skeg and no modification to the water intake.

For Inboards.
(e) Engine mountings shall be sound, and the mounting bolts securing to the hull shall be pinned or lock-nutted.
(f) Where an outdrive (or jet unit) is fitted, the outdrive ring connection to the transom and the unit to the ring shall be secure.
(g) Transmission and all parts motivated by the engine shall be efficiently shielded so as to prevent damage to persons or structure in the event of breakage. For shafts in excess of one foot in length the shielding shall not allow more than 1cm clearance at either end.
(h) Bearers shall not be saturated with oil.
5.15 Engine Condition.
(a) The engine shall be free of dangerous corrosion, oil or fuel leaks or excessive heating and shall not be a danger to any adjacent structure. Oil leaks are a particular source of fire danger.
(b) For inboard engines, flame traps are recommended.
5.16 Electrical Harness.
Properly protected terminal boards shall be used with flexible (not solid core) cabling supported well up to the terminals and at suitable intervals throughout their runs. Where relative movement or vibration occurs across a gap, cable shall be sheathed in plastic or metal tube anchored at both ends. Reinforced cable suitable for marine duty should be used. Electrical equipment in engine compartment shall be a minimum and away from heat or fuel.


5.17 Exhaust Systems.
Shall conform to organising Federation’s standards of decibels or a maximum of 105 db(A) at a distance of 30 metres. There shall be adequate insulation where required and runs sited to avoid fire.
PENALTY 12.03
5.18 Propeller Security.
(a) Propeller shall be sound, particularly at the blade roots.
(b) It should be ascertained that the propeller nut can be securely locked.

[Burty]

5.19 Battery Stowage.
(a) Batteries, where carried, shall be easily accessible and prevented from any movement in any direction.
(b) Shock cords shall not be accepted for batteries in excess of 4.5kg weight. (Remember a 15kg battery weighs over 150kg at 10g.) See there is adequate support below the battery.
__________(c) Batteries shall not be placed in a sealed compartment.
5.20 Engine Eligibility.
Scrutineers shall check to ensure an engine has not been changed from that recorded before or after the race. Scrutineers are not expected to remember specifications of each and every engine; they should inspect for any fairly obvious sign that might have altered the declared engine displacement. Scrutineers are entitled to request any post race strip or examination of leading boats or those influencing Championship points, which they consider necessary (e.g. bore/stroke, pistons of engines that might have been altered in order to exceed engine class), at competitor's expense.
PENALTY 12.03
5.21 Structural State.
Scrutineers are not expected to undertake a “condition survey” of the boat, but general appraisal shall be made of the structure. The following points should, however, be checked:
(a) Split planks, fractured frames and beams and transom knees or their equivalent in reinforced plastic or alloy hulls.
(b) Steering mounting (structure).
(c) Shaft brackets and mechanical items other than those already covered.
(d) Bilge shall be free of oil or debris. Remember oil causes structural deterioration, fuel is dangerous and debris chokes pumps etc.
5.22 Anchor (if required by the organisation).
Shall be of weight and type adequate to hold the boat. Shall be properly stowed to prevent damage, but shall still be accessible. The use of an anchor shall be governed by the type of venue or if a requirement of the local marine authority.
5.23 Anchor Line.
If anchor required, the following shall apply for anchor line:
(a) Shall be of a size and strength appropriate to the boat.
(b) Shall be in good condition.
(c) Shall be at least 35 metres in length.
(d) Shall be attached at the time of scrutineering, to the boat and the anchor. It shall perform no other function.
5.24 Extinguisher System.
(a) Shall be of satisfactory condition and easily accessible.
(b) Only fully charged extinguishers shall be permitted and they shall not contain carbon tetrachloride. It is recommended the extinguisher be capable of putting out a petrol fire of at least 4 sq metres.
5.25 Buoyancy.
All boats shall have sufficient buoyancy to keep afloat in all conditions. Buoyancy aids or material shall be adequately fixed. Scrutineers shall not be responsible for determining the adequacy of the buoyancy in any boat, but may suspend clearance if in doubt and refer the matter immediately to the Chief Judge.
5.26 Compasses (if required by the organisation).
(a) Main compass shall be securely mounted and should be able to be read by pilot/driver.
(b) There shall be no large metal objects in the near vicinity of the compass.
5.27 Boat number on trailer.
To assist recovery boat numbers should be painted clearly on the trailer on the starboard side at the hitch.
5.28 Flares (if required by the organisation).
Smoke signals are recommended for daylight use and flares after dusk. Flares normally have a stamped expiry date and if they have expired or the date is illegible or the condition poor, they shall not be accepted. A minimum of three flares must be carried.
5.29 Bilge Pump.
(a) Shall be in proper working order and properly secured to the boat.
(b) Shall be reasonably accessible for operation.
(c) Shall have a suction pipe to the lowest suction point of the bilges and a discharge pipe overboard.
(d) It must be possible to pump out all sections of the boat, even if separated by water-tight bulkheads.
5.30 Engine Wells.
For boats with engine wells, any non-sealed openings, other than self-draining holes in the transom, shall be above a horizontal line through the lowest point of the top of the transom.
5.31 Flag Pole Holder.
Shall be fixed to the boat in an accessible position to the observer.
5.32 Paddles.
(a) Shall be stowed for immediate use, not loosely stowed.
(b) Shall be of practical form related to the size of boat and in useable condition.

5.33 The Chief Judge shall have final authority to determine whether equipment to be used by a contestant meets the above safety requirements.
5.34 Formula 2 Rules.
(a) Hulls - Minimum length of hull shall be 18 ft or 5.48 metres
(b) This class is for outboards only
(c) Standard engines only, no racing or performance enhanced engines. The following is list of the accepted engines for the 2005 Championships:
Mercury Marine:
Optimax 200XS
Optimax 250XS
Promax 225X
2.5 EFI Sport
2.5 EFI SS
2.5 EFI Offshore
Promax 300 (1999 model and earlier )
Any existing engines in competition for national races world wide are eligible IF THEY MEET THE IWSF F-2 RULES FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Promax 300X and new Yamaha 300 are not eligible.
(d) Engine capacity - limit of 300 HP measured at the prop shaft or the equivalent in KW
(e) Standard legs only. No quick foots allowed
(f) Must run standard manufacturer’s exhaust system
(g) All engines must have operational forward, neutral and reverse gears
(h) Steering - Dual cable system with either dual rotary or dual rack helms should be fitted
(i) No mechanical means of height adjustment for the motor
(k) Shall be limited to commercially available Unleaded Pump Fuel. No Avgas, racing fuel or octane boosters allowed.

[1up]

5.01 The boat used for towing skiers must not exceed 6.5 metres in overall length. The overall length is measured between the two perpendiculars at the extremities of the structure, including the skin or shell, which constitutes a floating vessel.


just as a matter of interest does anyone know how did the 23 foot bernico get accepted if this is the rule??

[Burty]

because from the nose to the bottom of the transom is 21'
even though the top deck is 23'

[1up]

"two perpendiculars at the extremities of the structure, including the skin or shell, which constitutes a floating vessel."

so there is a 2 foot difference from the top of the transom to the bottom then

ie the tramsom is on a 45 degree angle (ish) assuming the transom hieght is 2ft ish

please excuse my crappy drawing

[Adam]

Originally posted by Cyco
Adam I have a copy of last years rule book at home, will try to find out info later and post.

What you planning on building, I am in the market for a new hull
for next years world championships.

I have access to a new hull that I have designed and looking at sportsboat / competition markets etc.

Will go into more detail next week - once Cowes is out of the way.

will be in touch - Adam

Many thanks Burty!

[Gav]

Originally posted by Burty
because from the nose to the bottom of the transom is 21'
even though the top deck is 23'

i'm with 1up on this one....... how do you lose 2' at the bottom of the transom to the top?? no visible sign of any sponsons/protrusions from the transom?

[Burty]

its like yours Gav measured to where your bung is everything beyond that is not classed as running surface

[Burty]

heres the picture in the rules

[1up]

Well in my opinion (not that it counts for alot mind you )
I would call this a stepped hull not a gill or standoff bracket so i believe it is "running surface. I think Nico has bent the rules to the extreme to get the boat accepted as a 21ft boat. Its even advertised as a 23 on his web site.

Also, changing the subject slightly, I think this rule should be changed anyway because boats are so fast to what the were when the rule was written some 30 or 40 years ago, on the grounds af safety

[OCRDA]

At the end of the day its the same as the UIM rules "utter Bollocks"
The overall length obviously should be as it says ie the measured length OVERALL !! "From one end to the other"

Bob

[Burty]

Adam, its worth noting that these are world rules and not british rules which allow slightly different things

i.e the power lift can operate in national rules but not in world rules

the national rules were not available to download due to a technical fault

[Burty]

Originally posted by 1up
Well in my opinion (not that it counts for alot mind you )
I would call this a stepped hull not a gill or standoff bracket so i believe it is "running surface. I think Nico has bent the rules to the extreme to get the boat accepted as a 21ft boat. Its even advertised as a 23 on his web site

isn't that what everyone does to make their equipment better.

in any sport its peoples jobs to read and re read the rules to see if there are any loop holes
look at formula 1 the governing body is always modifing the rules to slow the cars down because people keep finding different ways of exploiting them.