Forums

I agree with your recommendation Steve
1-Yes
2-Yes
3-No
4-Yes
5-No
6-Yes
7-No

Cheers
Brian

WHEW!!!
8 pages of comments from all fractions of our sport and the newbies will still be confused.
NZ ain't big enough to run everything everyone wants other wise your gonna have to run a week long Nationals.
As most know I have been a member of this Association since 1975 and have stuck with it as I enjoy running boats for FUN. Winning is not a prerequisite I get just as much enjoyment coming 3rd if I have had to drive my bum off to keep the fulla who came 4th from beating me.
If I win a race that is a bonus.

Ridds hit the nail on the head above set the classes and stick to em like other codes.

I believe in the KISS principle. (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID)
IMO after 39 years in this sport you need to keep P 1,2,3. That's your run what ya brung event.
Hydro speaking doesn't matter whether it is a shovel, pickle, rigger as long as its a hydro you can run it.
you've got T1 as the stock restricted class keep it,as it is well supported.
Ditch T2 (as that class is covered by Sport petrol hydro) This class has been contentious for a long while now and is the cause of most debate. No one can agree on what to allow so get rid of the dam class. Open it up to any modified engine and you just have another SPH class IMO
Ditch Petrol outrigger hydro covered by P class. ( I have yet to see a rigger so dominant over a well set up SPH to convince me the class is warranted.)Local WA man Len has one of Damien's SPH hulls that is doing same lap times as his Ricco rigger and that is no slouch.
Not everyone can afford to build and run a boat for each class. You want to encourage new commers. OK he builds a T1 with a stock engine. He then needs to buy/build a modified engine to put into the same hull then he can run 3 events at the Nationals T1 P and SPH. 4 if you run open petrol hydro as well But then that would be a duplicate of the P event anyway.

after all water time is what we all want and a 1 boat man can get that.

As for the electric comments from Bob and Brian above, guys that is just ignorance of the class. I'm on Peter A's trolley here. I have fried a couple of ESC's and a motor through the learning process in the last 12 months but never even close to blowing a battery and like Peter pushed things pretty hard and recorded everything I have done through the testing process so I know the boundaries now. My favourite tool is an infra-red temperature guage. As soon as I get back to shore check the temps.
There is well documented stats on max temps for batteries before you get into the danger zone.
I saw my first lipo fire 6 months ago. A guy arrived at the lake crowing he had found some really cheap lipos out of Singapore that were the bees knees. fist time out with the new Batts and finished his run and whilst discussing the run his boat started billowing smoke and 1 cell of that NEW battery pack failed!!!

How many of you petrol heads have had a fire when drying out after a flip with the plug out and fuel every where? All facets of out hobby have hazards!! Manage the hazards properly and you have a safe hobby.

I was brought up with the philosophy if you want quality you have to pay for it .I have bought good quality batteries ESC's and motors and are now reaping the benefits of trouble free boating with no noise mess or pollution on our lakes

Restricting newbies to nitro as was mentioned in conversation above is a no brainer to me. And this coming from a Nitro racer of 36 years. Nitro is dying world wide. Authorities are making it harder and harder for the layman to purchase nitro and Methanol because of the carcinogenic properties and the drug industry using these products to manufacture THEIR products.

Petrol is popular coz you can get your fuel at the gas station. The hulls are larger so can handle the rougher water and are as fast if not faster than nitro now.

Electric is just as exciting as petrol and the duration thing is the same as your other classes. you want to run longer you put a bigger fuel tank in your boat. want to run longer with your electric just run bigger capacity batteries.

I felt I was stagnating a bit with our sport back home with nitro and switching to electric over here in WA (initially for convenience more than anything)has renewed my enthusiasm for our hobby like never before. Takes me back to how it was back in the 80's doing speed runs at lake Rotongaio in Taupo and the scale hydro series the NZMPBA used to run till SUHA re-emerged.

You need to foster that enthusiasm with the newbies and you are only going to do that applying the KISS principle.

BTW I have a SPH in the wings over here with a Backlash out on my patio receiving the sanding treatment before painting so it is NOT all electric for me I want water time and a SPH gives me more!!!!

My Plan is to come back for the 2015 nationals. I would like to think I can bring the BL and a P2 and P3 engine and run at least 3 events with that boat. Like wise bring 2 electric boats with the potential to run 4 electric events. It then makes the trip worth while.

So what ever decision the decision makers make keep it simple and stick to that concept then you will cut out all the disjointedness like Bob commented above and make the sport fun for every one new and seasoned.

Cheers Nitro

Hey Grahame, I wasn't nocking electrics, sure they don't do anything for me and I know they are quick and yes there's a place for them in our sport. What I wouldn't want to see is that a newbie gets talked into electric and then finds that's not he wants. I feel a newbie must have numerous discussions with fellow competitors so hopefully he is put in the right direction before spending hard earned dollars.

Agree with Nitro and Bob, ditch petrol outrigger as a class and let them run in P2 and P3 Hydro. If someone can get one to go properly they will dominate. Leave them in their own class that barely makes the numbers they will not develop as there is not the same benchmark to aim for.
Peter

I have already answered the poll so heres my take on some of the above comments.
Nitro, Pete (Anderson), Not knocking electrics either , you only have to browse youtube for a few minutes to see plenty of 100mph plus electric boats, they can be very impresssive and will continue to grow in numbers im sure, but at present the petrols are by far the most popular form of poereplant hense the logic to direct newcomers to petrol.

Bob,
If the rules stated that no boat that is in Legal T1 configuration may enter T2 then that solves that issue , also for any other classe ie P2 , P3 state in the rules that no stock class legal boat may enter these classes , Problem solved!.

Re P2 Hydro,
Lets be honest , p2 hydro is a double up of a more than one class, In my opiion once enough petrol riggers are on the scene p2 should be discontinued.

Re petrol sports hydro.
simply state that no boat in stock class form can enter this class, then you can run your qd , m&d casts, stock rcmk (that will do 100kph as they are higher timed and have larger port volumes than a stock Zenoah).

We have too many double ups , that is why we have such a struggle fitting everything in at our nats.

Thanks
Damian