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[quote="LittleCharger
The required amounts of "foam" for floatation is listed in the 2011 rules...see page 14 paragraph 19-B-2 of the rules. It does not state how or where it is to be attached. The 2012 rules make not reference to T class what so ever from what I've read so it must have been an open class last year [/quote]

The 2012 T rule stated that the boat must float. We'll get a better handle on it this year. I am already getting e-mails from racers working on motors, safety gear especially the flak for the jacket and floatation. The message is getting thru. I am hoping that we get feed back during the winter from T racers, so I can include their ideas in the booklet.

Question?
How come, when i read all this. There's no talk of how good the 2012 season was?
We had good #'s of boats , no crash's, good weather, lots fun!! different winners and alot of different driver lead laps.
I don't know were all this talk about rules come from, because 80% fo the boat that race last year came from my shop!!!! and there not whinning about rule's

Paul, the rules are coming into play because we cannot continue to do what we have been doing. The insurance company is watching racing events to make sure the rules which are the reason we [all of TORC/CBF] were able to get insurance are being followed. That simple. It has nothing to do with people in the classes. It is coming from the top down. We have been lucky. However, it would only take one accident and our insurance coverage is gone. It is not just T Class. You will see more enforcement of rules and safety in ever class. It is easy to test the waters. T Class can ask for changes with a proposal at the CBF convention. Then you will hear it directly.

We need support people....Do you have people that would be interested?

T Class Co-ordinator
They are responsible for forwarding e-mails and receiving e-mails to and from T racers. They would be providing information to the racers as to the race schedule for registration and inspection. They get confirmation as to racers attending each race. They address any concern a racer has and areas where he needs support or parts. They forward those concerns to the correct person and communicate back to the racer.

T Class Mechanical Support Group.
This is a team of racers that help other racers with pre-inspection checking of equipment. They also assist in correcting faults noted at initial inspection and help correct the faults so racer can pass inspection.

Launch Ramp Support Team
These people help unload and load the boats. The team lead is responsible for the final stage of the safety inspection and they sign off to allow the boat to be launched.

Pit Boss
Is the person in charge of the T pits . That person is in direct contact with the race officials and relays information to the racers. This person is also in charge of checking ever person in the pits for proper arm bands and notifies race officials or police of any safety concerns. They organize the launch tractors operators and watch the trailers.

19-B-2 states: Every boat must have adequate buoyancy to ensure that it floats in case of an accident.
To LC's point, how much, where and how to affix?
APBA OPC Formula V Pre-race Inpection rule 7C Foam Requirement stipulates:
- up to 13': 6cuft
- >13': 8cuft
Ryley's Critch has (4) foam filled pool bags, 4'x.5'x.75'= 6cuft of floatation. These were prepared and installed by R Scythes, installed after the boat sank at GH 2011, raced w/o floatation. Lesson learned.

Problem with 19-B-2: has anyone tested 'adequate' buoyancy with their boat? Doubt it.
Why a minimum floatation spec:
- If roll over, driver trapped (eg: rigging/other), boat doesn't sink
- Crash with another boat, driver unconcious, roll over, boat doesn't sink
- IF it were to sink from inadequate buoyancy, no one wants to waste time fishing the depths, or have it dwell under the surface as a hazard, leaking fuel to surface. Remove wreck immediately from course, resume racing.
- So widows, orphans, don't sue TORC/CBF/Execs/Inspectors, my fat naked ass.

PS: until 2012, 2013,.... 2025 rules are posted, the last published rules are in effect: 2011.

Shouldn't this be simple?

Per race safety inspection...both racer and boat

Top three finishers get "teched" - compression, weight and fuel test

Any racer can file a protest...put up $250 or $500 and the winners motor gets pulled down. Maybe a provision along the lines of the original fair competition rule that states a dominating boat can be torn down if deemed dominant by the class rep.

The rules are there but don't capture the spirit of the t class. Don, you took the t850 rules and tailored them to the boats that would show up (adding Scooter and Dave w/sst60s and Riley w/56)...then they were tailored again to allow the use of different styles of trim...so maybe we need to have a sit down and make a few more tweaks so they represent the boats are people running in the class. I'd love to run an aftermarket head for instance...not to exceed the 160lb rule but because I cannot find a factory yamaha head that I can afford...

The direction that this thread is going isn't good....it's written like the class is full of "cheaters" and we all need to be brought back in line. I know for a fact that isn't the case in the class but for those on the outside looking in this sure does give the impression that we're some outlaw racers rebelling against the CBF, TORC and insurance companies lol. We have simple and easy to check tech rules in place to keep the boats competitive within the class yet no one feels the need to check them at the race...yet we've had these threads in the past about how we need to get aligned with the rules. Well....bring a compression gauge and test the top three and see what you find....if someone is out of line then they get DQ'd...pretty standard racing procedure...

Doc, from the TORC/CBF higher ups looking at this class they saw a class where we didn't have enough safety checks. We let boats race without proper safety gear and they saw equipment racing that was not according to the rules. They looked at us as a time bomb. With APBA losing their insurance provider in 2012 there has been increased pressure on me to correct the problem. They fear an accident could cost them their insurance. At the same time we have people in the group that want all mod, no inspections and others that want tighter inspections. I have a 3 headed dragon on my plate and I am trying to compromize and keep everyone happy.

I just noticed the TORC/Pres post. Now the last posts on this thread should make more sense.

The safety aspect we will all agree on....there is no one that will fight you on that. Again...why don't these issues get brought at the time? Especially safety issues? I don't want to be a the race course with unsafe boats...

There is no question the 2012 season was a blast!! And myself and so many others would not have been running without your help Paul! We should actually have a separate thread to highlight and remember some of the great moments from the racing season! I am also overwhelmed thinking about the generosity and commitment of fellow racers from ALL classes. I'm thinking of SO racers lending me a lifeline to the Fralicks supplying parts/bit and pieces when I was in a Jam as well as T guys offering advice and props to run!

As far as moving forward, I believe Rick is correct too. If there are going to be inspections, let us know what to expect and lets follow through with it! The T Class group are an exceptional bunch of reasonable guys (and girls?) that are not out be rule breakers. We will work together to do this right.

From the outside looking in I don't read this thread as there a a bunch of cheater boats or dominante guys. I read this thread as the T class has been sucessfull and it is now time to make sure it survives and that TORC/CBF and everyone involed it protected and that things get done correctly and by one set of rules. Comming from the insruace industry, I don't like to be the bad guy all the time but, if we have set rules and expectations that the insurers of the event expect us to be making and enforcing then we have to conform to those rules. That is not to say those rules can not be amended and changed and grow as the class and the boats grow. It is to say that we have to follow what is on paper and what we submit to CBF and the Insurer. Should we have an accident on the course that and the insurer invistigates and finds that the way that the event was run did not conform to the specs that we agreed to IE tech and saftey inspections for the boats.... or that a non class legal boat was running, the insurer would not pay the claim. TORC would get sued and not exist. Nobody would be able to run these classes Under CBF for years and we sure as hell would never get insurance againd.

I don't believe that the rules should take the fun out of the group or the racing, but the need to be looked at yearly and we need to always evlauate our processes to make sure what we do can continue and grow....

Just my 2 cents.....