Bilgerat

This post is not meant in a bad way, i want someone to help me learn. Last year at the Lake of the Ozarks race the "spec" boats All need to make weight. My question is why are the digital readouts on the scale, hanging from the crane covered up so people cannot see it, and only the official with the telemetry unit records weight. When you pull out you have to make weight or you are penalized, or loose position or whatever the rule book reads, so why shouldn't that info be public knowledge - either you made weight and your good or you didn't. Right? It's not that difficult to do the math on fuel burn of the 525EFI and you can have a general idea how many miles to be covered, and gas weighs X per gallon, so there isn't that much mystery in what weight the boat went in at or should have went in at. So why can't people see the scale?

Wazzup Racing

I believe the only reason the scale is covered is to shade it from the heat of the sun. Upon occaision the batteries will explode inside the scale.

Bilgerat

That sounds like it could make sense, Possibly a minute or two so "shades" or "Screen awnings" could be fabricated from cardboard or plastic or something, that would allow others to read the scale, while keeping the sunlight off of it.

proboat-wes

so let me think about this for a second,the suns hotter at lake of the ozarks than in key west???

koho

In Europe at world champs they measure the weights before & after the race to be sure that no hidden watertanks could be used. As said earlier fuel consumption is basic calculation for every team ) but no reasonable team is using scale to do it...pump it out babe ;-)

EBGLEAF

Per Mike Mares, OSS race control director, and chief referee, Mike Tomlinson:
"The scales are covered as stated to keep the sun off them because when they get hot they give erronious readings. Any one from the boat's team can stand next to Monica and see the reading, but they must be a team member of the boat being weighed." MM

"The officials are trained to read the scales and report only "legal" or "illegal". Our officials are professionals and do not show favoritism to any individual, team or manufacture. Weight of a boat is proprietary information just like other setup information. That is part of racing. Everyone must make their own decisions in set up. Weighing is part of inspection, inspections are closed to all but the owners/crew of a boat. Again, to protect any proprietary information." MT

Bilgerat

That is what is called BS, It should have to be a team member from a different team. I do not doubt the professionalism of any official as i do not know any of them. But you cannot assure or prove that there is not favortism, to a team, person, or manufacturer. without checks and balances.
How can weight be Proprietary info, More often than not lighter is usually faster and should excellerate quicker, generally speaking, that is why you have to make weight coming out. Hey if you want to go in heavy and come out heavy and you were able to win the race, why does that need to be hidden from other teams.
Set up info is only secret to a point, when you have required classes with required gear ratios, and or weights, propellers, and drive heights, these items need to be available for all to see, oh yeah and boat length.
It is supposed to be spec racing equal equipment

F1-00 Racing

iTrader: (1)

Jason,

It is what it is... With OSS being an owners group, this rule is what they voted on and how they feel how it should be. Good, bad, or indifferent, the only thing you can control is if you decide to race with them or not. If this rule does not meet your criteria, then dont race with them; if its something you can live with as the OSS racers have seemed to, then race with them, be safe and have fun.

Trent

koho

As a racer I prefer to keep my boats weight to myself and not let every other team know it. That is especially important when it's rough water race (boat balancing issue)... all other teams need to know that it was in leagal limits.

What goes to informing spectators, let them know minimum weights.

Bilgerat

Trent,
Good to hear from you, and you know there is no intention from me on running in the OSS. Just some items I have observed in the past that make you go hhmmmm.
Koho,
Weight is still weight, the scale doesn't show where it is at to the other teams or balance, ( unless someone is there calculating strap attchment points, and tilt angle, and strap length etc. ) and i doubt anyone is figuring that in the short time from a trailer to the water. So it still shouldn't be a mystery. I guess my point is unless a competitor can confirm it's legal, then who really can say its legal.
"Hull drain plugs must be removed, Ballast tanks must be empty. The weight does not include crew, lifejackets, crash helmets and bilge water." from oss rule book.
Does this mean everyones bilge plugs?
oh well i could be beating a dead horse, and Trent i agree with your post. Hope to see you some time.