A hatch will always be a weak point. Many hatches equals many weak points.
But a smaller hatch will be easier to make strong and there for less of a weak point.

I don't think there is a straight answer on which configuration is the best. It will always come down to how it is designed.

Yeah I got what you meant. I agree .. on racecars hatches are forbidden.
There's never a straight answer to any configurations plus or minuses

If memory serves correct on the U.I.M. races there's a 5(?) minute maximum response time for the rescuers to be in the water and help. The life recovery time at best is less (3 minutes or so) in avoiding permanent damage according to the First aid course I just took for my skippers degree.
Therefore the personal safety measures are the ones that keeps you alive in the worst case scenario.
In Key West the responses have always been exceptionally fast, this weekend especially, 30 seconds and so.

Does anyone know the elapsed time between the Warpaint stuff and when the resuers touched a racer ?

That did/do not get measured that I know of but for example Big Thunder it was 30 seconds and all the others around that timeframe.
The Victory crash was around 45 seconds 2009.

Thanks

I've read comments on the elapsed time of a couple of the incidents but havent seen anything re Warpaint.

Wondered if it was equally quick.

Yes and no... In a tandem canopy you can comunicate, and in some cases help eachother. Also easyer to see if help is needed to get the other person out etc.

My driver wouldn't see crap If I'm hurt..thenagain he's the one getting the most of it anyways.
Yes I've overscreamed the outboard in a tandem when the intercoms went dead But you don't do that with a V8 screaming behind you.
In fact according to the driver I've been the only one ever who had the voice capacity to overpower the sounds of the engine.. thru a full face helmet. and I was pissed at the boats performance at the time.
Regarding safety a tandem is not my first choice at all.
I stand my case.

Just because you haven't witnessed it doesn't mean tear situations haven't happened, believe me they have.

Best would be adding steel braces inside the cockpit to prevent the windshiels and windows to cave in like they do in Nascar.

Adding also a center support bar to keep the front center of the roof caving in.

agreed, I saw it on 2 heli/bird intrusions, but never saw it on fixed wing aircraft with FOD issues...

not wanting to start another issue, but whose rules does SBI follow for this windscreen thickness concern?? or are there no rules?

just curious, not trying to start a conflict here... my direct aircraft mechanic experience, and 30+ years of direct fast drag car stuff has me curious, thats all... I've owned 25 boats, and I did spend a couple races directly helping SBI as a med or rescue craft, and I came away with a lasting positive impression of what the rescue staff does, what they look for, and have to do, in a VERY short time frame...

example >>

WPPA Class 1 and X-cat: Polycarbonate min 12 mm
UIM 3C: Polycarbonate or similar, tandem min 7.9 mm side-by-side min 9.5 mm
LUCAS OIL DRAG BOAT RACING SERIES: Polycarbonate min 0.5" before hot forming