littlenige

Just been looking over at the Horba site and noticed the half canopy used on this cat. Thinking about how difficult it must be sometimes to get out of a closed canopy boat, (specifically Tom Gentry), is this not one of the best set ups?? Protection in the event of a stuff and surely easier to get out of in the event of going over??

mmwalters

I believe the best setup is the lavin style canopy with the bottom escape hatch and a full time air supply. The open style setup offer little protection in the event of a rearward entry into the water. It is much better to still be alive to figure out how to exit then to be dead

Sean H

full integrated roll cages, small viewing areas, bottom escape hatch, full air supply, not too mention the obvious helmets and harness's... and what about HANS devices and the like? i have seen a few in UIM do it, any thoughts about it over here?

Ben@SRP

The type of canopy shown on that Apache ONLY helps (and help's only a little) in a front mild stuffing situation. Nothing more. They are NOT recommend at all anymore.

DPT MOTORSPORTS

What Ben stated above is true. The only thing that it helps do is protect from a stuff. If the boat were to barrel roll at a high rate of speed(100mph+) these canopies are useless. Sorry to be abrupt but it is the truth. A few have died in the past from designs like that. They actually test those canopies when they are built by shooting frozen turkeys dead on at them at a very high rate of speed. They do not fire at the top of the canopy which in essence is the weekest point of the canopy.

The canopy system that the OSS recommends seems to work very well but still needs work to better protect the occupants. The safety factor of Offshore Powerboat Racing has come a long way for sure and will only get better as time goes on.

littlenige

Thanks for your repsonses - opened my eyes a bit more!!

bidpro

The Gentry accident had a lot of nuances and strange twists to it. The canopy was not what we now know as a "modern" canopy. Most ceter pod canopies are more or less watertight in this day and age unless breached, althoguht in some instances, they still fill up, but for the most part, slowly... you have time to breath and think assuming you are awake and alert.

Gregg Reichman

Pete B

OSS has a dunker that teams are tested in twice a year. It is state of the art, and designed by Skater.

T2x

The Hans device specifically prevents Basel skull fracture which is most often a fatal injury. This fracture, which is essentially the separation of the skull at its base is caused by rapid deceleration or contact by the head with immovable structures during a crash scenario consistent with both a stuff or high speed rollover.

Mark Lavin and other boat racers in various racing divisions have been killed with this type of injury. In addition Bobby Saccenti barely escaped death with the same injury in the 1986 Rochester Race.

I agree with Steve that there may be some issues around ease of exit with the device and those should be considered, but the primary goal in a crash is to protect the driver from the first impact and thereby , at least give him or her, an opportunity to attempt escape from the cockpit, rather than allow fatal circumstances to make that strategy moot. IMO the Hans device would have saved both Mark and Bobby from basel skull fracture. In recent months I have been wondering whether or not the device can be secured under a racing life jacket, as opposed to a five point harness, so that it might be useful in open cockpit scenarios. I'm not sure who would warrant the device under those circumstances, but it's worth some research.

As to the cockpit itself, current technology calls for minimum sized windows of a designated thickness polycarbonate composite affixed in a very precise manner to a roof structure specified to absorb all of the impact of an upside entry into the water at speeds in excess of your hull's capability (currently over 200 mph in the fastest boats). These standards are contained in the Lavin Foundation guidelines as well as, I believe, in UIM's safety data.

Basically you need to make your cockpit as strong as your hull bottom...... and then affix your seats and all objects within the cocoon in such a manner that nothing becomes dislodged...including you. With that in mind you must than determine the enormous G loads placed on all of these objects...including your skull and neck...and fasten everything accordingly. That's where the Hans device comes in.

T2x

9 Lives

Does anyone know where to read the Lavin Foundation guidelines? Is it available online (link please) or is it a book that must be purchased?