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?

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.

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.

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

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 ;-)

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

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

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

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.