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MANUKAU MODEL POWER BOAT CLUB Inc
Web Sites:
HTTP://www.voyager.co.nz/~gasayers
HTTP://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~cbreen/mmpbc/frames.html
Venue: Wattle Farm Rd Pond Manurewa
2nd & 4th Sunday of each month
Secretary: Glen Sayers Editor Chris Breen
9 Reyland Close 86 Chivalry Rd
Manurewa Glenfield
Ph 267 2607 Ph 4445 482 May 2001
HOT NEWS
SPEED RUNS
The Hamilton Club is at the moment negotiating to have Speed runs at Lake Hakanoa, Huntly shortly. We will keep you informed on the progress as it comes to hand.
Regional Handicap Series
Last month some of our members went to Hamilton for the first round of the Northern Zone Regional Handicap Series. This series is set up to run nation wide on the same course (70-meter straights, square one end and a 15-meter radius at the other end) and have to the same handicapping system. The points from the other zones are then combined to find the top NZ Club and Individual. You can run any sort of hull/motor configuration but what ever you run you should try and use the same configuration for the whole series as the points will only be allocated for that boat. (Only one boat may be entered on the day.)
Four rounds are held in each region, Two in Auckland and two in Hamilton. The best three will count towards the championship. You need to set a time around the course and this is feed into the computer and your handicap is given. You are not allowed to break your handicap but looking at the races at Hamilton this was very rarely done, (except by your Editor) as when you are racing with other boats you time is normally a bit slower allowing for other boats and water conditions on the course. If you do exceed your time, your pitman should be reading out your lap times and you can slow down on the last lap to be within the correct handicap time.
Jason, Wayne, Malcolm and Chris made it to Hamilton and even though it was learning curve for them all, especially getting their starts right, they did exceptionally well finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th. Congratulations to you four.
The next round is at our ponds on our next competition day (10th June) and this is a good opportunity for the other members that missed the first round to come and show the rest of NZ what they can do. Points will also be allocated towards our Club Champs from this regatta.
Our next Club day (27 May) we will be practicing on the short course and doing time trails etc. (If you have a stopwatch bring that down to the ponds.)
NOTE It does not matter that you have missed the first meet as you can discard one meeting’s results.
See elsewhere in this newsletter for a brief outline (for new racers) of the NZMPBA Race rules.
National Points to Date:
Mark Graham 1646.19 Tony Rutledge 1596.26 Neil Plumpton 1531.67
Michael Binns 1451.32 Graeme Merry 1445.47 Jason Lester 1439.92
Wayne Lester 1437.89 Malcolm Miller 1408.95 Greg Clarkson 1393.07
Peter Collier 1305.44 Grant Binns 1253.33 Chris Breen 1236.61
Don Ward 1218.32 Jeff Weake 1140.60 Nigel 986.10
Graeme 724.64 Daryl Christiansen 621.34 John Belworthy 303.31
TECH NOTES
Prop selection is a black art. The following table makes a good starting point for fine tuning using Octura propellors.
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Engine |
Off Shore Class surface drive |
Offshore Class submerged drive |
3 point Hydro |
Catamaran |
|
3.5 cc |
X445 |
X440 |
X440 |
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7.5 cc |
X455 |
X447 |
X447 |
X447 |
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11 cc |
X457 |
X452 |
X457 |
X455 |
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15 cc |
X462 |
X455 |
X470 |
X460 |
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20 cc gas |
X467 |
X465 |
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30 cc gas |
X482 |
X470 |
Source : Radio Control Boat Modeller April 1993
Right-of-way and Courtesy RACING rules
In preparation for the Quad Series meeting to be held in Auckland (on 10 June) I have outlined below some of the main NZMPBA rules. These are designed to avoid collisions and to protect considerate drivers from inconsiderate ones, and are plain common sense.
Basic Premise
Right of Way is easiest to understand if you imagine the course is like a slot-car track. (Slot cars do not hit each other unless they are out of their proper lane). In a similar way the boat course is made up of a number of parallel lanes. Whenever in close proximity to other boats STAY IN YOUR SLOT-CAR LANE. This applies whether over-taking or being over-taken.
NZMPBA Rule 10
Slower boats may be passed on either side but close to a buoy the INSIDE boat (ie the one in the slot-car lane closer to the buoy) shall have right-of-way. This means that the outer driver has to drive with caution to avoid a collision - the inside boat may not turn quite as quickly as the outer,. Similarly if the inside boat chooses to delay his turn or turn slowly, the outside boat must hold his course until he can turn without hitting or cutting off the inside boat. For this reason the inside lane (Lane 1) is the easiest to defend and the hardest to attack. Note that the Race Director may consider that an inside driver is unreasonably delaying his turn and impose a penalty, but the outside driver must never-the-less avoid collision.
Boats racing on the course have right-of-way over those entering or exiting the course. This means if you are re-rounding a buoy, or re-joining the race from the pits, or have finished, you must give way to boats still legally racing.
Boats entering the pits have right of way over those exiting. The entering boat may be in trouble or at very least is trying to avoid hitting the bank, so has right-of-way
No competitor may pass the boat in front when they are approaching a dead boat and within 25 m. Both boats should have slowed and be driving with caution
NZMPBA Rule 11
…After passing another boat, you may not take over his lane until you are clear ahead by a minimum of 3 boat lengths or the length of your rooster tail, whichever is greater. This means you cannot cut in front of another boat too soon, and applies both on the straight and rounding a buoy…
NZMPBA Rule 12
No weaving from side to side to obstruct an overtaking boat.
No reckless or inconsiderate driving.
Any boat approaching an announced dead boat must do so at a reduced speed and pass at a safe distance. Note your pit-man should have warned you of the presence and location of all dead boats and advised you where to steer to keep well clear. Often we don’t have pit-men so pay attention to calls from other drivers.
NZMPBA Rule 13
The rescue boat has right-of-way at all times
The penalty for hitting the rescue boat is DISQUALIFICATION FROM EVENT so treat it like a dead boat and slow down and keep clear. To do otherwise can only be reckless driving
To finish first, first you must finish. Your boat has a rudder and a throttle, use both.
DICK-OF-THE-DAY
Regrettably, your truly your editor must confess to being dick-of-the-day yet again after last Sundays’ meeting (13 May). Having fuelled up Llumar Window film only to find there was no radio installed, he then removed the radio from another boat so Llumar could be run. First test run – all A-Ok. First race, first lap and blows a con-rod !! Never mind – damage not too severe. Remove radio and re-install in the dreaded Black Fire (also known as Taiwanese, Kentucky Fried Rice Sport 40 Hydro). Proceed to impale one of Wayne’s brand new buoys on both pickle forks. In the rescue boat, recover hydro and continue with racing until he manages to impale the very same buoy with the very same pickle forks in the very same fashion. (But look at the Hydro points standings !!!)
Points Standings
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Driver |
Boat |
Points before Last Race day |
Total Points after last race day (13/05/01) |
Class I Off-S |
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Graham Doggett |
Ohio Steel |
147 |
147 |
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Peter Wright |
Obsession |
56 |
56 |
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Adrian Milanesi |
Orange thingi |
89 |
136 |
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Glen Sayers |
Blue thingi |
31 |
31 |
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Wayne Lester |
Bud Dry |
27 |
27 |
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Jason Lester |
Coca Cola |
81 |
81 |
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Tony Belle |
Blue & White sprint |
25 |
25 |
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Malcolm Miller |
Skulduggery |
77 |
125 |
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Brian Nesbitt |
Pussycat |
59 |
76 |
Class II Off-S |
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Glen Sayers |
Steves Model shop |
26 |
26 |
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Jason Lester |
DeWalt |
46 |
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Malcolm Miller |
Red Boat |
49 |
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Hydros |
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Chris Breen |
Black Fire |
40 |
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Jason Lester |
DeWalt |
28 |
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Watch out Graham, Adrian & Malcolm are catching up !!
Can’t say I have seen this one lately !!
Who owns it now?
Well that is all for this newsletter people – Go fast , turn right, keep the wet side down.
C Breen – Editor
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