Any IMPBA club can use the 30 second jump or a 1/2 mill rule so long as it is on their race flyer and not a safety issue. The rule book only covers the Internats and to provide guide line for local races.
The rule book only covers the Internats and to provide guide line for local races?? Say what???? Sorry Mark but I definitely will disagree with you here. The IMPBA rules are there for a reason, not to be "optional" whenever one sees fit. What part of "
will not be allowed under any circumstances" is not clear about the rule regarding pit time? That sure doesn't sound "optional" to me......
IMPBA rulebook section G Contest and Racing Rules-
4. Re-Starts, Re-Runs and Heat Delays
a. Under normal conditions, re-starts and re-runs will not be allowed.
However, if one or more boats is rendered out of control before the start or
during the course of the race and cannot be shut down, the Referee, in the
interest of safety, will call all of the boats still running back to the pits. The
heat will be re-run in the same round with all of the boats that were still
running, except for the boat or boats that caused the heat to be stopped.
Boats that were dead will not be allowed to re-start.
b. Delay or
cancellation of Pit Time will not be allowed under any
circumstances other than course problems, and shall be called by the proper
contest official
And the definition of Pit Time-
3. Heat Racing Rules
a. Pit Time
1. A Pit Time of
two minutes is allowed for the starting of all engines and to
allow all boats to be launched.
2. If no entrants have started engines and are under way at the expiration of Pit
Time, the heat shall be declared "No Contest". It will not be rescheduled.
This is section G Contest and Racing rules, not section E which specifically lists the International Regatta or Internats as we like to call it. Also as per section E 3-A that covers sanctions of regular races it says-
A. A sanction is an authorization or approval of an event,
which binds the holders of the event to
comply with the IMPBA rules and regulations and guarantees that the results of said events will
be recognized as official. Sanctions will only be granted to clubs holding events on waters
covered by the IMPBA insurance policy. No sanctions will be issued to clubs unless they have
previously obtained an IMPBA insurance certificate covering their waters.
This thing about deviating from the rules as long as it's on the flyer started out as a way to offer different classes and course options and has been stretched, twisted and manipulated into people thinking they can do whatever they feel like whenever they feel like it if it's on the flyer, sorry it just doesn't work that way. The rules are in place to insure fairness and consistency for all our members from race to race and district to district. Mark, we know each other well and you know that I'm all about racing and wanting everyone to have a good time but this just put it on the flyer thing has gotten way out of hand. I guess that is yet another part of the "gray matter" that will need to be cleared up in upcoming rule book clean up. <_<