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RULEBOOK (revised for 2009) |
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1/10 SCALE HYDROPLANE RACING Classic Thunder is a
club whose goal is to emulate the competition and style of real unlimited
hydroplane racing. All boats are 1/10th scale replicas of actual
hydroplanes. The club emphasis is on quality workmanship and scale
accuracy. Unique features of the club include electric power, scale skid
fins for realistic cornering, and left hand turning. All
boats competing in Classic Thunder are separated into two divisions. Division I: Vintage hulls that competed in the 50’s and 60’s plus some round nose
boats that competed from 1970 and later, with the approval of the Executive
Committee. and Division II: More modern hulls that competed from about 1970 through present time. 2009 Classic Thunder Rule
Book *(Click here to Download and print pdf file of 2009 Rule Book) Club Membership Club membership is $10.00. You must be a club member to drive at club events. Boat registration is $5.00. Entry fee is $3.00 per
race or $25 prepaid per season. Entry fees are non-refundable. To drive at a Classic
Thunder event, you must belong to the NAMBA
(North American Model Boat Association). Club membership, boat,
and race fees provide: Race schedule, Club
rulebook, Club directory, Web
Site and club updates, Banquets, Ribbons or
Trophies, and club supplies Boat Registration, Tech.
and Appearance Members are allowed two boat registrations per division at any one
time. A boat must be registered and pass technical and appearance standards to compete in Classic Thunder events. Pre-registration (prior to
paying a registration fee) and technical and appearance guideline assistance
can be obtained by email, regular mail or in person with the the registrar Mike Krone or the Appearance and Technical Inspector Jeff Howard. To help clarify scale or appearance issues prior to construction, we
recommend that you submit an initial Build
/ Registration Form with your pre-registration. This will also give you a chance to get more
information from the Appearance Inspector about the boat you intend to
build. It may save you from having to
make changes after the boat is already built. A Build / Registration Form for Div 1 or a Build / Registration Form for Div 2 must be completed for each boat and signed by the Registrar and
Appearance / Technical Inspector before it will be allowed to enter competition.
*Click here to Download PDF version of Build / Registration form for Div 1 *Click here to Download PDF version of Build / Registration form for Div 2 Boats are registered by mail or in person with the Registrar.
Include fees along with a Build / Registration Form. Boat registrations are on a first come
first serve basis. At the end of the season, a member has the option to keep or forfeit
their registrations. This option lasts until January 1. A registered boat must compete in at least three
races during the season for the registration to
remain valid. A member that fails to race a registered boat is not
allowed to re-register that boat before January 1. What boats are allowed to be built? Any boat that was actually built
(some sort of photo verification is necessary if in question) and did, or was
capable of, racing in the unlimited class of hydroplane racing the year it
existed. Prototype boats that were
“plans only” are not allowed. Boat appearance and
design: All members will be
required to build their boats as closely as possible to the original boat and
have a photograph of the real boat for verification. This includes paint
colors. Tolerances
on the length and width of
club hulls will be (Length +or – ½”) and (Width +or – 10%). Length and width
tolerances will be enforced on hulls built for 2008 and later seasons. Hulls that raced in the club
prior to the end of the 2007 race season will be allowed to run even if outside
of these tolerances. Dimensions will be confirmed by the RCU master hull roster. If it is not
listed, the builder will need to provide documentation of the dimensions as
verification to the tech inspector. Offset
cowlings and Asymmetrical sponsons should be accurately represented. Boats must run in their most recognizable form for the year of the real unlimited that is registered. A real boat that raced damaged can not be the
version used as a pattern for the model, no cop-outs. The following items must be present for a boat to enter competition: (If
applicable) Driver
complete from the wait up with proper helmet Life
jacket Windshield Steering
wheel and dashboard with instruments Air
scoops or vents Exhaust
pipes and or manifolds Flash
pans Bow
spoiler Accurate
wet sponson detail Radio
antennas must be painted black or be music wire. Full cowl or open dummy motor, verified by photo, stacks may not simply be
glued to outside of the cowl on full cowl boats. Stacks must come through
the cowl. Boats are to be built 1/10th scale to fit the RCU master hull roster. Scale paint job to be verified by photo or Newton plans. An air dam
may be added to the bottom of a boat, regardless of if the real boat ran with
one. However, it must be back 1” from
the front of the sponson tunnel (or from the ram wind/bull nose in the case of
pickle forked boats). They can be no
more than 3/8” tall. They must be made
of clear plastic or painted to match the bottom of the boat. They can not be an obvious change to the
scale look of the model while on the water. Losing any significant part of the boat (something necessary to the performance of the
real boat) during a heat is a disqualification and the boat must stop.
For instance, the motor, driver, or cowl, if no dummy motor is
underneath. To compete in following heats, the lost part(s) must be
replaced within reason. Damaged boats must be repaired by the 2nd race after damage has occurred.
To re-enter competition, the boat must pass the appearance inspection. All boats must have a boat stand with prop guard. The
guard must not allow hands to have direct access to the propeller while the
boat is on the stand. Technical Inspections: For a boat to compete in Classic Thunder events, it must first pass a tech/appearance
inspection covered in these requirements. If a boat fails its
tech/appearance inspection, but a majority of the club executives agree that
the boat would not have a competitive advantage, it could be allowed to compete
under the damaged boat rule. If boat repairs or other changes are made to
a boat after it has passed an inspection, the owner/driver should ask for a new
inspection. A reminder of this will be given at the drivers meeting.
A spot inspection can be given at any time during the racing season.
The top four finishers of a final heat and the consolation heat winner
may receive an inspection to check for rule compliance. A competing boat
that fails a post heat inspection will be penalized as follows: First offense:
Disqualification from the heat. Second and subsequent
offenses: Disqualification from the heat and from the next race. Hull
and Running Gear Specifications Club Battery Rules: (rules applies to both divisions) Up to
14 sub-C NiMH and NiCad type cells of any maH rating or up to 4 Lipo cells (i.e. 4S1P or two 2S1P configuration). It is
recommended that Lithium Polymer cells have a minimum 3300 Mah capacity and minimum 20C cell rating. ALL
MEMBERS MUST READ AND SIGN THE LIPO SAFETY AGREEMENT SHEET. *click here to Download PDF version of LIPO SAFETY AGREEMENT SHEET Note: We also recommend you read the Lipo Safety Tips Sheet for additional information.
Anyone
found out of compliance with the Lipo Safety Agreement will be given ONE OFFICIAL
WARNING per race season. An official
record will document that the warning has been given. Any additional non-compliance of the warned
party will result in his or her immediate disqualification from the current
race. Division 1 boats will run
with one Scorpion HK3026-1210 motor. Skid fins will be no longer than 1 1/2 “ from front to back and will be no
deeper than 3/8”. All skid fins must be mounted against the inside of the
left sponson. No curved skid fins.
It can be angled, but must be flat from the water line down. Only “Off the Shelf” propellers that are generally available on the market to all hobbyists
are eligible to be run. Modifying these
propellers is allowed. (No custom-made
propellers.) A portion of the
propeller must be under the boat’s transom. The transom is the aft vertical flat surface in which the rudder is attached. The rudder must be attached to the boats transom and the leading edge cannot
be more than 1 1/4” away from the transom. Boats must run a straight shaft of any diameter from a straight motor coupler through the propeller. No flex drives, gearboxes or universal joints are allowed. No
double rudders. No
belly pans. No
anhedral angles on the sponson main ride surfaces. All rules are the same as those in Division I
except as noted below: Any
motor or motors may be used. Flex drives are allowed but must be mounted so that a portion of the
propeller is under the transom and the cable runs inside a straight tube under
the hull. Skid fins will be not larger than 1 1/2” deep (Measured from the bottom of
the sponson) and 1 1/2” front to back. The total skid fin must fall
within the 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" window. Any fin shape within this
window is considered legal. No curved skid fins. The skid fin must be flat from the
water line down. However, it can be
mounted at an angle. The rudder must be attached to the boats transom and the leading edge cannot
be more than 1 3/4” away from the transom. Anhedral angles on the sponson main ride surfaces are allowed. Belly pans are allowed. On boats with driver canopies, the canopy must be clear enough to see the
driver inside and the driver must be visible from his armpits and up. Race Rules All races will begin at 11:00AM, with the drivers meeting taking place 10:30AM. Exceptions
to this, like the Gold Cup race will be announced one week prior to the event
(see Special Rules section). Drivers must be present at the 10:30AM roll call
to be drawn into the first heat. Drivers late for the meeting will start their
first heat as a rookie. Race Officials: Each heat of competition shall have 3 officials to call the heat. The heat head official
will call the start and inform participants of hazards and penalties called.
The other two officials are to observe the corners and make calls if
necessary. They will contact the head official by any means available.
Only the 3 officials will make a call, with no outside commentary from
non-officials. The heat head official will make the final determination
and inform the offending parties. The penalized driver should acknowledge the
call to the heat head official. The heat head official is also
responsible to start the clock when the course is clear and have a chase boat
volunteer ready to go out to retrieve dead boats or fix dislodged buoys if
necessary. A race is considered official when three boats make a legal start. Preliminary and final heats are five laps run counter-clockwise. A
race may be planned and run with more or fewer laps based on course size, but
must be approved a week in advance by the Classic Thunder board. The
change must also be announced to the racers a week prior to the event. A
race day adjustment in the number of laps per heat can be made due to course
size, but only by majority decision of the club officials in attendance at the
driver’s meeting. A five-minute audio count down clock will be used to start each heat. Unless a flag has been approved for use. (See special rules section for flag starts.) A boat must be in the water by the 30 seconds on the count down and may not
be touched inside the 30-second mark. A boat not in the water by 30
seconds or touched inside the 30 second mark is disqualified and will not be
allowed to start that heat. All boats must fully circle the right and left
hand turns (in that order)
immediately prior to making a start. If a buoy is missed during the mill,
a penalty lap can be avoided by once again fully circling the right and left
turn in order. A missed buoy once the heat has started is a one-lap penalty. A boat may “park” out on the course and await the start but may not be passed the
point buoy on the right hand turn as seen from the driving area. Once a
boat passes the right hand point buoy, it must remain on a plane to the start.
A boat off plane past the right hand point buoy will be given a one-lap
penalty. All boats must maintain a straight line (parallel to the buoys) from the exit pin to
the starting line at the beginning of the race. This means no lane
changing in this area. Drivers/boats changing lanes at this time will be
given a one-lap penalty. Circling in the infield once the race has started is a one-lap penalty. All ties will be decided by number of laps completed. Jumping the gun at the start is a one-lap penalty. Hitting a buoy and knocking the visual devise (Ball or some other marker) completely off the
buoy is a one lap penalty. Hitting a buoy that is missing the
visual devise is a one-lap penalty. Hitting a buoy without dislodging the
visual devise off the buoy is a legally passed buoy. A RACE PENALTY
results in disqualification from the heat
(or the immediate heat) and will be required to make 3 trailer starts for the
next 3 heats entered. Causing an accident is a RACE PENALTY as determined by the
race officials. Definition of an accident is; contact between two boats
that impedes the progress of one boat by another and/or causes visual damage
(broken or missing parts, hull cracks) before and/or during the race. Striking
a called dead boat is a MAJOR RACE
PENALTY (Dead Boat). Striking a called dead boat will also incur a
$25.00 penalty. The money will be paid to the damaged boat camp before the
guilty driver is allowed to compete in the next event. The damaged boat camp
may choose to defer the money in which case the penalty money will be paid to
the club treasury. The official definition of a dead boat is “a called boat that is not moving”. A MAJOR RACE PENALTY (Dead Boat) results
in disqualification from the heat (or the immediate heat) and disqualification
from the next 2 heats of racing. This penalty may be enforced into the next
race event depending when the infraction occurred. This covers the BOAT in the
Division the incident occurred. If the drive has two boats entered in the
event, the boat not involved in the incident can still be run. Striking
a duck is a MAJOR RACE
PENALTY (Duck). Striking a Duck will also incur a $25.00 cash
penalty. The money will be paid to the club treasury before the guilty driver
is allowed to compete in the next event. A MAJOR RACE PENALTY (Duck) results in
disqualification from the heat (or the immediate heat) and disqualification
from the next 2 heats of racing. This penalty may be enforced into the next
race event depending when the infraction occurred. This covers the DRIVER of
the boat in the Division the incident occurred and includes any boat(s) in that
same Division. If the driver has two boats entered in the same Division of an
event, both boats are not allowed to run. Race points: Points are awarded the same as the real unlimiteds. 1st
Place = 400 points 2nd
Place = 300 points 3rd
Place = 225 points 4th
Place = 169 points 5th
Place = 127 points 6th
Place = 95 points Season points do not transfer to an identical replacement hull. A hull
is defined as the center section of the boat. A replacement hull will be
scored independently. Sponson replacement would be considered okay. All
races count towards season points, no dropped races. Substitute drivers are allowed, but
must be declared prior to the start of the five-minute clock. Race formats are based on the number of entrants as follows: (A minimum of
three boats to make a legal race) 3-5
boats: Race based on total points 6
boats: 5 boat final, no consolation race or
trailer 7
or more boats: 5 boat final plus winner of the consolation as a
trailer, Second place in consolation race is
first alternate. Consolation and Final heat rules: A trailer boat for the final heat will be decided by a consolation race.
The first five boats in the final heat are determined by accumulated
point earned in preliminary heats. The next six boats are eligible for
the consolation heat. If the fifth and sixth place boats are tied in
points for the final, both boats are automatically advanced to the final.
The consolation race would determine the alternate spots only. If
the fifth, sixth, and seventh place boats are tied for placement in the final,
the fifth, sixth and seventh placed boats will race in the Consolation heat
with the eighth, ninth and tenth place boats. The eighth, ninth
and tenth place boats will start the Consolation heat from the trailer
position. The Consolation heat winner can advance to the Final heat as a
front line starter while the second place finisher can advance as the trailer
in the Final. Third place in the Consolation can be the alternate. Consolation heats are
run for half points. Those who qualify to advance from the Consolation
race may forfeit the half points to run in the final. If a driver chooses
to decline advancement and keep the half points, then their option falls to the
next in line per consolation finish order. Second place in the consolation becomes the first alternate for the final. The trailer boat may move up to the front line only if one of the regular starters is not in
the water by the 30-second mark of the count down. Otherwise, the trailer
will start 5 seconds after the primary count down expires. The alternate boat for the final should be charged and ready to launch. If
a final heat boat withdraws or is unable to start, the alternate boat will be
allowed to launch by the 20-second mark of the count down, and then start as a
trailer. Driving Rules All driving rules apply at all times on race
day. All drivers are required to count their laps out loud as completed. This is very
important to keep track of the boat positions and the total number of completed
laps. A driver will be reminded only once and then a lap penalty will be
assessed. Maintain your lane and leave enough room for the other boats on
the racecourse. It is always better to take a second place than to try a
difficult or impossible move that could result in an accident. The goal
of this club is scale racing and no one benefits from reckless driving and
damaged boats. Please race with respect to others. When another boat is overtaking yours, you should maintain your lane and not try to
get out of the way. It is the responsibility of the overtaking boat to
make a safe pass. Drivers must immediately alert the other drivers if their boat spins out or dies on the
racecourse. If failing to call a dead boat results in an accident, the
dead boat driver will receive a RACE PENALTY. (Heat judges will
also relay this warning to the other drivers). Official calls are final. A driver may ask for an explanation of a call, but at no time will an official listen to
arguments. Arguing an official’s call is a RACE PENALTY and will
be called. A five-boat length (15 feet) overlap is required to change lanes. Cutting off
another boat will be called as a lap penalty. If a boat is off plane, the driver must let other boats pass before
trying to re-enter the race. This has to be done as not to interfere with
the progress of boats on the course. Interference will be called as a lap
penalty. A driver may stop a heat at any time, but is not eligible for the
restart and will be penalized to make 3 trailer starts for the next 3 heats
entered. Withdrawing
a boat for an event: When a driver makes the decision to withdraw his
boat from an event that decision is final and the boat will not be allowed to
compete in any more heats for that day. Driver Sanction rule: Drivers will be allowed to compete
until such time that they have been officially penalized for causing 3 accidents
during a floating span of 5 races during the season. Once that limit is reached, the offending
driver will be suspended from racing for the next scheduled non-exhibition
race. This is a driver sanction and does
overlap all divisions of racing. (Example: two caused accidents in division 1
plus one in division 2 during the floating 5 race period would incur a
suspension.) After the next 4 races, the
caused accident(s) from 5 races earlier will have fallen off due to the
floating time span. Serving a suspension
under this rule eliminates on caused accident from your count for time
served. Voluntarily missed race(s) will
be included in the floating span of 5 races. Un-sportsman like conduct: Every club member or
crew member shall be subject to all rules at club events, from arrival to two
hours after the last heat and at all club meetings. Un-sportsman like
conducts defined as; Endangered persons, property, or the club reputation.
(i.e. swearing, unprofessional behavior or throwing of equipment in public
view) Any member has the right and obligation to make club officials
aware of these violations. The PENALTY for each
violation shall be any one or combination of the following: a verbal warning,
heat disqualification*, race disqualification*, or suspension from Classic
Thunder Club*. ( * = also required to make 3 trailer starts for the next 3
heats entered) The Club Officials shall
have the power to impose a penalty for un-sportsman like conduct at a race or
club event and will notify the offending party of the offence as soon as
possible. Records will be kept and
used to determine the level of penalty to be issued. Rookies: A rookie is anyone who is new to
Classic Thunder. To qualify for racing, a rookie driver must make a legal start within
five seconds of the starting gun and drive four clean consecutive laps. All rookies will be required to make 6 starts
from the trailer position.
This is not designed to punish or handicap the new driver but to give
them race experience with less risk to anyone’s equipment, including your own.
Rookie starts may be carried forward for one season, counting towards the
six legal starts. A driver’s official rookie season is counted as the season in which he completes
his sixth trailer start. Rookie of the Year is selected by the Executive Committee and is
based on season point totals and sportsmanship. A non-rookie driver who has not been in a competitive heat for two years must re-qualify by making three rookie trailer starts. (This
applies to ERCU drivers also). Those drivers in this
category who are new to CT will forfeit their rookie status. Special Rules Qualifying for the Gold Cup will require three timed laps and tech
inspections will be done on the 3 fastest qualifiers. A boat may make three
attempts as time allows, but must give priority to unqualified boats or
drivers. Qualifying
will last no more than 2 hours. Points will be awarded for Gold Cup qualifying, but these are for season points only and will
not count towards getting a boat into the final heat. The Gold Cup will have four flights of preliminary heats instead of three,
plus the consolation and final heats. If a Club Member shows up to a race event with
multiple boats for one Division of
racing, the Club Member’s boats will be automatically drawn into separate heats
for the first two heat drawings only. Afterwards, the boats will be drawn
into heats as normal. Leaving garbage at a race site is a 500 points penalty and or a
$50.00 fine. Drivers may clear their propellers without being disqualified during a race only
when pre-determined and announced by the race officials that conditions warrant
this exemption. To keep the event moving, the clock will be started for the next heat
when the course is clear from the previous heat. Delays can only be
called by the heat’s head official when conditions warrant. (i.e. ducks,
swimmers, boaters, etc.) The clock will not be stopped for a driver who
isn't ready to compete in their drawn heat. If a boat is showing a considerable amount of radio control
problems out on the course, the driver may
be asked to show the club officials that he or she has regained control by
performing a radio test of at least 25 feet (with antenna down) between the
radio transmitter and the boat. If
control is demonstrated, the boat will be allowed to run in its next heat. This test can be requested by any driver or
official who feels the boat is out of control.
The test must be requested before the start of the 5 minute clock for
the boat in question. If a heat is being
delayed, only one test will be allowed for any given boat. When flag starts are used, these special rules are to be followed:
The boat drivers will pick lanes as determined by the draw or points.
When lanes are determined, boats will be called on to prepare for the
start and be placed in the water. When all drawn boats are ready to
start, the boat in the outside lane (Pace Boat) will proceed out around the
course in the normal staring procedure. The pace boat will continue at
approximately half throttle around the course so that the other boats may get
into their respective lanes. The starting official will help with directing
boats into the correct positions. After reaching the exit pin buoy of the
final corner, the pace boat has the option to continue at reduced speed or
start to pick up the pace. The start of the heat is when the pace boat
crosses the start line. Any boat over the starting line before the pace
boat has jumped the gun and is given a one lap penalty. Club Courtesy Rules Drivers will return
frequency pins to the board before leaving the race site. Race winners of Division
1 will pick up the buoys (cut off and discard the string and place buoys and
weights in the bag) or arrange for someone else to do it for them. There will be no walking
in front of a driver at any time if he has a boat on the water. No boats will test while
the course is being set up.
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