Safety Brief

This is the 3^rd year that the Club have put its trust in me and I will be continuing as Safety Officer.  All I can say is “thank you for that trust”.  Someone, at an event last year, made a statement to me in a conversation along the lines of “I’d be happy to race with you as the SO at any event because I respect what you do and how you do it”.  Needless to say we were, at the time, both the worst for drink, having vacated some pub or other for the hotel bar, but I remember the conversation well.  That driver is racing again this year so I guess they mean what they said!  There is not a thing I can do to prevent an accident during a race … all I can promise is that I will endeavour to have the infrastructure in place to deal with the accident in the most efficient manner possible.

2007 saw some excellent racing for Thundercats and as your SO I was pleased that at the end of the season there had not been too many major incidents or issues.  With close, high speed events like ours there are always going to be something happening however I feel that with the Safety Fleet we have we can cope with most things.  Yet again I feel that the Safety Fleet came through the season with honours at our own events and those they attended in other national series.  All Safety Crews, not just our own regulars, should be thanked by the racers for their efforts, without them there would be no racing.  Why not take the chance at each race to ”adopt a Safety Crew” -  buy them a drink – who knows they may return the favour and pull you out of the drink sometime!

It may come as a surprise to you but as your SO I don’t, very often, watch much of the racing and don’t have a clue, usually until the last lap, who the leader is!  When I do get the chance to watch, rather than watch the leaders I tend to watch groups of boats and how they negotiate the turn marks together.  From general observations you all seem to be well aware of the rules but it’s interesting to note how (some) drivers, react to being lapped by the leaders.  Most of you tend to move over, most of the time.  During the last 2 years however, there have been one or two occasions when the ‘horns’ have come out and the ‘pedal goes to the metal’.  I don’t consider it to have been a major problem last season but all navigators still need to be aware of just who they are racing and at what time and when there’s a requirement to advise your driver to pull over.  It must also be said that if you are overtaking others then you also have a responsibility – I see no reason why any leader who is lapping other racers can not go around say 2 boats that are racing for positions lower down the running order.  No one has a “God given right of way”.  It’s been said on many occasions by “powerboat racing is not a contact sport” please, let’s keep it that way.

This year I believe we have quite a few new crews and a few (used) crews who are returning to racing.  Whoever they are makes no difference – we all need to treat each other with respect on the water during the race.  I’m not asking anyone to stop racing, I’m just asking you apply some caution to your racing.  Every one of you is a mobile hazard to someone else.

This year is a great opportunity to get our sport more recognition and present a package to the public but we have to work at it.  Listening to what Fiona has been up to and how she has increased our profile through future events such as the Motor and Boat Shows; getting a European Race organised; continued association with P1 can only be to the good of the sport.  We have to co-operate with others, not just them co-operate with us.  We have to make sure that we are sorted on time; we are in the water on time; we let others get out to their races on time … … … it’s a major problem for the officials and the event organisers but you share some responsibility as well.  Believe me sitting there waiting for 1 boat and crew to get themselves out for the start of a race and knowing that the chance of the next race going down the pan is no joke for your officials either.  Just remember that this year we will have to run multi-heats because of the proposed numbers of boats in the fleet – please be patient!

In addition to Thundercats I have, like others, had the pleasure of assisting and officiating in other events and in other classes over the last few years.  I will be continuing to do so over the next year as well.  Overall I firmly believe that the way Thundercat races are conducted and Thundercats themselves are among the best in the sport.  We have an excellent spectator sport and its well run.  We have a good overall team of officials who, when needed, will wade in to help each other wherever possible.  For the sake of our sport let us all pull together in one direction and make 2008 the best yet.

There are no major changes that will have an effect for 2008 but I still feel you need to be reminded of the following:

Ø       Running in another boats wake:  difficult to spot sometimes but if we do catch you then we will penalise – no ifs, no buts.  Be warned.

Ø       Hand signals:  remember 1 hand raised signals to other boats that you are pulling out of the race / practice.  2 hands waved are requesting immediate assistance.

Ø       Riding on top of another boat:  contrary to belief this does not save fuel but it does get you back to the pits quicker and gives you a longer rest between races!

If there are any issues you wish to discuss on the safety network we have or if you have any ideas of how to improve on the safety network we have then just bend my ear – my contact details are available to all via the Secretary.

Regards for a safe season

Les Hudson

Thundercats Safety Officer