Not voted rules

Already two years in the row in the rule book are rule changes, which are not voted at GA. This time for example 108.02 for 2014 says, that for FR-1000 there are 4 heats in one race and all 4 counts. Last year was 4 heats with 3 best to count. For F-125 and F-125 now there are up to 4 races, when earlier it was 4 races. That means, F-125 and F-250 EC can have also only one race.

Rule 541.02 disappeared ( Low emission engines for S-850). Idea is ok, but we have to vote.

There are more rules to wonder!
 

Race Organiser Handbook

We need urgently Race Organiser Handbook. It solves probably many problems!

Killing classes

There are some, who want just get more money from our sport. F2 is too close to F1 and it has to be killed. There is made a lot of trouble for F2 drivers and race organizers just to make sure, that F2 class has to be killed. It is definitely too similar to F1.

Another class is F4s. Using this they try to kill F4. And they succeeded in that!

Two very popular classes are almost kaputt!

We can't race this year?

UIM announced, that in 2011 in classes GT-15 and GT-30 can be used only engines homologated before 1.1.2011.

As per Cominsport / Powertrain meeting of April 24^th 2010 in Amsterdam, please note that only UIM homologated engines will be allowed in classes GT15 and GT30 as from January 1^st 2011. (E-mail to all National Authorities from U.I.M. office 21.6.2010)

31.1.2011 we still not got information about homologated engines from UIM. That means, we can't race in these two classes. Sorry, UK, Estonia and Sweden. Races are cancelled!? Hopefully not.

UIM GA 2010 Malta

Main highlights or may be not?

- There are two COMISPORTS in UIM. One makes rule change proposals, another don't know about these proposals.
- Environmental Code is very important step forward for UIM.
- Big fights around P1 and F2.
- In both no good solutions - business kills sport.
- Italian NA was represented only by one person, something is totally wrong in Italy.
- New "green" engines using problem is not solved. Drivers still don't know which engines to use 2011.
- Some commissioners are making confusion every year. Same persons always! Commissioners blame OOD-s.
- A lot of discussions around Pneumatics Endurance. New working group for that. No final decisions, yet.
- Aquabike problems are not solved.
- Hopefully Class 1 problems are history.
- A lot of new changes in P750 rules - again!
- No fees to UIM for Ordinary International Races!
- New logos for UIM - better than old ones!
- Too much fighting and intrigues!!!

Nothing new?

Not much new in this blog for a long time? Yes, not much! Also no feedback, comments etc from readers. Seemly I write this only for myself and let keep it so if nobody is not interested. Idea for this blog was to start up discussion(s) arround UIM and in UIM to make our sport better and better.

Nobody is interested!?

UIM first Award Giving ceremony thoughts

Lovely event! Shame that UIM do not had it earlier. Some champions made protest with not showing up on the ceremony specially organised for them. It is worth to learn to stop fighting at least for one evening. We have another way to make changes.

We have to stop thank people who are getting salary to be involved in organising event. We have to stop thank parties who had problems and then solved them. Is it really so, that first we have to start war to get “prize of the peace”. Nobody thanks nations to not start up war in last 200 years.

We have to thank people, who really are trying to make our sport better. Nobody thanks South Africa for the great job done with young drivers. We have to respect comments and experience of NA of the Republic of South Africa, when we are handling rules of class P-750 or making decisions. We have to!

We have to stop making 1-2 persons decisions in UIM. UIM General Assembly adopts rules, but an only limited number of persons are “killing classes” and makes much more important decisions. These are so called "grey cardinals" and they not ask permission or agreement from members of our Union. They not ask from others, they just “make decisions”.

But event in Monaco was nice and we really hope it is just beginning. But as I learned, there are a lot of national authorities, which even never had thought about thanking organisers of the races, who are doing it on voluntarily bases. Shame!

Boat classes naming

We have O-125 and F-125. We have O-250 and F-250. It makes a lot of confusion in Olympic Commitees, media etc. We have to change it. Also we are moving towards of green engines and new boat classes. It is good time to revise classes names.

One suggestion is to forget O-klasses. Just use names F-125 (Formula 125) etc. for both - continental and World championship. Another way is use new type of naming. For example H-125 or Hydro 1 (H-1) for hydroplane type of boats with engine capacity up to 128 ccm or even four stroke engines with capacity up to 250. Then Hydro 1 or H-1 is good solution. There is no need to explain even type of engine or ccm for public in first step. U.I.M. can set rules for class H-1 and change them, when it needed. For catamaran boats we can use naming C-1, C-2 etc. For offshore OFF-1, OFF-2 etc.
Endurance E-1, E-2. For S-classes S-1, S-2 or G-1. G-2 as "green". For T-classes T-1, T-2 or even M-1, M-2 as "monohull". Junior classes can have naming J-1, J-2.

Let's keep F-1, F-2, P-1, Class 1 and some others as they are now.

So, we can minimize number of boat classes even now (immediately) to putting them together for short period of time and for example from the season 2013 introduce totally new system.

Why not?

Why we need rules?

Rules are written to have some kind of agreement to do same things in the same way. How to organise races, safety issues etc. are parts of rules in powerboating.

Now in UIM we have a lot of problem(s). UIM not follows own rules and how then UIM can demand it from others. Last GA was in Riccione against the UIM rules. New rules were adopted against the rules. Race organisers don't follow the rules. If you need examples, write uimpowerboater@hotmail.com. UIM is closing to chaos.

We have to ask all officials of UIM to sit down, check the situation, analyse, make decisions and follow the rules. Without this, we are destroying our organisation.

This is at this moment most important thing we have to do in U.I.M. and after that we can celebrate in Monaco 6.3.2010!

Is the class O-125 problematic?

Drivers of class O-125/F-125 are disappointed! Why?

Is something wrong with the class? Who wants' to kill the class? Why U.I.M. works against this class?

These are questions, drivers are asking.

O-125 was introduced 10 years ago as everyman O-class with very little restrictions. Only type of the hull (hydroplane type), number of cylinders (1), fuel (alcohol) and capacity of engine (max 128 ccm) were limitations.

Later were added more safe sideboards with Kevlar and minimum weight for boat with driver (170 kg). Last limitation was introduced, because drivers started to build very lightweight boats, they can't any more handle safely. Only very lightweight drivers were on the podium (see Colombi and Marsala) and others, slightly more heavy drivers, were out of the competition. Class even lost some great drivers for a while.

Now, in 2009 U.I.M. GA, were introduced two new rules.

First was introducing minimum weight for the boat without driver (100 kg). As opinion of most drivers in this class, it just gives advantage for lightweight drivers (about 65 kg). Others can't compete against them. In this class with smallest engines in U.I.M. rule book every kilogram is valuable. Now some drivers with average weight (75-85 kg) and even world and European champions are stopping racing in this class.

Another rule makes possible to use gasoline 4-stroke engines in class O-125 with capacity up to 250 ccm. No drivers are agreeing with arguments, that 4-stroke gasoline engines are more "green" than alcohol-engines. And if it gets even more worse, nobody can't explain to spectators, to media and to sponsors, that in class O-125 there are all drivers are using engines with capacity 248 ccm. It is then not any more class O-125.

Next confusing thing is World record case, where two drivers tried to broke speed record. Normally, if class has change in minimum weight or minimum weight was introduced for the class, old World record is frozed. It was the case for example in class OSY-400. Now Cominsport decided, that in class O-125 old record stays. Problem here is also with this, that this decision was made 9 months too late. Why Cominsport not informed record attempt organizers about such decision, even about record attempt was informed earlier to U.I.M. office? As it was said in GA in Riccione, we have to say o the drivers - Sorry! That's all!

We have to ask U.I.M. Council members to discuss with drivers of one of the most popular circuit class and find out how disappointed they really are. Then they can make better decision immediately, even asking U.I.M. members to vote again. 10 countries not agreed with rules at GA already - countries, which are involved in O-125 class racing.

Nominants for U.I.M. Hall of Fame

Waldemar Marszalek, POL
Giuseppe Rossi, ITA
Tiziano Trombetta, ITA
Attila Havas, HUN/AUT

Critics are not complaining

Critics are good! It helps to understand, what we are doing wrong and how to proceed to get better final result. And it is true in all occasion, whatever we are doing.

Unfortunately not all of us are thinking in the same way. Some of us are taking critics as complaining. But there is big difference. Critics are based on facts and complaining has something to do with psychology. Complaining is not always based on facts.

Another reason, why some of us are taking critics as complaining is, that if everything goes ok, then there is no need to say anything negative. If something is wrong and critics comes up, then listener (reader) is getting it as complaining as rule. After reading critics three times and checking facts, critics are not any more feel as complaining.

In U.I.M. many things are ok. Why to say it every day. I am happy with many-many small and big things. At the same time we have to make things better and better. We can't to accept confusing rules. We have to follow rules. And if something is wrong with that, then we have to change them even it is difficult.

Finally and again: critics are not complaining!

Juniors are our future

Without juniors we do not have our future.

At this moment we have good "ladder of success" for juniors in UIM.

Formula Future (8-18 years)
Junior racing: JT-250 and GT-15 (10-16 years)
Introduction classes: OSY-400, O-125, T-550, S-550, P-750 (from 14 years)

Unfortunately we have in many countries their own national junior classes (for example SJ-15 in Scandinavia etc.). These classes are not compatible with UIM rules and young drivers from tehese countries are not parcipicating in international titled races because of that.

Some people are telling, that these boats, they are using in national races, are safe because of stability. It is not true. I saw some of these races in last 10 years and every time there are accidents with these boats. Boats in classes JT-250 and GT-15 are having less accidents, even numbers of drivers in one heat is bigger. I know at least two countries, where they tryed to use SJ-15 boats in races against JT-250 and they stopped it because of problems with boats, which are not stable and have a lot of accidents.

In the year 2008 we had UIM WC for JT-250 with 29 boats from 9 nations. For GT-15 there were 15 boats from 3 nations (1 from FIN and 1 from GBR).

In the year 2009 we had UIM WC JT-250 with 29 boats from 9 nations. Before race we had even 35 entries from 10 nations. Some of entries not showed up. GT-15 WC was cancelled, because of not enough interest. That means 2-stroke engines are definitely more popular, than 4-stroke engines.

We have to see, that very good job with juniors is made in South Africa and they are coming to the juniors WC organised in Europe. Fantastic!

One way to solve the problem is to attract countries with their own national classes to move to the international UIM classes. Another way is introduce one national junior class to UIM, but we do not need many of juniors classes in UIM. We need one good class, which is usable also for "Powerboating Nations GP (Cup)".

U.I.M. Hall of Fame

It was proposed in UIM GA to introduce "U.I.M. Hall of Fame".

I worked on it already some years ago (2000-2007) and have suggestions for that.

It is not always good idea to give such title for the driver in particular year. You never know, what happens next. Also we can't compare F-1, Offshore 1 and O-250 drivers.

In mine calculations in O-classes best drivers ever are:

Waldemar Marszalek (POL)
Giuseppe Rossi (ITA)
Tiziano Trombetta (ITA)
Attila Havas (HUN)
Craig Speller (GBR)

If we are looking particular years, then in O-classes:
2008 Attila Havas (4 titles, O-500 and O-700)
2009 René Behncke (GER, 3 titles and one second place, O-125, O-175, O-250)

Driver with minimum 4 World champion titles in one class has to be there. And also great record brokers - Bob Wartinger with 124 records.

Of course there are more great drivers, but let start with them. I can add also other diciplines great drivers, if somebody asks with explanations.

How many World Champions?

It is very old problem to solve - number of World champions in powerboating.

Biggest problem here is to define minimum demands for World championship.

One suggestion is:

If there are minimum 10 drivers from two continents, then it is WC.
In case all drivers are from one continent, we need 5 parcipicating nations with minimum 10 boats.

If these demands are not reached, WC turns to the international race.
If there are not minimum 10 boats in class two years in row, this class don't have WC for next season.

To achieve minimum number of boats (10), drivers from two continents or 5 nations, it is marketing task for race organizers.

Here is one suggestion for the year 2012. These are classes to have in the World Championship list.

O-125
O-250
O-500
OSY-400

GT-15 (Junior class)
GT-30
T-550 (if we have "green class" to give to the drivers, then it. GT-60 for example)

F4S (replaces S-550)
S-850 (F4), may be replaced with SL-90
SL-250

F-1
F-2
F-1000
S-2000 (for endurance and national races)

P-750

Endurance pneumatics 3 World championship classes (now 10, PR and P), probably PR200HP etc.

Endurance 2 classes (now 3, S-Class 1, S-Class 2, S-Class 3)

Jet Sprint
RD

GP Hydro
P1 (two classes)

Offshore 1
Offshore 3 (3 champions)

Aquabike (max 4 classes)

There are also APBA classes.

It was only one suggestion. We have to discuss more.

Race results (protocols)

Race results has to be document for long time to understand, what happened at the particular race. Now it is not always so. You even can't understand, what competition it was. Please check from the year 2009 results from U.I.M. website:
T-850 European Championship
GT-30 World Championship

In first case there are no any glue, what competition it was (village championship or just international race?)

In second case there are no information in English about, what race it was and which countries were involved.

How we can send such information to the media, show to the sponsors and spectators?

For the U.I.M we need results in English. Race name has to be mentioned and countries are written in correct way. Best way for that is use IOC recognized way to write country names: POL, SWE, NOR, GBR, ITA etc. We need additional information to understand, what happened at the race. It is good practice to add letter "r" for restarts (example - Heat 1r) and also reasons for disqualifications (rule numbers) and given yellow cards as well. Also it is important to not keep information in results empty for heats, where driver not got result. Just add:
DNS for Did Not Start
DNF for Did not Finished
DSQ for Disqualification
DNR for Did Not Restart etc.

It helps to understand, what happened at the race.

For correct statistics we need on the results, sent to U.I.M. also number of total Entries and number of Nations. Just add it on the results.

Very often also names of drivers are written in wrong way. We have to respect drivers more.

U.I.M. Circuit Rule Book

U.I.M. Circuit Rule book is getting more and more confusing every year. It is not just problem with not clear and unfair rules, but also, that all parties of racing have to follow this rule book (drivers, organizers, race officials, UIM). Now unfortunately is not case here.

To make things better, we have to start with correcting of the structure of rule book. Then many things in there are getting more clear. Next step is revise texts. Some texts are not belonging to the rules, where they are written.

Part of Advance Program do not have points, which have to be written in there. These points are spread over the rule book (color of helmet etc.). And do we need such rules in Advance Program at all? We have to write in Advance Program: races are held under the U.I.M. rules. It includes all information.

World record rules are not clear and correct. Technical inspection rules are in too many different places in the rule book. Why we have different rules in Water Festivals for different classes? Special rules for F-500 and different ones for F-125 and F-250. Etc. etc.

In 2009 were adopted rules, which are not making racing more fair and safe. We added again more confusion. Check, why some proposals got only 20-21 votes. Most of them came from countries, which are not involved in particular racing.

We definitely need better rule book and we have to start follow it! We need commision (3 persons) to check of following of the rule book. We don't have it yet.

U.I.M. GA Timetable

U.I.M. General Assambly timetable is built up in not efficient way.

Cominsport, which has normally most things to do, has three meetings now: first day 2 hours. second day 4 hours and joint meeting at third day 4 hours. My suggestion is, that Cominsport has meetings: first day, second day and fifth day. Then we can have meetings, discussions and negotiations in two days between meetings. All meetings is good to have opened. If closed meeting is needed, reserve small room and have such meeting privately. Now many of problems, rised at Cominsport meetings in first two days are not solved in the end of GA.

To do so, we can move for example Formulae committee meetings to the Thursday.

There are also some other issues to solve in time table.

For calendar meeting we need project for calendar earlier, than 10 minutes before meeting. Now we had and still have problems with S-550, OSY-400 and junior classes.

Open Forum has to be open. We have to give for example 1 minute to the all candidates for elections to introduce himself. Etc.

Biggest problem in GA is still fact, that homework is not done. Most of delegates are coming to the GA without any preparation and commissions are having long discussions and argues because of that. We have to have for these meetings strict time schedule and only in case we have additional not used time, we can discuss matters arised at meetings.

Powerboating Nations GP (Cup)

It is may be good idea to start up new type of race to involve more countries to powerboating. There are no competition between nations up to now. All races are competition between individuals or teams. Now is time to start up real race, where individuals are not getting champion titles, but best nation in powerboating is going to be found.

Some ideas. At first, juniors have to be involved in that. Secondly it is wise to have existing relatively cheap U.I.M. classes involved in such competition. And finally at least three classes has to be included for so called Powerboating Nations GP.

One suggestion for format is following.

Include to the race three different type of boats: monohull, hydroplane and catamaran. In this way for example classes are GT-15 (juniors monohull), OSY-400 (hydroplane) and F4S (catamaran). In each classes every competing nation has national team with two boats. Total number for the team is six here. 10 best nations are going to the final and we are getting 20 boats in every heat, which is very spectacular. Race has two days. First day is for timetrials and qualification heats (2 heats for each class). 10 best nations are competing on second day in final (3 heats in each class). 6 best nations from previous year are going automatically to the final.

We can change classes even every year, but it has to be decided at GA at least two years ehead, which classes are involved. We can add classes P750, O-125, F2 or even small Offshore classes, but juniors have to be involved all the time.

If there are bigger interest from nations, we can change rules for number of finalists. For example at least 15 nations in final with one boat in each class.

If races are organized for example in other continents than Europe, local organizers or UIM (using promotors etc.) are making possible of availability of boats without need for nations to transport boats to the race site. If race is organized in Europe, European nations are using their own boats. For nations from other continents we have to find boats from Europe.

Why not to demand, that at least 3 nation medalists from last two seasons has to be members of the national teams.

Certanly there are a big number of other good ideas and formats to organize such Powerboating Nations GP. These ideas are welcome!

Let's try it!