Rule changes in Section M

My dear friends,

As you know, the TC in Slovakia made some changes in M Section rules. The proposals and the protocol you can find on M section page of Naviga.
All the modifications are clear (except for one), but still I find it useful to summarize, highligt some of them and mention tasks to do as a consequence of the changes.

Firstly, it will be mandatory to use limiters minimum in mini classes. Small size connectors can be used to connect the limiters in minis. Also the Hat System has been cancelled.
All these moves are good, but it also means, that limiter judges must be able to check and seal the racers owned limiters before the races start. So we still have to keep the -let’s say- standardised connector system limiters. My opinion is that, we must still stick on present rule of connectors and we have to setup another for the mini limiters with smaller connectors. I have some ideas about this new connector setup already, but I would like to discuss it with a “commitee” of racers choosen from those, who have apporopriate knowledge of electronics. I propose to use 3.5 and/or 4mm bullets, but in the way, that elimitates the possibility of reverse connectings. This must be unified for all mini classes, to make the technical checks possible.
I will send message to country section leaders soon on this topic.

Secondly, in FSRE class flood chamber is no more needed and Mini FSRE has been voted to become official class in Section M. (-Rules to be included in the rulebook.)
Here I have to mention that, another proposal arrived to cancel team classes that was rejected, so we have one more category to run during the EC/WC, which extends the runtime of the event.
Still can be done, but we have to be careful with the schedule.

Unfortunately there was a mistake in the short form of proposals in the list, we went through while voting on proposals. By mistake, the Hungarian proposal, was shortened into the list the way “Allow up to 8 competitors per heat in mini classes”. It was confusing, because did not cover clearly the content of the proposal itself, that said “Raise the number of competitors at mini oval classes (mini Mono, Mini hydro) from 6 to 7.” (proposal itself also has a copy/paste typo with an extra word, but the explanation makes the proposal very clear) Since we voted on PROPOSALS, the rule chang must reflect the proposal and not the text in short list, so in Mini Mono and Mini Hydro there can be upto 7 racers in heats. (NOT IN FINAL!!)
Sorry for the mistake.

Lastly, the mill time of 10 seconds in mono/hydro classes has been reduced to 6 seconds. It is decided, but there is another rule, which has to be changed too, as a consequence of the change above. There is another rule that currently says: “If any boat hasn’t crossed the bottom baseline within 5 seconds after the signal, starting is no longer allowed then.” By logic, this will be changed to the followings: “If any boat hasn’t crossed the bottom baseline within 3 seconds after the signal, starting is no longer allowed then.”

The other rule changes (battery weights, clarifications) are self understanding, will be in the updated rulebook.

My friends, I have to inform you, that despite I already called you, not a single country has yet candidated to host the EC/CC next year. It is the sad fact, if noone feels like organising the event, then there will be no EC. So please, think about it, discuss it with your friends, your club and the federation, find the good place, then if you find yourselves capable of organising the next EC (or even the WC after), please let me know. (I know many of you, who are!) There is still some time, but the days go one after another and January will right be here. Believe me, it can be done. I don’t say it is not tiring, but with a little help (that you will for sure get) it can be done!

Regards,

Csaba