Monos built strickly for SAW?

[John Finch]

Hi Andy,

i suck all infos about Ed out from RC-Modeller when i was young .If someone will ever meet him ,tell him that there are a group of modelboaters in Germany they build all his boats .

I build my version of the Northwind ,doing some test run with different drives .Twin engine ,counterrotating props and singelmotor singelprop .

On a Japan website i found years ago some monos that fit as a SAW monohull .But i think they run the boats on open see salt water ,control the boat driving semselv in a daycruiser side by side over long distance.

Christian, I wonder if someone would consider your first boat pictured illegal (for IMPBA, NAMBA) because of the hull extension rearward of the transom? Or is the hull extension merely a glorified long strut bracket which is commonly used on monos. Some might say it is a very short two point hydroplane or stepped mono, but does not the very long extended strut bracket create the same type of effects in the running hull?

Just started reading this so I need to catch up. As mono director for IMPBA I would rule it illegal. bacically a mono for IMPBA must be one continuous wetted surface with no breaks. I respect what Doug said about the transom extension not being in the water at full speed, but that would eventually be tested to the point you would have people using extensions and saying they dont touch at full speed. Non of these trick items such as wings and steps will help for SAW record runs. Simple is best. Fly the hull.

John

 

[John Finch]

The IMPBA stepped mono rule needs to be changed to reflect the technological advances in real racing mono design.

No need to change the rules. The mono rules we have now are simple and still somewhat vague. We don't need to complicate them any more.

Our 39" microBurst has a solid 1" X 1" square aluminum block on the transom to extend the strut back. This is not a lot different the the first boat in Christian pics. So is the back of my square block now the transom and the original transom is now a step?

Yeah but they dont allow steps Andy, thats caveman. Alot of the new modern monos have steps, no need to stay in the dark ages simply to prevent complication. Honestly I never understood complicated in that sense. They have rules we just follow them. If we are constanly looking for grey areas why have rules at all? No matter, to not allow stepped monos in the mono class is backwards. Making them compete with hydros is really backwards. If were to be representative of the real boats, which is whats implied by the need to have sponsor logos, numbers, and drivers, then why not be totally accurate and allow stepped monos?I like new stuff.

JMO

Hugh

If you put steps on a mono it runs in the hydro class. I have done that. I put two steps in a deep vee and ran it at the winter nats one year. Fred Mc Broom came to my tent after I raced it in a hydro heat and he said that boat just ran in a hydro heat, thinking I screwed up. I showed him the bottom, he shook his head, and slowly walked away. I then went to Indy and Got 7th place with it at the indy unlimited running against over 100 boats in the same class. Mostly hydros. Could have been in the top 3 if someone had not turned on their radio on my frequency on my last heat that I was winning. I got some lucky heats but mono hulls are usually a lot slower that the riggers so they would typically just get in the way. Would you want guys with Mono hulls racing in the hydro class? I think not. That is the point I was trying to make at the time. I tried to change some of the rules many many years ago. One of the changes I did get through was being able to use a flat bottom strut. I had to convince the board that a flat bottom strut would not give the mono an advantage, just allow the youngblood boats and tidewater hardware to be legal.

You have to look at what constitutes a hydro to keep the classes separate. Hydros started out as single step mono hulls. That was what made the two classes different. Like Andy said......if you design a mono correctly it does not need wings or steps. In fact wings cause drag and slow you down. Like someone said......look at Jerry Crowthers boat at 98 mph. The boat does not need wings or steps because the boat is flying above the water. Simple is best.

 

[Terry Keeley]

 

[Christian Lucas]

Hi Andy,

have only found one pic of the North Wind at speed .This show a electric driven boat from an English unknowen Gentelman.

Next is the Vuelo duration raceboat driven and produced by Nic Rees England .Normaly it is driven with submerged prop ,i konvert it to surfacdrive and ad a step in front (don`'t know does it need it or not).The boat won some World Champion titel in Naviga under 2 kg class .It was fast and turn hard ,very stable .

 

[John Finch]

draw views...

Guy,

Pretty close, but your drawing would be illegal in IMPBA with the step just before the flat spot. My boat did not have a flat ride surface. I actually had two hulls. The first was a true deep vee all the way to the keel. The second one had a 10 degree vee at the keel. I used flat pads on my sightler boats and on some twincrafts but the flat pad is sort of like skipping a rock across the water with no control. I prefer a bit of vee to the keel for control. The distance of the prop to the transom is key in getting the boat to air out as is the rudder location for both ride angle and roll stability. Tune the boat with those two elements and you are on the way to getting to SAW record speeds. No tricks on the hull, just weight vs lift.

 

[guy leveque]

thanks john!

 

[dwilfong]

This boat is a 39" Cal Craft that after all the repairs is over 10Lbs

I have the smaller one also I am playing with and thy fly very nice.

You can air them out very easy and are very stable like this. so stable you can race them aired out.

O and thy run under the water gust as well then pop out like a sub breaching and just keep going.

Both the small one and the 39" have driven under the water more than 5' and came out running.

I have bin told that a 39" has driven at 95mph in record trials.

Kinda funny Jerry the current record holder told me that at the last race after looking at my boat.

It dose not have to be a wing to fly nor have a ride pad to get on top.

I have spent allot of time on the bottom to make it flat and the keel sharp as a knife.

Getting a fresh one soon to start over at the 6Lbs point.

Will see how it goes.

The balance and rudder strut setup means more than any wing or ride pad.

I feel that a neutral airo on a boat is best then you can use the strut angle to lift the bow and the lift in the prop to raise the back. when you get it right it will balance on the prop and rudder.

No airo lift needed just power to weight.

David

 

[Roger Hooks Jr.]

I've always wanted to and do have a few ideas, but I guarantee it won't be a V-hull.

My thoughts exactly Chris!

I've only taken on stab at SAW with a mono that was in LA with my Aeromarine Titan 40. I went a little over 70 mph my first day out after only about three runs before it started blowing off. I was amazed that it could stay balanced they it was able to ride so high up on it's keel so far back towards the transom. It's the most dry running mono I have ever seen. Not much of a SAW man though. I am sure with some work it could have done much more. Never got two way passes but since it is a Mono, Deep Vee, and Offshore boat it was running fast enough to take all three of those records at once.

 

[Andy Brown]

The IMPBA stepped mono rule needs to be changed to reflect the technological advances in real racing mono design.

No need to change the rules. The mono rules we have now are simple and still somewhat vague. We don't need to complicate them any more.

Our 39" microBurst has a solid 1" X 1" square aluminum block on the transom to extend the strut back. This is not a lot different the the first boat in Christian pics. So is the back of my square block now the transom and the original transom is now a step?

Yeah but they dont allow steps Andy, thats caveman. Alot of the new modern monos have steps, no need to stay in the dark ages simply to prevent complication. Honestly I never understood complicated in that sense. They have rules we just follow them. If we are constanly looking for grey areas why have rules at all? No matter, to not allow stepped monos in the mono class is backwards. Making them compete with hydros is really backwards. If were to be representative of the real boats, which is whats implied by the need to have sponsor logos, numbers, and drivers, then why not be totally accurate and allow stepped monos?I like new stuff.

JMO

Hugh

If you put steps on a mono it runs in the hydro class. I have done that. I put two steps in a deep vee and ran it at the winter nats one year. Fred Mc Broom came to my tent after I raced it in a hydro heat and he said that boat just ran in a hydro heat, thinking I screwed up. I showed him the bottom, he shook his head, and slowly walked away. I then went to Indy and Got 7th place with it at the indy unlimited running against over 100 boats in the same class. Mostly hydros. Could have been in the top 3 if someone had not turned on their radio on my frequency on my last heat that I was winning. I got some lucky heats but mono hulls are usually a lot slower that the riggers so they would typically just get in the way. Would you want guys with Mono hulls racing in the hydro class? I think not. That is the point I was trying to make at the time. I tried to change some of the rules many many years ago. One of the changes I did get through was being able to use a flat bottom strut. I had to convince the board that a flat bottom strut would not give the mono an advantage, just allow the youngblood boats and tidewater hardware to be legal.

You have to look at what constitutes a hydro to keep the classes separate. Hydros started out as single step mono hulls. That was what made the two classes different. Like Andy said......if you design a mono correctly it does not need wings or steps. In fact wings cause drag and slow you down. Like someone said......look at Jerry Crowthers boat at 98 mph. The boat does not need wings or steps because the boat is flying above the water. Simple is best.

John,

Glad you chimed in. Look at the aft end of the strakes and Tom Foley's 3D photos and let us know your thoughts. I know 3D's have been legal IMPBA monos for years and the strake termination is not much different than some others have done. I believe the rule book may say that strakes ending befor the transom must be faired into the bottom at a 45 degree angle. They do fair in at a 45 on the 3D from the plan view. Shouldn't it be 45 from the side view? Or maybe the IMPBA rule book does not say? Maybe it was a NAMBA rule I was thinking of? Or is this detail not important?

Where do we draw the line are parts that hang off the back of the transom. We have a 1-1/4" square alu. block on the transom of our microBurst. It is used to help extend the strut back. It is about 1.5" above the keel. Is this bolt on part legal or illegal? In affect it is doing the same as Christian's extention, holding the strut.

Where do trim tab fall into this? I saw some Japanese Northwinds that were set up for SAW with trim tabs that where at least 10" long.

 

[dwilfong]

The IMPBA stepped mono rule needs to be changed to reflect the technological advances in real racing mono design.

No need to change the rules. The mono rules we have now are simple and still somewhat vague. We don't need to complicate them any more.

Our 39" microBurst has a solid 1" X 1" square aluminum block on the transom to extend the strut back. This is not a lot different the the first boat in Christian pics. So is the back of my square block now the transom and the original transom is now a step?

Yeah but they dont allow steps Andy, thats caveman. Alot of the new modern monos have steps, no need to stay in the dark ages simply to prevent complication. Honestly I never understood complicated in that sense. They have rules we just follow them. If we are constanly looking for grey areas why have rules at all? No matter, to not allow stepped monos in the mono class is backwards. Making them compete with hydros is really backwards. If were to be representative of the real boats, which is whats implied by the need to have sponsor logos, numbers, and drivers, then why not be totally accurate and allow stepped monos?I like new stuff.

JMO

Hugh

If you put steps on a mono it runs in the hydro class. I have done that. I put two steps in a deep vee and ran it at the winter nats one year. Fred Mc Broom came to my tent after I raced it in a hydro heat and he said that boat just ran in a hydro heat, thinking I screwed up. I showed him the bottom, he shook his head, and slowly walked away. I then went to Indy and Got 7th place with it at the indy unlimited running against over 100 boats in the same class. Mostly hydros. Could have been in the top 3 if someone had not turned on their radio on my frequency on my last heat that I was winning. I got some lucky heats but mono hulls are usually a lot slower that the riggers so they would typically just get in the way. Would you want guys with Mono hulls racing in the hydro class? I think not. That is the point I was trying to make at the time. I tried to change some of the rules many many years ago. One of the changes I did get through was being able to use a flat bottom strut. I had to convince the board that a flat bottom strut would not give the mono an advantage, just allow the youngblood boats and tidewater hardware to be legal.

You have to look at what constitutes a hydro to keep the classes separate. Hydros started out as single step mono hulls. That was what made the two classes different. Like Andy said......if you design a mono correctly it does not need wings or steps. In fact wings cause drag and slow you down. Like someone said......look at Jerry Crowthers boat at 98 mph. The boat does not need wings or steps because the boat is flying above the water. Simple is best.

John,

Glad you chimed in. Look at the aft end of the strakes and Tom Foley's 3D photos and let us know your thoughts. I know 3D's have been legal IMPBA monos for years and the strake termination is not much different than some others have done. I believe the rule book may say that strakes ending befor the transom must be faired into the bottom at a 45 degree angle. They do fair in at a 45 on the 3D from the plan view. Shouldn't it be 45 from the side view? Or maybe the IMPBA rule book does not say? Maybe it was a NAMBA rule I was thinking of? Or is this detail not important?

Where do we draw the line are parts that hang off the back of the transom. We have a 1-1/4" square alu. block on the transom of our microBurst. It is used to help extend the strut back. It is about 1.5" above the keel. Is this bolt on part legal or illegal? In affect it is doing the same as Christian's extention, holding the strut.

Where do trim tab fall into this? I saw some Japanese Northwinds that were set up for SAW with trim tabs that where at least 10" long.

If you think about it. A trim tab is a extension of the V surface. Not a step or a flat ride pad.

So it can be as long as it wants to be?

 

[Andy Brown]

The IMPBA stepped mono rule needs to be changed to reflect the technological advances in real racing mono design.

No need to change the rules. The mono rules we have now are simple and still somewhat vague. We don't need to complicate them any more.

Our 39" microBurst has a solid 1" X 1" square aluminum block on the transom to extend the strut back. This is not a lot different the the first boat in Christian pics. So is the back of my square block now the transom and the original transom is now a step?

Yeah but they dont allow steps Andy, thats caveman. Alot of the new modern monos have steps, no need to stay in the dark ages simply to prevent complication. Honestly I never understood complicated in that sense. They have rules we just follow them. If we are constanly looking for grey areas why have rules at all? No matter, to not allow stepped monos in the mono class is backwards. Making them compete with hydros is really backwards. If were to be representative of the real boats, which is whats implied by the need to have sponsor logos, numbers, and drivers, then why not be totally accurate and allow stepped monos?I like new stuff.

JMO

Hugh

If you put steps on a mono it runs in the hydro class. I have done that. I put two steps in a deep vee and ran it at the winter nats one year. Fred Mc Broom came to my tent after I raced it in a hydro heat and he said that boat just ran in a hydro heat, thinking I screwed up. I showed him the bottom, he shook his head, and slowly walked away. I then went to Indy and Got 7th place with it at the indy unlimited running against over 100 boats in the same class. Mostly hydros. Could have been in the top 3 if someone had not turned on their radio on my frequency on my last heat that I was winning. I got some lucky heats but mono hulls are usually a lot slower that the riggers so they would typically just get in the way. Would you want guys with Mono hulls racing in the hydro class? I think not. That is the point I was trying to make at the time. I tried to change some of the rules many many years ago. One of the changes I did get through was being able to use a flat bottom strut. I had to convince the board that a flat bottom strut would not give the mono an advantage, just allow the youngblood boats and tidewater hardware to be legal.

You have to look at what constitutes a hydro to keep the classes separate. Hydros started out as single step mono hulls. That was what made the two classes different. Like Andy said......if you design a mono correctly it does not need wings or steps. In fact wings cause drag and slow you down. Like someone said......look at Jerry Crowthers boat at 98 mph. The boat does not need wings or steps because the boat is flying above the water. Simple is best.

John,

Glad you chimed in. Look at the aft end of the strakes and Tom Foley's 3D photos and let us know your thoughts. I know 3D's have been legal IMPBA monos for years and the strake termination is not much different than some others have done. I believe the rule book may say that strakes ending befor the transom must be faired into the bottom at a 45 degree angle. They do fair in at a 45 on the 3D from the plan view. Shouldn't it be 45 from the side view? Or maybe the IMPBA rule book does not say? Maybe it was a NAMBA rule I was thinking of? Or is this detail not important?

Where do we draw the line are parts that hang off the back of the transom. We have a 1-1/4" square alu. block on the transom of our microBurst. It is used to help extend the strut back. It is about 1.5" above the keel. Is this bolt on part legal or illegal? In affect it is doing the same as Christian's extention, holding the strut.

Where do trim tab fall into this? I saw some Japanese Northwinds that were set up for SAW with trim tabs that where at least 10" long.

If you think about it. A trim tab is a extension of the V surface. Not a step or a flat ride pad.

So it can be as long as it wants to be?

It would ONLY be an extention if it is mounted flush to the bottom of the boat. If it is raised up 3/32" above the bottom at the transom, a step is now created. No?

 

[John Finch]

The IMPBA stepped mono rule needs to be changed to reflect the technological advances in real racing mono design.

No need to change the rules. The mono rules we have now are simple and still somewhat vague. We don't need to complicate them any more.

Our 39" microBurst has a solid 1" X 1" square aluminum block on the transom to extend the strut back. This is not a lot different the the first boat in Christian pics. So is the back of my square block now the transom and the original transom is now a step?

Yeah but they dont allow steps Andy, thats caveman. Alot of the new modern monos have steps, no need to stay in the dark ages simply to prevent complication. Honestly I never understood complicated in that sense. They have rules we just follow them. If we are constanly looking for grey areas why have rules at all? No matter, to not allow stepped monos in the mono class is backwards. Making them compete with hydros is really backwards. If were to be representative of the real boats, which is whats implied by the need to have sponsor logos, numbers, and drivers, then why not be totally accurate and allow stepped monos?I like new stuff.

JMO

Hugh

If you put steps on a mono it runs in the hydro class. I have done that. I put two steps in a deep vee and ran it at the winter nats one year. Fred Mc Broom came to my tent after I raced it in a hydro heat and he said that boat just ran in a hydro heat, thinking I screwed up. I showed him the bottom, he shook his head, and slowly walked away. I then went to Indy and Got 7th place with it at the indy unlimited running against over 100 boats in the same class. Mostly hydros. Could have been in the top 3 if someone had not turned on their radio on my frequency on my last heat that I was winning. I got some lucky heats but mono hulls are usually a lot slower that the riggers so they would typically just get in the way. Would you want guys with Mono hulls racing in the hydro class? I think not. That is the point I was trying to make at the time. I tried to change some of the rules many many years ago. One of the changes I did get through was being able to use a flat bottom strut. I had to convince the board that a flat bottom strut would not give the mono an advantage, just allow the youngblood boats and tidewater hardware to be legal.

You have to look at what constitutes a hydro to keep the classes separate. Hydros started out as single step mono hulls. That was what made the two classes different. Like Andy said......if you design a mono correctly it does not need wings or steps. In fact wings cause drag and slow you down. Like someone said......look at Jerry Crowthers boat at 98 mph. The boat does not need wings or steps because the boat is flying above the water. Simple is best.

John,

Glad you chimed in. Look at the aft end of the strakes and Tom Foley's 3D photos and let us know your thoughts. I know 3D's have been legal IMPBA monos for years and the strake termination is not much different than some others have done. I believe the rule book may say that strakes ending befor the transom must be faired into the bottom at a 45 degree angle. They do fair in at a 45 on the 3D from the plan view. Shouldn't it be 45 from the side view? Or maybe the IMPBA rule book does not say? Maybe it was a NAMBA rule I was thinking of? Or is this detail not important?

Where do we draw the line are parts that hang off the back of the transom. We have a 1-1/4" square alu. block on the transom of our microBurst. It is used to help extend the strut back. It is about 1.5" above the keel. Is this bolt on part legal or illegal? In affect it is doing the same as Christian's extention, holding the strut.

Where do trim tab fall into this? I saw some Japanese Northwinds that were set up for SAW with trim tabs that where at least 10" long.

Andy,

I see the block as just part of the strut bracket. There are a lot of hard calls on boat designs as you well know. Anyone can submit a drawing of their boat to me for approval. most of the time the design is not legal as stated in the rule book. People just need to read the rule book. The strakes must be flared but the rules do not say which direction the flair should be. We limited the width and depth of the strakes to make all boats legal that were in production and also keep the possible steps from being operational steps. Don Pinckert actually came up with the dimensions. They cannot be squared off like a true step. The bottom line is if you want to use them as steps, your boat is too wet to do any good anyway. The deep vee hulls we race work best when there is a vee to run on. Flats cause skipping and loss of control. You will notice most strakes are just below the engine mount rails. They make for the perfect way to keep the hull from photographing through the hull when the rails are attached to the hull. I prefer no strakes for SAW. They can cause the boat to chine walk. The original 3d boats would chine walk baddly at the end of the straightaway. I called Mr. Daniels and told him he could stop the chine walk by removing the strakes at the rear of the boat and he tried it. The shallow vee 3d boat that is seen earlier in this thread was fast down the straightaway but slides baddly in the corners because it is the keel in the deep vee boat that keeps the boat in the turn and a shallow vee does not grab enough to bite the water well. To answer your question..... The boat is legal. Trim tabs will slow a mono by 5 to 7 mph. Let the prop and rudder be the trim devices.

 

[Andy Brown]

Ok, thanks for that info John. Sounds like one just needs to read the rules. John, you mentioned your work in getting the flat bottom strut leagalized. Obviously it was illegal at one time. Currently there is no restrictions on hardware written in the rules.

The only mention of hardware at all is 1- b. "No point on a hull cross section shall be deeper in the water than the center keel

(skid fins, trim tabs, and cavitation plates excepted)."

Does this mean there are in fact no restrictions on hardware?

One more question John. Is it required for an individual to sumitt drawnings or a hull to the IMPBA mono director in order for his hull to be legal for records? Or can he just show up at a record trial and have the CD make the decisions about the legality of his mono?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[bzubee]

Andy you'd be better off submitting your drawings/ plans to get approved prior to attempting a record. Once you attempt a record that is when someone can protest your equipment. I have seen it done a couple of times at records trials. Better to have approval first than spend the monies and then have your equipment protested.

 

[Andy Brown]

Andy you'd be better off submitting your drawings/ plans to get approved prior to attempting a record. Once you attempt a record that is when someone can protest your equipment. I have seen it done a couple of times at records trials. Better to have approval first than spend the monies and then have your equipment protested.

You mean like it's ok until it goes to fast? LOL

Been there, done that with a sport 45...that was 22 years ago and if the same boat came out today not one person would bat an eye.

 

[Christian Lucas]

Hi John,

what about this extrem extention . what about the long boat from Camile ,France, if now wing is at the transom and what about my outrigged trim tabs .

i have seen Japan SAW boat that use a ski that has a big S wave design so that one point at the bow tuch the water and one at the transom ,no step .Trow a ball fast over water it will bounce on the surface.

 

[guy leveque]

camille long boat is clearly a stepped hull, as far as I know he only practises FE free saw experimentations

the approach is to transfer the hydro ridind concept into monohull configuration

in France most FE mono are stepped hull, coming basically from german originally concepts

there are no special rules today in europe for saw records, compared to the states

++GL

 

[John Finch]

Ok, thanks for that info John. Sounds like one just needs to read the rules. John, you mentioned your work in getting the flat bottom strut leagalized. Obviously it was illegal at one time. Currently there is no restrictions on hardware written in the rules.

The only mention of hardware at all is 1- b. "No point on a hull cross section shall be deeper in the water than the center keel

(skid fins, trim tabs, and cavitation plates excepted)."

Does this mean there are in fact no restrictions on hardware?

One more question John. Is it required for an individual to sumitt drawnings or a hull to the IMPBA mono director in order for his hull to be legal for records? Or can he just show up at a record trial and have the CD make the decisions about the legality of his mono?

Thanks,

Andy

Andy,

Bill is right about making sure the boat is legal before going to the saw event. My sport gas hydro was under question at the last SAW in E-City. I had to let several people read the rules to prove to them it was legal. Measurements on width were doubtful but found to be well within limits. Measurements etc MUST be done and entered on the records Application. You know this, but I am just letting the other readers know who have not been through the process. We have rejected boats and taken records away if something is not right when the tech is done. There are no rules on hardware, but if someone uses an appendage that can be construed as a hydrofoil or a planing surface, it is not legal. The intent of IMPBA under technical standards in the rule book is to have two distinct classifications. Monoplanes and hydroplanes. It also states that no non permanent modifications can be made to the hull to change it's classification. We are just talking IMPBA. I had to make a call on Ed Hugheys mono in Huntsville one time. He pushed the rules to the max with two strakes close to the keel, but they were not as deep as the keel, so the boat was legal. Obviously you have something in mind. Just shoot me some drawings and we can discuss it. Maybe the first to do 100 with a mono? I have thought about it but still playing with the gas hydros. 100 with a mono is very doable. ELECTRIC!!!!!

Christian,

I see that extension as a planing surface and not legal for IMPBA mono class.

 

[John Finch]

Andy you'd be better off submitting your drawings/ plans to get approved prior to attempting a record. Once you attempt a record that is when someone can protest your equipment. I have seen it done a couple of times at records trials. Better to have approval first than spend the monies and then have your equipment protested.

You mean like it's ok until it goes to fast? LOL

Been there, done that with a sport 45...that was 22 years ago and if the same boat came out today not one person would bat an eye.

Andy,

An old nitro guy would know the difference, but a gas guy would most likely not bat an eye. The gas boaters are growing the hobby and there are more racers than modelers anymore. They want to go fast and don't understand how much thought went into making the rules the way they are. I learned the hard way too. Don Pinckert called me up one day when I was trying to modify the rules on the mono class and you can guess what he said. The conversation started with something like "you dumb Bxxxxxx". I got reamed pretty good. Then he explained why the rules are the way they are. I changed my heading on the rule changes after that call.

 

[bzubee]

Andy you'd be better off submitting your drawings/ plans to get approved prior to attempting a record. Once you attempt a record that is when someone can protest your equipment. I have seen it done a couple of times at records trials. Better to have approval first than spend the monies and then have your equipment protested.

You mean like it's ok until it goes to fast? LOL

Been there, done that with a sport 45...that was 22 years ago and if the same boat came out today not one person would bat an eye.

YES! Same for races no one cares if you have a bigger engine than the class allows unless you beat them or one of their buddies. Then you have protest wars going on.