IJSBA Releases Managing Director's Recommendations For Changes To The 2013 Competition Rule Book

Each year, IJSBA solicits suggestions for changes to the Competition Rule Book. The IJSBA Managing Director then lists the suggestions online for public input. After public input has been received, the Managing Director prepares a list of recommendations and then sends the recommendations to a voting bloc. The votes are tallied and submitted to the IJSBA Board of Directors for ratification.

This year’s process was especially interesting. We had hoped to make little to no changes to the rule book. Instead, we received thirty five suggestions. Many of you must have really wanted to be thorough and pondered these suggestions for a long time seeing as how 90% of the feedback was received after January 2nd.

Below are the thirty five submissions and the recommended course of action based upon the feedback received from the community. IJSBA plans to have the results posted on January 8 by midnight (PST). If you have any immediate questions regarding these recommendations, please email info@ijsba.com.

Shall IJSBA allow aftermarket hoods in Ski Limited Classes?
Recommendation: Yes, for Ski PWC built in quantities greater than 300. Ski PWC have been unchanged for greater than five years and some productions of popularly used units have ceased. IJSBA has allowed minor internal modifications to OEM hoods to accommodate aftermarket exhaust systems. Taking the circumstances of the Limited Class, for Ski, as it has evolved, and considering that OEM replacement hoods are in increasingly short supply- with higher prices as a result, a provision to allow aftermarket hoods should result in overall cost savings in the long and short run.
Shall IJSBA specifically name valves and valve seats as wear and tear items eligible for replacement in Stock Classes?
Recommendation: Yes, so long as the valves are exact dimension replicas as the original OEM valves.. Valve seats have already been allowed as wear and tear items eligible for replacement. Stock Class competitors are often rebuilding engines due to strenuous wear and tear. Rebuilds may be less frequent with stronger valve components. Titanium should not be an eligible material for replacement valves
Shall IJSBA remove the provision for aftermarket ECU from Stock Classes? (Note: if passed, would require a one-year waiting time and would not be official until 2014).
Recommendation: No. While the idea of removing aftermarket ECU from Stock Class provisions remains an attractive idea for lowering costs to be competitive, the consequences are to empower OEM appearing aftermarket ECU and to increase the cost of ECU reflashing. As it is now, the cost of aftermarket ECU is dropping. Furthermore, the lower priced ECU are offering new features, like offsite diagnoses capabilities, which may prevent damage to units and reduce downtime of units that need to be repaired.
Shall IJSBA allow Trim Tabs to be shortened in Limited Classes?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA increase the provision to include wheels?
Recommendation: Yes, for Limited Class. Numerous suggestions came in for adding clarifying language regarding supercharger wheels. A couple of suggestions came in regarding an allowance for aftermarket supercharger wheels in Stock Class which I recommend does not even come up for a vote.
Shall IJSBA have model specific boost pressures in Limited Class?
Recommendation: No. As of now, there are no turbocharged runabout currently being produced. Only one line of IJSBA legal runabout has been produced which includes a turbocharger. Boost control is more relevant for Stock Class turbocharged systems where OEM components can be pushed beyond OEM limits by means of ECU reprogramming. In the case of Limited Class, IJSBA intends for aftermarket supercharger systems to increase boost and increase performance. Limiting the boost pressure beyond the confines of using the OEM supercharger housing does not appear to be needed.
Shall IJSBA allow the bond rail width to be increased in Ski Open? If yes, shall this provision be limited to scale or a provision of standard measurement.
Recommendation: Yes, with a provision to limit it to scale of the OEM unit. The purpose of this rule is to allow Open Class Ski users the ability to use common aftermarket hulls on a variety of OEM top deck, and replica, applications. Competitors will benefit by allowing aftermarket hulls to be compatible with multiple brand applications. This will allow for cheaper development costs of the hulls and accompanying aftermarket components because they will not have to be modified or reengineered for compatibility with varying top decks. IJSBA should limit the scale to be an increase between the OEM top deck measurement and the maximum allowance for Ski width. Wider OEM Ski units would be allowed little to no top deck widening while narrower units would be allowed sufficient width to use a uniformed bottom deck configuration.
Shall IJSBA increase the minimum weight in Runabout Open class? If yes, shall the weight be set at 700lbs or 750lbs?
Recommendation Yes. The horsepower to weight ratio is requiring that IJSBA restrict weight reduction as horsepower capabilities increase. However, as OEM units may vary in weight to OEM horsepower, IJSBA should develop a scale to tailor certain weight reductions to a ratio of weight to engine displacement. To this end, the enforcement of a 750lb standard weight should not occur until 2014 so that limits can be developed.
Shall electric, marine type, fans be allowed in Ski Open and Runabout classes?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Shall IJSBA allow a lowering of the tray wells in Ski Open class? If yes, shall this provision be model specific?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Shall IJSBA increase the displacement allowance for four stroke engines in the Ski Open class to 1650cc? If no, shall can this provision pass as a Ski GP only allowance?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Shall IJSBA return the GP Ski class displacement to 900cc for Turbocharged Four Stroke PWC?
Recommendation: Yes. Creating a uniformed displacement for the GP class would benefit competitors by allowing them to use their GP built Ski in more locations. It is important to note that Open class displacement would remain at 850cc under this provision.
Shall IJSBA specifically allow drilled but capped manifolds to be used in Stock Class?
Recommendation: Yes. Manifolds that have been drilled and capped but otherwise are OEM should be allowed to be used in Stock Classes.
Shall IJSBA abandon the OEM Replica requirement for Ski Open?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA abandon the OEM Replica requirement for Ski Open?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA set a maximum boost pressure for Four Stroke PWC in Ski Open?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Shall IJSBA set a maximum boost pressure for Four Stroke PWC in Runabout Open?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA institute a ban on Pro License holders from competing on Stock Runabout?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA allow two stroke based Ski to use aftermarket hulls in Ski Limited?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA set a minimum weight for Freestyle? If yes, what weight?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA require a motocross style back protector in all Ski Classes? If no, shall IJSBA require this back protector in Open and GP classes?
Recommendation: Yes, for all Ski classes, mandatory by 2014. IJSBA should require competitors to wear an impact distribution device which shields the spinal column from the transverse plane above the scapula through the entire lumbar section. Suggested language: “Protection devices may be rigid or soft material capable of absorbing and distributing an impact sufficient to reduce injury. Devices must not be capable of absorbing water. Where there is doubt that the device covers the required area of the spinal column, the following measurement shall be used: “No greater distance shall be allowed than two inches below a horizontal line between the top of both shoulders and no less distance shall be allowed than three inches below a horizontal line between both hips.” The race director shall have the final determination in whether back protection is adequate.
Shall IJSBA allow full face shield helmets with the requirement that the shield be quickly removable or the pivoting type with no lock mechanism?
Recommendation: Yes. It is important to note that this provision does not make the use of full face shield helmets mandatory. In keeping with other motorized watersports which operate at the speed of today’s contemporary PWC, competitors may be interested in additional face protection which reduces the risk or orbital area fractures upon impact. If a full face shield helmet is used, the shields may not be fixed and must either have a pivoting feature or another quick release mechanism. All other helmet certification requirements remain in place for full face shield helmets.
Shall IJSBA allow a spec built replacement pump for Hydrospace S4 PWC in Stock Class? In no, shall IJSBA allow a spec built replacement pump for Hydrospace S4 PWC in Limited Class?
Recommendation: Yes. It is an impossibility for competitors to obtain replacement pumps for S4 PWC. IJSBA should accept replacement pumps that are produced to approved specifications.
Shall IJSBA allow an increase of front sponson length in Ski Limited Class to the amount of 60 inches?
Recommendation: Yes, for Ski PWC models older than five years which were produced in quantities of 500 or more. Allowing this provision will continue IJSBA’s history of allowing older hulls to enjoy updated handling. Ski PWC would be allowed a total of sixty inches of total sponson length in a single or dual sponson (per side) configuration.
Shall IJSBA allow aftermarket exhaust systems in Runabout Limited Classes?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA allow AFR gauges in Runabout Limited Classes?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Shall IJSBA allow aftermarket fuel injectors in Runabout Limited Classes?
Recommendation: Yes. Aftermarket fuel injectors can increase fuel supply which will reduce the potential for engine damage.
Shall IJSBA allow breather holes to be cut into OEM hoods in Runabout Limited Classes?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA allow aftermarket water boxes in Runabout Limited Classes?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Shall IJSBA institute a maximum weight tolerance of 70lbs in Runabout Stock Class?
Recommendation: Yes. This provision should be changed to 60lbs at the recommendation of the community. A Stock Class PWC should weigh no less than 60lbs less than the OEM’s stated dry weight.
Procedural: Shall IJSBA have the Veterans Runabout Class remain an Open Class at World Finals as opposed to the announced change to Limited?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Procedural: Shall IJSBA merge Ski Open and Ski GP into one class at World Finals by ending Ski Open?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.
Procedural: Shall IJSBA merge Runabout Open and Runabout GP into one class at World Finals by ending Runabout Open?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Procedural: Shall IJSBA merge Two Stroke Ski Limited back into Ski Limited to create a single Ski Limited Class?
Recommendation: No. This suggestion did not receive any positive support from the community.
Procedural: Shall IJSBA require Pro Ski and Pro Runabout classes to use slalom score points towards their overall score?
Recommendation: No. Insufficient public support was received to recommend adopting this provision.