Notice to Owners, Drivers, and Crew

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Check:
Driver’s License / Physical expiration date, capsule dunk date and safety equipment re-certification dates: Jackets, Blower Restraints, Seat Belts, (if due, you might consider a 6/7 point system) and Helmets.  Snell 2000 helmets are no longer approved.

Please note that all drivers and boats participating in any ADBA, CDBA, KDBA, SDBA or SLDBA event, will have to be in compliance with all the rules contained in the 2019 Rulebook.

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Capsule Boats:
Capsule Re-certification Program - To Be Determined.

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Air Supply:
Check the expiration dates on your air bottle(s) - ‘VIP’ (visual inspection – due annually) and ‘DOT’ (hydrostatic insp. – due every five (5) years). Stage one (tank) and stage two (helmet) systems need to be inspected/rebuilt by a dive shop or mfg., every three years.

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Capsule Flotation: 
12”x12”x1” = 4.5 lbs buoyancy. 12” of noodle = 10lbs of buoyancy. Contact your Association Safety/Tech if you have questions.

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Emergency Release Cables (Kasse type excepted):
It is recommended that a lanyard be attached from the front bracket to the cage.

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Knee and Shin Protectors:
Required in all Capsule boats.

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Parachutes:
Several failures last year. The chutes need to be dry before packing. UV rays affect the lanyards strength, so avoid hanging in the sun. Chutes and lanyards should be washed (tie the lanyards so they don’t tangle) between races, especially after Phoenix races. Chutes should be stored in a mesh bag between races to avoid mildew.
A 1” diameter bushing with minimum 3/8” grade 8 hardware should be used for attaching.

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Pingers: 
Check your pinger operation---wet your finger, hold over the sensor, and put to your ear. If operating properly, you will hear it pinging. The batteries have a 7 year shelf life. To test the battery, you need a tester that will put an 8 to 10 amp load on the battery. Anything below 6v fails the battery.
Starting in 2015 the pinger must be out of the capsule for testing at safety inspection. The boat number and battery mfg. date should be on the outside of the pinger case.

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Pour – In Seats:
Check your seats…if the foam insert is cracked or crushed, replace it.

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Pump Loaders, Props, Prop Shafts, and Prop Struts:
These need to be dye checked regularly. We experienced failures last year. Not only is your safety at stake but also that of your opponent and the race officials.

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Rope Deflectors:
Review rule 8.22. The deflector should be 45 degrees, made of¾” OD x .049” wall thickness, or equivalent material, and be able to deflect the rope over the highest and widest point of the boat and equipment.

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Rudder Stops: 
Consider putting stops on the rudder travel.  We had failures in the steering system, that allowed the bell crank(s) to over-center, locking the rudder in a full deflection, causing accidents.

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Steering Shafts:
 It is recommended that the shaft be supported at the forward end of the cage, or at the front of the capsule shell.

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Seat Belts:
The mounting location of your belts is critical. Allowance has to be made for the Hans-Type device, both height and spread. The lap belts need to be mounted below the center of the pelvis. (look at where they are mounted in your car or truck)
  
For Capsule, Boat and Driver Safety Inspection, see KDBA Safety Inspection Sheet above.

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Generator and RV Generator Exhaust:
As our sport grows, so does the amount of RV’s and use of aux. generators. With more  racers and crews spending the night in the pits, it is time to address carbon monoxide emissions. It is recommended that the use of venturi type exhaust stacks be used. These can be purchased at RV Stores, or constructed.

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Open Boat Kill Switch Lanyards:
The Lanyard should activate the kill switch anytime the driver’s posterior travels more than 18” from the sitting/ driving position. Check your lanyard and be aware that a ‘coiled type’ lanyard can stretch further than 18”, allowing the driver to be further in harms way.
   
Holding Rope:
The Holding Rope will be marked as follows;
Red- indicates the outside and inside of the lane. Boats must wait outside of the lane until the holding area within the lane is clear. The inside red mark indicates the distance from the start barge a boat must maintain.
Yellow- indicates the center of the lane.