The South West Association of Model Boat Clubs
Team Tug Towing & Single Tug Pusher/Towing Competition Rules
(Revised November 2004)
1. The dates, venues and number of meetings for the SWAMBC Tug Towing Championships will be
agreed by the Club Reps’ at the SWAMBC AGM.
2. At each meeting there should be an Officer of the Day (OOD) appointed by the host club and the SWAMBC Tug Towing Competition Secretary or his deputy.
Entry
3. Open only to members of Club’s affiliated to SWAMBC. All entrants must have third party
public liability insurance cover or a membership card if their Club has insurance for its members
4. Each entrant may enter any two of the three tug classes and may use the same tug boat in both
classes.
5. There will be a £2.00 entry fee per boat entered at each meeting.
Format
6. For the first meeting of the championship the current reigning champions in each class will go first on the course. For each subsequent round the winners of each class at the previous meeting will go first, but only providing the R/C frequencies allow.
7. The Championship will be decided over four meetings (dates and venues agreed at the SWAMBC AGM). Booking in time from 9.00am, skippers briefing approx.10.00am, first steering round will start 10.30am.
Classes
The competition meetings will be for 3 classes as follows:
Team Tug Towing
8. A team must consist of 2 or 3 entrants each operating a tug. Two tugs must be tethered to the tow either both on the bow or one on the bow and one on the stern. If a third tug is used it must sail untethered.
9. A three-member team may drop any one person from that team at each meeting, but all three members must enter at least one round each, and the team member’s names must be registered at the first meeting they enter. The SWAMBC Tug Towing Comp’ Sec’ will be responsible for keeping this list.
10. The team members and the tugs they operate must remain unchanged during a meeting, but they can change their tow position, ie switch between the bow and stern tow or in a team of three with the free running tug.
Single Tug Pusher
11. One modeller using one tug, the dumb barges must be attached to the tugs bow towing points, more than one towline may be used. The course will require the tug to push the barges in its forward direction through the gates and obstacles; however, there may be a few obstacles that require some reversing.
Single Tug Towing
12. One modeller using one tug, the dumb barges must be attached to the tugs stern towing points, only one towline may be used. The course will require the tug to pull the barges in its forward direction through the gates and obstacles.
Tug boats
13. All boats used must be radio-controlled models of ships designed and built for the purpose of towing, (deep sea, estuary, harbour and river tugs are acceptable). The decision as to whether a model is acceptable for entry will be made by the OOD together with the SWAMBC TT Com’ Sec’ or his deputy, their decision is final.
14. The tugs may be of any size.
15. All boats must use the proper towing points.
Further references in these rules regarding Team Tug Towing will be called “Team” and Single Tug Towing or Single Tug Pusher classes will be referred to as “Single”.
The Tow (Team only)
16. The number and types of vessels to be towed will be at the discretion of the host Club.
The tow will usually be of a semi-scale tanker or merchant ship weighing between 80 and 150 pounds.
17. There will be towing points on the stern and bow of the tow and markings for one third and two thirds of the hulls length.
The Dumb Barges (Single only)
18. The size and type of barge to be towed or pushed will be at the host clubs discretion.
19. The length of the towline from the tug to the barges is at the discretion of the competitor, but if any lines are used to tie the dumb barges together they may not be altered.
The Course
20. The course design, number and type of obstacle are at the host club’s discretion. (except for push-apart buoys/gates and horn pad type obstacles which will not be included as part of the course) All obstacles must be clearly visible from the skippers operating area. Each entrant will be provided with a course drawing/map.
21. All tugs (including a free running Team Tug) and the tow must complete the course given. But if necessary should there be queue of boats waiting to enter one obstacle, the Course Judge can ask the entrant(s) that he or she is judging to continue onto the next obstacle. The Course Judge must notify the entrant(s) to return to the “missed” obstacle before the course is completed.
Course marking/scoring
22. A designated “SWAMBC Tug Towing Course Judge” will do on-the-water course judging and marking.
(To qualify to become a Course Judge contact the SWAMBC Tug Towing Competition Secretary)
23. 1 penalty point is given for each touch of any obstacle, by the tugs, tow or barges. This does not apply to the towline.
24. The maximum penalty for each group of obstacles in a Team is 15 points (20 points for a team of three) and 10 points are score for either Single Tug classes.
25. Should any tug, tow or barge take a wrong course (ie enter and exit in the wrong direction) the entrant/s will be scored the maximum score of 15 points for a Team (20pts for a team of three) and 10 pts for Single classes.
26. If a Team or Single tug entry fail to complete the course the maximum penalty score will be scored for each remaining obstacle on the course.
27. Obstacles with solid sides, such as parallel bars or canals will be marked in zones with a 1” wide band approx. 24” apart along their length. Any contact by any part of a tug, tow or barge in each zone will score 1 point. Should any of these slide along one side of a canal type obstacle it will score penalty points for the total number of zones it crosses while in contact. The maximum penalty score for each of the classes still apply.
28. A Team or Single tug may make any number of attempts at each obstacle. Any contact during each attempt by the tug(s), the tow or the barge will score penalty points. If the maximum is scored, the skipper(s) must continue onto the next obstacle.
Team Tug Towing only
29. Teams using 2 tugs may make contact with the tow without scoring penalties, if 3 tugs are used only the free running tug is allowed deliberate hull contact with the tow, any contact by either of the tethered tugs on the tow will score 1 point each time.
30. If a tow is dragged along an obstacle or buoy the team will receive 1 point for each of the three sections marked on the tow’s hull.
On the water breakdowns
31.Once a Team/Single tug(s) enter the first obstacle on the course they are deemed to have started the course.
32.If for any reason a Team/Single tug cannot complete the course due to flat batteries, radio problems or any other failure under the control of the skipper(s), they will score the maximum score for each of the remaining obstacles. The only exception would be if the breakdown was caused by outside interference, ie getting caught on the towline, an obstacle mooring line, obstruction or hit by another boat (not in the same team).
33.If there is any dispute regarding whether a breakdown was under the control or not of the skipper the decision will be made by the Course Judge and the Meeting OOD and/or the SWAMBC Tug Towing Sec’ or his deputy.
Team Tug Towing only
34.Should one tug in a team breakdown when navigating the course, the remaining tug or tugs can complete the course providing they finish with the tow and have received no outside assistance or maintenance. If the tug concerned were tethered to the tow it would be scored the same as for a boat under control. But if a free running tug failed to complete the course the team would receive the maximum penalty score each remaining obstacle.
Overall scoring
35.At each meeting points will be awarded for the finishing places. These will be scored as followed: 1st place 21 points, 2nd – 18, 3rd – 16, 4th – 15 and so on to 1 point for 18th or over places.
36.If there is a tie for any of the top 3 places at a meeting, they will be separated by the following method:
The first tow/barge used at the meeting (who ever the skipper was), will be the basis for deciding which on-the-water score will separate the team/entrants who have a tied score. The team/entrants with the lowest penalty score from their on-the-water round using this tow/barge will be placed higher. If this score ties, then the second tow/barge used at the meeting will be compared and so on. If all the on-the-water penalties are tied then the team/entrant involved will be placed equally and receive equal Championship points.
37.The lowest score from any one of the meetings will be discarded. In the event of a tie the highest discarded score will be placed.
General
38.All the rules are set to be fair and give everyone taking part a “level playing field”. Should anyone gain an advantage through action not covered by these rules the Meeting OOD together with the SWAMBC Tug Towing Competition Secretary or his deputy can, and will, apply penalties if necessary – their decision is final.
39.A competitor may appeal against the penalty score he or she has received. They must notify the meeting OOD on completing their on-the-water steering course. The meeting OOD together with the SWAMBC Tug Towing Sec or his deputy and the Course Judge involved will review the score sheet, and can adjust the score if they feel it necessary. Their decision is final.
Meeting cancellation
40.A meeting will be cancelled due to bad weather etc, only with the agreement of the majority of those who attended on the day or in advance by the Tug Towing Comp’ Sec’ with at least 48 hours notice given to ALL participants to date. If a meeting is cancelled once it has started SWAMBC Championship points will only be awarded providing one class has completed at least two on-the-water rounds for every entrant. Any class that has not completed two rounds for all the entrants will not receive championship points. In these circumstances all the remaining meetings will count towards the overall Championship.
Copyright SWAMBC
