IRCWCC  RULES

 

PART  I - SAFETY

 

 

 

A.        RULE ONE

 

            Safety is the individual responsibility of each member at all times.

 

 

 

B.        CANNONS

 

            1.         Each cannon shall be equipped at all times with a metal safety pin which, when inserted crosswise through holes in the barrel, is capable of stopping the discharge of a BB.  Such safety pins must be permanently attached to the barrel or to a point on the ship within 6 inches of the cannon for which it is intended.

 

            2.         Safety pins shall be in place in cannon barrels at all times except when a ship is on the water ready for battle, or during the process of “tweaking” the ship’s cannons, provided that the process is carried out in a safe designated area.  A safety pin shall be inserted through the barrel of each cannon prior to or immediately after lifting a ship from the water.  A safety violation shall be recorded against a member for a violation occurring during an event.  Safety penalty points shall be assessed in accordance with section G., below, for violations which occur during an event.

 

            3.         No Cannon shall be discharged if it fires at an angle above horizontal.

 

            4.         Except as allowed by Part V, Section J (Shore Batteries), there shall be no firing at another ship from shore or firing from shore to water during a battle by any means.

 

 

 

C.        PERSONAL SAFETY

 

            1.         Except as provided in section C. 3., below, safety glasses with side shields shall be worn by all persons, including members, guests, or spectators, when they are in the marked pit area, or when they are battling or observing combat events.  Members are responsible for ensuring compliance by their guests and minor children.  A safety violation shall be recorded against a member for a violation occurring during an event.

            2.         A reasonable number of safety glasses with side shields shall be obtained and made available to the public if spectators are to be permitted to observe the pit area or to observe combat events from within 25 yards of the shore.  The number of spectators shall be limited to the number of safety glasses available.

 

             3.         If all ships competing at an event are off the water and in the pit area, a contest director may give the command “Make the area safe!” All Captains shall immediately disconnect or turning off the supply of gas, verify that each cannon is pinned, and verify that the ship’s radio receiver and the appropriate transmitter are turned off.  When the C. D. is satisfied that these actions have been taken by all Captains, the announcement “The area is safe!” may be made, and safety glasses may be temporarily removed.  No Captain shall not reconnect or turn on a gas supply, or turn on a receiver or transmitter, until the C. D. announces “The area is no longer safe!” and all persons have again put on safety glasses.

 

             4.         While a battle is in progress no person shall be permitted to sit, kneel or lie on the ground within 50 feet of the water's edge bordering the combat area.  The immediate shore area shall be kept clear of spectators to a depth of 10 feet to permit Captains to move freely while controlling their ships.

 

            5.         When any person enters the water to recover a ship the command “Man in the water!” shall be given.  All firing of cannons both by ships on the water and on shore shall immediately stop.  Unless otherwise ordered by the Contest Director, all ships shall stop and hold their relative positions until the person is again on shore.  A safety violation shall be recorded against a member for a violation occurring during an event.  Safety penalty points shall be assessed in accordance with section G., below, for violations which occur during an event.

 

            6.         When any person must swim or submerge to recover a sunken ship, that person shall have a suitable item of flotation equipment close at hand, and shall be accompanied by at least one other adult who is able to render immediate assistance to the person if necessary.  No IRCWCC event shall take place unless a suitable item of flotation equipment, equipped with a line for throwing and recovery, is present and continuously accessible on site in a prominent location.

 

            7.         Except when the pit area has been declared “safe” by a C. D. as provided in section C. 3., above, only Captains, persons who are assisting Captains with the operation of a ship and persons who are officiating at the event shall be permitted in the pit area.

 

            8.         Captains shall wear suitable footwear that covers the entire foot when operating a ship.

 

 

 

 

D.        RADIOS

 

            1.         All radios shall operate on the 75 MHz “surface” R/C band, or the 27 MHz R/C band.  Members who are licensed amateur radio operators may also utilize appropriate “Ham” frequencies. 

 

            2.         The 27 MHz band is designated for the use of both convoy ships and combat ships.

 

            3.         A frequency board (or the equivalent) shall be used at events to prevent the operation of multiple ships on the same frequency.

 

 

 

E.         CO2 GAS SYSTEMS

           

            1.         All CO2 tanks used on ships or as land-based storage containers must be commercially manufactured and certified for use with CO2 and shall not be modified thereafter in any manner.

 

            2.         All CO2 systems must have a commercially manufactured pressure regulator set to no more than 150 PSI.  The pressure regulator must be connected to the tank using only manufactured hoses or unions rated for CO2.  The regulator serves to divide the system into a high-pressure side, consisting of the CO2 tank and pressure relief valve, and a low-pressure side, consisting of a distribution manifold, poppet valves or solenoids, and conventional R/C BB cannons.  Items on the low-pressure side of the regulator do not need to be commercially manufactured or certified.

 

            3.         All CO2 systems using refillable tanks must have a commercially manufactured pressure relief valve (e.g., a rupture disk or the equivalent) located on the high-pressure side.

            4.         All CO2 systems must have a 10/32 threaded hole on the low-pressure side that allows the measurement of the pressure being delivered to the Cannons.

 

 

 

F.         CONTEST DIRECTORS

 

            1.         The Contest Director or a person appointed by the Contest Director shall visually check each CO2 system for any evidence of non-compliance with sections E. 1. through E. 4., above.  Systems that do not comply with the above sections shall not be used during an event.

            2.         A Contest Director is authorized to measure the pressure on the low-pressure side of any CO2 system at any time before or during an event, or when a measurement is requested by another member.  A system that exceeds the maximum allowed pressure shall be adjusted immediately, and a safety violation shall be recorded against a member for a violation occurring during an event.  If a ship or ship(s) operated by the same member exceed(s) the maximum pressure more than once in a single event, that member shall not participate further in the event and the member's name shall be forwarded to the Executive Board for further action.

 

            3.         The Contest Director at any sanctioned event may order a member to “sit out” portions of an event or eject a member from an event for a period of time or for the remainder of the event for violating any safety rule.  At the request of an interested member, any disciplinary action taken by any Contest Director shall be reviewed by the Executive Board, which shall affirm or modify the action.  An on-going event shall not be delayed to accommodate such a review.

 

            4.         A Contest Director who does not actively attempt to obtain compliance with applicable Safety Rules may be banned from acting as a Contest Director at future events for as long as the Executive Board shall deem necessary in their sole discretion

 

 

 

G.        SAFETY VIOLATIONS

 

            Safety violation recorded against an individual shall result in the following actions.  Violations are cumulative during an event, but only one violation shall be recorded per occurrence (i.e., if all safety pins are out at one time, it shall be considered to be one violation).

 

First Violation

Written warning

Second Violation

Sit out next sortie

Third Violation

Event disqualification

 

 

 

H.        REVIEW BY EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

            The Executive Board shall review all recorded Safety Rule violations.  If, in the Board’s opinion, a member has shown a pattern of repeated non-compliance, the Board may impose such sanctions, including but not limited to termination of membership or barring the member from participating in certain Club events, as it shall in its sole discretion deem necessary.

 

 

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