Rally School Navigation Class

News

NOTE - Revised date for the Heart of the Hunter :: 28th Aug, 2010 Supp regs and Entry Forms now available.

EVAN GREEN Memorial TA. 22nd May 2010. RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE.

The Fluffy has been run and won ! Another fantastic event run by the Pope family. Results available from the Previous Events section. Thanks to Jim and Ron Pope and all who helped make this the outstanding success it was.

Arthur Evans provided the following as a guide for competitors in the 2009 Night Owl Winter Classic Rally. They are well thought out and can apply to just about any navigational rally.

Suggested Equipment Requirements for Navigational Rallies:

A map board or clip board (Hard cardboard NOT wood or Masonite)
Pencils 3 or 4 B (Dark Lead doesn’t tear map)
Pencil sharpener & soft eraser
Map Light (can use LED type head light, $10 - $20 @ Jaycar etc Band type or clip onto brim of baseball cap. Caution be careful when looking towards Driver when using these)
A Trip meter (Halda, Terratrip etc, or even standard trip in Speedo)
A Map Magnifier (Poti or any 75mm? Magnifying Glass)
Battery Calculator & spare batteries
Watch (Stop)
Highlighters, Biro’s, Artline etc
Map Measurer ($20 ? Jaycar, map shop) or pack of Visiting Cards $2.50 @ Newsagent
30 cm plastic ruler
Correct Map & Romer (will be supplied this event)
Other useful information;
Distance = (KPH x Time) / 60
Time = (Distance x 60) / 60
KPH = (Distance x 60) / Time

Hints for Navigators

Before Event

Read and Understand:

Event Supplementary Regulations; ie Late Time Limit, Compulsory Equipment & Penalties
National Rally Code; 1. Definitions, 1.5 Controls, 1.24 Shortest Mapped Route, 3.5 Course Interpretation, 3.6 Shortest Mapped Route, 3.7 Out of Bounds
TRE Regulations

Equipment:

Pack all your needs in a flat (clutch) case, small items in a pencil case.
Check that car is equiped for your needs & comfort.
A Navigators footrest adjusted to allow you to bring your knees up so that you have not got your head buried between your knees will minimise any travel sickness.

On Event:

Navigation events require a (greater) team effort, have the pretty boy next to you (Driver) assist you during the event.
Get him to read out to you the ‘Out of Bounds’ while you plot them, also to read out the Control locations and ‘Via’ points.
Have the Driver tell you when you are approaching any intersections, creeks, bridges, (mapped features etc) of any other road signs, route boards etc. You will (should) have your head buried in a map following the route.
Impress the above on driver as you want him to respond to your directions, you do not want him to see the Green light & accelerate into Control to get a good time.

At Start:

Get your instructions at designated time, check contents.
Sit in car & ignore all other distractions (Kiss girlfriend goodbye much earlier)
Plot ‘Out of Bounds’ then plot Control & vias for first section, check any other instruction eg specific direction of entry, work out route to be followed & mark up your map with selected route (Pencil). Be careful when marking route on map that you do not obscure map features.
Calculated time allowed / average speed & calculated arrival time at end Control. Recheck
If time permits do this for next section & as much of the Route as possible. Warning Be careful you do not confuse the different sections. Not much point when on section 1 you are navigating on section 2.
Keep an eye on your time and on your speed.
As a guide if your average speed for section is 60 KPH then have your driver drive at about this speed. On this event you may encounter roads which may have a higher speed limit, so drive at a speed which will not impede other traffic, then recalculate to bring you back on time. Terratrips & GPS units mostly have an average speed function in them.

Some Helpful (British) links:

prepared by Arthur Evans. 20th June, 2009