December winter meeting set for Sunday

Offseason meetings are no longer known as “board meetings”, and instead being called “Winter Meetings”, because it’s the board’s desire for these meetings to be inviting and open to all who would like to attend. While there is an agenda to help keep the meeting mostly on track, member feedback is always welcome.

The meeting will be virtual on Zoom (click here for the meeting link). Telephone call in access can be accomplished by dialing (253) 215-8782. The meeting ID is 668 946 9049 and password is ERCU2020.

This month’s agenda includes discussion of changes to the ERCU Bylaws, which have not been amended since 2004. Most of the changes are cleaning up and modernizing, but there is also language that adds much more member interaction in changing rules and bylaws in the future. To see the proposed changes to the bylaws, click the link below. Proposed changes are marked with blue text or green text throughout the document.

The meeting’s agenda also includes discussion, and perhaps a decision, on a change to the club’s motor rule. This change would be a shift to NAMBA’s current P-Limited rule, which allows for a much larger number of eligible motors that are more available on the open market.

The suggested change would include all motors that are currently legal within ERCU.

As a result of a lengthy conversation about motors, the club board recommended a member review of the NAMBA P-Limited approved motors, which most closely match the motors we use.

• This rule (on page 108 of the NAMBA rulebook) states “Motors shall be of an inrunner design and shall not exceed the following dimensions: a) Length: 60mm (2.362 in.), this includes any bearing protrusion; b) Diameter: 37mm (1.457 in.)
• It also would mean the upper end kv limit on motors would be eliminated
• It would additionally mean that a much larger stock of motors would become available to racers.
• There has been significant testing done on a long laundry list of motors, by Darin Jordan. The results of which were published in the June 2018 issue of Propwash.
• Ultimately, the difference in kv is made up by boat setup and propellers.
• Other than the recommendation, no decision has been made, but the club board requested for feedback from members about changing the motor rule. We’re reviewing that feedback now.

Members are certainly welcome to also join in on that meeting and weigh in with their thoughts and questions, and we have collected good feedback prior to the meeting, so we have a good idea at this point where we might head.

The change is on the agenda for this month’s meeting, and it could be voted on at this meeting. There is a bit of a sense of urgency, since it’s already December, and people will need to plan for ordering motors, testing and potentially changing setups before the 2021 season starts.

The agenda for the December Winter Meeting is available by clicking below. We encourage anyone who’s interested in attending the meeting virtually to feel free to do so.

As a reminder, the 2021 ERCU Board of Directors has been selected and is: Chair: Nelson Holmberg. Secretary: Rick Evans. Registrar/Treasurer: Ron Daum. Race Coordinator: Jerry Dunlap. Statistician: Len Taylor. Inspector: Robbie Roberts. At Large: Bill Mowatt.
Hope to see many of you at the Winter Meeting on Sunday!