Introduction to Navigational (Time, Speed, Distance) Rallies

By: Doug Armstrong, PMSC.

THE 3 RULES OF RALLYING:

1. Have fun

2. A navigation rally is not a race!

3. Keep plugging away

Expansion of the Rules:

1. That's why we are all here, right?
   
2. Speeds in the rally are set at a maximum of 95 % of the speed limit on highways and paved county roads; 90 % for all other roads. So, there should be little reason to break it, right? Any competitor charged with a traffic offence will be disqualified from the rally. It just gives rallying a bad name.
   
3. Rallying has a steep learning curve. Don't get frustrated and quit. If nothing else, use what you've learned in the next rally. Remember, most others are probably having the same problems.

Choosing a Class to Compete In

• Non-Equipped -  Limited to the stock odometer in the vehicle and non-programmable calculators.
  
• Equipped - "Sky is the limit" , anything you can think of, or can afford; from a mechanically geared forward/reverse odometer and programmable calculator, to a fully programmable electronic odometer with speed averaging / early / late functions and even lap top computers!

I suggest to start in the non-equipped class. It can be a lot more fun running "seat of the pants" and staying on route and be off by a couple minutes, than being on time and lost. Besides its a lot cheaper.

Equipment

Other than a car and a watch, you don't really need anything. Any car will do, but it is preferable to have, one that is reasonably small and equipped with all season or winter tires. A good portion of most rallies are spent on gravel roads. The car should have a resetable odometer calibrated to km's and be fairly accurate. It makes things easier if the watch you use is digital with seconds displayed.

However, there are a few things that can make the rally easier and more enjoyable. I suggest the following as a starter kit: a basic or programmable calculator (this could determine your class), a couple of pens / pencils in different colours, a hi-liter, clip board / paper, 6" ruler and a compass. If you plan to run a night rally, you will need a map reading light so you can leave the interior light off and still read the instructions. Something as simple as a rear licence plate light mounted to the clip board with a lighter socket plug is a cheap solution. A red light works well and reduces the glare for the driver. Remember, solar calculators don't work too well at night (so I've been told) when the lights go out!

Entering a Rally

1. Find out in advance when and where the rally will start. It is advisable to arrive about an hour before the first car is scheduled to leave. Arrive earlier,if you want to eat and enjoy some "real rally stories".
   
2. Find the organizer (usually behind a big a pile of paper) and get a registration form. You will need proof of a valid driver's licence, car ownership and insurance, so bring them all with you. If you do not own the car, you must have written permission to use it in the rally. Fill out the form and make sure you are -in the right class.
   
3. Sign the insurance waiver - both driver and navigator.
   
4. Look for a notice board; it will have any changes / additions to the rally. Write down any relevant information, it will be very important later. Nearby, you should see a watch marked with "official rally time . Set your watch to the same time (to the second). The whole rally works from the time set on this watch.
   
5. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ASK SOMEONE.
   
6. There will be a drivers (and navigators) meeting a few minutes before the rally is due to start. Be there and write down anything else of importance. At this time you will be assigned a car number; if you don't, ask.

The car number tells you the starting order and when you actually start the rally. If the rally is set to start at 1:00 p.m. and you are car 12, your start time is 1:12. If the rally starts at 7:30 p.m., your start time will be 7:42. Cars are sent away at 1 minute intervals so you can't follow the car ahead of you; you can, but, you will always get penalty points.

Rally Start

Usually one of the following two methods is used:

• IN CAR - cars line up in the parking lot in the assigned order. Car 1 lines up the navigator's window with the window of the start control car (marked with a control board). Approximately 50 seconds before his time out (1:01), the navigator is given the route book; it is advisable to make sure all pages of the book are included and you have the book for your class. At exactly 1:01, he will be allowed to leave. Car 2 moves into position, is handed the book and leaves at 1:02. This is repeated until all the cars have checked out.
  
• IN BUILDING - This is similar to the "in car method, except one of the entrants navigator must go to the organizer in the building and get the route book. At the drivers meeting you will be told how many minutes before your time out to get the book. If he says 3 minutes early and you are car 12, you can request your book at 1:09 or any time after that. This method gives you the extra time to get in the car and to the rally start of 0.00 km.

The Route Book - Layout

The book will usually have the following, but they can vary.

1. An introduction and / or list of abbreviations.
   
2. Sections utilizing different types of instructions.
   
3. An odo (odometer) check.
   
4. Speeds listed with every section or a separate page.
   
5. End of Section (E.O.S.) map.

Navigating-What To Do

1. Once you get on the road, carefully read the introduction page(s), for any clues or tricks. Many rallies have been lost by not doing this.
   
2. Make all the corrections I additions you wrote down or were told as soon as you can. That correction could have been at the last intersection!
   
3. The first 10 to 15 km of the rally will have very straight forward instructions, that do not rely on distances, (but will still give them) so you can reach the "odo check . The odo check enables you to see how close your car odo is to the odo used to set up the rally. If the odo check distance is 12.00 km and you get 12.3, your odo is running fast at 12.3 / 12.00 = 1.025 km per km in the route book. Write this factor down. This means that a route distance of 36.00 km will show as 36.00 x 1.025 = 36.9 kin on your car odo. If your odo runs slow, this factor will be less than 1.

Timing

For your first few rallies, don't worry about timing, unless the navigator has a lot of free time. It's better to stay on route and be off a couple of minutes than get lost and get 20 penalty points for missing a control! Try to run 5 to 10 % above the required speed. This should keep you close to being on time. The extra speed will make up for slowing down for corners, stops, rough roads, etc.. You will quickly be able to judge what is required.

Check Points or Controls

This is how the rally is scored and winners are determined. Controls are placed along the route to record your time as you front bumper passes their control board. Controls are scored in two different ways:

• TIMED TO THE MINUTE - you score 0 points (perfect) for passing the board from 0 seconds to 59 seconds of your proper minute to be there. Arriving 1 second early or 60 seconds (the next minute) late will give you 1 penalty point. Arriving 1:01 minutes early or 2:00 minutes late will give you 2 points, etc.. Most controls timed to the minute have the one minute window starting at the top of the minute.
  
• TIMED TO SECONDS OR THE TENTH - scoring is similar to above, except the minute is broken up into tenths (6 seconds) and .1 point is given for each tenth. This means that you only score .1 penalty for arriving 5 seconds early, but you now get .1 penalty for arriving at 6 seconds into the proper minute! Similarly, you score .2 for being 7 to 12 seconds early, or 7 to 12 seconds late. The organizer will tell you at the start of the rally which controls will be timed to the tenth. Controls timed to the tenth will be set at any tenth of the minute, e.g. 0, 6, 12 seconds, etc.. These controls are used to prevent ties.

Scoring Stickers

The control marshal will issue you a sticker or write the time on your score card. Check to see if you agree with this time. The stickers will have the distance from the start of the section and the proper elapsed time from the last control, for your information and scoring. If 2 or more cars arrive at a control close together, make sure you approach the control in the same order. The marshal is too busy recording times to keep track of who was driving which car.

Control Time Outs

On the scoring sticker will also be your time out. If the control is timed to the minute, it will be at the top of the next minute. If you arrive at 0 seconds, you will be out at the top of the next minute (a full 60 seconds later). If you arrive at 59 seconds, you will be out in 1 second. You will have to make up the time on the road. If the control is timed to the tenth, you are given an additional minute, so arriving at 59 seconds will have you out in 1:01.

Main Time Controls

Main time controls are used at the end of the rally, gas stops, etc.. At these controls you may arrive early and request your time in, as long as it has not already passed. If it has, you will be recorded in at the time you arrive or later, at your request. There is usually ample time given to park your car, enter the building and find the finish marshal. You may find the phrase "request your time in or something similar in the route book.

Getting Lost

Sooner or later (preferably later) you will get lost. If you do, don't panic! Stop and think the instructions through. It is far easier to make up time while on route, than to make up both time and distance (more time). It you cannot get back on route, use the End of Section (E.O.S.) Map and cut route to the start of the next section. If you have been lost for quite a while and the next section is not too long, it may be advisable to skip a whole section. Usually at the end of the instructions for each section is a detailed description of the E.O.S. / S.O.S. and the direction to travel. This will get you going in the right direction when you get to this point on the map.

Most clubs use the convention of "last instruction of one section is the same as the first instruction of the next stage . Remember to not do these same instructions twice.

As a summary, remember the first rule of rallying, HAVE FUN. I hope you enjoy it and try again.

Doug Armstrong