Tech Analysis: Safety

In all forms of motorsport, safety is a priority. But safety when racing out at sea is very different to safety at a race track. Shelley Jory – pilot of the #77 Lucas Oil Evolution class boat – shows us her essential safety gear

01 Fireproof overalls
Fireproof overalls are essential, but they tend to be of a lighter specification than those used in racing cars – they’re more like the race overalls used by karters. Although Powerboat P1 crews plan for every eventuality, the likelihood is that they are more at risk from water than fire in the event of an accident. Heavy overalls would soak up more water and would be more difficult to swim in.

02 Life jacket
A life jacket must be worn at all times. In the open-top SuperSport class, these are self inflating so that they deploy automatically when the wearer hits the water. In the closed-canopy Evolution class, the life jackets require manual inflation, as the pilot and throttleman have to get out of the narrow hatch. The life jacket is inflated by pulling the orange toggle at the front. Evolution racers typically inflate their life jacket once they reach the surface.

03 Helmet
Helmets are compulsory in both classes of Powerboat P1. They must be full-face in the open-class SuperSport boats due to the risk of spray or debris hitting the face, but they can be open-face in Evolution. The #77 Lucas Oil team’s helmets are made by Peltor. A clip-on peak may be worn, but pilot Shelley Jory prefers it without. The helmet is fitted with two headphones and a microphone so that the driver and throttleman can communicate with each other in the loud confines of the cockpit and – via VHF radio – with the on-shore technical crew.

04 Racing gloves
Gloves are optional. Some racers wear them for the added grip and feel, as well as to reduce the risk of blisters. It is not uncommon for throttlemen to wear just one glove, on their throttle hand.

05 Knife
It is a sensible precaution for Evolution class crews to have a knife handy – for instance, if the safety harness jams and they need to cut their way out. Some teams also fit a specialist seatbelt cutter (as used by emergency services) within reach of each racer.

06 Air supply
Inside Evolution class cockpits, each racer has their own scuba air system in case the boat rolls and the cockpit fills with water. The mask is clipped on to the safety harness for quick access in an emergency. The air hoses are long enough to extend out of the cockpit and, depending on how deep the boat has sunk, much of the way to the surface. Each racer also has a Spare Air scuba canister strapped to their leg in case the on-board scuba equipment fails. This one contains three cubic foot of air.

07 Racing boots
Boots don’t merely complete the racing look. The ankles are padded to give added protection – which can be very handy when you’re bouncing across the waves at over 100mph.

08 Number on the bow
On the bow of each boat, the number of occupants is written on an orange background – in this case, two – so that rescue personnel know how many people to look for in an emergency. In addition, the blood group of each racer is written on the outside, near the canopy, next to their name. That’s why it says A+ after Shelley’s and Nigel’s name – it is not, as they like to tell you, a rating of their racing ability…

09 Safety harness
In the Evolution class, each racer has a five-point safety harness, just as in a racing car. The seats are specially built to absorb the heavy shocks of bouncing in and out of the water at speed.

10 Fire extinguisher
Each racer has access to a manual fire extinguisher. In the Lucas Oil boat, there are two 2.2kg dry chemical extinguishers. These are manual, because automatic extinguishers would suck all the oxygen out of the cockpit if they went off – not what you’d want to happen. Inside the engine hatch, aft of the cockpit, there are two automatic fire extinguisher systems.
 
11 Safety cell
The Evolution class cockpit is designed as a safety cell. The 77 Lucas Oil team’s canopy is made by the same place that builds the F-16 fighter plane canopy. It is, effectively, two F-16 canopies with an extra 14in in the middle. That also means it can withstand the impact of a large bird, such as a chicken, at 550mph…

12 Safety procedure
If an Evolution class boat rolls in an accident, the cockpit normally takes a minute or so to fill with water. In that time, the racers put their air masks on, unfasten their harnesses and then undo the hatch, which is clearly marked. The pressure means it cannot be opened until the cockpit has filled with water. The outside of the hatch is also clearly marked so that rescue divers know immediately where to pull the pin that opens it. Drivers are trained to not panic in such situations and undergo pre-season dunk tests (see separate feature).