Unlimited Hydroplane League

Your browser does not seem to support JavaScript. As a result, your viewing experience will be diminished, and you have been placed in read-only mode.

Please download a browser that supports JavaScript, or enable it if it's disabled (i.e. NoScript).

SNHL Race Results / Standings

Rules

0. Boat Registration

The boat you register can be a real H1 Unlimited or a Fantasy Unlimited.
When registering boats, the amount of same U-#s shall be limited to 2. For instance,
if the U-7 Graham Trucking and U-7 Valken Sports are registered, we will not accept
any more boats with the U-# as U-7, no matter if your boat is a real boat or a fantasy
boat. No more than 1 fantasy boat and no more than 1 real boat of the same
number can be registered for a league, no matter the division you are racing in.
Only the defending national champion in Division 1 can use the number U-1.
If a driver chooses to run a fantasy boat that was painted by someone else, they
must get the owner’s permission to run their boat.
Newly registered drivers are placed in SNHL Division 2. To move into Division 1, a
driver must place in the top five in national high points at the end of the season in
Division 2.
Division 1 is restricted to 24 drivers. At the end of the season, the bottom five in high
points are “demoted” to Division 2.
Drivers must commit to a hull and power plant for the duration of the season unless
there is a physics change. The driver who wants to change either/or must write the
Board and get permission.
Drivers are expected to run a single paint scheme for the entirety of a season but can
request to run a special paint scheme if they write to the Board ahead of time and
give their reasoning for wanting to run a different paint scheme.

1. Pre-Race

1.1 Qualifying
- All drivers present at the beginning of qualifying will run their qualifying laps
  simultaneously. Qualifying will run for 30 minutes for any late drivers. Any further late
  drivers will have another 15 minutes to join “Just Hanging Out” in Discord and join
  the HydroSim server. The last 15 minutes prior to the race will be for last-minute
  testing for those drivers already in the server.
- No more drivers will be allowed to participate in the event, unless a driver sends a
  message to an SNHL Board member 30 minutes prior to the start of Heat 1A,
  notifying said Board member that they will be late to the race.
- If a boat flips, spins or rolls in qualifying, the driver may continue to complete the rest
  of their allotted laps. No extra laps will be given if a boat crashes.
- Qualifying will be used in the event of a tiebreaker for the final heat. The boat with
  the fastest one lap time will advance over the slower qualified boat. IE: If two boats
  are tied after the heats and one is to make the final heat and one be relegated to the
  consolation, the faster qualified boat would advance. Points will be awarded to boats
  qualifying that would go toward the high point season total and apply toward the
  event total.
- A qualifying lap will be disallowed if a boat misses or dislodges a buoy. If a boat
  drives outside the racecourse to get a “running start” for a lap time, then that lap will
  also be disallowed.
- Qualifying shall be four (4) laps in duration. Drivers are allowed to alter their setups
  before the beginning of their first qualifying lap and throughout the duration of their
  qualifying attempt. Once the driver’s fourth lap is completed, the driver’s fastest lap
  speed will be used to determine their qualifying result. For the Gold Cup format, the
  driver’s qualifying result is based on the fastest consecutive two-lap average.
- To earn qualifying points, a driver must turn a lap at a minimum average speed of
  130 miles per hour.

2. Race

2.1 Restarts
- Restarts are only allowed if 50% or more of the drivers in a single heat get
  disconnected from the server during a heat before the leader completes lap two.
  Should this happen, then the heat will be completely restarted. If this occurs after the
  leader has completed lap two, the heat will be deemed completed from what the
  standings were at the point before the server malfunction. For a final heat, the
  leader must complete 3 laps before the heat is considered finished.
- Drivers who received one-lap penalties in the first running of a restarted heat will
  have their penalties rescinded, but they must start on the outside-most lane for the
  restart.
- Drivers who crashed in the initial running of a heat may race in the restart and fight
  for lanes.
2.2 Milling (5-minute period)
- The jockeying for position after the five-minute gun is called milling.
- 2.2.1: Safe Entry to Course- When leaving the pit area, you may enter the course
  anywhere so long as not to interfere with other boats on the racecourse.
  - It is the full responsibility of the driver entering the course to make a safe
    entrance. If a wreck occurs due to a driver entering the course poorly,
    depending on the severity, a 1 Lap penalty or Disqualification from the heat
    may be assessed.
2.2.2: Cutting the Course: Cutting the course is allowed anywhere and anytime
during the mill except the turns. Once a boat passes the yellow entrance pin, it must
complete the turn.
* (a) Cutting the course is permitted if a boat does not impede the path of
another driver.
* (b) Once a boat has entered the infield, it no longer has right of way when reentering the course. Therefore, it is the full responsibility of the driver cutting
the course to make sure it is clear (i.e., there is proper overlap) before reentry. To re-establish a lane, a boat must reenter the course and pass two
inside course buoys. (includes both turn and straightaway buoys)
* (c) Once a boat willingly enters the infield, the driver must complete the
infield cut and must NOT loop back to the same straightway without first
entering the opposite straightaway.
- 2.2.3- Late in Starting
  - 2.2.4.1. No boat shall be allowed to leave the pits after the beginning of the
    one-minute warning period.
2.2.4: 1 Minute Buoy - All boats shall not pass the exit pin of Turn 1 (designated the
1 Minute Buoy) prior to the one-minute mark (1:00.00) on the clock.
* (a) Boats passed the Score-up Buoy prior to the one-minute period shall be
required to legally traverse the course and pass the 1 Minute Buoy to be a
legal starter.
* (b) Failure to pass the 1 Minute Buoy after the one-minute mark will result in
a 1 lap penalty.
* (c) If a boat jumps the 1-minute pin, they may go around and pass it again to
rescind the penalty if they can do so safely.
- 2.2.5: Lane Commitment Buoy - The commitment buoy will be the last orange
  straight away buoy before the yellow turn 2 entrance buoy. At courses with three
  turns, the lane commitment buoy will be the last orange buoy before the entrance pin
  of turn three.
  - (a) Once the lane commitment buoy is passed, each driver must maintain
    their lane all the way through the start/finish line. After the start/finish line is
    crossed, all normal overlap rules are in effect.
  - (b) If a boat ahead of you occupies the lane you are in, you must move to the
    outside of that boat.
  - (c) In cases where a lead boat takes an outer lane, if an inside lane is
    available, you may take it.
  - (d) Any overly aggressive attempt at stealing a lane, as determined by the
    official, will be penalized with a 1 lap penalty.
2.3 Race Format
- 2.3.1- All races except the GOLD CUP, SILVER CUP, DIAMOND CUP and WORLD
  CHAMPIONSHIP shall be standardized and consist of:
  - (a) Three Qualification heats.
  - (b) One Provisional heat (optional)
  - (c) One Final Heat.
- 2.3.2- All Qualification heats shall be determined by a blind draw.
- 2.3.3- Provisional (Consolation) Heat (Optional) - Boats not seeded to the final shall
  be eligible to run in the provisional heat.
  - (a) Provisional heat shall be three (3) Laps.
  - (b) No points are awarded for the Provisional Heat.
  - (c) The winner of the Provisional Heat shall start as the provisional starter in
    the Final Heat.
  - (d) The Provisional boat shall not interfere with the five or six front row Final
    qualifiers during their maneuvering for Lane 1.
  - (e) Any boat qualifying for the Final Heat via the Provisional Heat unless
    allowed to move up shall follow the Final Heat Qualified boats past the
    commitment buoys after the one-minute period has begun.
  - (f) The Provisional boat shall start five (5) seconds after zero zero (:00.00) on
    the starting clock unless a different time has been designated by the Chief
    Referee.
  - (g) The Provisional boat may occupy any open lane at the start.
  - (h) The Provisional boat start shall be independent of any other boat who
    may be late on the start.
  - (i) The Provisional boat shall be penalized for jumping the gun (JG) if it
    crosses the start/finish line prior to its mandated start delay time per item (f.)
    above.
  - (j) The Provisional boat may move up to the front row if a front row-qualifying
    boat fails to make the 1:00 mark. The official for the heat must announce that
    the trailer boat can fight for lanes if this occurs.
- 2.3.4. Final Heat - The Final heat field shall consist of those boats accumulating the
  highest point totals from the Time Trial Period and qualification heats, plus the winner
  of the provisional heat as the provisional starter if a provisional heat has been run
  and completed.
  - (a) Final heat shall be five (5) Laps.
  - (b) Time trial order shall be used to break any ties on points for determining
    eligibility for the Final Heat.
  - (c) The number of boats competing in the Final Heat shall be announced by
    the commissioners prior to the race.
  - (d) There will be a driver rollcall prior to the provisional and final heats. If a
    driver in the provisional heat does not answer the call, then they cannot run
    the provisional and the first boat out of the provisional race on points will be
    allowed to run in their place.
  - (e)If a driver does not answer the call for the final prior to the provisional heat
    being run, then the highest boat in points not in the final gets to move into the
    final heat in their place.
  - (f)Alternate boats will be in place for the consolation heat and the final heat.
    The alternate boat in the consolation will be the highest boat in event points
    that did not make the consolation, while the alternate boat for the final heat
    will be the 2nd place boat in the consolation. Alternate boats may enter the
    water for these heats if another boat crashes or disconnects prior to the 1-
    minute mark in the mill. Once there is less than 1-minute left before the start,
    the alternate boats cannot enter the water.

3. Racing Rules

3.1 Illegal Starto Any boat that crosses the starting line with less than 15 seconds remaining until the
start of the race shall be declared an illegal starter and shall receive a 1-lap penalty.
3.2 Striking, Missing or Passing Buoys
- A boat that strikes and thereby dislodges a buoy at any time shall be penalized a lap.
- A dislodged buoy ceases to be a marker and may be disregarded.
- When an offending boat forces an unoffending boat into a buoy that is struck and
  thereby becomes dislodged then the offending boat shall receive a lap penalty.
- Driving inside the orange or yellow inside course markers after the five-minute clock
  has ended will result in a 1 lap penalty. Driving outside a white outer course marker
  at any point during a heat will result in a 1 lap penalty.
- At any point during the heat, if a boat forces another boat outside or inside the
  racecourse, causing them to miss a buoy, the offending boat will receive a one-lap
  penalty.
3.3 Side by Side Racing
- Competing boats shall maintain a safe lane for each other. 1 lane consists of
  sufficient room for the inside boat to complete the corner without being impeded by
  the roostertail of the outside boat. Any boat that fails to maintain 1 lane is said to
  encroach on the other boat's path and may be subject to a 1 lap penalty or if repeat
  offenses occur a DSQ can be assessed. A safe interval or “overlap” is considered
  one roostertail which varies depending on the speed of the boats.
- Direct contact between boats will result in an encroachment penalty if the contact
  impairs another driver.
3.4 Bearing in and Bearing out
- The lead boat has the right to set the arc through the turns. Upon entering the turn
  the lead boat can Bear in (drift to the inside) or Bear out (drift to the outside). The
  same is applied when exiting the turn, the boat ahead can Bear in or Bear out.
  However, the lead boat MUST leave lanes for any boats to the inside or outside of
  them or a 1 lap penalty will be assessed. Also, if this bearing in/out is found to be
  excessive, for instance drifting over more than 3 lanes, a 1 lap penalty will be
  assessed.
3.5 Changing Lanes
- On the straightaway, the passing boat must move at least one roostertail length
  ahead before altering its course to the buoy line. At that time, the boat being passed
  loses all rights until it re-establishes an overlap and shall, if necessary, slacken
  speed to avoid risks of collision. During the milling period, this means that the boat
  that was passed or ‘leapfrogged’ must safely move to an outside lane. If multiple
  boats get leapfrogged at once, then the outside most boat that was passed is the first
  to re-establish itself in an outside lane.
- Should the passing boat not have established the one roostertail interval before
  reaching the entrance buoy to a turn, an overlap shall not exist.
- Overlap rules cease to apply when boats are so slow that they lose all visible
  roostertail.
3.6 Blowovers
- If a driver blows over, flips, barrel-rolls, or otherwise crashes the boat during a heat,
  they are not allowed to continue racing in said heat. It does not matter whether the
  boat lands upside-down or right-side-up. If a driver crashes during a heat, they must
  either hit the ESC key and “Leave” the heat or immediately shut their engine off. This
  will result in a DNF, or DNS and no points will be awarded. The race official may
  allow a driver to continue in the heat if a crash is deemed minor (i.e., a flat spin or
  hook without rolling over).
- Failure to exit the racecourse or moving after a crash will result in a disqualification
  from the heat and 100 points may be subtracted from a driver’s event point total.
3.7 Rookies
- A “Rookie of the Year” perpetual trophy shall be awarded at the conclusion of the
  racing season to the high-point rookie driver. A driver is considered a rookie for an
  entire racing season if, prior to the first sanctioned race of the year, the driver has
  accumulated less than 1,000 career points in sanctioned SNHL competition
- All rookies race in Division 2, and race under the same rules as everyone else.
  Rookies can fight for lanes as they see fit.

4. Control aids and cheating

4.1 Control aids
- 4.1.1: A hydroplane must get its control inputs directly from the driver's input device
  (racing wheel and pedals, game controller, or keyboard/mouse.)
- 4.1.5: Penalties: 1st instance will result in loss of qualification points or
  disqualification from a heat race. 2nd instance will result in disqualification from the
  heat and event, and a kick from the server. Any instance in a subsequent event will
  result in a ban from the server.
4.2 Cheating
- 4.2.1: Any form of cheating will not be tolerated. If caught cheating, punishment can
  range from DSQ from the race to banishment. Punishment severity will be at the
  discretion of all league commissioners.
- Only SNHL Board members and race officials are permitted to use the in-game
  server admin abilities during official league races. A member of the Board may grant
  permission for someone to use them for an event. Anyone who uses server admin
  power without permission may be disqualified from an event. Repeat offenses will
  result in points being subtracted from the driver’s high point total, and potential
  banishment from the league.

5. Points

Points are awarded for both qualifying and all non-consolation heats (including the final).
5.1 Qualifying
- As stated earlier, points are given to the fastest qualifiers. These points apply toward
  the day's total and for the league's high point title. They are awarded as follows:
  
  Pos Points
  
  1 100
  
  2 80
  
  3 70
  
  4 60
  
  5 50
  
  6 40
  
  7 to Last 30
  
  DNQ 0
5.2 Heats
- All heats and finals will award points as follows:
  
  Pos Points
  
  1 400
  
  2 300
  
  3 225
  
  4 169
  
  5 127
  
  6 95
  
  7 71
  
  DNS/DNF/DSQ 0
In the event of a tie in qualifying, both drivers will receive the maximum points for that
position (ex, a tie for 2nd in qualifying means both drivers get 80 points, the next boat gets 60
points in 4th).
In the event of a tie during a race, the average of the two positions is taken. For example, if
two boats tie for first, then both boats will receive 350 points (400 + 300, divided by 2 = 350).
A tie occurs when both boats run identical total race time during a heat, according to the
server.
In the event of a tie in the consolation race, the winner is determined by qualifying speed. If
both boats tied in qualifying, then it is determined by event points. If that is a tie, then it is
determined by national high points.

Pos	Points
1	100
2	80
3	70
4	60
5	50
6	40
7 to Last	30
DNQ	0

Pos	Points
1	400
2	300
3	225
4	169
5	127
6	95
7	71
DNS/DNF/DSQ	0

6. Incidents

6.1 Penalties
- The 1st instance of a lane violation or encroachment as described above will
  normally result in a 1 lap penalty. A violation observed to be particularly egregious or
  causes another boat to crash will result in immediate disqualification from the
  heat, at the discretion of the official for the heat. The boat who was crashed shall
  receive fourth place (169) points for the heat.
- The 2nd instance of lane violation or encroachment will result in disqualification from
  the heat.
6.2 Discord Rules
All drivers who are about to enter the course for a heat must enter the channel titled “On the
Water”. All other drivers who are not participating in a heat may not enter the channel titled
“On the Water” unless they are spotting for another driver. An official must be present in the
“On the Water” channel before the start of a heat. If you need to leave your computer, please
enter the channel titled “AFK”. The Race Director will check to see if anyone is in this
channel prior to beginning a heat. Officials and commissioners discuss penalties and other
issues in the “Official’s Tower” channel. The “Announcer’s Booth” channel is used by
streamers and casters during races.
All drivers are required to have Discord and a working microphone to compete in SNHL. If
they do not have a microphone, they can use Discord on their mobile phone. This is required
for communication purposes during SNHL events.
6.3 Unsportsmanlike conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. This includes excessive arguing,
yelling, and personal attacks. First instance of unsportsmanlike conduct will result in
a verbal warning from the race official or Discord mods. Second offense will result in
a 10-minute server mute. Third offense will result in a disqualification from an event.
Fourth offense onwards, punishment is at the discretion of UHL Discord server
admins and moderators.

7. Finality of Results

Heat results are final once the next heat starts.
Final heat results are final once all possible penalties are reviewed.
If a driver contests a penalty call, then they can request the officials take a second look and
review. However, the official’s word is final.
A maximum of five minutes is allowed to review penalties in heats. The final heat allows
unlimited time to review to penalties. If a consensus cannot be reached on a potential
penalty within those 5 minutes, then there is no call.
A race is considered an officially sanctioned race and counts towards the season high-point
total if there are a minimum of 2 SNHL Board members, 1 official, and 6 total drivers
participating in an event.

Support HydroSim on Patreon