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Help with checklist for my first rally

43K views 47 replies 27 participants last post by  LBkamp 
#1 ·
Anyone want to help me out as a newb co-driver with a checklist for my first rally? It looks like I've got a ride with cambarally in an AE86.

I've worked timing and controls at Prescott and Ramada and attended the CRS co-driving school this past February. I'm ordering my suit and helmet probably later this week or sometime next week. I've already got a set of mechanics gloves for working on the car. What else am I going to need, and do you have any suggestions on suits and helmets. I'm planning on getting the Peltor G77 from P-Sports for a helmet, but really don't know what I'm looking for in terms of suits and underwear, or what is actually required in terms of layers. Will I also need some kind of nomex gloves and driving shoes?

TIA
Shea
 
#2 ·
No gloves or shoes for your side (my preference) ( I have seen a couple of co-drivers with gloves).

You should VERY carefully and thoroughly read the rule book, and this will help on your questions about suits and lots of other things. You should carry a copy of the rule book with you, in the car.

Peltor helmet might be a question of what intercom is in the car.

Figure out the odo BEFORE you get there. Again, carry the instructions with you.

press on,
 
#3 ·
As Jimmy said, check the rulebook for suit requirements.

You will need a good watch (or two...). A nylon briefcase or similar bag that you can put paperwork in, zip up, and tuck beside the seat is a useful thing until you figure out how you want to deal with this stuff. I still haven't, so my codrivers bag is a faded salmon windsurfing briefcase (think about what color salmon would fade to and you can figure out why people laugh at it :) - I don't lose it, though).

Not (yet) having a HANS setup, I like wearing a foam neck brace.

Adrian
 
#4 ·
I forgot the 101 question.

Do you get carsick?

If so (or if you don't know):
- open face helmet
- baggies
- medicine (patch[Scopalmine], bonine, pressure bracelet, etc)

If not:
- still have the above (maybe not the helmet - I prefer full face), just in case. Every once in a while, even those of us who (usually) don't get carsick, will. Rim 2 years ago was almost my downfall. I didn't GET sick, but there were several lines of notes that I could not read (and thanks for the bonine Heidi!).

Drink water (not soda/pop).

press on,
 
#5 ·
Go to www.davekean.com and look at the co-driving section, especially everything in the left hand column plus the the Co-Drivers Equipment list. Don't worry about stage notes, etc. yet. Dave has done a great job of listing and explaining the important stuff. If you don't find an answer there, it probably isn't important for your first event.

Most importantly, welcome to the co-drivers club, get someone to show you the secret handshake, have fun, and don't ever get tempted to sit in that other seat. :D

Kent Gardam
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the responses guys, and keep them coming if you see something someone else left out.

I don't get car sick, sea sick, etc and have never had problems reading in the car or in low light. Nevertheless, I was planning on getting an open face helmet. Why do some of you prefer full face vs open face, is it just personal safety concerns? Regarding the intercom, I believe the car is setup on Peltor intercoms already so if I get the G77 like planned I shouldn't (fingers crossed) have any problems.

I see that Rim is going to be following the NASA Rally Sport General Regulations for Rallies with supplemental regs. How many trees am I going to kill printing that thing out? Finally, are co-drivers required to purchase a Rally license, or is that an event specific question?

Guess its time to start shelling out a few bucks... and Kent, is now a bad time to mention that I'm co-driving because I can't afford to drive?}(
 
#7 ·
Probably want to make sure the watch is digital.
You can also go to http://www.christianedstrom.com/
for some great tips.
Get in the car well before hand and get the belts right.
Double check the intercom. (I have peltor/terra adaptors if needed)
Know where the triangles are and who's gonna do what when you get a flat.
Learn the computer in the car.
Have a few pens in the car and get a "welcome to the club" geek one for around your neck.

DITTO on the:
A. Don't try to do too much.
B. Bring water, drink water, again and again.
C. Bring some flight baggies for if/when (RIM has a habit even to the bestest codrivers).
D. Have fun

Jeffy
PS- Adrian, at LSPR last year, how did you and your driver keep your bags straight? hehe
 
#8 ·
>Why do some of
>you prefer full face vs open face, is it just personal safety
>concerns?

As you say, personal preference. I switched over when I bought a full face for my motorcycle.

>I see that Rim is going to be following the NASA Rally Sport
>General Regulations for Rallies with supplemental regs. How
>many trees am I going to kill printing that thing out?

Atta boy. You are off to a good start if you are thinking that way. It does fit in the car.

>Finally, are co-drivers required to purchase a Rally license,
>or is that an event specific question?

Yes, you need a license. Applies to RA, NASA, CARS. The only question is how much. We had to also join USAC to run Cherokee. Don't know if this applies to Rim (Ray, JKS?) RA takes plastic.
NASA only takes checks (or cash), so bring extra checks (and/or do it ahead of time - but that is over on the NASA site).

ps - feel free to ask me questions there - I don't bite.

press on,
 
#9 ·
As for the rulebook, its a PDF so you have the option of doing several pages of the document per sheet of paper.

Personally, I chose 4 pages of rules per sheet of paper(doublesided)and did some slicing to get a nice pocketsized rulebook.
 
#10 ·
1. Check every page in your route book and verify they are all there. I know they go over that in the CRS Rally school but its an easy one to forget on your first rally.
2. Make sure your know how your going to turn pages this is important too when you eventually get to notes.
3. I carry three watches and set them all I guess I'm paranoid.
4. I carry at least two flashlights one is on that neck chain with that pen jeffy talked about. This saved me at Ramada Express last year when my reading lamp crapped out.
5. Get to know your driver better. I'm lucky mines my son but you've got know when the driver isn't listening to you and what your going to do to get the team back on the same page when that happens.
6. Ask questions (Jimmy, Jeffy, John Dillon)all great guys with tons of experience.
7. I don't get car sick either but with Rim it might be worth thinking about something as a backup.
8. I would be glad to help also I'm in car 206 a new vehicle this year for rim.
 
#11 ·
GMC Sonoma

Michael-

Thanks for the kind words.

However, car (truck) 206 knows its way around the Rim roads.

>8. I would be glad to help also I'm in car 206 a new vehicle
>this year for rim.

press on,
 
#12 ·
>Why do some of
>you prefer full face vs open face, is it just personal safety
>concerns?

I got a full face because of an intrusion accident that I saw (where the fact that the helmet was full-face saved someones life). However, when we crashed at STPR last year, my lower jaw moved forward enough to hit the inside of the mouthguard on my helmet (not hard, but enough to notice).

I'm still considering what my next helmet will be (but it will have a Peltor intercom built in).

Adrian
 
#15 ·
> Why do some of
>you prefer full face vs open face, is it just personal safety
>concerns?

I prefer open face for the following reasons:

1) I have a narrow face and full face helmets don't fit. Believe me, I've tried on every single one that's on the market.

2) I feel claustrophobic with a full face.

3) I have asthma and may need a shot of inhaler... easier with open face.
 
#16 ·
>I see that Rim is going to be following the NASA Rally Sport
>General Regulations for Rallies with supplemental regs. How
>many trees am I going to kill printing that thing out?
>Finally, are co-drivers required to purchase a Rally license,
>or is that an event specific question?


Print it out. Better yet, print it to Kinkos and have it bound.

RE: the license... see this NASA RallySport thread:
http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4951

cheers, Amy
 
#17 ·
>As for the rulebook, its a PDF so you have the option of
>doing several pages of the document per sheet of paper.
>
>Personally, I chose 4 pages of rules per sheet of
>paper(doublesided)and did some slicing to get a nice
>pocketsized rulebook.


OOOH... fantastic idea!! :)
 
#18 ·
<Why do some of you prefer full face vs open face, is it just personal safety concerns?

For me, I went with open face...It is easier to get glasses off & on.

Tips:
I took the band off a digital atomic wrist watch and mounted the face to the dash. Works like a charm!

Zip lock bags for keeping things **dry** can come in handy for rainy NW events! ;-)

I also keep a little tin of mints in my bag. They do double duty: helps with dry mouth and calms upset stomach.
 
#19 ·
A PEN, actually a couple of PENS or pencils, but you will probably break the lead... stash them in the car where they will not get loose, just incase you need back ups. A highlighter for your route book, you know for the triple cautions!!! A stop watch, one that goes around the neck... a small flash light for back up incase your map light goes out, get a red lense for it so you don't blind your driver. A cell phone has come in handy in the past. Gloves are a good idea incase you have to change a tire, them bad boys get friggin hot, and to keep the mud off the hands, don't recommend wearing them while hot on a stage, hard to turn pages. A whip to smack your driver when he/she starts loosing their mind behind the wheel!!! just kidding... off the top of my head that is what I use when I co-drive, when I drive I usually forget to put my helmet on so make sure you keep your driver under control!!! Good luck
 
#20 ·
>A PEN, actually a couple of PENS or pencils, but you will
>probably break the lead...

Well, I haven't broken the lead of a 2mm lead-holder, yet, but it can get be a bit hard to read fast, particularly at night, when the pencil gets kinda shiny.

Doing recce in that, then erasing & inking it for on the stage seemed to work OK.

-jeff
 
#21 ·
>>A PEN, actually a couple of PENS or pencils, but you will
>>probably break the lead...
>
>Well, I haven't broken the lead of a 2mm lead-holder, yet, but
>it can get be a bit hard to read fast, particularly at night,
>when the pencil gets kinda shiny.
>
>Doing recce in that, then erasing & inking it for on the stage
>seemed to work OK.
>
>-jeff

Change the leads from H to B. Still don't break but way easier to read, they are just a couple of $ for 8 leads from Office Depot or simular.

Dave
www.davekean.com
 
#22 ·
I'd reccomend having a mail carrier bag. You can carry it in to registration comfortably, get all your stuff and stash it in, then, in the car, prop it up between your leg and the cagewith the books you need to access right there for you to grab quickly. Also, they usually have pen holders and several large, zipper-enclosed pouches to keep all the important stuff in you may not need to access necessarily right away. I usually carry the following in my bag:

- route book and stage notes (of course)
- tons and tons of pens
- some super thick recce lead pencil i got from christian 2 years ago
- highlighters
- spare watch
- spare batteries (AA, 9V for intercom)
- tire pressure guage
- small notepad
- rule book
- hammer
- supps, entry list, start lists, maps, etc. (carried in separate folder)
- tabs
- candy
- my glasses, contact solution/drops (i wear contacts...so just in case i get a whole cloud of dust in my eye...)
- duct tape
- sharpie marker
- calculator
- rally computer manual

and then in my helmet bag behind the seat i usually carry a sweatshirt or coat, medicine (i have crohn's), camera (some pretty sights out there!), water (for me and the driver), and some snacks (after jimmy tormented me at cherokee during a long stage delay with his chocolate chip cookies and dr. pepper ;-))

Thanks,
Alex
 
#24 ·
I honestly haven't used your 2mm led holder yet since I haven't had any problems with pens, but I'll try it, and maybe I'll convert

Dude, sharpies are the only things that write on duct tape! Plus, I'm sure Travis will need a spare sharpie sometime signing all those autographs. What if he runs out...and you're not prepared with a spare! *gasp* Anyway, I'm the one signing lots of autographs these days, I need it...;-) (nobody cares about drivers anymore)

Doubts? I graduated with a 4.0 in high school! and I only missed like...ok, yeah, I did miss a lot of days...

Thanks,
Alex
 
#26 ·
Haha...that's because you're all pro. I wrote on duct tape my past 2 rallies actually...once at STPR to tape the new calibration factor for the new tires on the dash, and twice at Rim to mark our gas cans for the optional refuel. Not everyone has Vermont SportsCar to write on duct tape for them ;-)

Later,
Alex
 
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