open face vs. full face helmets

[RTM]

I never liked full face helmets, becuase of the restricted side vision. I realize I`m giving up frontal protection with an open face helmet. I just bought a G-Force GF 650 open face helmet. I`ll paint it orange. My question is should I remove the visor?. Is the visor known to be a safety liability?

rich

[RTM]

I should have read the APBA RULES. Full face helmets mandatory.

rich

[Bunker Hill]

In the old days, we always used openfaced helmets in the stocks with out the visor, the visor seemed to block your vision somewhat while kneeling. I began racing in 1977 with an old "Bell Star" which was closed face, seems I couldn't wait to get a new "Super Magnum" open face.
The old theory was that closed faced helmets would "Bucket" in the event of a accident and cause neck injury. I believe that it was Bob Nordskog who went even further to produce a bucket free helmet and created a form fitting custom made low profile helmet, Ted May used one for years!
Toaday, few wear open faced helmets, seems to me, from observation, they are mostly capsule boat drivers
But in all, I think helmet technology is advancing in full faced helmets as there is more of a demand for them
JMHO

Bunker

[bill boyes]

I should have read the APBA RULES. Full face helmets mandatory.

rich

Not true. where did you read that? The rule states that eye protection is required

[RTM]

I read that in the APBA SAFETY RULES

http://www.apbaracing.com/rulebook/2...e10_safety.pdf

back in the day when I raced, full faced helmets weren`t invented yet. Most wore 1/2 helmets with leather bottoms and ear covers. I had a friend that used a miners hat. Without the light, of course. LOL.

I just run my Desilva F racing runabout with a 105 Chrysler race motor, at the AOMCI events. I just want to be somewhat safe. I always worried about the bucket effect if I dumped it. It goes pretty fast.

RTM

[Andrew 4CE]

That link is for Personal Watercraft Racing Rules... jetskis

[jerry book]

Jet Skis? Those arent boats

[Mark75H]

Must be the Jetski rules ... also says CG approved PFD's are required

[F-12]

A long time ago I stuffed a sidcraft BSH and took the steering wheel and dash out with my face. Wearing an open face helmet allowed me to change facial features without expensive plastic surgery. That was 38 years ago. That was the LAST time I wore an open face helmet. As long as you can turn your head, you can see out both sides and the view isn't as limited as you imagine.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

An interesting sidenote to this discussion, is how opinions and rules have changed regards full face helmets versus partial coverage designs over the years in boat racing.

In either the late 60's or early 70's, full face helmets started making a big "splash" (no pun intended) in various motor sports. The first helmet I had after starting back racing after a 10 year lay off in '68 was a Bell Star Full Face helmet. I really liked it and felt very safe and secure in it until I blew a tunnel boat over with someone else's on that did not fit as well as mine. Almost pulled my head off my body from the "bucket effect" and also when I finally got my head above water, I was still almost drowning because of the water trapped in the helmet and the water seal around the face shield preventing it from running out around the bottom. I lifted the shield with my hand and immediately got some air, and at the same time vowed I would NEVER wear anybody elses helmet, (that did not fit as well as mine) while racing or testing.

About this same time frame, there was a great deal of conversation about the "bucketing" effect of full face helmets being used in boat racing, in the event of a crash, and having been involved in that type of situation, I could appreciate the efforts that were being made to overcome it. At the same time I did not agree with the outright ban on full face helmets that was being talked about and trying to be enforced by having a rule against them in Boat Racing. Doc Collins had done a large amount of research (may be connected with the earlier remarks on this thread) and Alan Ishi, his driver at the time, wore one that fit very snugly to the head and offered very little area for "bucketing". I don't know what happened to that idea, probably a combination of small market and large liability in case someone got hurt wearing one, and it could be proved something else would have been safer. I don't believe I ever saw anyone wear one except Alan, although I am not familiar with what was taking place in other categories at the time.

That was, (I understand) the reason behind the push by APBA Safety Committe, or whoever it was that was against the wearing of full face helmets in boat racing, to drop the objection to them and the effort to ban their use by rule making. Someone at the time made the comment that if full face helmets were banned, without much research being done on harmful effects of same, someone who was forced to wear an open face helmet by rule could then sue if they were badly injured in the face area, as they had been prevented from wearing something that was approved in all other motor sports and could have prevented that type of facial injury. Plus some members at the time just did not like the "nanny state" type of rule making that is sometimes prevalent in all hazadous type of activity.

Interesting to see how things change and also remain the same over the years.