User Tag List

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    3
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Lightbulb New member discussing helmets/head wear

    Hello all,


    First a quick little intro:


    I am a senior design student working on his last big project. This last project is the capstone of our student career and will be exhibiting it near the end of the semester for all to see.
    The whole thing is self guided, and we choose our own topic.
    I plan to design a helmet for power sports racing with integrated communication, and assisted flotation.


    I have done a fair amount of research regarding boat safety, pfds, and pages of statistics via the United States Coast Guard.
    So far I have looked looked mainly at pwc racing and regulations via the IJSBA. But throughout my research there seemed to be only one company that has designed a helmet specifically for pwcs, Jettribe.


    Unlike recreational boating, I understand that racing conditions require the wear of safety equipment and while my focus was being guided that way, I found it much more relevant in this area.


    From what I've gathered some areas of concern are:
    - weight
    - comfort
    - break away visor
    - water-logging inside helmet


    And I plan to add in:
    • communication
    • assisted flotation
    • possible monitoring tech. if rider becomes unconscious


    Any thoughts/ideas on the topic of helmets/communication/flotation are welcomed

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Guernsey, C.I.
    Posts
    493
    Thanks (Given)
    1
    Thanks (Received)
    5
    Likes (Given)
    8
    Likes (Received)
    70
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    You may wish to look at securing the helmet to a lifejacket instead of a traditional chin strap. I understand that in a really high speed crash (drag race top end crashes etc) that if the person enters the water feet first then 'bucketing' can occur, basically the helmet acts as a kind of parachute exerting massive force on the neck. Not nice!

    There's also a new system slowly being made mandatory in land based motorsports for removal of a helmet if neck/spine damage has occurred. I think it's absolute genius personally! http://www.ejectsafety.com/home.html

    Helmets for offshore racing in Europe have to be bright orange in colour and minimum of ACU Gold or Snell2005 approved. I wear a Bell RS3K karting helmet as it's light and extremely comfortable, and looks awesome! (nothing worse than an ugly crash helmet!) The best intercom system on the market is 'graytronics', made by http://www.boatintercoms.co.uk. That's what 95% of people over here use as it's pretty much indestructible and fully waterproof.

    Hope that helps!

    Paul


    Phantom 19G-R - E-TEC 115HO
    www.facebook.com/slayeroffshore

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    3
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by mariawhitetrash View Post
    You may wish to look at securing the helmet to a lifejacket instead of a traditional chin strap. I understand that in a really high speed crash (drag race top end crashes etc) that if the person enters the water feet first then 'bucketing' can occur, basically the helmet acts as a kind of parachute exerting massive force on the neck. Not nice!

    There's also a new system slowly being made mandatory in land based motorsports for removal of a helmet if neck/spine damage has occurred. I think it's absolute genius personally! http://www.ejectsafety.com/home.html

    Helmets for offshore racing in Europe have to be bright orange in colour and minimum of ACU Gold or Snell2005 approved. I wear a Bell RS3K karting helmet as it's light and extremely comfortable, and looks awesome! (nothing worse than an ugly crash helmet!) The best intercom system on the market is 'graytronics', made by http://www.boatintercoms.co.uk. That's what 95% of people over here use as it's pretty much indestructible and fully waterproof.

    Hope that helps!

    Paul
    Very helpful!

    About the Bell RS3K karting helmet, and other full faced helmets, isn't there a concern of the visor trapping water if the user is in the water?

    I'm going to have to look into the bucketing situation a bit more as well.

    Thanks!

    Antonio

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Guernsey, C.I.
    Posts
    493
    Thanks (Given)
    1
    Thanks (Received)
    5
    Likes (Given)
    8
    Likes (Received)
    70
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by theDesign View Post
    Very helpful!

    About the Bell RS3K karting helmet, and other full faced helmets, isn't there a concern of the visor trapping water if the user is in the water?

    I'm going to have to look into the bucketing situation a bit more as well.

    Thanks!

    Antonio
    I have no worries about water behind the visor, my life jacket is designed to float me face up with head clear of the water. I used to use a Craft RX6, but the motorbike style visor mechanism was rubbish. Some times it's nice to run half open or fully open, but any significant bump would cause it to slam shut. The Motorsport style visors can be tightened to whatever degree you like, and our regs state that any visors must be mounted securely but not fixed closed. Double layered anti-fog is a must! Stainless/Ali hardware is also must as mild steel rusts within days in saltwater environments


    Phantom 19G-R - E-TEC 115HO
    www.facebook.com/slayeroffshore

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Lake Charles, Louisiana
    Posts
    11,959
    Thanks (Given)
    956
    Thanks (Received)
    591
    Likes (Given)
    17340
    Likes (Received)
    6167
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Lifelines neck collar is a good safety device that can stop bucketing.
    As far as helmet weight, carbon fiber helmets are becoming more cost effective and are lighter. http://www.saferacer.com/auto-racing...sc&order=price
    Last edited by CDave; 03-19-2013 at 04:46 PM.
    -----------------------
    93 STV Mod VP/MERC 2.5 200
    -----
    The Bible is life's instruction manual.

    Proverbs 4:18-20

    " For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."
    -- John F. Kennedy 1962

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Shreveport, La.
    Posts
    3,228
    Thanks (Given)
    4
    Thanks (Received)
    74
    Likes (Given)
    60
    Likes (Received)
    490
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    "Bucketing" is a term used to describe the following: If you hold the handle of a gallon bucket filled with sand and rotate your arm in a circular motion you will notice that the centrifical force will pull on your arm in a violent manner. This is the same effect that a heavy non restrained helmut will have on a human neck. This term "bucketing" was coined back in the 80`s and somehow people started using it improperly as described in the above post`s. The skid collar on racing jackets such as Lifeline will stop the helmut from scooping water and a restraining harness strapped around the chest area with tethers extending up to D rings located on the helmut will stop the centrificul bucketing effect on the neck. It`s grusome to say but that much weight pulling on a grown man`s neck with that much force will sever the spinal collum by pulling it apart.


    I raced circule racing from 1978 through the 1980`s and read every article printed on this subject. Bob Nordskog developed a helmut that was very light weight to ease the bucketing effect and it worked to some degree but restraining the helmut/head much as the same way the HANS device does is the key. The HANS device workes along with safety harnesses in race cars such as NASCAR but an open cockpit raceboat this would not work so the chest strap is the best alternative. I have used them and it does indeed demobilize the head.


    Not trying to be a smart mouth just trying to keep the record streight. There were many deaths during the 80`s as the result of centrificul bucketing long before safety capsules were invented. They and the helmut restraints should have come along alot sooner.

    DB

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    3
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    0
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    (Thinking out loud here, straightening thoughts and bringing together a scenario)

    How can you best protect the driver before/during an accident?
    - wear appropriate pfd
    - wear appropriate helmet
    - some form of support to protect the neck (HANS device, skid collar, neck collar, etc)
    - driver awareness
    - can a helmet assist the driver become more aware?
    - can a helmet react if its wearer becomes unconscious?
    - can a visor (face shield) react to changing light conditions (think transition glasses), removing the more simple forehead visor (forehead mounted light blocker)?

    Now a days there are newly applied and emerging safety technologies for cars, why not boats or other marine based vehicles? Or are there similar safety technologies already being applied in the marine industry?

    Odd thought:
    What has to go right in a crash scenario to be considered a good crash.
    You could assume any crash survived us good, but what made it go right?
    Could it's outcome be replicated by altering current safety equipment?

    Some conceptual thinking:

    Could a helmet be the nerve center of a boat/marine vehicle?
    Feeding the driver necessary information, anticipating/reading for problems or accidents, protecting the occupants in case of extreme failure.
    Not taking it to the level of jet pilots vs. drones, where the technology seems to overtake the drivers position, but taking it that next step up.

    Realistically my final concept would not be something that you would see on the market now, but maybe 5-10 years.
    Pushing the importance of safety/precaution, integrating applicable technologies/ideas into not just a product but a different take on the experience between the helmet wearer and its' vessel.

    *Back to some quick/important research*
    - marine based accidents
    -what scenarios typically happen, are the participants protected, what could be done better etc
    -what happens to the body (bucketing, the force of water at different speeds on impact, etc)
    - emerging technology

    Some great points are emerging here, which are much appreciated, and I'll keep plugging away.

    I have a final concept presentation going down tomorrow, and most likely after this weekend I'll have a set direction to start mock-ups and the final model.
    Last edited by theDesign; 03-20-2013 at 08:19 PM.

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •