Page 1 of 1

Weight limit question?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:31 pm
by Gary71
I have a couple of questions about the 1500 gram maximum weight limit.

1. Does that include the weight of the water?

2. I was planning on making a 2 stage rocket using a water cooler bottle as the first stage but I think it might be too heavy. What if I have a friend that is NAR certified for high power and he was a member of my team and we launched our rocket at his launch site that has airspace clearance, would we be able to launch a larger and heavier rocket in the class B competition.

Gary B.

RE: Weight limit question?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:22 pm
by Tim Chen
I like the limit. It keeps the contest affordable for Mark and I. We would hate to go through all the work of setting a record only to have some rich NAR dude come along and snuff it out because he has the permit and can build a bigger rocket then ours.

RE: Weight limit question?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:51 pm
by 1KorBust
Isn't the WRA2 a separate entity from the NAR?

RE: Weight limit question?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:32 pm
by WRA2
Gary71 wrote:Does that include the weight of the water?
The 1500 gram weight limit includes all the components of the rocket that will fly except the water (fuel) which will be ejected. This includes all staging mechanisms, cameras, altimeters, nosecone, fins, payload bay, rocket body (pressure vessel) and any coupling mechanisms or adhesives and paint.
Gary71 wrote:What if I have a friend that is NAR certified for high power and he was a member of my team and we launched our rocket at his launch site that has airspace clearance, would we be able to launch a larger and heavier rocket in the class B competition.
No, the maximum weight for the rocket cannot exceed 1500 grams (dry). Even though with a high power certification, you may be able to launch the rocket at that launch site, it would not be eligible for any water rocket world records. The reason is that this would give unfair advantage to anyone that was willing to go through the expense of gaining a "high power" license. This was one of the main reasons we formed the WRA2 to be a separate entity from the NAR's of the world. All WRA2 competitions were designed to be accessible for everyone and that launching could be done in one's own back yard if necessary. If we allowed heavier rockets, in no time there would be only big budget professional pyro teams competing and no one else would be able to afford to compete.
1KorBust wrote:Isn't the WRA2 a separate entity from the NAR?
Yes the WRA2 was formed independently of the NAR. We were formed as an alternative to the high cost of pyro rocketry. With the WRA2 everyone has a chance to compete for a world record and not just the wealthy or politically connected. Launching at a single NAR meet can run into the hundreds of dollars. With the WRA2 you can use your own backyard!
Tim Chen wrote:I like the limit. It keeps the contest affordable for Mark and I. We would hate to go through all the work of setting a record only to have some rich NAR dude come along and snuff it out because he has the permit and can build a bigger rocket then ours.
Don't worry. We are not planning on changing the rule. 1500 grams is plenty to work with and any NAR people have to follow our rules if they want to compete for any water rocket world records.

RE: Weight limit question?

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:20 pm
by Gary71
I understand the need to keep the competition accessible to everyone, it just seemed at first like the weight limit was set to exclude large volume rockets. Thanks for the explanation.