ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL Prepared by PerfectPass Editors Note: One of the newest developments in water ski competition is the advent of electronic speed control. This technology has been used in several major tournaments to date, including the Pan American Games, with great success. Feedback from skiers and officials has been very positive, both in terms of implementation and performance. Electronic speed control should pave the way for water skiing to be accepted as an Olympic sport, as it removes any perceived influence the driver can have on a skiers performance. Because this technology is so important to our sport, OWS asked a Canadian manufacturer to explain how the system works. While we appreciate the efforts of PerfectPass in preparing this article, it is important to point out that there are other manufacturers of electronic speed control systems. ------------------------- Like most parents of up and coming young competitors, Eric Horton spent a lot of idle time hanging around water ski sites and tournaments. Although relatively new to the sport, he was surprised at the number of reruns that often occurred. He also became aware of how much influence (real or perceived) a driver could have on skiers performances. As an engineer, Horton believed that some kind of speed control device providing a standardized pull would not only reduce or eliminate reruns, but also remove the human factor, thus ensuring fairness to all competitors. After nearly three years, several hand-built prototypes and hundreds of hours of on-water development, the PerfectPass Speed Control System is now commercially for inboard-powered ski boats. At the outset of the design process, it was paramount that the system be practical, easy to install, user friendly and safe. There are just three major components that require installation. The heart of the PerfectPass is the central processing unit (CPU) which mounts under the dash. The CPU is tied into both existing speedometer lines, which it uses to analyze the speed of the boat. Its powerful micro-processor evaluates 8,000 bits of data per second and has the ability to react to any speed change up to 1,000 times per second. The second component is a splash-proof, back-lit LCD display/control unit, which mounts with velcro on the dashboard. The final component is a small, high-speed servo-motor attached under the hood and connected to the throttle linkage. Receiving its commands from the CPU, this unit can accelerate or slow down the engine speed with amazing speed and precision. The entire system can be permanently installed in little more than an hour. For temporary installation, such as on a tournament boat, only 20 minutes is required. PerfectPass is remarkably easy to use. Turn it on, select the event (slalom, tricks or jump), key in the desired speed, then push the throttle and approach the course as you normally do. Once the set speed is reached, the system takes over automatically. As the skier makes his way through the course, the system responds smoothly and accurately to maintain the set speed. As the boat exits the course, the driver retakes control of the throttle and sets up for the next pass. The driver can adjust the set speed prior to any run with the push of a button. The driver can take control at all times, and any component failure will automatically shut the system down. An integrated two-segment timing system is another unique feature of PerfectPass. A high- quality, hand-held timing remote allows passenger to accurately time each pass by pressing a switch at each of the three timing buoys. At the end of each run, the display will show the segment times and indicate in tolerance, fast or slow, then re-sets automatically after a few seconds. The systems smart software even knows if the skier has fallen or the run has ended early and resets itself for the next pass. For boat owners who currently use an electronic timing system using magnetic pick ups, PerfectPass is totally compatible with most and will enhance its capabilities. What do skiers think of PerfectPass? Most concur it delivers a smooth, uniform pull as good or better than the worlds finest drivers. PerfectPass does not anticipate the skiers position in the course, it only reacts once the pull beings, resulting in a smoother, totally predictable pull. Electronic speed control is considered the way of the future, with most people in the sport agreeing that it will elevate water skiing to a new level of fairness and integrity.