spotting/navigating

[stumped]

just went up and watched PUOSO, and been talking to a few ppl 'bout being a spotter/navigator... it's heaps obvious that a good spotter can definately make the difference between winning and losing a comp...

what do ya all reckon the spotter is responsible for? i guess the driver is ultimately responsible for the vehicle, but someone like dave wood in the rocbug trailcraft rig barely looked at the terrain at all, just stared at his spotter. the spotter chooses the line the driver takes, but who cops the blame when a rig rolls? does the driver call it as being too close to rolling, or trust the spotter cos s/he can see that a wheel is 'bout to come up?

what makes a good team? trust and experience, and time working together.. what kinda other stuff?

thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss....

[1MadEngineer]

Definately a team thing, when you start pussing the limits.
When POS and i used to wheel together we used to spot for each other, and prior to comps we would go out at night and drive some mad $hit with only the spotter having a light, so the level of trust on both parts was developed.The same goes for when the crew used to go out together and wheel we all knew each others styles and any driver could trust any of the boys as a spotter. The hardest part of being a spotter is understanding the capabilities of the vehicle and keeping good communication with the driver, keeping them calm and informed on the vehicle position.

[Fieldsy]

Yeah you gota really trust your spotter. steele and I have only done 1 comp but we have been 4wding togher for a few years now (he's the only bloke who has ever been in the passenger seat) but how we did it was we looked at the track and I told him where I wanted to go but steele knows if I go off my line or if he can see a better way I will go where he tell's me no mater what I think. Sometimes I am thinking " OK I'm going over on my roof now, hope troy get's this on tape" and then bugger me dead it will start to level out. I am guna be pissed when he get's off his arse and has his own comp truck.

[AussieCJ7]

done 2 comps as a spotter and have a few more planned this year

1. It is a team deal and the style used has to suit both
2. it is all about communication and trust

I use a very vocal style telling the driver everything that is about to happen where all 4 wheels are etc

we decide the game plan and the line before the event then i line him up and then just keep the info flowwing after that he needs to drive it.

The best combo I ever saw was the Mark H and Mick C in the red cherokee at tuff truck 1 the info flowing in both directions was amazing and the results showed.

[glen1n]

yer when me and my45 go wheeling he sucks pretty hard at spotting so i have to do most of the work myself from the drivers seat. nah only kidding, i have only rolled once with him spotting!

When i am spotting i look for really only two things.

1: He doesn't roll it if he takes that line (der freddy)
2: Nothing will hit the diff, body, etc if he takes that line. (depending on if the car is worth anything!)

but yer trust is paramount. my45 can spot me anytime.

[83 lux]

yer been spotting of rod in the ruggie of a number of comps
and i have lernt a few things manily just cos your a good or bad spotter does ot mean that you will work with the driver say i spotted of someone esle i wouldsay that it would not work i don't really no why but i can't see it working
but willing to give it ago if anyone wants me to

[MY45]

yer when me and my45 go wheeling he sucks pretty hard at spotting so i have to do most of the work myself from the drivers seat.

...... the secrets out



Seriosly though if the spotter says its ok i will drive it but if it rolls he'd be in the shit Ulimately comes down to the driver because if he doesnt want to do it he doesnt have to...but it is a major team effort.

[stumped]

i like that idea of driving at night with only the spotter having lights, that'd do awesome things for the trust of the partnership...

so it seems that the spotter has to make sure the vehicle isn't gonna roll. the driver can call chicken if he wants, but should be able to trust the spotters judgement. big call, means ya really wanna believe that u know what ur doin if ur gonna spot someone!!! don't think i'd be confident enuf to make a call like that yet...



so why didn't anyone at PUOSU used radios to communicate? sometimes they couldn't hear or see eachother... wouldn't it make things a lot easier if u can talk quietly and constantly to eachother?

[RUFF]

Ok i have been in both positions.Spotter and Driver. And been in winning teams as both.

Radios are more of a hinderance in Rockcrawling. The spotter needs to do a lot of work and use his/her body weight a lot so a radio gets in the way all the time. Its very rare that i dont hear a call from my spotter.

Ive spotted for Sam a lot and it works well. I know how the vehicle usually reacts in most situations and how much power it needs to clear an obstical. I also know Sams driving style as its very similar to mine.

Wes used to spot for me back when i was competing at Short coarse and has also spent a lot of time out wheeling with me. But at this event it was a totaly new experiance for both of us as neither of us had ever seen the rig drive. I had driven it for 5 min before leaving for PUOSU. Yes we yelled at each other a little but by the sunday it was working better as we both realised what it could do. Wes will be spotting for me again in the future and hopefully it can only get better.

The only reason Sam didnt spot for me and I spot for Sam this time is because we both decided that its better to try and get spotters that are only spotting for one vehicle and only getting out on each course once. Then there is no unfare advantages.


Basicaly the spotter needs to know how a vehicle and a driver reacts in as many situations as possible and the driver needs to have total confidence in the spotters judgment.