Darin and I made it back to my place about 8:45 last night. Man can you do a lot of research with a smart phone and a 16 hour drive. You come away from these events trying to catalog everything you've learned.
First of all to Kim Grim, you need to get feeling better, we missed you and not just for the food.
Special thanks to the small group of guys who show up early for setup and stay late to tear it all down again. You know who you are, no names required but I do have an idea for T-shirts.
It was a fantastic event as usual. Conditions were great, we had some afternoon breeze each day but there was plenty of time to break everything you could possibly try to break. I unfortunately tried to break the top of a turtle shell(pesky variations in surface density get me every time! The carp couldn't get it done so they called in the big guns).
Darin's boats ran great. With Darin and Wilmer beating on each other over the last couple years, the N-1 and M classes aren't the low hanging fruit they once were.
Tyler's new boat performed great and it's tough. It even survived a brush with my tree out on the island (not Tyler's fault, bad directions from the orange shirted pit man). That boat is going to be seriously fast with a bit more tweaking.
Then there was the cat herding contingent. First one cat, then three at the next event, now they're all over the place. It's like they're breeding down at that end of the pits! Sorry guys, couldn't help it.
All humor aside, there wasn't a cat hull there that didn't make impressive runs over the weekend. HPR, Fightercat, DeltaForce and H&M were all present. Kevin's HPR135 is one of the most beautifully engineered installations I've seen with some VERY innovative features, congrats and welcome to the SAWs. Tony's 71mph pass with the little drifter was picture perfect. Marks FC really came together on Sunday, anything going 100+ takes work. Boyd's boats ran well after some early event teething pains, we really need to put some good props on that P boat (give me a call, I have an idea).
As for my weekend:
I've wanted 100+ with the N2 rigger for several years. It's the same boat I've been running since 2008, just an ongoing refinement of the design. Some new electronics helped this year. From last weekend I've got data logs for 20 passes between 93 and 103.6 mph in N2 rigger. It's interesting what you learn when you're not just guessing anymore.
I went back through my paperwork and realized the little red boat had made more than 60 passes over 85 mph. I developed an odd point of view concerning race equipment when I was flying pylon; The first run is really expensive, everything after that it free! That little boat didn't owe me anything, but I will miss it. One thing about losing a boat, it gives you an excuse to build from scratch applying everything you've learned since you built the last. I've learned a bit since 2008. There will be a new N2 boat for October. Guess I better order a motor.
Did I just hear "what, no blistering tunnel passes"? Well, that's a funny story. So Friday just before dusk I put the trusty TS-3 in the water running a different prop for a test. At about 65mph it's still accelerating and blows the tail and stuffs a little violently (I think I may have finally killed the cowl this time). Darin says "I think something came off the boat" and I thought I saw something go skipping across the water as well. Apparently the violent stuff was too mach for the bolts holding the adapter on the lower unit and what we'd seen skipping across the lake was the motor/adapter/coupler/cable exiting the scene of the crime. So, a quick call to Dave at Hyperformance Products and there is an adapter kit waiting for me on the doorstep when I run by his shop after hours. Of course I forgot I'd modded my lower unit a bit and shortened motor shafts etc so when I try to bolt it together Saturday morning with a different motor, it doesn't all fit. Mark Grim takes the adapter home Saturday night and machines it down to what I need. Sunday morning I start putting it all together again with a different kV motor while concentrating on the N2 rigger and helping with the lights and other boats etc. So one shake down run with the heat race prop just to make sure it's all good in the early afternoon, then the wind comes up. Wind keeps cycling through and on my next rotation with smooth water I try for 105 with the N2 hydro and sink the boat. I get one last run just before dark with a new motor/prop combo, picture perfect 71 mph pass with a 70 mph backup. All I was thinking was "that's a little soft", but the new motor prop combo has tons of potential. How quickly we become jaded.
All in all, great friends, fast boats, evil turtles!!!
Now for my NASCAR moment:
Futaba, CastleCreations, Aquacraft, Neu.
Thanks for all the help. Nothing like equipment that just plain works.
P.S.
Terry, Here's a pic of the little rigger. RIP
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I'm still all warm and fuzzy from the race so I'll shut up before getting all smarmy.
PROP ! (being tested out on an FE30 in early developmental stage).
)
Originally Posted by T.S.Davis
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