blueprinting

[AJ]

I was curious what all is invovled in blueprinting the bottom of my Hondo (cost,etc.)..Thx

[126driver]

Chicken bones, tea leaves and voodoo. ;) :D

[GofastRacer]

Originally posted by AJ
I was curious what all is invovled in blueprinting the bottom of my Hondo (cost,etc.)..Thx
A lot of hours with somebody that knows a Hondo bottom!...

[gunslinger]

Your better off leaving that job to someone that knows what they are doing. PM jetboatguru and ask for Kevins number.

[Sangerboy]

I've heard some #'s thrown out in the 1500 to $2500.00 range depending on who's doing it and how much needs to be done.

[Fiat48]

Originally posted by gunslinger
Your better off leaving that job to someone that knows what they are doing. PM jetboatguru and ask for Kevins number.
I think a member here 469 the coyote would also have his number.

[SANGER-RICH]

What is the purpose of blue printing a hull? I know about motors for blueprinting and balancing, but never really understood about blueprinting the boat. Is there a way to change something? Just one more dumb question.:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Fiat48]

Just a term used for straightening out all the dips and bumps in the bottom which can slow the boat down by creating additional water drag.

[SANGER-RICH]

OK we used to call it "taking the hooks out the bottom"

[HPG545]

AJ, call 3-D boats at 559-597-1064 talk to Dean Staberg, he built the boats for Hondo and still builds boats and does repairs. He's been doing this for 30+ years, built me a very nice boat , call him he can help you out.

[1tricky1]

Originally posted by HPG545
AJ, call 3-D boats at 559-597-1064 talk to Dean Staberg, he built the boats for Hondo and still builds boats and does repairs. He's been doing this for 30+ years, built me a very nice boat , call him he can help you out.
What's up Mr. Horsepower? It's bout time you posted up in here and shared some of your knowledge and experience.
Dean is definitely the man when comes to those Hondos.
When's the race boat going for a maiden voyage?

[AJ]

THX:D :D
HPG545

[Speedin' Ian]

Hey I just realized who this HPG545 guy is asking for a ride this year at the river.. Good to see you on the boards. How is that boat of your coming? Decide what class you're running this year? Are you going to be at the drags later this month.
1tricky1 what did your brother (I think he's your brother) use to shine up the floor in his boat. We need to do it to our Hondo.

[HPG545]

Yea Ian, it better be a good ride too. Got the boat fired up last week and all is well, sounds real good. I'll run the ski flat class and I'm thinking the 8.50-8.99 . Don't think I'll make the march race but should make the april race. They sprayed Todd's floor with clear coat. They could'nt use resin for some reason, somthing about spar varnish on the floor. Did'nt Billy B. do the floor in the cole, you should have this one done too. Keep us posted on you're progress, glad you got that boat. Hey what's that jet boat guy 1tricky1 doing in the v-drive section, him and that guru guy get lost all the time.C-Ya.

[T-Bag]

Ski flats are running in the mid 7's at 130+ mph but there is always a bracket to fit into......

[Jetboatguru]

TBag,
The Ski Flat class needs to be addressed. There is nothing "Ski" about it. You are allowed to run Pontiac or Big Chief style heads as long as you use a cast production manifold. You can run dry sump systems, vacuum pumps, Jesel rockers, light weight rotating assemblies, banned from NHRA fuel but you can't run a dominator carb with a third circuit. I have been around the river for 20 years and to this day, not one time have I seen a Flatbottom ski boat with any of these components. There is no entry level class anymore. It is a complete joke. They need to start River racer Flat and keep it limited to iron heads and no dry sump sytems and 4150 carbs. Make it so actual River Racers can come in and race.

[Sangster]

Let me jump in here and ask...Are you talkin' NJBA and/or CFW ...

[1tricky1]

Originally posted by HPG545
Hey what's that jet boat guy 1tricky1 doing in the v-drive section, him and that guru guy get lost all the time.C-Ya.
Jet Boat in the driveway....V-drive in the blood :p

[HPG545]

Guru is right ,it's a joke.The third circuit in the carb has nothing to do with airflow, that adds more fuel. You can run a 750 dominator carb but not a 4150 hp series carb. You have to put an eye bolt on the back of the engine to act as a ski tow and to have the appearence of a ski boat, I was told. But you can run all the high dollar parts you want . Yea they need some changes to get it to an entry level class. But it's the only game in town right now for fool's like me to feed my addiction, so I'll continue to run that class to get seat time for the bracket class. My 2 cents for now.

[Fiat48]

River Racer flat class was ruined the same way. Started out 100 mph was a competitive boat. Money rules in class racing. Index is the way to go.
Saw a set of Iron Chevy heads from a Super stock class car racer the other day. Reworked raised ports, done with brazing to raise the floors. He had more money in those heads than the finest aluminums. Tough to come up with rules to make things fair..and then enforce them.

[Fired Up]

My question is why is a bracket not considered an entry level class? I ran my boat as a new driver last year. 12 seconds/80mph. Low dollar deal as many of you know. BBC, Oval port heads and a single 850. I loved every minute of it and didn't impress anybody. Our own weakness for speed is our downfall, we always want to go a little faster. So we build our motors up a little at a time, big heads this year, compression next year, carbs/ manifold next and on it goes, before you know it its a monster motor going 130mph. I wish there had been more Riverracers showing up last year. More competition would have been great, but the consistency in participants wasn't there. I submitted a list of recommendations to the NJBA to encourage new racers participation this year. They were not implemented. I guess it comes down to two types of people...those that want to race,regardless.......and those that want to watch a race. Me.......I want to race.
my .0001 cents worth.

[Fiat48]

Originally posted by Fired Up
My question is why is a bracket not considered an entry level class? I ran my boat as a new driver last year. 12 seconds/80mph. Low dollar deal as many of you know. BBC, Oval port heads and a single 850. I loved every minute of it and didn't impress anybody. Our own weakness for speed is our downfall, we always want to go a little faster. So we build our motors up a little at a time, big heads this year, compression next year, carbs/ manifold next and on it goes, before you know it its a monster motor going 130mph. I wish there had been more Riverracers showing up last year. More competition would have been great, but the consistency in participants wasn't there. I submitted a list of recommendations to the NJBA to encourage new racers participation this year. They were not implemented. I guess it comes down to two types of people...those that want to race,regardless.......and those that want to watch a race. Me.......I want to race.
my .0001 cents worth.
In any class of racing, there will always be someone who has enough money to dominate the class. Even if the class pays nothing to win. That is not going to change.
The river racer class started out with boats much like yours. Then somebody got a new "potato chip" hull. Soon the other guys got them. Wasn't long before "lake tanks" were modified internally to hold 3 gallons of fuel, carbon fiber seats, etc. Next thing you know we have a destroked pro stock motor and here comes 130 mph. The other guys can't keep up and the class dwindles. Then dies. Been there. That was NDBA, CVDBA and IHBA.
That reason is why index racing is needed. You enter an index you can afford to run. Big money boys who wish to dominate with superior equipment stay away. They'll go where the money lets them have the edge. To the weakest class their equipment helps them to dominate. When you have an attainable index a mildly modified BBC can run, it does little good to have one of Allen Johnson's motors. The "index" levels the playing field.
When the "ski flat" guys have enough of it, they'll either quit or fall into a bracket class. And "Pro Ski Flat" will be born. Then dwindle. Then die.
At 12 secs, you'll have to step up to have more boats in the class to race. I think it's safe to say most guys who want to race already have better parts than you do. The 8,9,10 second index classes have lots of boats. You'll step up this year. You have the boat. Just need a few more engine parts.

[Fired Up]

Thanks Fiat,
As you know stepping up is my plan this year. As soon as I get my upgraded leg parts working again.

[Jetboatguru]

You are correct on your post Fiat. But, Sangbagging is not allowed at NJBA so people fall in the tweener zone. Most people want to run All out and match their abilities against others. The "ski classes" should be an entry level into a pro class. Flats against flats, jets against jets. They have left the door wide open for the guy with money or resources to dominate.

[Fiat48]

Originally posted by Jetboatguru
You are correct on your post Fiat. But, Sangbagging is not allowed at NJBA so people fall in the tweener zone. Most people want to run All out and match their abilities against others. The "ski classes" should be an entry level into a pro class. Flats against flats, jets against jets. They have left the door wide open for the guy with money or resources to dominate.
I'd like nothing better than to see index classes run Flat against Flat and Jet against Jet, and Hydro against Hydro. Better racing for the fans also. And it would certainly be nice to have Ski classes as entry level into the pro classes but we are all aware of the problems to enforce restriction rules. And money or resources will dominate.
Personally, I see brackets as the class for the entry level. The object being for the racer to run all out as close to the index as possible. His tuning and driving skills are just as important as the pro racer. When the index racer is ready to go faster, he simply upgrades his equipment a little and steps on the motor harder and moves to the next bracket. Hopefully without mortgaging the family home to do so.
But even if you are racing a hydro or a jet, who cares? Your job as a racer is to leave on time and run the number. Your tuning and driving skills are what determines that. Not who (if anyone) is in the other lane.
I don't see them as sand bagging classes as the sandbaggers soon learn it's not the way to bracket race. Sandbaggers are beaten by the racer who can tune and drive hovering the index.
I don't think NJBA really cares much about trying to correct the ski classes. I really can't think of any way or set of restrictions that someone wouldn't try to work around. That's just how racers are.

[superdave013]

The NJBA river racer class is a good deal for the first time racer. I wish they had that class when I started. I got tossed right to the wolves.
The bummer is that you can only run river racer for one race.
So lest see how that would work out. You get 2 passes on satruday and then go right to sunday's eliminations. So at the very least you will (or should) get 3 passes.
Gee, am I the only one who thinks that's not enough time to get the lights / starting line figured out?
I think if they let them run a few more races it would attract more people to the sport.
See all of you guys in Bako, I'll be there helping MikeF who is running River Racer for the first time.

[LeE ss13]

I think it was 1984 when NJBA introduced the "Ski Flat" class. It was NJBA's first time they held a race at Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta near Indio Ca. (I know, most people didn't know there was a lake near Indio). We had about 6 boats in that class. I had a Kurtis Kraft with a 427. It ran 96 mph that weekend. The guy that won ran about ran 106. From then until 1992 I don't think we ever had a full field. We had to have stock parts, gas tanks that fill through the gunwale, (gunnel), stock type oil pumps, mechanical full pumps, etc. Even with that, they got into the 120s by the early 90s. I believe anytime you introduce a new class, guys are going to find way to massage and fine tune and basically spend cubic bucks enough to raise the bar to levels others can't afford to keep up with. I thought the Super Stock circle boat were nuts to have to spend typically $25,000 a motor. Then I learned last year that the Cracker Box guys spend $35,000 a motor. What we did was to start an entry level class that is Run What You Brung, as long as it doesn't go over 80 mph. They usually have a good turn out, I just don't like the idea of mixing Jets with Flats with Hydros etc. I think the jury is still out on that one. We'll see.