Mexico Jetboat Marathon

[Jungle Boy]

You guys asked for it. Here's under the Caracol Dam after the first leg of the 525 mile Marathon.
[img]http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/F10300032.JPG[/img]
Day 3, Pte. Marque, Mexico. Very drunk the night before
[img]http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/F1020023.JPG[/img]
Final leg finished. Extapa, Mexico. The ole boat finished 4th in class and 7th over all out of 48 boats.
[img]http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/F1020006.JPG[/img]
This at some fish hut after the 5th leg of the race. Very small boat launch area for 40+ boats to load up, but they had cold beer.
[img]http://free.***boat.net/gallery/Reader_Rides/Jet_Boats/F1020011.JPG[/img]
[ December 12, 2002, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Jungle Boy ]

[058]

Thats what I'm talkin' about...Got any action shots? Congrats on your finish.

[Jungle Boy]

None yet, It's tough getting action shots from in the boat. I have not seen any of the other guy's photos yet.

[Rexone]

JB is this the same race that used to be called the Rio Balsas (or maybe still is)? I had some freinds that we're involved in that way back in the early 80's. Just curious

[MikeF]

Bitchen!
The mainland Baja 1000(km). Does not get more offroad than that wink .
Is that race only once every year?

[Jungle Boy]

It is still called the Rio Balsas Marathon. It is held every year, but only has the "Worlds Championship" attached every 4th year. The Worlds race is rotated every year in another country. Last year it was New Zealand, this year Mexico, next year Canada and the year following, USA. Rexone, back in the 80's, things were very wild down there. Some of the old guys from Canada still show up down there. We had a traveling partner this year that raced back then. Ralph is 74 years old and still like going down and drinking the "añjeo" rum.

[Rexone]

Jack Rex, the gentleman who founded Rex Marine actually rode in one of the Mexican boats in the Rio Balsas race back in about 1980 or 81. He said it was a bit rugged to say the least. At that time Rex Marine built alot of turbocharged and high buck carbureted engines for ski racing, pleasure boat and river racing as well...had several racers from Mexico who were regular customers. I can't remember the guys names at this point but I do remember they went through a lot of equipment and spent alot of time at our old shop in Azusa for motor work. And the boats were all business, built for runnin over the rocks as well as goin fast.

[Infomaniac]

I would love to do that.
When I win the lottery, I will have to trade off between my top fuel drag boat and river racer.

[Havasu Hangin']

I gotta agree with these guys...
Those white water and sprint boats are about (or aboot) as hardcore as you can get- keep up the reports, JB!

[old rigger]

rexone,
back in the early to mid 80s at Rogers, we would build a race boat for a rich Mexican citizen every year to run that race. One of the last ones we did for him, at least while I still worked for Roger, we inserted the entire last 8 feet of the mold with 1/4 inch plywood. When the boat was pulled, we flipped it over and skined that part with 1/4 aluminum. Have no idea how this guy ever did in the race, except for needing a new ride every year. Must be brutal.
Maybe Jack Rex remembers seeing some Rogers running down there.
Jungle boy,
congrats on your finish. Do any of you guys run glass boats anymore or, and I'm just guessing here, are they entirely aluminum? Very cool.