Ron's Parker Post on Hot Boat

[motion]

trust me i am all for lighter weight stuff, thats what i have, but to be objective, show me a true recreational boat that weighs 1250-1350 lbs, rigged dry. more like 1500-1800. my boat weighs light but again we are all preaching fairness and parity, on a side note you will not be able to convince me that your poor old baker is the old family ski boat, i have seen it run, it is a bad *** mod vp. joe

[JSR Motorsports]

What we all need to remember , If they don't do something to try to keep the speed reasonable , We could be only one bad crash away from no enduro at all. Target speed for mod VP type boats should be 90 MPH. Only my opinion. Also Chads " Baker" was my ski boat before I sold it to Ron in July 2005.

[motion]

i stand corrected, that is one bad *** ski boat. joe

[vishus]

bad *** for sure!

Four reasons a heavy old ski boat runs so fast.

1. A great DRIVER.
2. SETUP. Ron and Chad have spent some TIME and EFFORT to set the Baker to RUN. I think if those two wanted to run a Bayliner with a Force it would be a winner.
3. GREAT PROP(HILL). The one thing that connects to the water and makes it go!
4. S3000 power head. Mercury's baddest kick *** motor that they build. 325+ prop shaft HP

just my 2 cents...

sid

[JSR Motorsports]

Baker Boats built that boat in late 82 for the Havasu Classic for my dad and brother. The bottom was built quite a bit heavier than most mod VPs at the time, The deck is lighter than the average ski boat. We last raced it sometime in 88 ,It sat in the back corner of my yard till 98 when I turned it into a ski boat. It's way cool to see it race again!!

[motion]

i take it back, that is one bad *** mod vp. thats a cool story, thanks, joe

[Miss BK]

Target speed for mod VP type boats should be 90 MPH.

Most of the boats running the Mod-VP class of the late 80's and early 90's were actually running at speeds of not much more than 90-95mph. At those speeds, they already saw a need for capsules and Stoker was one of the first to install one. Everyone followed suit - even though they were probably not even reaching 100mph yet. But, as those speeds had increased, it had become too risky not to employ a capsule. We should revisit those lessons we learned from the past.

[chill]

I talked to Al at Parker. He told me when he quit that he promised himself if he ever raced again it would be in a capsule. I myself get a little puckered running without a capsule at any speed over 70.
The thing about the Enduro, you are racing against yourself, and don’t find the need to push yourself harder to get around other boats. One straightaway at a time as my dad would say.
Keeping the boats at around 95 or below is a must. I ran Div III this year at 90-91 MPH, I could have ran to DIV V this year by changing the gearcase and raising the motor 2”. But I did not want to do 110 MPH without a capsule, even with 21 years of racing experience.

[racer55]

The Parker 300 is meant to be a fun race and needs to be safe.

The old MODVP went from no weight restriction to 1450 (if memory is correct) with several weights adjustments along the way, some of those adjustments were to allow for capsules, these weights included driver as the boat was removed from the water, at 1350 for div5 dry they are heavier than the last modvp rules, although no capsule. As Val said we dont want sub 500 pound drag boats trying to run this race they will most likely break and could thus cause an accident.

When we went to capsules starting in 1986 there was no height restriction but you could not run a bottom pick up lower unit so the shaft was about even, these were dialed in race boats but had a lot less power then than what is now available as modvp had gone to basic stock power heads, although Vals memory to speed is a little off. The first race I ran with a capsule was Havasu 1986 top speed was a little over a 100. I feel capsules were needed then because the class was so competitive with large turn outs most every one was driving at the extreme limit of the equipment and the drivers ability, the Parker 300 is different in this respect.

I feel keeping the weights and engine heights as they were this past year would be fine, if the stagger was modified a little so those starting in the faster divisions would not have to run on the edge it would be a safe race, maybe another idea would be if one desires to run in the faster divisions they must have proof of seat time/ability etc, I know its a fun race but 90 plus with no experience is looking for disaster when you add in all the other boats.

I have to say one thing and that is even though we had trouble and Did not finish it sure was fun to be back racing, for which I need to thank Fred Bowden.

[Miss BK]

Thanks Al. Brad told me the same thing earlier tonight - that I was a little bit off on my recollection of speeds (not unusual for me at my age ). But remember, back in the 1980's, my exposure to Mod VP racing was helping a guy with a family-style Avenger/full interior. I can remember him telling me that his top speed was a little over 80. The boat still had the steering wheel on the right hand side... (his wife wouldn't let him change it for fear of "messing it up") That year he ran Havasu must have been one wild ride...lol



Oh...and we didn't win, but we sure had fun. In fact....if I remember correctly, that may have been the year you ran with your jaw wired shut Al....79 or 80? I think you won.