OK, so I thought I had it handled. Found a motor, foot, bolt it on and race...Turns out, the motor has evolved from a complete unit, to one that has no gear foot...Well, it had the original, then that was going to be replaced with a brand new one, because I was told it was old, now, the motor is footless....
So, who here can tell me why the OEM gear foots have 2MPH on the new replacments? If that is true, that might explain why this motor was original,, thena new foot was going to be added because the old foot was worn out, then evolved into a footless engine.... Who that sells used engines would add a brand new part because the old one was not good? The gears are turning....
In the mean time, we have a motor, not new by any stretch, and are once again, looking for a gear foot... I'll call Ed Runne tomorrrow and get some money off to make this happen.......
This episode has ticked me off beyond belief....So, I got to thinking, after I called Ron who is on the road...We want kids to enter the sport right? By the time you get done mousing around with antiquated parts, dealing with sharks who want ridicluous amounts of money for start up ventures to get into J/AXS/A, it is enough to steer many people away, assuming of course this is to be the starter class......So, herezz what I am thinking, comming from a person who has never raced APBA ....
Scratch the hydro. They are too freeken temperamental, and blow over after a starfish farts.... And the 20 year old expensive gear foot...A competitive A motor can cost $3,000 plus, but I'm preaching to the choir.... Hell dad paid $1,700 for my Stinger GP in 1978 before he died.... 4 cylinders vs 2??? WTF is that????? We got twice that in a glorified freeken fishing motor....
And we got an unstable boat, which, when a kid gets wet, you ain't gunna get them back in for a while... And, what kid would kneel before they could sit??
So, we build a runabout, modeled after an old Speedliner or Yellow Jacket. With an open deck and back seat steering. And, a seat, so the kid does not have to kneel...With a gas pedal, not a Carpal Tunnel forming squeeze grip... And we make it easy, a strap of metal on a common 5/16 bolt as the pivot, returned by a bungy cord....And we give it a double wide seat for a 2 kid class, because I know of pleanty of kids who would ride, with their friends on weekends to get interested and cannot afford a boat........
And, legal motors will be any engine you find on E-bay, 15 cubic inch limit, 15 horsepower. Merc, Johnson, Rude Yickifigion variety....Hell gimme an old sod-a- water....Cavitation plate allowed 2" above the bottom. No measurement from the prop shaft, we use the cav plate....And engines with definite advantages will be restricted by prop pitch, cup or any one of a number of things, not some idiocy where you restrict the flow of fuel....That way the motor will have the power it needs when it needs it....
Motors must be OEM stock. Aluminum and stainless props can run the same class, but score differently in case someone does not have the money for a stainless prop....A center fin can bolt through the bottom of the boat, from inside out, and you use caulk to seal it so you can trailer the boat easily.... Boats must be made of 3/8"-1/2" outdoor plywood with one good side so the cost of marine wood is not an issue...Target entry cost, $2,500.00, boat, motor, trailer, plus safety gear. The boat will be 12' long, have a step bottom for rough water (thank you Ron) 52" wide gunnel to gunnel with a 46" bottom width. Top targeted speed, 45. This run around crap of trying to find parts to get Miss KTDoodle running is really ticking me off beyond belief, and it takes alot to do that....
So, here once again, we sit, 30 days til race day, not much further than we were before.... Sorry guys, I'm stressed and venting....Any thoughts????