Some Thoughts About APBA's Rules

[Ron Hill]

1. They have J Class propellers: Someone drives from California to the Nationals to race, 2,300 miles one way. They test with the J Propellers but are given another J Propeller for the race. Driver does not get on plane. 4.600 miles of highway driving to not get on plane. Driver is discouraged! Ya think??

2. 300 Props are cast by us for Brinkman, but at the price they are made, they aren't quite equal.

Answer to these two propeller problems: Simple let you run your own prop but make a diameter rule to slow the boats down.

3. Gearcase Rule: Three things should be measured: 1. "R" measurement 2. skeg width at the bottom of the skeg 3. Skeg length

4. Transom height have out lived their life. Do away with all transom heights.

5. Spray shields should be required on any boat that throw the water high than 3 feet in the air. Boats turn just fine without throwing water 25 feet in the air making visibility impossible.

6. All J and AXS starts should be beach starts until capsules are installed.

7. Any ignition system should be legal on the 102. Right now the 302 ignition
system can be used on the 102, but there are none for sale.

8. Without transom heights, PRODUCTION gearcases will out run racing gearcases if they have bottom water pick ups and nose cones. Allow production gearcases to run with nose cones, in A, AXS, Mod 200 and K Pro. This opens up thousands of 15 HP motors and would open up thousands of eyes.

9 In A and AXS, if the Mercury is a 15 allow it to run.

Every Division of APBA has a leader that has an Axe To Grind and usually the AXE he wants ground is so he can win...and APBA SITS ON THEIR ASSES AND WATCH THE WORLD as boat racing circles the drain.

When all is said little will be done, little will we done!

ADD:

A stock gearcase can be made for very little money.

Salton sea 1947, we'll be back!

Any OMC 15 should be allowed to run, follow the OMC spec to keep it stock.

[Ron Hill]

If you look closely, you can see my dad's 1937 Plymouth, next to the scales and our cousin Harold's tent next to my dad's Plymouth. I was 3 year old but I remember being there. BUD PINTO'S PINTO.
DOC INGILES A ALKY! They way we "Rolled" then!

[Ron Hill]

Back in the day, lower units had measurements. My dad made many as did Marshall Eldridge and others. There was a "SPEC SHEET" and if your lower unit measure it was legal. My dad made many lower unit for Pep Hubbell back in the day!

Why does APBA make you buy a lower unit from a company that make about 5 a YEAR???
OPEN THE RULES UP!

Does APBA want new people to race with or new people to beat? Where is APBA's Ross Chastain?

[racnbns]

I got TOOOOO old ! I'd change my name to ROSS and go racing if I was a cupla years younger!

Keep it up RON !

Bruce

[DeanFHobart]

I really like the double decker car top with the runabouts. We did lots of back to back rack car topping over the years. We did it several years with an ASH and DSH on my pinto… motors in the trunk, gas cans in the boats, etc… from Seattle to Bakersfield… about 1000+miles…straight through, no stopping except for gas…about 20 hours.

Who was 74-J?

[Ron Hill]

Those two boat are Doug Pinto and his Pinto!

[DeanFHobart]

Those two boat are Doug Pinto and his Pinto!

Cool… didn’t notice it was a Pinto… his being a station wagon, mine was a hatch back.

[Albert]

As someone who had only been around stock ourboard for a couple years, yamatos are great and they are easy to work on and rebuild but I have two omc 15 motors in my garage that are useless unless I find a lower unit. I can’t say I haven’t been tempted to measure the racing unit and have a batch machined offshore.

[Ron Hill]

You could get 50 made for $400 each including shipping ($20,000), THEN WHEN THEY GOT HERE APBA WOULD NOT MAKE THEM LEGAL....

Well, when I considered this myself, my son loaded his office shot gun!

We at Hill Marine and Signature Propellers make 7,000 stainless steel propellers a year, my son is into making great propellers and making MONEY.

[DeanFHobart]

As someone who had only been around stock ourboard for a couple years, yamatos are great and they are easy to work on and rebuild but I have two omc 15 motors in my garage that are useless unless I find a lower unit. I can’t say I haven’t been tempted to measure the racing unit and have a batch machined offshore.

I thought that Sidewinder made them…. Also check with APBA… or inquire here on boat racing facts or hydroracer.