How Fast can they go ? Zenoah Mono Boats

[RichardB]

Thanks to everyone for all the info.. great responses. I have the large size 43" steve muck Spartan. with a G 23.

can this boat be competitive. it is set up nicely with a B H Zenoha . also do I have to race against the B 26 engines.

richard

 

[Rigged]

Thanks to everyone for all the info.. great responses. I have the large size 43" steve muck Spartan. with a G 23.
can this boat be competitive. it is set up nicely with a B H Zenoha . also do I have to race against the B 26 engines.

richard

a WHH Gator with a 25cc homelite could win a race on the right day.

If the boat can run 50mph and run in lane 1 in the chop, then it could be competitive and probably get you some wins.

And yes with a 231 you would be racing against 260's

 

[John Finch]

I have to agree with Mark on realistic speeds for heat racing. There is one thing everyone is missing here in this discussion. It is not the fastest straightaway speed that wins races. It is the FASTEST LAP TIME.

 

[Scott Norris]

I have to agree with Mark on realistic speeds for heat racing. There is one thing everyone is missing here in this discussion. It is not the fastest straightaway speed that wins races. It is the FASTEST LAP TIME.

and Never Ever leave lane one open going into a turn if you have the lead with a quicker boat behind you!

 

[BigChuck]

:lol: :lol: Scooter!!!

 

[Preston_Hall]

Mark,

You may want to check your math.

Distance/Speed=Time

2 boats running even after 1 lap have the same time. So,

D1/S1=D2/S2, so S2=D2*S1/D1

Lets say the inside boat is running a 35ft radius. The outside boat is running a 45ft radius. (Lane 1 & 2)

A 35ft radius equals a lap of 880ft or .17 miles. A 45ft radius equals a lap of 943ft or .18miles.

So if you plug the numbers and assume that boat 1 runs 55mph then boat 2 only needs to run 58mph to stay even.

A good rule of thumb is 5 mph will get you past the other guy if you drive the same course.

 

[shoboat]

Preston,

How can both boats drive in the same lane? 5 MPH won't get it done!

I doubt you will be able to pass another gas mono in the next lane

out,he will blow you off the water with his wake. So you have to go

further out maybe another lane or two into clean water and now do

the math.

Good Luck Passing,

Mark Sholund

 

[John Finch]

The engineer strikes again. Nice to know the reality of it all. Mark, we do race side by side in chesapeake lap after lap without blowovers. We do it all the time. But..............we only do it with people we know will hold the lane. Now if we race somewhere else where we don't know or trust the competion........I would have to say 10 mph might be needed. On the other hand...if the guy on the inside drives poorly...one shot to the inside lane and the game is over. You are both right! BUT< back to my point about the fastest lap wins. You can have a boat that runs fast down the straight but sags a bit in the turns vs a slower boat down the straightaway with fast cornering speed that will win the race. Point is...........some boats are faster thru the turns and some are faster down the straightaway. How many people know about the inside lane optical illusion in the back straightaway?

Ever notice when you are on the inside lane down the back straight you seem to be faster than a boat in lane three? Ever notice when the same two boats switch lanes in the back straightaway all of a sudden the boat that was slow in lane 3 is now the faster boat in lane one? Opical illusion because of where you stand in relation to how you view the boats. Standing in the middle of the course when you look at the boats at buoy 3 when the boats are side by side, the one in lane one looks to be behind the boat in lane 3 when they are side by side. When they get to buoy 4 the boat in lane one then looks to be ahead of the boat in lane 3 because of your viewpoint. If the furthest boat was in lane 8 the illusion would be even greater. Actually both boats travelled the same distance and same speed but the one in lane one looks to have gone faster. Just a FYI for those without radar guns.

 

[shoboat]

John,

You are right about the 12 turns in a race. The one who turns the best usually

wins. Preston is an ENGINEER? That explains it all.

Have Fun,

Mark Sholund

 

[Preston_Hall]

Mark,

Both boats are not in the same lane. They are 10ft apart which is more than a lane but very close (35 & 45 ft radius turns, the straights are the same no matter what lane).

I use the 5 mph rule because I think I can get a good visual on that and sometimes I know the speed that the guy I am racing is actually running. So if I am behind somebody that I am not more than 5mph faster then I will just hang back and hope he makes a mistake because I will never pass him otherwise.

Ultimately John is right because it is the fastest lap time. You have to judge how much water you gain after a lap to be able to make your decision.

This is why even 100mph boat means nothing if it dies off in the turn.

My gas cat runs 52mph. Whoooo Hooooo! Right? Well, I have to tell you that nobody has ever passed it if I am in lane one. Well, Earl Eber did it with a Seaducer. In the turns I am below half throttle. So this tells me that these 60+mph cats either are not running that fast or they do not turn for snot. BUT! If I am not in front in lane one then I loook like I am sitting still.

I think John's last set of record boats were actually slower in the straights but obviously faster in the turns since he took a second of the oval times. Slower can be faster.

 

[shoboat]

Preston,

I agree with you about the turns,but I think you will find it takes

more than 5 MPH to pass on the outside. 52 MPH on your Cat?

What propeller are you running?

Thanks,

Mark Sholund

 

[BigChuck]

I think we have missed a KEY factor in this equation!!!!

TIME!!!

Yes, You can pass on the outside with a 5mph difference. Do it on the highway. See how long it

takes.

We only run Six laps at a total time of 2mins MAX. If I am my thinking is correct, this is like the

High line and the low line at Martinville!!!

10MPH will get you pass. That has always been the "rule of thumb"

Just a thought.

 

[Ron Olson]

I'm no mathematical genius by a long shot but I do see what they call the Chaos theory working here.

Using the analogy that Big Chuck just used by referring to Martinsville or any other NASCAR oval track there is also the factor of scrubbing off speed. They can at the tracks where it's possible to drive WOT and the driver with the high line can go faster as he isn't scrubbing off as much as the driver on the inside line.

Calculating numbers only works on paper, we have too many variables to throw in including the driver and ever-changing water donditions.

 

[Preston_Hall]

Well there is a big puddle of water at your feet and if you want to drink you can.

We all know boats do not run a consistant speed so lets drop that. The fact remains that at a consistant 58mph and 10 ft from the inside boat that runs 55 you will be even at the finish. Time is considered as it is equal in this case. If you run 58.1mph you will win by a photo finish. Math is math and you won't beat it. However, math will never set you free in the boating world. There are so many physics at play here that you are peeing in the wind if you try to figure it out.

Mark,

The prop I run gives great acceleration out of the turns and stays hooked up. That's why I can run with "faster" boats. Now I hope nobody wants to start twisting this into saying that I am the fastest because that is not the case.

 

[Steve Sutton]

Mark,Both boats are not in the same lane. They are 10ft apart which is more than a lane but very close (35 & 45 ft radius turns, the straights are the same no matter what lane).

I use the 5 mph rule because I think I can get a good visual on that and sometimes I know the speed that the guy I am racing is actually running. So if I am behind somebody that I am not more than 5mph faster then I will just hang back and hope he makes a mistake because I will never pass him otherwise.

Ultimately John is right because it is the fastest lap time. You have to judge how much water you gain after a lap to be able to make your decision.

This is why even 100mph boat means nothing if it dies off in the turn.

My gas cat runs 52mph. Whoooo Hooooo! Right? Well, I have to tell you that nobody has ever passed it if I am in lane one. Well, Earl Eber did it with a Seaducer. In the turns I am below half throttle. So this tells me that these 60+mph cats either are not running that fast or they do not turn for snot. BUT! If I am not in front in lane one then I loook like I am sitting still.

I think John's last set of record boats were actually slower in the straights but obviously faster in the turns since he took a second of the oval times. Slower can be faster.

Preston,

I agree with you and John as I have proved this point to myself several times over the years. I don't always have the fastest boat on the pond by far, as a matter of fact I usally give up at least 5 MPH to my competition in all most all of my heat races. John and Steve Speas have taught me over the years that the fastest boat on the pond does not always win in heat racing events. I now race a XXX mono with a stock Zen 260 in both our stock gas class (D12)and the LS27 gas mono class. The racing in stock gas usally is determined by who can get and establish lane one thru the first lap of the race, once that individual establishes lane one and does not make any driving mistakes they will usally win because the boats are all very equal in overall speed. Some are faster down the straight aways and some are faster thru the corners which makes for some really good and serious racing. Just ask Earl Eber as I think he really enjoyed the class this year. I also race the same boat in LS27 mono class and have won and finished 2nd on several ocassions both last year and this year. As I have indicated I have usally established lane one thru the first lap and have to drive my butt off because the much faster boats are always right on my rear end. I have the boat set up to be extremely quick in the corners and accelerate hard off the corners to my top speed as quick as possible. My boat will only go on average 49.8 MPH on a radar gun and the best I have seen is 50.2 MPH. Like I said I don't have the fastest boat on the pond but I enjoy the races because of the good hard racing. By the way if there are any dead boats in lane one I am usally a dead duck because I don't have the power to change lines and maintain the speeds the faster boats can correct and compensate for. Most of the posts noting that LS27 gas mono's are running between 55 to 58 mph would seem to be correct especially here in D12.

 

[Preston_Hall]

Yup, it has probably taken me 10 years to realize that your really need to slow down, get a good handling boat, and stay on the inside to win. I never could get the last two things 100% while being fast. All this came from watching you, John, Steve and Dicky. Race smart and you will achieve speeds that a radar gun will never show.

 

[Lamar_Huff]

How to win w/ a gas mono...

1) have a 1/2 a$$ boat (handling & speed)

2) Hit the clock in lane 1

3) Don't screw up for 6 laps

Won lots of trophies this way!!!

Lamar

 

[BigChuck]

Sorry BUD.............. Can't let everyone think it all that!!!!!

IF YOU HAVE a YELLOW OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE WATER WITH YOU!!!!

AND THEY......... OPEN UP THE RUNNING LANES!!!! :lol:

 

[Don Ferrette]

IF YOU HAVE a YELLOW OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE WATER WITH YOU!!!!

Now THAT'S funny!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Rigged]

Sorry BUD.............. Can't let everyone think it all that!!!!!
IF YOU HAVE a YELLOW OFFENSIVE LINE IN THE WATER WITH YOU!!!!

AND THEY......... OPEN UP THE RUNNING LANES!!!! :lol:

I hear that..... that yellow army are a tough group to get around. Ive switched to all yellow boats now (yes thats right Lamar... my new cat is YELLOW too LOL!), maybe ill get to win some races now :lol: :lol: