Hydro Junkie
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 5,738
Saturday started off great, light breeze, smooth water and a race proven scale hydro ready to tear it up. What could possibly go wrong? PUT THE TRANSMITTER IN MY HANDS!!!!!!!!!!
First run, everything is going fine as I cut across the infield rather than challenge the bank on both ends of the course. Then it happens, I try staying outside the bouys and get too close to the bank for my liking. That leads to too much rudder and smacking the exit bouy. This lead to a nice high arching flightpath with the result of stuffing the sponsons followed by a backflop. Bring the boat in, found the damage to be only a crack in the cowl at the front of the canopy as well as a couple of cracks in the canopy itself. Out comes the CA and, after flushing out the engine, I'm ready for round 2.
Since I hit the bouy, the course had been reset. The corner bouys had been brought in a bit so there was more room in the corners so I'm good to go. The boat is launched and, with a bit of assistance, the rudder is trimmed to keep the boat going straight. I get three laps in and all is going great and then, everything hits the fan. Dave Brandt, carrying a brand new pure white gas scale walks in front of the driver's stand. The motion below is enough to get me to glance down for maybe half a second. After years of working in aviation and spending time on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, keeping aware of what is going on around me is force of habit so I'm not blaming Dave in any way. Anyway, that time was enough to let my boat get from the middle of the backstretch to past the entrance bouy, headed straight at the bank. I slammed the rudder hard right and somehow missed the bank but, unfortunately, not the tree branches hanging out over the water.
The hull was undamaged but, unfortunately for me, the cowl, rudder and one vertical weren't so lucky. I think pictures will tell the story better than I can so I've posted some below. The worst part of this whole deal is JWO, the club president, was watching and, as I was coming off the drivers stand, told me I was only a lap short of passing my driver's qualifying test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I get to try again in three weeks in Ellensburg. I also guess it's practice time so, if all goes well, I plan on being on the water again this weekend
First run, everything is going fine as I cut across the infield rather than challenge the bank on both ends of the course. Then it happens, I try staying outside the bouys and get too close to the bank for my liking. That leads to too much rudder and smacking the exit bouy. This lead to a nice high arching flightpath with the result of stuffing the sponsons followed by a backflop. Bring the boat in, found the damage to be only a crack in the cowl at the front of the canopy as well as a couple of cracks in the canopy itself. Out comes the CA and, after flushing out the engine, I'm ready for round 2.
Since I hit the bouy, the course had been reset. The corner bouys had been brought in a bit so there was more room in the corners so I'm good to go. The boat is launched and, with a bit of assistance, the rudder is trimmed to keep the boat going straight. I get three laps in and all is going great and then, everything hits the fan. Dave Brandt, carrying a brand new pure white gas scale walks in front of the driver's stand. The motion below is enough to get me to glance down for maybe half a second. After years of working in aviation and spending time on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, keeping aware of what is going on around me is force of habit so I'm not blaming Dave in any way. Anyway, that time was enough to let my boat get from the middle of the backstretch to past the entrance bouy, headed straight at the bank. I slammed the rudder hard right and somehow missed the bank but, unfortunately, not the tree branches hanging out over the water.
The hull was undamaged but, unfortunately for me, the cowl, rudder and one vertical weren't so lucky. I think pictures will tell the story better than I can so I've posted some below. The worst part of this whole deal is JWO, the club president, was watching and, as I was coming off the drivers stand, told me I was only a lap short of passing my driver's qualifying test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I get to try again in three weeks in Ellensburg. I also guess it's practice time so, if all goes well, I plan on being on the water again this weekend
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