I am an Idiot!

[dwb2620]

Back Ground: The last time I ran the boat I lost the cowl, so I got a new one cut a few holes in it and threw it on the shelf in the garage where it has sat since.

A weekend ago, I threw my 40 rigger that I hadn't run in 2 or 3 years in the water to get it ready for a race this weekend. What I thought were bad O-rings in my remote needle valve turned out to be something entirely different. As long as I kept the needle rich it run but not rev up like it should. I would start to lean the needle out and it would rev up and get on the pipe for a short time and then fall back off again. Replaced the O-rings, no change, switched remote needle assemblies, no change, checked all fuel and pressure lines, no problem there either. Blew out and back flushed all fuel lines, tank, and remote needle, no change! Checked the engine- all is good.

Starting to drive me nuts at this point. I ran it again today in open water at the race site same issues with the motor. That is when I saw the problem! When I got the new cowl I neglected to cut a hole in the top of the cowl over the water exit in the top of the cylinder head. DUH! I'm drowning my engine! I cut a big hole in the cowl, fired up the engine, threw it back in the water, it ran like bat out of hell!

So, yes I am an idiot!

 

[mike walker]

Bet ever one on here could tell you one of those if they would fess up.

Last cowl I lost every one was so kind to drive around it, who do you think hit it

 

[Andy Greene]

Bet ever one on here could tell you one of those if they would fess up.

Last cowl I lost every one was so kind to drive around it, who do you think hit it

Do you still get a DNF if you hit your own stuff

I believe Fessing Up - deserves its own thread in O/T , I will gladly get the ball rolling, who's game

 

[stan simpson iv]

Haa...yes they run better "ON TOP" of the water than "ON "water.

 

[glenng]

Bet ever one on here could tell you one of those if they would fess up.

Last cowl I lost every one was so kind to drive around it, who do you think hit it

A friend did the same thing. He was also my pit man when I center-punched a buoy at full song- the buoy flew about 40 feet and the boat hopped into the air a good 4 feet and landed right side up.After about 5 seconds he said "punch it stupid-it's still running :lol: Boat ran 1/2 lap and died. Without checking anything I started refueling boat for next heat-kept pumping but tanks did not fill. Split fuel line from impact-Pumped a quart of nitro into sponsom bottoms .

 

[mike walker]

Now we are hearing from the real racers.

Don't let up till your up side down

 

[glenng]

When you are headed toward the bank would be a good time to "let up". Another friend chased himself up the bank with his own gas mono- turning the 2.75" alum prop into a 2" prop :lol: .

 

[Andy Greene]

Bet ever one on here could tell you one of those if they would fess up.

Last cowl I lost every one was so kind to drive around it, who do you think hit it

A friend did the same thing. He was also my pit man when I center-punched a buoy at full song- the buoy flew about 40 feet and the boat hopped into the air a good 4 feet and landed right side up.After about 5 seconds he said "punch it stupid-it's still running :lol: Boat ran 1/2 lap and died. Without checking anything I started refueling boat for next heat-kept pumping but tanks did not fill. Split fuel line from impact-Pumped a quart of nitro into sponsom bottoms .

LOL, At the Winternats a few years ago, I was fueling my X-Mono and talking with Anders. After cranking away on the hand pump for a while , I looked down at what was about a 1/4 gallon in the hull, I had it hooked up to the carb line

 

[Ron Olson]

I've had too many of those moments, many I'd rather forget. :unsure:

 

[moparbarn]

at the wtc a couple of years ago, i went to the pits for my heat. they put us on the clock, i fire it up, & out of habit, wave my hand behind the motor to feel for a breeze off the prop. my way of being sure it didn't start up backwards before we toss it in ( yeah, been there, done that, too :lol: ). no breeze!! i look down, no prop!! they don't work well still in the prop box :huh: ..............

 

[RobertWurster]

I drove an hour and a half to a pond with my boat got there set up and found out I forgot my props.

 

[julianconde]

ran a Twin hydro for 3 hours straight and forgot to charge the battery before a race guess what twin when in the water 2 laps and started doing circles lesson learned

 

[Walt Barney]

ran a Twin hydro for 3 hours straight and forgot to charge the battery before a race guess what twin when in the water 2 laps and started doing circles lesson learned

Last round of 5 Mono would not start finally changed plugs and it fired right up only 10 seconds to get it the water, I walked very fast to get on the drivers stand and my pit man started to follow me up the drivers stand then realized he forgot to put the boat in the water, just got it in time and got 1st place in that heat, This just happened at the Huntsville race this past weekend .Walt Barney

 

[RonShaw]

I forgot to switch the model selection on my open tunnel at the WTC in Charleston last year. Pit man threw the boat in the water and when I turned left to follow the shoreline until I passed buoy one, the boat darted into lanes one and two. The steering was backward. I immediately looked down at the display and realized my mistake. Premo was CD and shouted at me to follow the shore. I told him my steering was backward as I forgot to switch the model....... :blink: It was like driving a scooter in Bermuda, right Shane? I had to keep thinking about it being backward and after two laps getting on the clock, no problem. I ran the entire race with opposite steering and ended up second in that heat. I think Premo was surprised!!!!.....

I ended up winning first overall that weekend....

 

[Andy Greene]

I forgot to switch the model selection on my open tunnel at the WTC in Charleston last year. Pit man threw the boat in the water and when I turned left to follow the shoreline until I passed buoy one, the boat darted into lanes one and two. The steering was backward. I immediately looked down at the display and realized my mistake. Premo was CD and shouted at me to follow the shore. I told him my steering was backward as I forgot to switch the model....... :blink: It was like driving a scooter in Bermuda, right Shane? I had to keep thinking about it being backward and after two laps getting on the clock, no problem. I ran the entire race with opposite steering and ended up second in that heat. I think Premo was surprised!!!!.....

I ended up winning first overall that weekend....

LOL -Ron, I did that in X-Mono once. Took me a few laps of milling to figure out how to sorta drive it, I bitched at my pitman the whole time for kicking the rudder up when he launched it Once I figured out if I held full left into it , it would almost go straight and in the corners all you had to do was release the wheel to center and it arced a perfect turn

Ended up winning that heat and overall for the weekend as well- on the right model

 

[RonShaw]

Hahaha. I would have hated being your pitman for that heat!!!...

 

[Andy Greene]

Hahaha. I would have hated being your pitman for that heat!!!...

It was Ed Knudsen , Ron-

Him being twice as tall as me, I wasnt too vocal :lol:

I musta asked him 20x though, are you SURE you didnt kick the rudder .......

After I got it back to the tent and realized my mistake, I ate crow

I think Marty was on the stand that day and kept asking me, you got a handle on that boat ? I was like, yeah-sorta :lol:

 

[RonShaw]

Hahaha. I would have hated being your pitman for that heat!!!...

It was Ed Knudsen , Ron-

Him being twice as tall as me, I wasnt too vocal :lol:

I musta asked him 20x though, are you SURE you didnt kick the rudder .......

After I got it back to the tent and realized my mistake, I ate crow

I think Marty was on the stand that day and kept asking me, you got a handle on that boat ? I was like, yeah-sorta :lol:

Hahaha. No, being too vocal to Ed would not have been a good idea. The next thing Marty would have seen is you flying off the drivers stand, in the air!!!....

I think the world of Barb and Ed. They are great people. I used to run with them and see them years ago at just about every race I went to.

 

[Andy Greene]

I saw them this weekend at the Riverview race, good people for sure.

Mom tolerates me AND likes Georganna- Bonus .......

Just dont take their pic when they dont want ya too LMAO

 

[RonShaw]

Yep, the "hand on the hip" stare!!!...