LeeCraft Tunnels win first in A Mod and B Mod at 2011 NAMBA Nats

[Baxter Walton]

I have ran a lot of boats also, Lee Craft is the best heat racing boat that I have ever run no mater what power you strap to it.

 

[RonShaw]

Mic,

Sense of humor is what it's all about. I look forward to meeting you as well. What's really funny is all the boats you just mentioned have all taken bottom designs and in one way or another copied the LeeCraft 460 or XT120. One thing that is for sure, tunnel hull racing is alive and well. The way I look at it the best tunnel hull racing in the country is in the east and southeast, hands down!!!!!!!......

 

[John Knight]

Mic,

Sense of humor is what it's all about. I look forward to meeting you as well. What's really funny is all the boats you just mentioned have all taken bottom designs and in one way or another copied the LeeCraft 460 or XT120. One thing that is for sure, tunnel hull racing is alive and well. The way I look at it the best tunnel hull racing in the country is in the east and southeast, hands down!!!!!!!......

You will see some of the very best tunnel racing anywhere, at any time, at the upcoming Fall Nationals October 7-9th. Some big guns are entered in every class. The only race that surpasses it is the World OB Tunnel Championships in the spring. Both races are hosted by the Charleston Model Boaters and are broadcast on the web by MeTime Productions. Watch them if you cannot attend.

 

[lohring]

Mark Grimm ran a Leecraft in at least one of the 7.5 tunnel classes at the NAMBA Nationals. However, I agree that the newer tunnels have surpassed the Leecraft in all but ideal conditions. The Lynx is a breakthrough design with much higher deadrise angles than past tunnels. It handles rough water better. Even so, the guys that could make the Leecraft go, Alfred Lanza, Rudy Formanek, Frank Crockett, and Mark Grimm to name a few, are still hard to beat. When the XT-460 was designed it was running in the 40 to 50 mph area. Now mod tunnels go over 60. The Leecraft XT-460 is hard to setup and drive at those speeds. The Aftershock, the HTB 360, and other larger boats handle modern power better. Jeff Wells' HTB 360 beat my XT-460 in both of the 11 cc tunnel classes at the 2005 NAMBA Nationals. Too bad there aren't new large outboard engines being made.

Lohring Miller

 

[Baxter Walton]

Mark Grimm ran a Leecraft in at least one of the 7.5 tunnel classes at the NAMBA Nationals. However, I agree that the newer tunnels have surpassed the Leecraft in all but ideal conditions. The Lynx is a breakthrough design with much higher deadrise angles than past tunnels. It handles rough water better. Even so, the guys that could make the Leecraft go, Alfred Lanza, Rudy Formanek, Frank Crockett, and Mark Grimm to name a few, are still hard to beat. When the XT-460 was designed it was running in the 40 to 50 mph area. Now mod tunnels go over 60. The Leecraft XT-460 is hard to setup and drive at those speeds. The Aftershock, the HTB 360, and other larger boats handle modern power better. Jeff Wells' HTB 360 beat my XT-460 in both of the 11 cc tunnel classes at the 2005 NAMBA Nationals. Too bad there aren't new large outboard engines being made.

Lohring Miller

While I agree 100% on the Leecraft XT-460, my boat of choice in the .45 and 11cc would be the HTB, .21 have to stuck with the Lee, those others tunnels that you mentioned are very fast don't get me wrong, I don't know if its the way guys have them set up,but they ride too nose high for me. I see too many blowing over in a race. A leecraft set up with the right power, is hard to beat and too many times they will dnf in trying to do so. I guess it all depends on your driving style. Im only talking about the .20 Lee craft, the .40 does not work for me.

 

[RonShaw]

These are all great points to the advances in tunnel racing over the years, with the help of LeeCraft. Obviously, many people believe the original tunnel designs and concepts started by the LeeCraft have been further improved upon over the years. Since the quantum leap in tunnel technology started with the 460, there is no doubt that this design will always be competitive in the tunnel classes for years to come. I have traditionally always had LeeCraft Tunnels in my trailer, but the 460 absolutely would not handle the power of my .67 outboard engine. The original LeeCraft 460 hull, I attempted this setup with years ago, proved to be under designed for this class of racing. Because of this, I just finished my new HTB 460 this week and I will be testing the hull at the Atlanta Race this weekend. I noticed the bottom is still almost exactly the same design as my LeeCraft and older HTB I have not built. It will take several trips to the pond for final setup and to make it competitive, but I am anxious to see how the wider beam, extra weight, and additional overall length, work out for this hull in heat racing conditions. Stay tuned!!!

 

[Baxter Walton]

Awesome Ron, I will be tuned in, now you mention the older HTB, are speaking about the one with the nose built on the boat and not the one piece cowl? I am going to have Mark make me one from the old mold, I don't care for the one piece cowl, I guess it reminds me of the leecraft lol

 

[Grimracer]

Last time I raced a XTR21 was 2001..

Best running XTR21 I have ever seen run was Tommys.. David Preusse a close second.

Past that point I have beat WAY more XTR21s then have beat me.. if you REALLY want to win races you have to choose a hull that fits your driving style.. (could not find one.. so I started designing my own)

Do I feel the XTR is making a come back?.. as is?.. not a chance.. will they still win a few..sure!

Grim

 

[moparbarn]

think i might have had the best finishing leecraft to attend the WTC. terry flynn's old xtr-21, i ran fifth in b-mod with a k&b a few years ago. still beat a lot of good newer hulls, but i believe that's the best finish by a leecraft in b-mod at the WTC. ron shaw now owns this hull, i switched to a vision B) .

 

[Baxter Walton]

think i might have had the best finishing leecraft to attend the WTC. terry flynn's old xtr-21, i ran fifth in b-mod with a k&b a few years ago. still beat a lot of good newer hulls, but i believe that's the best finish by a leecraft in b-mod at the WTC. ron shaw now owns this hull, i switched to a vision B) .

How do you like the Vision hulls? What are some of their characteristics?

 

[moparbarn]

still getting used to it, but flatter & faster in the straights, better/more stable turns & can be MUCH lighter to do it. overall, more predictable. my leecraft weighed more than 7 lbs...........i have no weight in my vision, running a cmb greenie LS on a k&b lower with a cooper pipe, turning a cut down repitched x-442 from mark sholund.

 

[Baxter Walton]

what about diving in a turn into a lane left open thru rough water? so the vision is lighter then your Lee craft? Which is longer?

 

[Baxter Walton]

Have you tried a 1445 on it? Thats what I was running on my Lee

 

[moparbarn]

only have turned inside someone heat racing this hull once (only 1 race with it), went through it fine. yes, the vision is lighter, i need to weigh it tonite. leecraft was 27", the vision is 29 1/2".

 

[Baxter Walton]

only have turned inside someone heat racing this hull once (only 1 race with it), went through it fine. yes, the vision is lighter, i need to weigh it tonite. leecraft was 27", the vision is 29 1/2".

Wait a min, the vision is the Villain? also how far are the props on each boat? you have to take that into consideration on set-up, on the lee craft I used the Lawless, and used a little wider carbon fiber cavitation plate that we make for it. that combo proved deadly for others racing in my heat Thats why when I tried the 20 HTB the Lawless put the prop to far back because it was a longer boat. The HTB 340 with a Lawless is one that I want to do some testing on, I thing that it would set the prop back far enough that the increase in power will not be an factor. I cant wait to get back out there with the fat Lady (STALKER SPORT Radar) and let her sing lol

 

[RodneyPierce]

Wait a min, the vision is the Villain?

No, its a completely different boat. The Vision is one hell of a boat!

 

[moparbarn]

only have turned inside someone heat racing this hull once (only 1 race with it), went through it fine. yes, the vision is lighter, i need to weigh it tonite. leecraft was 27", the vision is 29 1/2".

Wait a min, the vision is the Villain? also how far are the props on each boat? you have to take that into consideration on set-up, on the lee craft I used the Lawless, and used a little wider carbon fiber cavitation plate that we make for it. that combo proved deadly for others racing in my heat Thats why when I tried the 20 HTB the Lawless put the prop to far back because it was a longer boat. The HTB 340 with a Lawless is one that I want to do some testing on, I thing that it would set the prop back far enough that the increase in power will not be an factor. I cant wait to get back out there with the fat Lady (STALKER SPORT Radar) and let her sing lol

the vision is the villain :blink: :huh: :unsure: :lol: ??? using the same engine, pipe, lower & mount(hi-jacker) on both hulls.

 

[Baxter Walton]

Whew ok, the vision is a vision sounds good, going to get one.

 

[Baxter Walton]

Is Shawn to one to get these boats from?

 

[RodneyPierce]

yes.