Spent the day up in Porterville, PA yesterday attending my first SAW's event. The pond in Portersville is a beautiful venue and with the leaves peaking it was even more spectacular. We had racers from California, Canada, Ohio attend and I came up from Virginia. I want to thank Bob for a great time. It was great getting to know him as well as other racers from around the country..... ehh make that continent. We had some technical difficulties early in the day and Bob worked his butt off getting the problem squared away. He also did almost all of the boat retrievals.
As for the records, the SS Gas Cat and Mono records fell so the guys from Elizabeth City and Huntsville will have their work cut out for them. Even though the winds were light most of the day, the FE guys couldnt get the water we needed till the sun started setting. I was going for the Q- Tunnel record (74 mph) with a 33 inch long cat. I must of made close to 10 attempts all day and was getting very frustrated. The boat would either blow over or when I adjusted it to stay right side up, she would run slow (low 70's). I knew I had the power to take the record as the boat had GPS'ed at 79 during testing. I was coming to the realization that for whatever reason, the prop I was using was just not going to do the job. So I decided to prop up a for the last attempt as the sun started setting. Bill Oxidean gave the prop a tweak and off we went. The water was now flat. Not glass but all the little ripples went away. On the first pass I ripped a 87 and change.
On the return pass she took flight 30 feet from the beam and sailed over it. Doooh!! I don't know who was more disappointed, Bob or myself. The sun was setting and park closes at dark. The guys wanted me to stay an extra day but I had to get back home. So no record for me but thats life. Anytime day you can spend a beautiful fall day doing what you love with friends, thats a good day by me.
Thanks Bob for a great time!! Bill, thanks for the prop work. It was nice getting to know you. We'll do it again.
Nex stop, Elizabeth City.. B)
As for the records, the SS Gas Cat and Mono records fell so the guys from Elizabeth City and Huntsville will have their work cut out for them. Even though the winds were light most of the day, the FE guys couldnt get the water we needed till the sun started setting. I was going for the Q- Tunnel record (74 mph) with a 33 inch long cat. I must of made close to 10 attempts all day and was getting very frustrated. The boat would either blow over or when I adjusted it to stay right side up, she would run slow (low 70's). I knew I had the power to take the record as the boat had GPS'ed at 79 during testing. I was coming to the realization that for whatever reason, the prop I was using was just not going to do the job. So I decided to prop up a for the last attempt as the sun started setting. Bill Oxidean gave the prop a tweak and off we went. The water was now flat. Not glass but all the little ripples went away. On the first pass I ripped a 87 and change.
On the return pass she took flight 30 feet from the beam and sailed over it. Doooh!! I don't know who was more disappointed, Bob or myself. The sun was setting and park closes at dark. The guys wanted me to stay an extra day but I had to get back home. So no record for me but thats life. Anytime day you can spend a beautiful fall day doing what you love with friends, thats a good day by me.Thanks Bob for a great time!! Bill, thanks for the prop work. It was nice getting to know you. We'll do it again.
Nex stop, Elizabeth City.. B)
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