October 2007

NAMBA INTERNATIONAL PROPWASH
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Cathie Galbraith
1815 Halley Street
San Diego, CA 92154
(619) 424-6380
Fax (619) 424-8845
e-mail: cathie.galbraith@namba.com
PRESIDENT
Al Waters
162 Avenida Chapala
San Marcos, CA 92069
(760) 746-2408
e-mail: al.waters@namba.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Tony Rhodes
21931 Embassy Avenue
Long Beach, CA. 90810
(310) 549-6810
e-mail: tony.rhodes@namba.com
Web Page: www.namba.com
VOLUME 37, NUMBER 2
OCTOBER 2007
President’s Message
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Racing Ramblings ……………...
2
Grand Prix Classic ……………..
5
News From Sixteen …………….
7
NABGO Combat Nationals …….
8
By Al Waters
NAMBA President
Mark Grim Hall of Fame ………. 26
Time flies when you are having fun. Just that quick and we are already at the end of
my term as NAMBA President. I do plan on running for office again so we will see
how that pans out. However in the mean time there are still plenty of things to do.
I would first like to thank all of the District Directors who have made my tenure a
pleasant one. This year we will not only vote for the President and Vice President
positions but all odd numbered districts District Directors also. If you see only one
candidate for your respective district, please show a vote of confidence. If your odd
numbered district does not show a candidate, no one has submitted a nomination and
the current District Director has already agreed to continue in his position. If there is
more than one candidate in your odd numbered district, please vote. It is amazing the
number of times that NAMBA offices have been decided by less than a handful of
votes.
This year’s NAMBA Nationals for Fast Electrics was held outside of Seattle,
Washington and District Eight Director/NAMBA Safety Chairman Lohring Miller was
on hand and participated in the event. The NAMBA Nitro and Gas Nationals were
hosted by District Nine in San Jose, California. I attended the Nationals in District
Nine and if you weren’t there, you will never know what you missed. The first
question I asked myself was why was the host hotel 11 miles away? I soon found out.
Eight of those miles were freeway so that was just a five minute trip. The other three
miles were a piece of cake as the traffic was moving in the opposite direction. It was
all about the host hotel. When have you gone to a Nationals where you had a free full
on breakfast every day? There was your choice of eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage,
potatoes, coffees, juices, and cereals. Then after a day of racing there were two hours
of free happy hour including munchies. There was a large atrium area for socializing
which also doubled as their restaurant. And the food? I had dinner three times at the
hotel because I was too comfortable to want to leave. When we did decide to go
restaurant hopping, there were groups anywhere from six to twenty people.
The hotel layout was the perfect setting for meeting everyone at the end of race day.
Contest Directors Roger Hooks Jr. and Mike McKnight and all of District Nine did an
excellent job of putting these Nationals together. The Raging Waters Park race site was
real nice, the weather was beautiful every day, and the awards banquet was first rate.
Gas Rule Change Proposals …… 27
Continued on page 2
Goodbye Mongo ………………. 11
2007 Electric Nationals ………..
12
District Five News …………….. 15
District 11 Report ……………...
15
Safety Corner - Summer Review
16
District One - Half Way In 2007
16
District Eight Director’s Report
17
NAMBA Scale Chairman Report 18
Technically Speaking ………….
19
News From Nineteen ………….. 22
NAMBA Records ……………..
23
Educating The Public ………….
23
Hello All From District Seven … 24
In Memory of Ira Cotton ………. 25
PROPWASH
President’s Message
(Continued from page 1)
Oh, did I forget to say that District Nice hosted a free open bar at the awards
banquet complete with free commemorative Martinelli’s bottles of cider with the
Nationals logo on the label. Free is probably not a politically correct term to be used
for the hospitality that all of the race entrants were provided. The whole event was
very professionally handled so complimentary would be the more appropriate term.
All I can say is that I had a good time. Granted, there were bumps in the road that
District Nine had to deal with, but they did it in such a way that the boaters were never
aware of them. That’s how you take care of business.
Speaking of Nationals, next year’s 2008 NAMBA FE Nationals location has yet to
be determined. However, the 2008 NAMBA Nitro and Gas Nationals will be hosted
by District 20 in Denver, Colorado. Kelly Stout and his group have been having
meetings and determined with the July 4th holiday taking a Leap Year jump, the
Nationals will be held July 12 -19, 2008. For those of you who really like to plan
ahead, keep July open in 2009 as District Eight will be hosting the Nitro and Gas
Nationals at Twin Lakes in Marysville, Washington.
One of the things I feel I should do as NAMBA President is be honest with the
membership. A lot of things are taken care at Board of Directors level because you
have voted all of those people in to office to represent you and make decisions on your
behalf. There will be times where we all do not agree on matters. However, we discuss
them and final decisions are made by a majority vote. That is the beauty of a
democracy.
Two items come to mind at this time and I will take them one by one.
The question has been asked about running boats that are not allowed as per the
NAMBA rule book and whether a person has insurance coverage if there is an
accident. Whether we follow the rule book the membership has voted in or not,
excessive claims of any kind will ultimately cause us to lose our current insurance
carrier. Following the entire contents of the rule book that the membership has voted
in will help minimize the possibility of an accident happening. That is the best way to
look at it.
The next question that has come up is the result of the answer to the previous
question. How do we get a particular class or motor in the NAMBA rule book if
currently running it conflicts with the rule book possibly jeopardizing our insurance?
Let’s use turbine boats or gas boats with twin 26 cc motors as examples. Currently
turbine power is not authorized and twin 26 cc motors exceed the maximum allowable
size for gas motors. For those of you who are truly interested in going this direction,
my suggestion would be to submit a letter of request to the NAMBA Board with your
pros and cons. Your best chance of getting something like this to fly is to get as many
of the NAMBA BOD together to observe an exhibition. The best place to do this
would be at the NAMBA Nitro and Gas Nationals. You will have most of the BOD
including the Safety Chairman present. There would be a controlled situation
providing you with the best possibility of succeeding at your request.
Well, there is still a lot more racing left this year. Districts are coming down to the
wire with their class championships and there are still quite a few special event races
being held throughout the country. When you attend your next race, take a moment to
thank your District Director for stepping up to the plate as well as your Contest
Directors for hosting races. A little thank you sure goes a long way.
See you at the next race.
2
Racing Ramblings
By Alan Hobbs
NAMBA Past President
When you attend the NAMBA Nats,
you get a badge that lists your name,
NAMBA number, and how many
NAMBA Nats you have attended. Lots
of people check out your badge to see
how many Nats are listed. It isn’t all that
complementary when someone looks at
your badge and says, “Holy Cow! How
old are you?”
My first NAMBA Nats was Amarillo,
Texas in 1981. I’ve only missed a couple
since then, and I’m proud that I have
made it to every NAMBA Nats since
1988. Every big race is fun and I’m
happy to say I’ve enjoyed all the
NAMBA Nats I’ve attended.
NAMBA has spread our annual event
across the USA, from every corner to
places in between and Canada. When
you go to these races you get to meet a
lot of model boaters. One thing you can
count on is that some of the nicest
people you will ever meet race model
boats.
And, you will meet a lot of nice
boaters at races that are not NAMBA
events. While I have raced across the
USA and Canada at NAMBA events,
I’ve also raced at APBA and IMPBA
sanctioned events. It is always fun. I
always meet some great people. And,
I’ve found that no matter where you go,
there are people willing to help you
through any problems.
Just because racing in North America
is fantastic, does not mean it is the only
model boat racing, or even the best
model boat racing. About 10 years ago I
was invited to race at the NAVIGA
World Championships in France. I didn’t
really know what to expect, but I hadn’t
been to Europe before and I figured that
even if the racing was bad, I could
always have fun checking out the area.
Well, racing in France was fun. Andy
Brown and I entered. I met some really
nice people from dozens of different
countries. Petr Kvita from Switzerland
and Kjell Noddeland from Norway were
there. On a quiet day I visited the
original Notre Dame in Chartres. I
walked up stone steps that were placed a
thousand years before.
October 2007
PROPWASH
While driving around in little cars
through small towns with narrow
winding roads and street signs you can’t
read is a challenge, getting lost in Paris
was a real thrill. I found myself driving
around the Arc d’Triomph amongst
eight haphazard lanes of fast moving
traffic. Not only was I lost, but I had no
idea of how to avoid an accident. Well,
it wasn’t my car, so who cared? I gave it
gas, slipped into every opening I could
find and finally drove by the Eiffel
Tower.
Eventually I found a Shell gas
station. The attendant spoke English
very well and drew me a map so I could
get back to my hotel. As I left, she gave
me her phone number and told me to
call if I got lost again. After an
experience like that, how could I not go
to the next NAVIGA World
Championship?
In 2000 NAVIGA held their World
Championships in Velenje, Slovenia.
Slovenia was the first part of the former
Yugoslavia to break off and went
through a short civil war. It is right next
to Italy, Austria, and Hungary. In
addition, it is near Bosnia, and in 2000
the fighting was still going on in Bosnia.
My question was, “Is it a smart thing to
take my boats to that part of the world?”
Most of my friends said, “No, don’t go.
They are killing people over there.”
But, it was a boat race and there were
people coming from all over the world.
Many of my new friends would be there.
I’d meet new friends.
I flew into Milan, Italy, joined up
with Andy Brown, and rented a car.
Slovenia is a beautiful country. It was
clean, friendly, and inexpensive. At my
hotel, they did a week’s worth of dirty
boaters’ clothes for $3.60. Slovenia may
be the friendliest place I have ever
visited.
I didn’t do very well racing. But,
again I made some nice friends. I met
Simona Strnisnik, the Slovenian
announcer and Vitaly Yukkers, a
Russian Aeronautical Engineer. Some of
these people have become my good
friends that I see whenever possible.
Again, I had a great time.
Poland was the site of the 2002
NAVIGA World Championships. My
friend, Chris Lisiak, was part of the
organizing group. I first met Chris and
October 2007
his family at the French WC. There was
no question but that I was going to
Poland. The easiest schedule was a flight
to Frankfurt, Germany and pick up a
rental car. I had reserved a VW station
wagon.
When I signed the stack of car rental
papers, the rental agent asked me if I
needed anything else. I asked for
directions to Poland. The rental agent
picked up my papers and tore them up in
front of me. “Nice German cars go to
Poland and they don’t come back,” he
said. We ended up with a German Ford
that ran great.
Driving on the Autobahn was an
experience. We were tooling along at 90
miles per hour, in the middle lane.
Trucks and slow traffic were in the right
lane, and the left lane traffic is hard to
explain. Before you saw them coming,
they had passed you. Audis, BMW’s,
and Porsches flew by at 150 miles per
hour plus.
The roads in Poland were posted at
100 KPH max. And, there weren’t that
many roads you could cover at 100
KPH. Just about the time you get
comfortable driving along at 100 KPH,
you go around a corner. There is a
temporary sign that says “50 KPH” and a
cop with radar. Normally they have a car
stopped, but if there is not one already
stopped, you get stopped, and fined.
Frequently, drivers in Poland play their
own version of “Chicken.” The roads are
narrow with few places to pass. But they
pass anyway, expecting that someone
will get out of their way. I was starting
to see what the car rental agent meant
what he said about nice German cars in
Poland.
Well, I was wrong. We stayed at a
very nice lakeside Polish resort. The
parking lot was locked and under 24
hour security. During one week four
German cars were stolen from the lot
and three or four others were broken
into. The resort manager told me it was
Russian Mafia. My Russian friends said
that the Poles always blame the Russian
mafia, but don’t believe it. According to
the Russians, the Poles have their own
mafia. So be it. My rental Ford wasn’t
touched.
We had a good time in Poland. I did
better racing and made the finals in 15cc
Hydro. One of the most memorable heats
I ever raced was in the 15cc Finals in
Poland. We hit the start line six boats
across with two boats right behind us.
Into the first turn the spray and sunlight
made it difficult to see your boat. We ran
that way for about four laps before the
boats started stringing out. I ended up in
second place. It was great.
Slovenia hosted the 2004 NAVIGA
WC. I met Andy Brown again in Milan
and we drove through Italy to get to
Slovenia. On the way we spent a day
walking around Venice. We were back
in Velenje and we could notice that the
local economy had improved. We saw
fewer Yugo automobiles and more
Opels, VW’s, and small Audis. Hotel
rooms cost more and it was $10.00 to get
a week’s worth of laundry done.
My friend Simona Strnisnik was
announcing the event again and her
parents were helping in other areas.
While in Slovenia this trip I took a few
side trips. Ptui is a town in northern
Slovenia that is home to one of the
oldest castles around. Ptui actually dates
back to a Roman garrison that protected
a river crossing.
One thing I noticed while in Italy and
Slovenia is that there are a lot of people
that enjoy nude sunbathing. On the way
back to the Milan airport, we stopped in
Trieste, an Italian city on the coast. A
four lane, heavily traveled highway runs
right next to the beach. I don’t see how
you can watch the road with so many
nude sunbathers next to the highway. It
was dangerous. So, I decided the best
thing to do was park the car and take a
walk.
Many of us have enjoyed the
Australians that attend NAMBA Nats. In
January 2005, I entered the big
Australian race at Hunter Valley. Bill
Annabelle and Greg Hill met me at the
airport and took care of me for a few
days while I got used to the time change.
Racing in Australia is much like racing
in the USA. Go fast, turn right, and hold
on. There were a few differences that I
noticed. Flies in Australia are not afraid
of you. You don’t just wave your hand to
scare them away. Another difference
was a kangaroo standing along the road
into the pond.
Norway hosted the 2006 NAVIGA
WC. I flew into Oslo and rented a Volvo
Continued on page 4
3
PROPWASH
Racing Ramblings
(Continued from page3)
station wagon. I went by myself this
time and found driving in Norway to be
no problem at all. But, do not speed on
the Norwegian highways. The fines are
so high that you might have to sell your
car to pay the speeding ticket.
The races were held in a private
beach area of a large lake. This was a
private resort area with cabins, camping
spots, a restaurant, and a large dock area.
Kjell Noddeland, one of the Norwegian
racers and a good friend, provided me
with a starting box.
The Norwegian organizers hired my
Slovenian friend, Simona Strnisnik, as a
translator and announcer. Chris Lisiak
and his family were there also. On a
quiet day, Chris, his family, Simona, and
I drove to Lillehamer, the site of a
previous Winter Olympics. While there,
Simona and I rode the bobsled which is a
bit of a thrill. We also visited some of
the Oslo museums, including the Nobel
Peace Prize, Kon-Tiki, and Viking Ship
museums.
I did not do very well racing in
Norway and decided I needed more
experience racing at the NAVIGA
venues. In July, 2007 I traveled to Leno,
Italy to get some experience there before
they host the 2008 NAVIGA WC. As I
had never been to Austria, I decided to
fly into Vienna, rent a car there, and
drive through one of my favorite
countries, Slovenia, to Italy. The
Slovenian economy was even better this
time. Not only were there no Yugos on
the streets, I saw a lot of big Mercedes,
Audis, BMWs and Porsches.
Grahame Morgan, a friend from
England mixed me up some fuel and
provided the starting box. He was my
pitman and we had some very good
races. The Italian organizers hired
Simona to announce and interpret for
them. She talked me into visiting her city
of Ljubljana.
On the way back to the Vienna
airport, I spent a few days in Ljubljana,
the capitol of Slovenia. Simona and her
boyfriend, Dejan showed me around the
marvelous city center. We spent most of
one day visiting a castle built by the
Hapsburgs to protect Austria from the
Turks. I saw where Napoleon,
4
Mussolini, and Tito made famous
speeches. My hotel, while very modern,
was originally built prior to 1600. The
central city streets were narrow and
cobblestone. It was an experience I will
remember.
I will definitely be back in Leno, Italy
for the 2008 NAVIGA WC. In the
meantime, it looks like there is another
race coming up in Australia. Bill
Annabelle is trying to put together a race
this January in Sydney. He hopes to hold
it at the Olympic rowing venue. I’ve
seen that location and it is really
something.
What do you need if you want to race
your model boats around the world?
First of all you need patience and a sense
of humor. Remember, you aren’t going
to win the first time you race in another
country. There are lots of good racers
around the world. In addition, there will
be some rule that you’ve never ever seen
before. Just accept it. Smile a lot, and
enjoy the experience.
As an example, in a NAVIGA event,
you don’t go onto the drivers’ stand,
known as the pontoon, until you are
called up. You march up in order based
on what position you have been
assigned. You are announced to the
spectators then you and your pitman
enter the pontoon and walk to your
position. NAVIGA is now using
transponders. If you have your own
transponder, it must conform to their
standards. If you rent one of the
organizer’s transponders, they will
provide it to you when they are ready for
you to have it. It may be available before
a few minutes before your heat. It may
be available just in time for your heat.
Once on the pontoon, do not turn on
your radio until you are told to turn it on.
A judge will watch you operate your
rudder and throttle. If the judge is not
satisfied that they are working properly,
you won’t be allowed to race. Do not
blow out your engine while you are on
the pontoon. Blow it out before you
leave your pit area. You cannot turn your
engine over again until the clock starts.
The pontoon areas are tight. Be careful
where you kneel when starting your
engine so that you don’t touch someone
else’s propeller.
NAVIGA uses a floating clock. As in
NAMBA you have two minutes to start
your engine and get the boat into the
water. There is a 30 second time frame
to set up for the start. If your boat does
not pass under the transponder antenna,
your lap does not count. Buoy cuts cost a
lap, just as in NAMBA. Normally, the
buoys are large and very hard. A hit on a
NAVIGA buoy can mean a broken boat.
The buoys are made to stand up for the
full two weeks of racing.
When the race is over, do not leave
the pontoon until you are told to leave.
Your pitman must listen carefully to the
judges so he can tell you if you have a
penalty or your lap did not register.
While the announcements are made in
English, there are a lot of other
languages spoken on the pontoon. While
the judges rarely call driving infractions,
you can be called for driving too close to
the pontoon, cutting another boat off, or
driving dangerously.
Your boat must conform to the
NAVIGA standards. Your boat will be
inspected by the judges prior to the
event. If your boat does not pass, you
must make the changes required or you
can’t race that boat. You are allowed to
have two boats for every class you enter.
When I first heard that, I wondered why
everyone brought back up boats. Then I
saw the buoys. The noise limit is 80 db
with the meter at the water’s edge. If you
don’t meet the 80 db limit, you will be
warned. You must make a positive
attempt to quiet your boat. If you are
again over 80 db, pack it up because you
are out of that class.
Every boat running at a NAVIGA
event, has a large number card
displayed. The number you put on the
boat conforms to the numbered position
you stand while driving. Instead of
saying the first yellow boat was over at
the start, the judge will say number four
was over. This really simplifies
identifying which boat is which. The
number must remain on the boat
throughout the race. At one NAVIGA
event I saw, two boats were on the same
frequency in the same heat. One boat
was correct, the other incorrect. But both
boats were not allowed to race that heat.
It wasn’t fair, but that was the judge’s
ruling and judge’s rulings are not
overturned.
The basic NAVIGA events are FSR–
V, Offshore, and Hydro. Most Hydros
October 2007
PROPWASH
are American designs such as Eagles
and Roadrunners. They race a six lap
course. The offshore boats are deep vee
hulls and cats. The offshore boats race
similarly to our monos. The exception is
that once the race starts, the offshore
boats race for eight minutes. How many
laps do you get in eight minutes? The
best results were 24–26 laps.
FSR-V classes are 20 minutes in the
qualification rounds and 30 minutes in
the Finals. These boats race counterclockwise around an M shaped course.
The heats are normally 12 or 13 boats,
and begin with a countdown Lemans
start. FSR-V boats race at 45 to 50 miles
per hour and there is a lot of banging
and shoving in the corners. That is why
the buoys are so tough.
No matter what class you race, you
will race for two days in the qualification rounds. The top eight in each
Hydro and Offshore class go to the
finals. There are four heat races in the
finals. The top 13 in each FSR-V class
go to the finals. Each country gets a
limited number of entries in each class.
Countries that have won an event in the
past get extra spots in that event. For the
USA, we have three opportunities to
enter in each event.
The NAVIGA events are 3.5cc, 7.5cc
and 15cc Hydro. The offshore classes
are 3.5cc, 7.5cc, 15cc and 35cc. FSR-V
classes are 3.5cc, 7.5cc, 15cc and 35cc.
There are junior classes in some of the
3.5cc, 7.5cc and 15cc classes. Juniors
must be less than 18 years old. That
means that there are some really good
junior drivers.
Don’t think that the best model boats
and drivers only come from the USA. If
you’ve been watching, boaters from
Europe took first and second in X Hydro
at the Orlando Winternats a few years
ago. Petr Kvita and his son ran very well
at the NAMBA Nats in 2005. Bill
Annabelle and Steve Spinks have each
won a few NAMBA National titles.
There are good model boat drivers all
over the world.
How much does it cost to race in
Europe or Australia? The biggest
expense is travel. There are deals to
Europe now and then. Hopefully you
can take advantage of one. Packing your
boats is a challenge. I check mine as
luggage and pay the additional luggage
October 2007
charges. Rental cars will set you back. One week in Austria, Slovenia, and Italy was
about $900.00 after taxes and surcharges. Hotels range from reasonable to out of sight.
I stayed seven nights in Leno for less than $600 which included a small breakfast. My
room in Ljubljana was $135 per night with a small breakfast. Charges are listed in
Euros, not dollars. Watch the conversion rates.
While the European cars get good mileage, gasoline and diesel will cost about
$7.00 per gallon. Most of the good roads are toll roads. Meals in Norway were very
expensive. At the race site a hamburger and fries was $25.00. That did not include a
drink. Meals in Italy were good and relatively inexpensive. We had one dinner at a
nice restaurant that cost me about $65.00. But you could get by at a restaurant for
$25.00. There aren’t Burger Kings and McDonalds on every corner. I always end up
buying a lot of bottled water. Coca-Cola and bottled juice is very expensive.
Race entries are more expensive there than here. They use the entries to hire approved
judges and officials. The banquet tickets are quite expensive considering the meals.
Beer, wine, and vodka are normally very cheap.
Most of the European racers camp out at the race site and cook their own meals. A
lot of them sleep on the ground in tents to save money. Fuel and glow plugs are very
expensive in Europe. I found it quite expensive to race in Australia also. Thank
goodness I had friends to help me out. I didn’t have to rent a car and I spent some
nights at Bill Annabelle’s house. The hotels are expensive. The meals are expensive.
The people are special and that makes all the expense worthwhile to race in Australia.
There is no question about it. I am a very lucky individual. I’ve found a hobby I really
love. My family thinks it is great that I race boats instead of doing something silly. I
have made friends all over the world and at my age I have the time to visit these
friends and race boats with them. Someday I won’t be able to race boats like I do now.
That will be a sad day as I will really miss the old friends and miss out on the new
friends I haven’t met yet. In the meantime, I’m going racing. Let’s see, in 2008 it will
be Sydney Australia, the Colorado NAMBA Nats, Calgary and Edmonton Alberta,
Leno, Italy, and with the Wet Dreams race team in Utah. I’m told there will be a
practice race in Hungary in 2009. Time just flies when you are having fun.
If you seriously want to race outside North America and want some information,
contact me at hobbsmt@prodigy.net. To race at a NAVIGA event, you must be a
current NAMBA member. To race in Australia, you must join the Australian
organization. Both Australia and Leno will be a lot of fun in 2008.
Grand Prix Classic
By Roger Hooks Jr.
District Nine
The Grand Prix Classic has come to
another grand conclusion. A fleet of 80
race ready boats converged on Fremont,
California's Kaiser Cove navigated by
drivers from as far away as Los Angeles,
California, Oregon, and Washington. It
included such note-worthy names as
Jerry Dunlap and Lohring Miller, as well
as LA speed demons Don Maher and
Henry Velasco. We truly appreciated the
attendance of all our competitors despite the threat of heavy rain. Everyone maintained
a pleasant racing spirit which provided the stage for spectacular entertainment for the
many spectators that were in attendance.
As usual, our season opener started the day with casual testing as many racers were
igniting the glow inside their nitro and gas burners for the first time since last season.
Spectators began to stream in. It is estimated that hundreds of spectators made their
way to the somewhat inconvenient spectator event. Local newspaper coverage and
Continued on page 6
5
PROPWASH
Grand Prix Classic
(Continued from 5)
flyer distribution at local hobby shops
contributed to the attendance.
This year was an extra special
occasion as we were fortunate enough to
secure the privilege of adorning the
Grand Prix Classic name with the
Legacy and Spirit of Gary Johnson. A
perpetual trophy will be awarded in
Gary's honor in one of Gary's most
favorite classes, Scale Unlimited
Hydroplane.
but the "Old Man" Jay Selby showed
the crowd what an old K & B engine can
do with a new boat which was clearly
one of, it not, the fastest boat in the fleet.
Speed, consistency and driver experience
carried Jay to a second place finish in the
main event behind Rudy Formanek.
Third place was captured by Dave
Osman, fourth was Lorenzo Martinez,
fifth was Jeff Wells and last but not least
was Alfred Lanza.
A couple of tunnels go deck to deck … or
is it over the deck?
The Gary Johnson perpetual Scale
Unlimited Hydroplane Trophy
As an added treat, Joel Johnson, son
of Gary and champion R/C car driver,
joined us for the momentous occasion.
Joel participated in the competition as
well with an entry in Gas Catamaran and
the RTR Sport Class.
A Mod Tunnel took to the water with
partly cloudy skies and a slightly chilly
temperature. Eric Osman showed
promise with consistent driving with a
strong run at the start of the day. Eric
maintained his consistency to take the
win on Sunday's main event followed by
Ray Hilburn, while Jeff Harteau found
his way to third place with his popular
'Nemo' painted Leecraft Hull.
B Mod Tunnel took to the water with
several high powered competitors vying
for the number one spot. Alfred Lanza
blazed a trail in the water with his CMB
powered Lee Craft hull. Lorenzo
Martinez and Rudy Formanek also
displayed some awesome speeds as well
6
The Sport II class attracted a small
fleet this year, however, young Tommy
Levescy displayed impressive speed and
driving ability with a Phil Thomas Super
Sport 45 that his dad bought on EBay.
Tommy wowed the crowd with several
impressive runs against seasoned and
successful veterans like Alfred Lanza.
Unfortunately, the new boat and
impressive speed wasn't enough to take
the win from Lanza and his Mac
powered Mutt II hull.
With the emerging popularity of G1
Cat it was a no brainer to make the
decision to add this exciting class to the
GPC line up. A special thanks goes out
to Gary Crawford for sponsoring the
class. Plenty of awesome Gas Cats have
emerged from the District Nine fleet of
Gas Burners. Among the boats with
impressive speeds were Glenn Burkhard,
Lorenzo Martinez, and Alfred Lanza.
Joel Johnson made a hard run for the
main event but was over powered by the
speed of the rest of the fleet. Lorenzo
Martinez emerged victorious in this class
followed by Gary Crawford, Jesse
Alvitri, Joe Marroquin, Dave Bestpitch,
and Bill Batara.
Multiengine outrigger was added to
the GPC line-up to show off their
awesome speed. Only three boats made
it to the pits this year and double trouble
was to be found for two of three entered.
Alfred Lanza, Dave Bestpitch, and
Roger Hooks, Jr. rounded out the field
and Dave Bestpitch amazed the audience
with a consistent run, making him the
favorite for the main event. Alfred Lanza
was a hit and miss for the entire event,
displaying awesome burst of speed only
to lose an engine, sputter and pull off to
the side of the course. Roger Hooks, Jr.
didn't make it to the finish for most of
the entire event or to water for most of
that time, but due to the small fleet he
still qualified for the main event.
Ironically, Roger Hooks stole the glory
and emerged victorious in the main
event but only because the Contest
Director held the clock long enough for
him to get his boat in the water.
Knowing this Roger, Jr. graciously
relinquished his award to what was the
clearly the best boat in the class driven
by Dave Bestpitch.
As 1/8th Scale replicas of the full size
Unlimited Hydroplanes, scale class
provided several beautiful and colorful
scale boats. Rounding out the fleet was
Mike McKnight and his son Preston,
driving the beautiful Miss Exide and
Miller High Life. Another show stopper
on hand was Dave Osman's checkerboard Miss Bardahl, while Roger Hooks,
Sr. debuted the unique looking 1981 U21 Eliminator. At 11 years old, Preston
McKnight showed the fleet that age was
just a number as he displayed some
consistent, safe, and smart driving
to finish second in the main event. He
finished two places above dear old dad
who placed fourth. Third, fifth and sixth
places were captured by Jeff Alvey, Kent
Sterner, and Don Maher. The Gary
Johnson Grand Prix Classic 1/8th Scale
Unlimited Hydroplane Perpetual Trophy
was captured by none other than Dave
Osman with his beautiful checkerboard
Miss Bardahl.
What possibly stole the show for the
entire weekend was the RTR Sport
Class. This class was added due to the
request of several regular attendees to
the GPC. This was definitely a turn for
the better. Despite the much slower
speeds this class proved that it doesn't
take speed to have a blast at racing these
little bundles of fun and excitement.
Probably the most nerve racking and
confusing yet hilariously fun and
October 2007
PROPWASH
entertaining aspect was that most of the fleet were the white Miss Vegas. What added
to the mayhem was that there were no frequency conflicts so all eight boats were raced
at once. The boats milled the full course but raced the first half. With the judges
pointing every which way on which white boat was the leader, the drivers pushed,
banged, and bumped their way around the course vying for position and possibly the
win. In the end, Lorenzo Martinez emerged victorious... or so he said... who knows
really. It was an awesome spectacle to see these little boats take some bump'n and
keep on truck'n.
The class looked more like NASCAR on the water with boats running side by side
and turn to turn for most of the race. These boats were truly a joy to drive and watch.
With the proper race format they are every bit as exciting as any other class if not
more. The slower speeds, big heats, and shorter course kept any boat in traffic for
most of the race, making passing exciting no matter what place you ended up. We like
to thank Jerry Dunlap, designer of the Miss Vegas, Aquacraft, and Twisted Liquid
supporting this class of events.
As impossible as it sounds to me every year, we still managed to out do ourselves
with the help of the many sponsors who supported our event. Thousands of dollars of
raffle prizes were on hand compliments of Kyosho, Horizon Hobby, AquaCraft,
Airtronics, local Hobbytown Hobby Shops, NorCal Hobbies, Century Helicopters,
Grim Racer, Traxxas, Hooks Custom Hardware, Competition Marine Designs, Inc.,
Gary "Craw Daddy" Crawford, and Twisted Liquid Racing,
So we come to the close of another exciting year of the Grand Prix Classic. We
welcome the addition of the Gary Johnson legacy and from here on out the event will
be named the Gary Johnson Grand Prix Classic as we look forward to the future and
continue down this road in his spirit and the spirit of all of those that founded this
organization for all of us to enjoy for many more years to come.
And the results:
G-1 CATAMARAN
1. Lorenzo Martinez
2. Gary Crawford
3. Jesse Alvitri
B MOD TUNNEL
1. Rudy Formanek
2. Jay Selby
3. Dave Osman
A MOD TUNNEL
1. Eric Osman
2. Ray Hilburn
3. Jeff Harteau
SPORT 40-2
1. Alfred Lanza
SCALE UNLIMITED:
1. Dave Osman
2. Preston McKnight
3. Jeff Alvey
RTR:
1. Lorenzo Martinez
GARY JOHNSON SCALE AWARD
1. Dave Osman
News From Sixteen
By Keith Warham
District 16 Director
It seems like the race season just
started, however the race schedule for
2007 is quickly coming to an end with
only three races remaining. Where has
the summer gone?
Races this year have been very
competitive with most classes still open
for placing changes. The closest class is
X Hydro with Paul Omerzu in first
place and Rob Duckering in second only
separated by 150 points. Second is A
Hydro with a separation of 600 points
between Alan Yuen and Doug Sick. C
Hydro is another close race between
Alan Yuen and Kevin Traboulay with
only 1069 points separating them from
first and second. Other classes have
larger separations in the low to the mid
2000 points but as we all know anything
can happen and with the points as close
as they are changes could take place.
Good luck to all in the remaining
three scheduled races.
The traditional BBQ lunch is always a favorite among
the racers
October 2007
7
PROPWASH
NABGO Combat Nationals
By Wreno Wynne
Commanding Officer - North Texas Battle Group
Editors Note:Located in NAMBA District Seven in the state of Texas is a “BigGun” model warship combat club called the North Texas Battle Group. Each year
since 2003 the NTXBG hosts the North American Big Gun Open (NABGO), which is
the Big Gun Nationals. The event is held at the Star Brand Ranch Executive Retreat in
Kaufman, Texas, an 8000 acre oasis of traditional Southern hospitality, and will also
be the site of the 7th annual Big Gun Model Warship Combat World Championships in
2008.
This multi-day event was held July5-8 and covered battles such as the Cargo is
King where the object is to get cargo runs in. Ship damage is incidental, however the
carnage is incredible. On the final day was the Texas Cage Match, Last Man Standing
event for any ships still able to muster, with maneuvering room limited to within the
port barriers. Restrictions on battle reverse are removed and, at some point, the rate of
fire restrictions are lifted. Basically, it is a slugfest. The last one afloat wins.
Entrants came from as far away as Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and our
own state of Texas, which is pretty big in itself. For more information please go to
www.nabgo.org and www.ntxbg.org. There is an introductory article covering the
different forms of model warship combat, from Servo Magazine, on the
www.ntxbg.org web site. Now on with the battles and awards:
Cargo is King
The weather was clear and calm on the Western gulf as both Axis and Allies settled
in to re-supply the troops. There was an oddity – the Axis forces had captured an
American Liberty ship, the Jeremiah O’Brien, to press into service along with the
DKM Altmark. It is believed that they hoped this would seed confusion in Allied
ranks, but, as we shall see, this plan was ill-fated. Meanwhile, the Allied command
had captured the DKM Komet and pressed her into service for the Allied command
under a similar rationale.
As the convoys ventured forth,
USS Dallas sallied forth in support
of the convoys in spite of being
under manned and without
ammunition. The Komet stayed
close to her flank during the initial
raids by the Axis forces, relying on
the shadow of her armor alone for
protection. Both Cimarron, under
the command of Captain Todd
Allen and the Axis O’Brien, under
the command of Captain Bob
Fristrom, were early casualties, not The Verdun and Richelieu slug it out
completing a single cargo run. The
DKM Altmark, under the command of Captain Wes Wynne, was able to complete two
cargo runs before his Axis communication system failed and he was forced to return to
port, unsunk, by Allied forces.
During a lull in Axis attacks, USS Dallas was able to rearm and rejoin the fight,
staying by Komet’s side much of the time to great effect. Even though superior Allied
manufacturing capacity was able to field additional ships, the Nathanael Greene, a
Liberty in her first sortie in these waters, under the command of Captain John
Mianowski, and the USS Reluctant, also making her first sortie, a Camano Class ship
under the command of Captain Wreno Wynne, their cargo runs (16 for the Greene,
and only short coastal hops for the Reluctant) were wholly unnecessary to assure a
decisive Allied victory. Komet, under the command of Captain Chris Kliever,
completed 67 successful cargo runs, a new single event record for this theater of
operations. At one point, due to engine problems on the Reluctant, Dallas, under the
8
command of Captain Jeff Burns,
attempted to do a battle tow cargo run.
Unfortunately for the Reluctant, the
Dallas tow cable ripped off the entire
upper works of the hapless Reluctant and
literally pulled her spinning under the
waves in Dallas’ wake. Since the entire
crew of the Reluctant abandoned ship in
time, no-one was hurt, though many
laughed heartily. The Reluctant was refloated, but sank again on re-launch – not
a good day for the little Reluctant.
As for details of the battle, it was
incredibly chaotic. The French and Italian
captains frequently switched sides
without warning (OK, they ARE French/
Italian), however there are a few
highlights. Richelieu, under the command
of Captain Mike Duffy, succumbed to
heavy shelling late in the day, the largest
ship sunk in action. Imperio, under the
command of Jacob Zieleniewski lost
turret rotation, but just manually rotated A
and B turrets, one to Port and the other to
Starboard and gamely battled, on looking
for that perfect “oreo” shot where he
could cream both from the middle.
Verdun reports that she received most
of her holes during the latter half of the
battle. Due to the chaos, Captain Kliever
is unsure whether it was Richelieu or
Imperio who did the most “whopping up”
on her, but feels it was the Imperio. He
credits the superior marksmanship of his
opponents with forcing him to retire to
port with the decks starting to go awash.
Also, it was during this time that the
elevation system for his stern battery was
destroyed, rendering them more effective
for shelling the harbor than combat. He
officially attributes his early control
troubles to sabotage (of course) rather
than any shortcomings on the part of the
excellent crew of the Verdun and her fine
officers. All in all, a good day at the pond
methinks.
Texas Cage Match
Participants:
Espana, Todd Allen commanding
DKM Komet, Chris Kliever commanding
USS Dallas, Jeff Burns commanding
Imperio, Jacob Zieleniewski commanding
Verdun, Eric Kliever commanding
USS Iowa, Cheryl Wynne commanding
October 2007
PROPWASH
Six Ships Enter, One Ship Leaves
All ships entered the sealed port,
looking for trouble. Dallas, with her
superior mobility, navigated the
Sargasso Sea on the Western end of port
and found a nice hide, challenging the
bigger ships to come and get her. This
was a dangerous tactic, as she was
wedged pretty tightly. At the same time
Espana made for the Northeasterly
corner, so that she could have plenty of
room to maneuver, and put her
Starboard flank to the port barrier so
that she only had to defend one side.
Iowa decided to make a temporary nonaggression pact with Espana, and moved
to cover Espana’s Port flank while
Espana covered Iowa’s Starboard,
leaving Verdun and Imperio to duke it
out and pummel Komet. Komet assessed
the situation and made a run to separate
Iowa and Espana, or, at the least, get a
little protection by getting between them
and the port barrier.
Verdun and Imperio sparred, but
found the Iowa a tempting target and
divided their salvos in making attacks
on her with Dallas venturing forth from
time to time to take advantage when she
could. Before long, Iowa’s pump
succumbed, and she slid below the
waves, leaving Espana unprotected.
Since Espana was no longer providing
much protection, and was, indeed,
drawing fire, Komet decided it was a
good time to get the heck out of Dodge.
Not necessarily the best move, as she
was next to succumb, in spite of the
large holes already opened in Espana.
All attention became focused on the
spunky little Espana. Why was she still
afloat? It seems that her captain was
keeping her up by sheer force of will.
She was listing, but perhaps it was her
damage control parties keeping the
massive 6 to 12 foot holes above the
waterline. Eventually Verdun and
Imperio called a truce to gang up on her.
Using Verdun as “the rock”, Imperio
nudged her upright, forcing the massive
Swiss cheese structure that had once
been a hull into the water. Down she
went. In a last act of defiance, the crew
of the Espana deployed mines like the
Lake Shore did last year. Imperio (last
year’s winner, but already struggling
with damaged rotation) learned the
“Lesson of the SoDak,” and became
October 2007
disabled in Espana’s mines, becoming Espana’s recovery float and winching her up off
the bottom with her props by the mine cabling. This weight on Imperio’s drive-train
caused an engine overload and power failure. A couple of more intense volleys from
Verdun, and Espana was able to drag Imperio to protection under the waves.
By this time, most gas and ammo had been expended, so a cease-fire for reload was
called.
On rearming, the Rate of Fire limitations are waived. Verdun, and Dallas square
off. A bit of sparring with the far heavier Verdun, and Dallas is in deep trouble,
settling by the stern. Dallas headed for the dock, settling gently into the deeps just as
she arrived
dockside. It is reported that most of the crew got off safely, even though no boats were
deployed. Last ship afloat, and still ready for more, was the heavily scarred Verdun.
Way to Battle, Eric! Our congratulations to Chesapeake Battle Group on having a
member win the Texas Cage Match again!
See page 10 for NABGO Awards Scenario Champions
The Dallas keeps Richelieu at bay from the transport Komet while the Indianapolis is
maneuvering into position coming out of port
The NABGO 2007 attendees awards presentation
9
PROPWASH
NABGO Awards Scenario Champions
Allies
Gunnery
1st – Imperio, Jacom Zieleniewski commanding
2nd – Richelieu, Mike Duffy commanding
3rd – USS Dallas, Jeff Burns commanding
Maneuvering (Warship)
1st – USS Dallas, Jeff Burns commanding
2nd – USS Indianapolis, Rob Fristrom commanding
3rd – DKM Scharnhorst, Rob Fristrom commanding
Maneuvering (Cargo Ships)
1st – DKM Komet, Chris Kleiver commanding
2nd – Nathanael Greene, John Mianowski commanding
3rd – Jeremiah O’Brien, Dr. Bob Fristrom commanding
Most Feared
1st – Imperio, Jacob Zieleniewski commanding
2nd – Verdun, Eric Kliever commanding
3rd – Richelieu, Mike Duffy commanding
Last Man Standing, Texas Cage Match
1st – Verdun, Eric Kleiver commanding
2nd – USS Dallas, Jeff Burns commanding
3rd – Imperio, Jacob Zieleniewski commanding
Most Cargo Delivered
1st – DKM Komet, Chris Kliever commanding (new course record – 67 runs)
2nd – Nathanael Greene – John Mianowski Commanding
3rd – DKM Altmark – Wes Wynne commanding
Best Performance by a Rookie Captain
1st – Dr. Bob Fristrom, commanding Jeremiah O’Brien
2nd – Todd Allen, commanding USS Cimarron
Most Damaged Without Sinking
1st – Verdun, Eric Kliever commanding
2nd – USS Dallas, Jeff Burns commanding
3rd – DKM Komet, Chris Kliever commanding
Most Damaged (Sunk)
1st – Richelieu, Mike Duffy commanding
2nd – Jeremiah O’Brien, Dr. Bob Fristrom commanding
3rd – DKM Altmark, Wes Wynne commanding
Sieve Award aka "Holier than Thou" (most holes regardless of damage score)
1st – Originally won by Verdun, Eric Kliever commanding. Relinquished to Espana, under command of Todd Allen,
after her amazing performance at the Texas Cage Match
2nd – Verdun, Eric Kliever commanding
3rd – DKM Komet, Chris Kliever commanding
Best Sink
1st – USS Reluctant, Wreno Wynne commanding
2nd – Jeremiah O’Brien, Dr. Bob Fristrom commanding
3rd – Richelieu, Mike Duffy commanding
Most Sunk (aka Davey Jones award)
1st – USS Reluctant, Wreno Wynne commanding
2nd – Richelieu, Mike Duffy commanding
3rd – Jeremiah O’Brien, Dr. Bob Fristrom commanding
Best of Show
1st – DKM Komet, Eric Kliever - builder
2nd – USS Nathanael Greene, Mark Bunting – builder, John Mianowski - commanding
3rd – Special group award to Chesapeake Battle Group
Best Looking Ship
1st – Verdun (Eric Kliever – builder)
2nd – Nathanael Greene (Mark Bunting – builder)
3rd – Indiana (Eric Kliever – builder)
Best Engineered Ship
1st – Verdun (Eric Kliever – builder)
2nd – DKM Komet (Eric Kliever – builder)
3rd – USS Dallas (Jeff Burns Builder)
Greatest Distance Traveled
1st – Chris Kliever
2nd – Dr. Bob Fristrom
3rd – Rob Fristrom
10
October 2007
PROPWASH
Goodbye Mongo
The Propwash
By Larry Watson
Camarillo Pond Rats
I lost a very good friend of mine a
few days ago. Marcus (Mongo)
Williams died September 8th, 2007
after a courageous fight with cancer.
My name is Larry Watson, and
Marcus and I were known as the
“Bruise Brothers” in outboard racing
with the Camarillo Pond Rats and
District Nineteen. I’ve known Mongo
for 22 fun and crazy years. When I
first met Marcus he was an equipment
operator for a concrete cutting
company. I was the mechanic that had
to maintain everything that he broke. I
know to this day that he did his best to
break everything I fixed.
Sometimes I would take my
models to work and build or repair
them on my lunch hour. Mongo took
an interest in the model boats right
away. As you know from years past, in the beginning Mongo hit every buoy on the
course. We spent many nights in hotel rooms patching holes and fixing motors. I
remember one night in Vegas where on the twelfth floor of a casino we were repairing
his boat. The smell of lacquer thinner was so heavy in the room that we had to
unscrew the windows for fresh air. He also used to help my boys (the Jr. Bruise
Brothers) drive their boats, once again putting them into every buoy and me in the
repair shop.
My friend Marcus and I have had a lot of good times with boats and planes, way
too many to talk about. So Mongo, take it easy on God’s buoys…and FLY MARCUS
FLY!
NAMBA International
1815 Halley Street
San Diego, CA 92154
(619) 424-6380
Fax - (619) 424-8845
e-mail cathie.galbraith@namba.com
Editors:
Cathie Galbraith and Al Waters
Newsletter Contributors
Jeff Burns
Carlo Catalanotto
Richard Grenier
Mark Grim
Scott Grissman
Alan Hobbs
Roger Hooks Jr.
Mike McKnight
Lohring Miller
Dave Rychalsky
Keith Warham
Larry WatsonChris Wittrig
Wreno Wynne
This newsletter is sent to all members
free of charge as a part of their
membership. All articles contained herein
may be reproduced as long as proper
credit is given as to author and
publication source.
Propwash
Classified Ad - $10.00
Business Card - $25.00
1/4 Page - $25.00
1/2 Page - $50.00
Full page - $100.00
Mongo poses with Richard Hazlewood
The Bruise Brothers celebrate a boaters
first win with a toss in the lake
October 2007
These prices are per issue. Multi
issue discounts are available. Advertising will be printed in the body of the
newsletter in the same color as the text.
Please call for quotes for special or two
color printing. Should an advertiser
choose to supply the Propwash with
professionally printed or multi-colored
flyers for insertion into the newsletter,
the charge will be $50.00, as well as the
delivery to the NAMBA office of
approximately 1500 flyers.
Please call the NAMBA office at
(619) 424-6380 for more information or
for special advertising requests.
11
PROPWASH
2007 Electric Nationals
By Lohring Miller
District Eight Director
I attended my very first electric race
this year. Naturally, I chose an entry
level race suitable for someone with no
electric experience and brought a boat
that I just built with almost no time
running it. Welcome to the NAMBA
Fast Electric Nationals. I was joined by
several other long time nitro racers, Jerry
Dunlap from the Northwest, Russ
Williamson and Mike Zabaroski from
the Midwest, as well as electric racer
Ken Hayes who came all the way from
Florida. The Northwest’s best electric
racers were also there, bringing their
latest lithium polymer battery powered
boats and beautiful scale boats ready to
set records and impress the locals.
Electric racing, for those of you who
haven’t experienced it, is really different.
The first thing I noticed is how much
thrashing it takes to get a boat ready. I
took pictures to prove this. Seriously,
this was the most relaxing event I
attended all year. Lots of time was spent
shooting the breeze while batteries
charge, everyone was exceptionally
helpful and friendly, the contest was
very well organized, and even the starts
were relaxed. From the very beginning,
when a racer I never met (it turned out to
be Darren Jordan) looked at my setup
and gave me advice on how to program
the speed control, to Carol Hazlett
loaning me her computer to do it, people
went out of the way to help me. When
my speed control stopped working, Ray
Fuller traded me for a new one even
though I didn’t get the original one from
him. Byron Pimms loaned me his 80watt soldering iron to install it. Russ
Williamson even gave me a Super V 27
to race. As my “uncle” Jerry Dunlap
says,” Just shut up and say thanks.”
Thanks everyone.
Jim Bickford and his scoring crew of
Carla Wells and Kathy Bickford had
things under control from the beginning.
There was a shelter with electric
generators for battery charging. A record
course was set with electric (naturally)
chase boats ready to pick up dead boats.
Yes, electric boats stop (and sometimes
start) for no obvious reason. Because
electric racers are so serious (NOT), I
12
instituted the Royal Order of the Rubber
Chicken. If a racer made a silly mistake,
a rubber chicken, furnished by my wife,
was hung in their pit. The racer then got
to induct the next deserving member.
Commodore Scott Bickford was the first
member for not finishing the first heat of
the first race. The competition increased
from that point, with all the best racers
wanting in. Mike Zabarosky copied his
tattoo on the chicken, Brian Buass
furnished a high quality rope, and
everyone had a great time posing for
pictures with the chicken.
Ray Fuller (r) oversees a tech discussion
by a couple of FE racers
Because lithium polymer batteries
were legal for the first time this year,
there was much interest in their safety
and performance. As far as safety went,
there were absolutely no problems.
Performance was another story. In the
classes where lipos and nickel metal
batteries raced together, lipos won all but
Limited Sport Hydro. There Mike
Zabaroski’s Bandet won on nickel metal
cells. The closest other race was P Sport
Hydro, where Mike Zabarosky’s
beautiful nickel metal powered
Aquacraft prototype was third to Brian
Buass’ Dark Horse and Aaron Olsen’s
Hydro Marine hydros. There were five
potential new records set, all with lipos. I
doubt that all the power of these batteries
has been tapped. As new high amp speed
controls are developed, speeds will
increase even more.
The big classes were P Mono, its
close relative, the spec Super V 27 class,
N-2 Sport Hydro and Limited Sport
Hydro. Scale was divided into a vintage
and modern division, but the combined
scale entry made it the largest group. P
Mono was an illustration of old versus
new boat size. Daren Jordan souped up
his Super V 27 with 3S2P lipos, a Neu
motor and a Castle speed control. The
boat was a little too small and the 33
inch Delta Force monos of Brian Buass
with three firsts and Greg Schweers with
two firsts and a second, both with their
full 4s2p lipo packs, out ran him every
time. Super V 27 was a survival race as
the wind came up. The boats were very
similar in performance since identical
Aquacraft props were drawn out of the
hat for every heat. It came down to setup
and driving. Jerry Dunlap had the secret
with conservative starts and added
weight for consistent finishes to win.
Ken Haynes came all the way from
Florida to show the Northwest how to
race Super V. His very forward battery
placement was the trick for second place.
Brian Buass lead the class until he
dumped in the last heat to take third
overall.
The Sport Hydro classes brought out
some beautiful boats lead by Mike
Zabaroski’s P Sport Hydro prototype. In
the N-2 Sport Hydro class John Morama
had a perfect day with three firsts
handing Brian Buass his only defeat.
Brian and Darren Jordan tied for second
place points, but Darren’s Banzi Sport
28 hydro beat Brian’s Dark Horse on
time for second. The Limited Sport
Hydro class saw lipos coupled to
brushed motors for many contestants.
Even so, Mike Zabaroski’s Bandit won
using nickel metal cells. Byron Pimms
was second with his Dark Horse and
Aaron Olson changed the power plant in
his P Sport Hydro to tie Byron on points
but slid to third on time.
Scale was an exhibition class, running
combined rules developed by the
Northwest electric scale groups. The
most unique feature was counter
clockwise racing. Watching the modern
class boats start from the left, electric
motors whining, was a very close replica
of the real thing. If the vintage boats had
a Merlin sound card, it would bring back
the really old days of unlimited racing.
October 2007
PROPWASH
Because electric motors are clean, the boats always looked good, and many unusual
boats were modeled. My favorites were Ron Daum’s Miss Pepsi, The Jones family’s
(Ted, Ron Sr., and Ron Jr.) designs: Slo-Mo-Shun IV, the U95 early turbine, and the
twin wing Coors Dry. They all were a graphic depiction of unlimited design evolution.
There was also an Atlas Van Lines and Roger Newton’s 1/8 scale Miss Budweiser.
The latter gave several great demonstration runs, sounding very much like the real
turbine boat.
Jeff Campbell’s Pay n Pak won the vintage shovel nosed class with three firsts.
Michael Campbell’s Notre Dame dumped in the first heat but won the next two heats.
It wasn’t enough to beat David Newton’s consistent second place finishes. David’s
beautiful Miss Bardahl took second. The modern boats were lead by Craig Mullin’s
Pay n Pak with three straight wins. Mitch Dillard’s Trendwest had a solid second over
Michael Campbell in third.
The final results and setups for all classes at the 2007 NAMBA FE Nationals are at
http://members.tripod.com/psfastelectrics5/boat_setups_used_in_the_nationa.htm.
It was an outstanding event.
P OPC
1. Scott Bickford
2. Scott Heller
3. Larry Kirby
P Mono
1. Brian Buaas
2. Greg Schweers
3. Darin Jordan
N1 Mono
1. Darin Jordan
2. Larry Kirby
3. Scott Bickford
1/10 Scale Hydro Div. 1
1. Jeff Campbell
2. David Newton
3. Mike Campbell
N1 Hydro
1. Bill Oxidean
2. Darin Jordan
3. Scott Bickford
N2 Mono
1. Greg Schweers
2. Brian Buaas
3. John Morana
N2 Offshore
1. Brian Buaas
2. John Morana
3. Darin Jordan
P Sport Hydro
1. Brian Buaas
2. Aaron Olson
3. Mike Zaborowski
N2 Sport Hydro
1. John Morana
2. Darin Jordan
3. Brian Buaas
1/10 Scale Hydro Div.2
1. Craig Mullen
2. Mitch Dillard
3. Mike Campbell
LSH
1. Mike Zaborowski
2. Byron Pimms
3. Aaron Olson
AquaCraft Super V27
1. Jerry Dunlap
2. Ken Haines
3. Brian Buaas
P OffShore
1. Brian Buaas
2. Greg Schweers
3. Andy Shanks
N2 Hydro
1. Larry Kirby
2. Byron Pimms
3. Scott Bickford
The Atlas Van Lines
The Mountain Dew
Miss Eagle Electric and the Nitrogen
O Sport Hydro
1. Scott Bickford
2. John Morana
3. Kevin Humphrey
The Slo-mo-shun IV
October 2007
13
PROPWASH
Brain Bauss exhibits some good humor as he takes his turn
accepting the Royal Order of the Rubber Chicken
Kathy and Jim Bickford appear to be pretty happy that they had
a turn with the chicken
The 2007 FE NAMBA Nationals
Photos and the Royal Order of the Rubber Chicken
courtesy of District Eight Director and NAMBA Safety
Chairman Lohring Miller
At NAMBA Nationals, the scoring crew is always hard at work
Darin Jordan wonders what he did to deserve the Rubber
Chicken
14
Brian Pimms poses for the cameraman as he takes a turn
October 2007
PROPWASH
District Five News
District Eleven Report
By Carlo Catalanotto
District Five Director
By Richard “Rags” Grenier
District Eleven Director
I want to start off by saying the last eight months have been quite an eye opening
experience for me to say the least. It was around the end of last year when my buddy
Mike Cantavespri and I decided that we wanted to start a RC boat club. There were
plenty of local RC boaters in the area and the only time all of the guys would get
together was when there was a race within our district. All of the other clubs in district
five would always ask when we were going to start our own club and it just seemed
like the time was right. We got all of the local guys together and talked about what
organization we wanted to be affiliated with and decided to discuss this with the rest
of the clubs in our district before making a decision. After a lot of discussion and
hearing a lot of unhappy stories about rules, race schedules, and lack of respect for our
district from some of leaders of the IMPBA, we decided that our club would be the
ones to get the ball rolling for the rest of District Five to make the switch to
NAMBA the following year. Since the racing schedule had been already made for our
district, we decided that we would also join IMPBA until the end of the year to keep
things simple for this year. With all of the politics behind us we started our search for
a pond or a lake where we could make our home. A couple of months later while
going flying with a friend Mike stumbled upon a wonderful lake right next to Reserve
Airport in St John The Baptist Parish about 40 minutes out of New Orleans. After
going through the legal process to get permission to use the lake we were on our way.
Little did we know that would be the easiest part of getting the club started.
I have raced all over the country and I wish someone would have told us that the
driver stand, container, buoys, buoys holders, catch boat, bulkhead, PA system, safety
fence, and building materials just don’t show up when you decide to start a club. We
never knew how expensive it was going to be just to get started. I called and talked
with Marc Levac of modelgasboats.com and he told me he would help setup a raffle
on his site as well as Jim’s RC Boat dock for one of my CC Racing Engines modified
Zenoah engine and that I could just give the proceeds to the club. The support we
received from the raffle and the guys who frequent those two websites really helped
get the club off the ground and I can’t thank them enough. We are very fortunate to
have a great group of guys in our club that really want to see this thing take off and
they have been busting there butts driving pilings, wiring the driver stand, building
roofs, collecting materials and anything we needed to do get our facility up and
running. We even have another member of district five from the Baton Rouge club
James Hohensee donating his time to build our website. You can check it out at
www.voodooboatclub.com . We have got a lot accomplished in the last few months
and even had a local company donate us a 40x40 pavilion that we put up next to the
drivers stand. That should come in handy when we cook food for everyone at the
races, and you know us Cajuns love to cook. All the hard work seems to be paying off
as we had our first Fun Run on August 3rd and 4th and most of the district and even
some of the Texas crew came out to support us. It was a great time with minimal
hiccups and it showed us what we needed to do to prepare for our first big race in
November “The Sport Hydro Shootout”. We have already received entries from all
over the country and it seems as though it is going to be a really big race and I hope to
see some of you there.
Getting a club up and running requires a lot of work and a lot of good people to
help. I want to thank all of our VooDoo members and Al Waters for helping me out
whenever I have questions about our new club. If we have gained anything through
this process it is lot of respect for all of the clubs where we race around the country.
The effort that it takes to get a club going and to put a race on is not a glamorous job.
So the next time you are at a race make sure to stop and thank the people involved as it
is a lot of hard work and they truly do it for the love of the hobby.
I’m writing to report that District 11
is alive and well, albeit silently, as this is
my first Propwash article in some time.
While the news from the district may
have been lacking, the racing was not.
The 2006 races were well attended, saw
few if any controversies worth noting,
and provided plenty of competition and
camaraderie, hallmarks of District 11’s
racing fraternity.
The 2007 racing season opened with
high hopes for another great year, but
has been hampered by weather and
schedule changes. Our very first race in
May had to be cancelled the night before
the event. Rarely a problem in the past,
the race site is an overflow for a small
dam. We had a wet spring to begin with,
and heavy rains were forecast for the
weekend of the race. In anticipation of
the rain, the day before the race, dam
operators saw fit to draw the pond down
to almost nothing as a precaution. That
effectively proved the boating axiom,
“When the draft of your boat exceeds the
depth of the water, you are most
assuredly aground!” and the Southern
Maine club had to cancel on the eve of
the race. Word quickly spread to all the
racers and everyone got to sleep in that
Saturday.
The Greater Hartford Model Boat
Club hosted the next race in June, but
not without its own weather drama. We
couldn’t escape the curse of yet another
heavy downpour. We don’t mind racing
in the rain, but we had a 45 minute delay
during a deluge that made even the
largest canopies ineffective, as the rain
splashed surprisingly long distances
when it hit the ground. It stopped as
quickly as it started, but the pond was
now measurably higher! Everything else
went off without a hitch and everyone
was glad to just be back racing, after
such a long break from the last race in
October of ’06.
The membership decided to have a
second race in June to make up for the
cancelled May race. Unfortunately, that
pond was still not filled and rather than
take the risk, we ventured back to
Rollinsford, the site of the ’05 Nats.
Continued on page 16
October 2007
15
PROPWASH
District Eleven Report
(Continued from page 15)
Attendance was down somewhat, a
victim of the sudden changes in the
schedule I suspect, but that didn’t
dampen the spirit or the competition. We
held our annual meeting during this
event, and the membership made several
decisions concerning the district. The
type of awards given out to the district
champions was changed, and tweaks
were made in the schedule for next year.
We’re also adding two new classes that I
understand are successfully being run in
District One. Those are Open Mono and
Open Hydro. Any motor, any fuel,
including electric. If you’ve raced long
enough, you probably have a surplus of
boats in storage that you haven’t run for
whatever reason, or you want to
experiment with, and this is a great class
to get into and has a lot of excitement
potential. We are also actively seeking
new race sites, preferably in
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This
would give us five district championship
races in five states, a unique distinction
geographically.
Southern Maine R/C Model Boaters
finally got their chance to host a race just
this past weekend in Sanford, Maine.
Attendance rivaled anything we’ve had
in recent years and we welcomed the
return of a Rhode Island racer and a new
racer from Maine that was running a
stock gas boat. We ran the Open classes
for the first time and they were well
received, a good mix of nitro and gas
power. There were no electrics, but the
word hasn’t gotten out yet, so it remains
to be seen if there is any interest from
that aspect of the hobby at future events.
We do have a new website, at namba11.com, and as you might expect, it is
linked to the regular NAMBA website. It
is a work in progress, but is getting
better with each passing race as we
develop more information to add. From
all of us here in District 11, we hope you
are enjoying your racing season.
16
Safety Corner – Summer Review
By Lohring Miller
NAMBA Safety Chairman
It has been a standard race season as far as safety is concerned. By far the most
usual safety related problem was loss of radio control that caused a boat to hit the
bank. I think that nearly every race I attended this summer, including two national
championships, had someone loose control of their boat. It happened to novices and
exceptionally experienced racers. It happened to me as well. The good thing with
model boats is that they are usually contained in the pond and the people are outside of
the pond. This most important safety precaution has kept NAMBA from being sued or
having any really large insurance claims. I hope our good luck will continue. Everyone
knows how to prevent this accident. Fix the corroded connectors, replace the iffy
switch, charge your batteries right before the race; be sure the connectors can’t unplug;
do a range check; waterproof your radio box; test the controls before launch, and don’t
send the boat out unless everything is working as it should. Even with the most careful
preparation, loss of control can still happen. That’s why no people should be on the
pond or close to the edge when we race.
Another standard accident is falling out of the retrieve boat. Fortunately, the only
incident I observed happened close to shore and the boater was wearing a life jacket.
The only injury was a bruised ego. If it happened in the middle of a 50 foot deep pond
and the boater was a non-swimmer, the consequences could have been more serious. It
won’t help if the life jacket is in the boat and you are outside the boat.
The third accident I observed was a badly cut finger from a propeller. Because
model boat propellers can turn 10 times faster than standard wood working machinery,
all contact with flesh is serious. I have seen propeller cuts despite prop guards, hot pits,
and all the other standard safety precautions. Electric boats pose a new hazard because
their propellers are potentially dangerous as long as the battery is connected. Just
because the propeller is not turning doesn’t mean its safe. I had a receiver failure that
allowed the speed control to turn the motor on in the retrieve boat, even though the
speed control should fail in the off state. Some electric racers have a main battery
connection outside their sealed boat. This allows the battery to be disconnected by
anyone without un-taping the hatch.
The summer was memorable for the accidents I didn’t see. There were no fires
from lithium polymer batteries or gasoline. No people were hit by model boats. No
property was damaged by our models despite loss of control or race maneuvering. A
lot of us had a really good time. Let’s keep it that way by being aware of safety.
District One - Half Way There In 2007
By Dave Rychalsky
District One Director
As of the writing, we are midway through this racing season. If you recall from my
article in the previous Propwash, we are running gas, nitro and electrics in the same
heats! I must say that it is an exciting and educational year for everyone. In District
One, our electric group holds all of their races in the very beginning of our season,
when it starts to warm up, and at the tail end of the season, before ole man winter
makes a visit. There’s a big gap in the middle of the summer, so allowing the electrics
to race with the gas and nitro is a win-win for everyone. Our gas/nitro schedule is set
up to run sanctioned races every two to three weeks from May all the way through
October. Many of the classes are being filled up with some really good running electric
boats. So far, we have AB Mono, CX Mono, AB Hydro, CX Hydro, Open Cat, and
Scale classes competing with some of the electric boats. In all classes, with the
exception of perhaps Scale, every boat has been very competitive with the combustion
engine boats.
I’ve been running nitro boats for over 25 years and gas for five years, and I’ve
noticed some obvious advantages in running electrics. First of all, they are much
October 2007
PROPWASH
lighter and much smaller than the comparable fuel boats. This helps when trying to
maneuver boats to and from the lake, in and out of the car, or up and down from the
basement. Secondly, at the end of the day, the process of taking the fuel out of the
tank, cleaning the nitro from the motor, then preparing the engine for the next race are
not part of our typical task. It’s a matter of less than a minute, and the electric boat
clean up is done! All I see the electric guys do is remove the shaft, disconnect the
batteries, and blow out any residual water in the cooling lines. When the boats are
running, they’re super quiet, efficient and very quick. Most of the spectators are
fascinated when watching an electric run because of lack of noise and the speeds they
produce. To put it in perspective, electric boats are like, hmm, let’s see, they’re like
Jessica Simpson – you don’t hear too much out of them, they run reaaaaaally nice,
they’re hot when they’re milling around, and they’re very simple. I won’t even
mention the sponsons! As for the nitro boats, they can be equated to Rosie O’Donnell.
They’re loud, usually a lot of trouble, tons of baggage, and they leave a mess behind.
Finally, the gas boats, I would say they’re like Kirstie Alley. They have style and
class, with size being a frequent problem and the noise they emit is painful to an
innocent bystander!
Alright, let’s get back to reality. During our heat races, we run each race as a
typical event in NAMBA. The electric guys drop their boats in the water at the “30
second” point, run the five race laps, one cool down lap, and boom – done! I guess the
only issue is the electric guys have been accustomed to trying to move their dead boat
inside the course to prevent “dead-boat-hits.” However, a mental note of where the
dead boats used to be always lingers in the minds of the fuel racers who are still
driving the course. All in all, joining gas, nitro and electric is a positive move for our
district and combines all facets of NAMBA’s boating classes into one event. I am so
convinced that I’ve already purchased the parts to build an electric boat of my own.
This year, in practically all of our classes, the top point winners are closer than ever. It
seems that one bad heat in any race results in a rearrangement of the district points
standings. Whenever I’m asked to pit for a racer, I’m always asked to “keep on eye on
so-and-so because we’re only a few points apart.” So, 2007 will go down as one of the
most competitive ones in years.
Our new experimental class, the Gas Thunderboats, is going great. We have five
boaters in the district and another three more on the building table for next year. These
are great looking boats and there’s not one that’s faster than the others. I can’t wait
until we have six to eight in one heat!
Lastly, we held one of our heat races the end of July. It started out great, but by
1:00 PM, the skies literally opened up and killed the day. There were 40 to 50 mph
winds, and a ton of water. In fact, the water in the lake rose up 26” to the bottom of the
pit tables! We all had to hang on to our tents because the winds were lifting them up
off the ground! When it finally ended, we couldn’t continue. Over the past months,
there were many ignorant fishermen along the outer edges of the lake, and literally
thousands of bottles, cups, and trash were washed into the middle of the lake. It was
impossible to any boat to make it around the lake for one lap. So, this race never made
it to the books.
Let’s hope for good weather the remaining races of 2007. Best of luck to all racers.
District Eight Director’s Report
By Lohring Miller
District Eight Director
This summer District Eight was all about Nationals preparation. A large group
including Allen Burns, Steve Wolfenbarger, Jerry Dunlap, Tom Asif, Kelly Groul,
Lohring Miller, Greg Roth, Mike Hughes, and Eric Bourlet attended. Everyone had a
great time, and we took home more than our share of trophies. The strongest area of
District Eight racing is outboards and the outboard classes supplied most of the
trophies. Eric Bourlet and Mike Hughes shared honors in many classes with Eric
winning A Mod and A Stock Tunnel and second in B Stock Tunnel. Mike was first in
October 2007
B Stock Tunnel and A Outboard Hydro
with a second in A Stock Tunnel.
Lohring Miller was second in C Stock
Tunnel.
Other notable District Eight finishes
were Greg Roth’s second place in the B
Mono and A Outboard Hydro classes. In
addition to his outboard wins, Eric
Bourlet was second in B Hydro and first
in Sport 40 II, both with his battered
Mutt II Sport Hydro. This was Eric’s
third National Sport 40 II win, the first
time that has happened. Just to show that
he can race more than nitro boats, Eric
drove his Gas Sport Hydro to the GX1
class win, setting a new heat racing
record for the class. This time, 1:15, was
the fastest gas time of the meet,
exceeded only by two nitro riggers. It’s
too bad the gas rules won’t let him run in
the gas hydro classes like he can with his
Sport 40.
Electrics had a big event in the
district as Puget Sound Fast Electric
Model Boat Club hosted the Electric
Nationals. Though smaller than the Gas
and Nitro Nationals, the event was very
well run and attended. My observations
as a novice electric racer are in another
article. Electric scale racers from the
district’s two electric scale groups
attended and provided excellent scale
racing. The big scale event, the
Northwest Scale Championships, is
scheduled for October. This event
attracts entries from the various scale
groups as well as racers from other
western states. This year the Sport .18
RTR class will be run with the 1/8 scale
boats.
Big boats are pulling some model
boat racers away. Team Toothpick
members, Shawn and Leslie Warren,
bought and rebuilt a 2.5 Litre Stock
Hydroplane. Leslie is the driver while
Shawn, Dave Solway, Bruce Moring,
and Chris Faneris are the crew. Leslie is
through her rookie period and can now
race with everyone. The team sports
APBA regulation Team Toothpick shirts
and is continuing the their reputation for
racing fun. They still race their models
at district events.
17
PROPWASH
NAMBA Scale Chairman Report
By Mike McKnight
NAMBA Scale Chairman
Well this report as Scale Chairman was supposed to make into the last Propwash
but as I was a little busy with the NAMBA Nationals I somehow didn’t submit it in
time. As this is my first report as the NAMBA Scale Chairman I’d like to start with
thanking Al for asking me to take over the position. When he first mentioned that he
was looking for someone to hand it off to I emailed him to “throw my hat in the ring”
so to speak and let him know I was interested. At that time I wasn’t really expecting to
be seriously considered as I figured someone that had been around longer than I might
get it. Other than a few in my district not many really knew that I live and breathe
boats and have all the way back to my days racing full sized outboard hydros with my
brother back in the late 70’s through the late 80’s. Of course a lot of us then
worshipped the Unlimiteds much the same way many Scale boaters do today.
Although I love racing all of the different classes of boats that I own, the only class
I am passionate about is Scale. So last fall I decided it was time to go try and run with
the “Big Boys” meaning the guys in Washington. What better way to get to know both
RCU and UNW then to go the Northwest Scale Championship and race for “all the
marbles.” Well after making the Muncey in San Diego in September I wasn’t really up
for another long drive so Roger Newton and I were talking and he suggested that I just
ship my boat to his house and he would find a way to get me some fuel and help me
with tools and a starter. I would then fly there and pick up my boat from him. Well
apparently he convinced Mike Allen in District Three to make the trek from Florida
doing the same thing. Although Mike Allen and I used different methods and carriers
we still accomplished the same thing. Since there has been more interest in doing what
we did I’ll give you both of our methods. I’ll start with Mike Allen’s since he also
shipped some gear as well as the boat. Here were his thoughts from a post on
International Waters:
I used Fed-Ex ground. It takes five to seven business days from Miami to
Washington. I let the manager of the hotel know it was coming and put their name
with mine on the bill of lading along with the air way bill number. Check with them
the day it arrives. Don’t take anything for granted, so plan ahead and get two pick up
forms. One is for shipping from your place (house or business) the other is to pick up
at your hotel/motel. When you arrive give the pick up form for the return to the
manager to ship back to you the day after the race. The hotel manager will be more
than happy to help on the return home shipping. When you are at the race call fed-ex
to reconfirm your pick-up date to return home, just so everyone is on the same page.
This is very important: the package must not weigh more than 150 pounds total weight
(boat, box, etd). Don’t push it or it will be placed in a different class and the freight
will kill you. Total inches is 165 including one time length, two times height, and two
times width.. Again this is an outside dimension, and don’t push this either. For
example 49" length equals 49 inches, 30" height (left and right side) equals 60 inches,
and 27"width ( top and bottom) equals 54 inches. This nets a total of 163 inches
(outside dimension remember).
Packing, this is up to you, as long as it doesn't go over 150 pounds. No fuel can be
shipped but everything else was OK. I have packed two Turbine Scales with stand,
radio box, tool box starter etc and have had zero problems. I stack the scales with
stand on the side of the box, foam all around (looks a lot like the real ones travel.
Looking down on the box both scales are canopy to canopy) then bungee them stand
and boat to the box. Remember nothing can move. These were the Formula with
saltwater scoop and my Circus Circus. My box was built out of plywood (remember
the outside will get damaged from shipping) but its inside that counts. Two things to
remember: put angled aluminum on the outside corners for protection and two put
stringers on the bottom so the fork lift can pick it up. Remember to add the stringers in
the overall height measurement. I used FedEx Ground as that’s what I’m familiar with,
but you can choose any carrier you want.
Thanks to Mike Allen for those tips. I used UPS Packing materials were a
18
wardrobe box from the local U-Haul
store, packing peanuts, and 5/8” insulation foam from Lowe’s. I assembled the
boat as if I were going to race motor and
all. I then wrapped the boat in plastic to
keep any packing material out and keep
any errant cleaning fluids or oil from
escaping. I then removed the wings and
cowl and wrapped them in bubble wrap
separately. The insulation foam was cut
to match the interior of the box then the
boat and stand were placed inside with a
gap above the boat where I filled with the
peanuts. All of the extra parts were then
immersed in the peanuts. I also added
another layer of foam on the end of the
box where the pickle forks would be to
protect them and keep them from poking
out of the box during transit.
All in all we both ended up paying
about the same amount freight. It was
about $125 each way. One thing that I
will do differently in the future is that
next time I will strap the box to a pallet
so that the boat has to ride horizontally as
UPS stood mine up on end, not the pickle
fork end thankfully. I had to ship some
large equipment not long after that to be
serviced and they had me ship it strapped
to a pallet and that made it much more
secure as it was a long box much like a
scale. I will also ship it motor carrier next
time as opposed to UPS.
Well there you have it. Hopefully you
have the info you need and maybe we’ll
see a few more jet setting Scale boaters
in the future. I know some of the rigger
guys have been doing this with a
modified golf bag flight case for a while
now. Unfortunately a Scale is as big as
the golf bag case. I was a bit nervous
about not having any gear and tools but
the guys up north were very helpful and
seemed genuinely pleased to see us come
up to race. So I expect we may see a few
more at the NW Scale Champion-ship
this year as I’ve heard rumblings of some
Scale boaters from Indiana coming out
this year. I know it might be a little
spendy on the freight, but even if you do
this one time it’s worth it to race and be
around some guys that share a love of
Scale boats
October 2007
PROPWASH
Technically Speaking
By Jeff Burns
Technical Officer, North Texas Battle Group
Rejuvenation of Circuit Boards
Unprotected circuit boards (such as receiver boards) repeatedly exposed to water
while energized can develop white deposits and have their performance degrade
slowly over time. To reverse some of this damage, spray the circuit board somewhat
liberally with Corrosion X and let it drip dry. To protect the board from further water
damage, cover the board with 3M Skotchkote electrical coating which has shown
resilience in a hostile model combat warship environment.
Convoy Escort
A lot has been said on the job of being a convoy escort in previous newsletters and
in the various forums. But for all the strategy and positioning and such that goes into it
and there is a lot, the single biggest part of protecting a convoy is keeping your
warship with the convoy. With apologies to Admiral Nelson - "An escorting Captain
can do no wrong who puts his ship alongside the convoy." Since I've been the
designated convoy escort more times than not, I thought I'd impart some "wisdom"
learned over the years.
The protecting warship Captain (who I'll refer to as Commodore) is responsible for
the convoy, and that's whom I'm addressing in this paragraph. Commodores of a
convoy aren't to get involved in a gun battle. That's for the other warships of the fleet
to worry about. Getting involved in a gunnery duel will pull the defending warship off
the convoy, and allow the convoy to get pounced on by another enemy warship.
Gunnery for a warship on convoy patrol is more a deterrence. Basically, just to give
the enemy something to think about. If it slows down an attacking warship, or causes
it to back off, then the job is done. Many times just keeping the turrets tracking the
attacking warship (without firing) is enough to give them a bit of a pause and cause at
least a subtle change of tactics..That's generally enough to get another several feet
towards the goal of a convoy run without new damage. As long as the attacking
warship's Captain thinks someone is alive at the gunnery position, many times the job
is done for keeping the convoy afloat and underway. The Commodore of the transport
fleet also needs to keep an overall situational awareness of the pond and keeping track
of which ships are where. That includes friendly ships as well as enemy ships. If you
need reinforcement, it's a good idea to know which direction it will come from.
Knowing where the enemy ships are coming from gives you the opportunity to give
the direction to the convoy to maneuver out of the way and time for you to maneuver
into position to block or blunt the attack. The idea overall isn't for the escort to take a
lot of damage instead of the convoy, just to ruin the shot so that ALL units in your
fleet take reduced or no damage. The Commodore also needs to keep directions
continually going out to their charges. Convoy Captains are generally green, and need
a lot of attention. Getting in some maneuvering time prior to a battle is a good idea for
the convoy fleet to get used to each other and the crazy Commodore ostensibly in
charge of it. What if a convoy ship falls out of formation and gets pounced on? Leave
it. Better to have one badly mauled or sunk convoy vessel than adding a warship into it
and leaving other ships of the convoy undefended. Besides, the enemy's time spent
dispatching a rogue transport is time very well spent for your convoy getting around
the pond otherwise uncontested. There is nothing like a bit of chum thrown well away
from your position to distract/preoccupy the sharks. I wish I could give specifics of do
this exactly and do that exactly, but once the hostilities commence all but the basic
plans outlined above go OUT the window, so I'll save the specifics. Sometimes the
escort needs to follow the convoy to starboard, other times to port. Sometimes the
escort needs to be leading, other times following, sometimes directly to port or
starboard of the fleet. It all depends on the situation which is very dynamic on the
pond changing from minute to minute and sometimes second to second, and it all gets
back to the Commodore's situational awareness for knowing where to deploy the
escort vessel at that precise moment.
October 2007
The transport captains in the convoy
have their job to do as well, and I'm
addressing them in this paragraph.
Transport Captains need to follow the
directions given by the Commodore
without question.
Occasionally those directions may
seem insane, other times they ARE
totally insane, but the Commodore is
responsible for the transports safety and
keeping them afloat. The time to
question the directions given, is AFTER
following them. This is not to say all of
those directions will be perfect, or even
correct, but if the Commodore issues
directions to go left and they're planning
on covering the right side from an attack,
and the transports do something else, the
escorting warship will absolutely not be
able to get into a positive position to
provide protection. When a convoy
panics and scatters, the escorting ship
can't protect any of them, and indeed
will likely end up a very damaged ship
trying to do so by engaging enemy
warships on their terms.
That's about it in a nutshell for
successful convoy runs. It is nothing
fancy, no grandiose tactics per se. Just
keep it together and keep your wits about
you and you stand a good chance of
making it home.
19
PROPWASH
2007 NAMBA Nitro and Gas Nationals
Kids
Are
Boaters Too
20
October 2007
PROPWASH
...and so are the adults
October 2007
21
PROPWASH
News From Nineteen
By Mark Grim
District 19 Director
Here we are half way through another year of racing. I just got back from the
NAMBA Nationals in San Jose (Raging Waters). I’d like to congratulate all of the
model boaters who won classes this year at the Nat’s. I would also like to personally
thank everyone in District Nine who worked so very hard to put on a great Nationals.
The host hotel couldn’t have treated the model boaters that stayed there or visited
there any better. Having a National event at a water park was a really nice treat. We
will all remember the Dragon Ride as it took days to forget the announcement from
running around in our heads!
Every evening it was nice to sit with model boaters from all over and alk about the
day’s events and bench race, chit chat and just have a great time. My wife and I had a
lot of fun this year. One of the most memorable events that personally happened to me
this year at the Nationals Banquet was the great honor of being inducted into the Hall
of Fame. To be recognized by the other Hall of Fame members and voted in by them
was a great honor. Thank you!
I also wanted to let everyone know what transpired at the meeting with the Parks
Department at Legg Lake. We now have a new Parks Superintendent, Joyce Gibson,
and a new Regional Park Project Coordinator, Steven Derry. Joyce Gibson has 27
years experience with Lake Management and assures us that the model boating area
and the model boaters are one of her top priorities.
Joyce and Steve have been working with the state, city, and county to update the
model boating area and several other areas in the park. The Park meeting went very
well. It was one of the best meetings I have had in along time. One of their main
objectives is to keep the model boating area and the SAW area clean and free of weeds
and give it a new facelift.
The Parks Department has been in touch with water management and they are
devising a plan to use more microbes on a monthly basis and any other means at their
disposal to abate any weed issues. The Parks Department has been allocated funds to
update the drivers stand. At this time it is not up the 2007 ADA standards and codes.
At the request of the Parks Department the Park Project Coordinator, Park Supervisor,
and myself went out to the drivers stand and went over all of the area improvements.
The Parks Department will use the allocated money they have received to:
1. Remove and replace/update the stairs on the drivers stand as all stairs need to be the
same height.
2. Remove and replace/update the handicap ramp to the drivers stand as this needs to
be no more than a five degree slope.
3. Redo and level the cement around the drivers stand so there will be no tripping
hazards. (Example: As you walk in the gate across from the stairs the cement is
uneven).
4. Put a walkway on the right side of the drivers stand outside the fence so you will not
have to go up and down the stairs to the starting tables.
5. Put gravel in the water as a safety precaution so the boaters don't have to step down
in the water so far when launching their boats.
6. Put in electrical outlets with lock boxes for the model boaters use so we don't have
to use generators for the microphones and CD equipment at the races.
7. Put in more lighting around the drivers stand area.
8. Put in water faucets for easy access to hose the drivers stand off.
9. Add a water fountain for model boaters use
10. Put a permanent shade cover over the drivers stand to our specifications. The
shade cover has a life expectancy of about 10-12 years. The Parks Department will
replace this as needed from their allocated funds.
11. Paint the drivers stand and fence.
12. Put in more park benches and possible bleachers for spectators to watch the races.
13. Re-grade the model boating parking area inside the fence and put in adequate
drainage so we can park inside like we used to do.
22
I will be in touch with the Parks
Department in a couple of weeks and I
should know when and what kind of
work will be started. If you have any
questions please feel free to call me at
any time.
New Memberships
We have had a lot of new members
join our district this year. We have
several new Fast Electric boaters as well
as Gas and Nitro boaters. Gas still seems
to be the biggest growing class in the
District. As a NAMBA member it should
be everyone’s responsibility to be
friendly and helpful when they see a new
boater at a lake site running their boat.
Ask if they are a NAMBA member and
if not inform them about the NAMBA
organization and how easy it is to join.
Explain what the benefits to joining
NAMBA are and how well they are
covered by the NAMBA insurance.
With all of the Ready to Run model
boats that you can buy now from any
Hobby Shop it is imperative that all
NAMBA members help any new model
boaters they may meet at the lake.
Inform them of the safety issues and
frequency conflicts as well as rules of
how you properly run a model boat with
other boats in the water. Remember we
were all new at one time or another and
the help that we received from other
model boaters is what kept us in the
hobby and made all of us the great
organization that we are today.
See You at the Races!
October 2007
PROPWASH
NAMBA Records
Educating The Public
By Mark Grim
NAMBA Records Chairman
By Wreno Wynne
Commanding Officer:
North Texas Battle Group
I would like to congratulate the following people on the records they have set so far
this year:
One Mile Heat Racing:
GX1 Sport Hydro:
Eric Bourlet: Anderson Hull, M&D Full Mod Zenoah engine, Anderson G667 Prop.
Set 7/13 at the 2007 Nats.
1/16th Mile Straightline:
G1 Sport Hydro:
Robert Tuttle: Whiplash Hull, Zenoah engine, ABC 2716.
G1 Catamaran:
Bryan Robinson: RC Boatworks Stryker Cat, Ron Buck Zenoah engine, 6717/3
2 Lap Oval:
B Modified Tunnel:
Seismic Racing: Lynx Hull, Grim CMB RS engine, Grim-Octura Prop.
Electric Heat Racing: All set at FE Nats on 1/8th mile course
P OPC Tunnel:
Scott Bickford: DPI Hull, SSI Motor, Atura M445 Prop.
N2 Sport Hydro:
John Morana: Dark Horse Hull, Neu 1515 1D motor, Octura X640 prop,
N2 Mono:
Brian Buaas: Delta Force Hull, Neu 1515 motor, Octura Y537/3 prop.
P Mono:
Brian Buaas: Delta Force Hull, Neu 1521 motor. Octura X450/3 prop.
P Sport Hydro:
Brian Buaas: Dark Horse Hull, Electrifly Ammo 36-50-23 motor, Octura X642 prop.
N2 Offshore:
(Set on Offshore Offset Course) Brian Buass: Delta Force hull, Neu 1515 motor,
Octura M447 prop.
P Offshore:
(Set on Offshore Offset Course) Brian Buass: Delta Force hull, Neu 1521 motor,
Octura X445 prop.
I have received some interest from the Fast Electric boaters that they would like to
come out and set 2 Lap records on the standard course. There will be a 2 Lap event at
Legg Lake October 13th -14th and a SAW Time Trials at Legg Lake the 9th thru the 11th
of November. If you have any questions about 2-Lap, SAW or any records please feel
free to contact me at 714-890-3127 or by email at mgrim@mindspring.com.
October 2007
For the month of June through July
18, the Kaufman County Library had a
Summer Reading Program themed Sail
Away with Books. The librarian
approached me at a Friends of the
Library meeting to find out if I had
anything of a nautical nature I could loan
to help decorate (she had heard somewhere that I had an interest in boats).
The fleet set sail. In chevron
formation as you came into the library,
on the port side, were Dunkerque, USS
Nathanael Greene (my new Liberty), and
USS Lake Shore without her skin. To
Starboard were Bismarck, Titanic, and
the tiny USS Reluctant. To help answer
questions, I supplied data sheets on each
ship.
At the end, on the 18th, they asked
me to come give a short presentation and
answer questions, which I was happy to
do (after all, they were offering free
pizza!). I brought along excerpts from
the Inside RC video (although, sadly, the
audio failed). It had to be pretty short
and simple, as many in the audience
were in the K-1st grade range. However,
in the private Q&A during the free pizza,
I had about on-half dozen or so teenagers, including one fairly RC-savvy
Junior (NHS member), and several
adults come by to chat. One was a
woman who was inquiring for more
information to bring to her husband and
son, thinking they might be interested (a
good sign, as we all know, a supportive
spouse!).
I had to give out both the NTXBG
and NABGO addresses several times: (a)
note to Jeff Burns – I wonder if we get
any slight increase in local traffic and (b)
note to self and to anyone else who does
this – bring those advertising cards!
I also found out from the librarian
afterwards that they used the data sheets
a fair amount. In fact one student
wanted copies for a report they were
writing.
Sadly, NABGO came and the ships
sailed from this welcome summer R&R
port back into hostile waters on July
3rd. Of course the turret crews of the
Continued on page 24
23
PROPWASH
Educating The Public
(Continued from page 230
Dunkerque were so hung-over that the Dunk never quite made it into battle. The Lake
Shore did get her skin back, but let her new sisters battle, remaining in reserve. The reskinned Lake Shore and the Tashkent, under construction, were able to sail back for
the July 18th demonstration. Although the fleet was missed by some (some kids just
try and show up for the free pizza at the end), on a show of hands, it appeared that at
least 80-90 percent of the attendees got to see the ships (also a good indicator that
most of the kids had been there for the reading).
The Librarian, Yasma Holland, said she would be happy so share information with
other local librarians on how the program went in implementing this theme if any
wishes to follow suit. So, we can accomplish several goals at once – help educate the
public as to our hobby (and naval assets in general), recruit, and get the ships out of
the house and in public view (in a nice, air-conditioned, controlled environment) for
significant periods of time. I put this down as a Wynne-Win. Sorry, couldn’t resist the
bad pun.
Dale Roberts beautiful gas sport hydro
the Bacardi Silver
Hello All From District Seven
By Scott Grissman
District Seven Director
We are halfway though our race season with only three races remaining: Andrews,
Texas on August 18/19, Lubbock, Texas on September 15/16 and the final race in
Carlsbad, New Mexico on October 13/14. I would list a point total of who is leading,
but I am still waiting on some heat sheets to arrive in the mail. Our gas classes really
seem to be growing in District Seven. And as always, the tunnel classes are strong.
During our last race in Lubbock, Dick Roberts from New Mexico brought a few
FE's he has been working on over the winter. One was a Top Speed 2 tunnel, and the
other was a mono. We let him run with our Mod. tunnel class and his boat was able to
make the six laps and run with our nitro boats. In fact, it was faster than most of them.
There was a lot of interest in his FE's. I feel a FE class may be coming to our races
soon. Speaking of Top Speed tunnels. they seem to be the boat of choice in
District Seven. I don't think most of us have quite figured them out completely, but we
are having a blast with them anyway. Then there is Jerry Wright of course with his A
Mod Tunnel, a Lynx that I believe is as fast as our B Mod Tunnels. I don't know what
we are going to do to beat him. Look out Tucson, when he shows up to represent
District Seven. We have yet to have a classic thunder boat class yet. But I know there
are a few in the making in our district. I am sorry to make this short but I am in Seattle
for Seafair and loving the cool perfect weather up here.
Dick Roberts Top Speed II converted to
a Fast Electric tunnel boat
Matt Baker’s gas hydro that he laid up
and machined the hardware himself
District Seven boaters get ready for the two minute clock
24
Dave Baker’s gas hydro that he laid up
and machined the hardware himself
October 2007
PROPWASH
In Memory of Ira Cotton
By Al Waters
NAMBA President
Ira Cotton passed away in his sleep on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. Ira was the
Super Salami of R/C boating, the man who made the chisel nosed sport boat famous.
If you found an Oh Boy! Oberto scale unlimited at a race, you couldn’t help but think
of Ira Cotton and ask yourself if he built that boat, or was it built from his plans.
Ira goes back in model boating many years before I met him. He was a civil engineer
who took his ideas to the water finding ways to improve the angles of attack,
dihedrals’, tunnel depth, width, and length of air traps. Ira was a die hard scratch
builder of many sport boats. I remember two lines he used to say about building
wooden model boats: “If God would have wanted boats to be built out of fiberglass,
then we would have had fiberglass trees” and another applied to a crash with a wood
boat: “There was nothing that couldn’t be fixed”.
I am not sure how Ira got involved in model boats but one day when I was at his
house, he gave me a bunch of old R/C Flyer magazines from the seventies to read that
used to have one page dedicated to model boats. One issue I gave back to Ira. There
was a black and white photo of him holding his first scale unlimited that he had built.
It was the Miss Technicolor with which he had won the concourse award at a large
event. If anyone knows the Miss Technicolor, you would remember that it had quite a
few multicolor narrow curving stripes of colors of the rainbow. Ira did not use
graphics. He flawlessly painted every color.
While reading through the article about Ira’s award winning boat, I asked him how
he got involved with the Oberto boats that we have all come to know. I have to admit
that his answer really threw me. Back in 1977 at the Jack in the Box Regatta, which
was the big boat unlimited race in San Diego, the Oberto race team had a female pit
crew of three women dressed in pink outfits. That alone intrigued Ira enough to build
his first Oh Boy! Oberto scale unlimited, the 1977 chisel nosed Super Salami driven
by Bill Wurster. That started a relationship over the years with the Oberto family that
words cannot express. Through his relationship with the Oberto family, boaters like
myself and Roy Edenfield have been invited into their home for dinner and invited to
their hosting parties displaying our boats.
October 2007
Ira went on to build many boats
displaying his chisel nosed design and
Oberto theme colors. If you ever have
the opportunity to be in Washington at
Art and Dorothy Oberto’s home, or the
Seattle Museum where the Oberto family
is recognized, you will find Ira’s Oberto
boats that he has given to the family over
the years.
Being an Oberto fan wasn’t all that
Ira was. He was a San Diego Argonaut
member since the seventies and a club
Commodore many times. He was also
the Contest Director of two NAMBA
Nationals held in San Diego, and the
Contest Director for many years of the
now named Oh Boy! Oberto Presents the
Bill Muncey Memorial model hydroplane race that runs in conjunction with
the big boat circuit in San Diego.
Up until a few years ago, when
traveling became more difficult for Ira,
he had not missed more than a couple of
NAMBA Nationals during his model
boating career. His last Nationals was in
2005 in New Hampshire where he won
his first Nationals class. Ira smoked the
competition in Sport 40-1 with a perfect
1600 point day running not a chisel
nosed Oberto but a replica of the drop
sponson Oberto from 1975 which was
the first boat the Oberto Sausage
Company ever sponsored in hydroplane
racing.
To honor Ira Cotton’s model boating
accomplishments over the years, the
most esteemed honor in NAMBA was
given to Ira in 1997. Ira was inducted in
to the NAMBA Hall of Fame. As time
went by, Ira didn’t race as much but got
the same if not more enjoyment by
watching his designed boats race. The
last time I saw Ira was at the recent
Muncey race in San Diego in September.
Ira stopped by to get his race credentials.
I asked why he was at the pond on a
Friday. He said to me, “I am still on your
race committee aren’t I?” I said “No Ira,
I am on your race committee. You
started this whole thing back in 1977 and
I am glad that you have taken me along
for the ride.”
The Oberto’s always said “Have
Fun”. That’s what Ira Cotton always did
and he would expect no less from the
rest of us. See you at the races Ira.
25
PROPWASH
Mark Grim Inducted into the NAMBA Hall of Fame
By Chris Wittrig
Seismic Amigos Race Team
Pas· sion [PASH-uh n]- noun. The word
has several definitions, the most appropriate
being “a strong or extravagant fondness,
enthusiasm, or desire for anything.” I met
Mark Grim in 1999, my rookie year, at a
District 19 race. Mark introduced himself to
my teammates, Jimmy and Jim Johnson, and
me offering any help we might need at any
time then or in the future. Later that year we
committed to host a District race the following
year. After the 2000 event schedule was
announced at the 1999 District Meeting and
Awards Banquet in Laughlin, Nevada, Mark
again offered us his full assistance with the
planning and management of our first race.
Over the next year our club attended every record event possible and, with the
assistance of Mark and the Three Amigos team which included Doug DeWitte, Don
Maher, and Vince Henderson, hosted our first race as Seismic Racing with great
success. During that time I had the chance to spend more and more evenings working
with Mark. The following year the similarities between our clubs became more
apparent and going into the 2002 season we decided to merge our clubs and become
Seismic Amigos Racing. Though the newly merged team brought together several
strengths in numerous facets of the hobby, it was the increased forging and bonding of
personal friendships that was the most obvious result.
My personal friendship with Mark away from the lake actually had less to do with
boating and more to do with golf. Believe me, if you took the average speed of the
cumulative straightaway speed records Mark held in the early 2000’s my average golf
score would be a formidable contender. With a good chuckle I’m sure Mark would not
only agree, but recognize there was a good reason we enjoyed playing golf together as
his was not much different than mine. The point is, we didn’t care. We enjoyed the
camaraderie in the same way we enjoy the camaraderie with our fellow boaters. Mark,
his wife Kim, his son Chris and I went golfing as often as we could and left behind
several memorable moments and even more unfound golf balls. The result, though, was
the formation of a bond with each other forging a level of trust that allows us to speak
openly with each other on any topic whether personal or professional.
Preparation for the 2003 NAMBA Nationals in Carlsbad, New Mexico was my first
true insight into the level of passion Mark has for the hobby of model boating. While
preparing we spent many nights in his garage. By nights I mean Mark got home from
his day job at 5:30, kissed his wife, pet the dog, and got in the garage breaking only for
dinner or a phone call having something to do with model boating. Time spent with
Mark and the Grim family after that showed me that preparation for the 2003 Nationals
was not the only time Mark put in those hours. Actually, what I found was preparation
for the Nationals could only be done by setting some other things aside. To this day,
with me now on the East Coast, I can almost guarantee that, except when Mark and
Kim are off participating with the Mustang club, when I am driving home from the
airport after taking the late flight in (anywhere from 11 pm to 12:30 am) I can call
Mark and he will be in the garage working.
Mark Grim exemplifies passion in this hobby. His passion drives his competitiveness. His passion has resulted in his expertise in all facets from building his own
hydro’s, modifying other hulls for increased performance, modifying pipes and props,
and modifying engines and building his own engine parts. Mark started racing model
boats as a young boy in the early 1970’s. In the 1980’s he extended his contribution
becoming a contest director which he continues to do with heat races hosted by the
club, as a guest contest director at events such as the World Cup Gas Championships,
26
and as the figure head for any NAMBA
record trial event. He held the Assistant
Director position for District 19 under
Doug DeWitte and is the current District
19 Director. His passion is also seen in
his results. He has numerous National
Championships and several District
Championships including a few this
year. Most noticeable, though, is the fact
that you cannot say NAMBA records
without saying Mark Grim. Mark holds
or has held numerous records including
Straightway, Two Lap, Heat Racing, and
Fast Electric Straight-away. He currently
holds himself or as a team driver six
Straightaway, five Two Lap, and one
Heat Racing records.
Mark’s passion for the hobby,
though, is best seen in what he does for
other people. If you look beyond the
records Mark holds you will see many
records set by others where Mark has
helped the other boater reach that level.
Even more important is how Mark
makes himself available to anybody to
help them perform better and realize
greater satisfaction from the hobby.
Mark simply gives so much of his time
both at and away from the lake, even to
the level of hosting Straightaway
participants from other countries at his
house and working with the Los Angeles
Parks Department to help maintain one
of the premier racing sites in all of
NAMBA in a time when lakes are harder
and harder to keep, that I cannot imagine
many people more deserving of
induction to the NAMBA Hall of Fame
than Mark Grim.
I can say that I have personally
benefited from both Mark’s friendship
and Passion for this hobby and I am sure
I’m not the only one. Congratulations
Amigo on your induction into the
NAMBA Hall of Fame! A well deserved
recognition.
October 2007
PROPWASH
Gas Rule Change Proposals
By Lohring Miller
District Eight Director
The gas rule proposals which are included with this newsletter stem from the
District Eight gas rules that we have run since 2001 when Mark Anderson, then the
District Director, tried to shut up the district gas guys by making me the District Gas
Chairman. I consulted with the more vocal members of my club and wrote some rules.
Most of them made it into the NAMBA rule book, but some did not. The following are
modernized versions of what we run.
The first change is to Section 27 B 1. a. i. that deals with the definition of a G
engine. Because the actual model Zenoah we run is not really made for industrial use,
we decided that the manufacturing methods used to keep costs down were the
important characteristics of a G engine. We replaced the current definition with a
description of how the most critical parts are made. Die casting requires a serious
commitment to high production due to the tooling costs. Investment cast cylinders like
the current M&D cylinders and Quickdraw cylinders can be manufactured in moderate
numbers with a much lower investment in tooling. Die cast parts will be less expensive for large production runs. Below is the proposed new wording:
Engines in this class shall be highly mass produced as evidenced by the process
used to manufacture the major components. The cylinders and crankcases shall be diecastings, with cylinder and head as a one-piece unit. Examples of such engines are
Zenoah, Chung Yang, Kawasaki, Homelite and U.S. Engines.
The next area, Section 27 B 1. a. ii., has always been controversial. Our group felt
that the reason for G class engines was to allow racers to experiment with tuning and
still keep costs down by requiring low cost parts. By adding ignition systems to the list
of major parts and specifically allowing the interchange of parts among engines from
the same manufacturer, we feel we address this issue. This also solves the controversies that came up with hybrid engines and grafting Zenoah ignitions to other
engines.
Below is the proposed change:
Secondary parts such as water jackets, nose cones, drive components, shim plates,
intake manifolds, carburetors, headers, pipes, etc. do not come under the “highly mass
produced” rule. Major components such as cranks, rods, pistons, cases, ignition
systems, cylinders, and cylinder heads do fall under the rule and must be parts of the
original motor manufacturer. Interchanging of major parts from one engine series to
another is legal as long as the parts used were available on another engine from the
same manufacturer.
Because the wording of Section 27 B 1. a. iii. was clumsy we replaced it with:
Modifications are allowed to major and minor components. However, major components may only be modified by removing material. Adding material or parts to modify
an engine's major components will be illegal. The only exception to this rule is that a
cylinder may be modified to accept (add-on) a water jacket.
We also felt that it needed to be clear that mechanical supercharging or turbocharging wasn’t allowed. Even though I don’t know of a successful mechanical
supercharging system for our engines, we replaced Section 27 B 1. a. iv. with:
Induction systems must be piston-ported. Modifications incorporating induction
systems other than piston-ported systems are illegal. Engines must be naturally
aspirated. Tuned exhaust and intake systems are the only allowed method of altering
cylinder pressures.
Our district mostly runs nitro boats. Even though I believe belt starting could give
an advantage, everyone else wanted to allow belt starting. Therefore we removed any
reference to starting method in Section 27 B 1. a. vi.: Recoil starters must be included
on the original engine and must be retained on engines in this class.
The rules have never defined what we consider gasoline to be. This is a complicated question, and most racing organizations have elaborate definitions as well as
testing procedures. Because I think most racers use readily available automotive fuels,
and the most effective way to cheat is to add nitro methane to gasoline, I stole
October 2007
most of the following definition from
the APBA.
Add to section 27 B 1. b. i and
section 27 B 2. b. i: Gasoline is a
mixture of hydrocarbons with no
nitrogen bearing compounds. Ethers or
alcohols may be added commercially as
oxygenating agents. It can be mixed with
oil in any proportion for lubrication, but
no other additives are allowed that were
not in the fuel as originally manufactured.
I believe that our fuel protest method
can work without resorting to elaborate
and expensive testing. I have run
gasoline engines on standard boat fuel.
Up to 15% nitro with 20% oil and
methanol, the engine ran well. When we
went to 40% nitro, the plug electrodes
burned off and went out the exhaust,
denting the piston. The performance
improvement with nitro should be
obvious on the water. So far, I haven’t
noticed this. The fastest gas boat heat
time at this year’s Nationals was Eric
Bourlet’s Gas Sport Hydro. I’m sure he
ran pump gas.
The purpose of these rule changes is
to formalize actual practice over the
years. I believe these changes will do
this while keeping the G classes
inexpensive. We all like to tinker with
our engines, but most do not want costs
to spiral out of control. The GX classes
allow unlimited experimentation and
some of the porting improvements
pioneered in the GX engines have found
their way into the G engines. Pressure
from low cost, improved G engines has
kept GX engine costs down. Excellent
G1 and G2 model engines are now
available from at least two manufacturers. Simple modifications allowed by
the rules outlined above will continue to
improve gas boating.
Page 27