Wow!

[robert calvosa]

Whitewater hydroplane racing on hydroracer.net . Gotta be careful here or some people might start thinking that we're NOT a bunch of slightly crazy, flannel-shirt racers engaged in a somewhat extreme sport. https://sites.google.com/site/corra44/

[blueskyracer]

I think you are a little crazy but why don't you fill folks in on the rules and the size of boats and what motors are used and what modifications can be made.

Watching the video looks like you get a large number of spectators! I like it

[nbass]

River Rocks

Sid sold some lower units to those guys. Their first question was "what happens to it if you hit a rock."

Now that is some racing!

[blueskyracer]

Sid sold some lower units to those guys. Their first question was "what happens to it if you hit a rock."

Now that is some racing!

Really will the warranty cover a rock hit!!

[robert calvosa]

There's probably not more than a couple of gearcases on this circuit that haven't had new skegs welded on.

Our rules are pretty simple; boats must be at least 13'6", weigh at least 575lbs with driver at the finish of the race. motors are 44ci mercs, stock internally with fixed magneto and stacks. gearcases are 14:14 or 15:14. The race starts with the boats lined-up on the riverbank, flag drops and the pilots yank the starting rope. If she starts , you head for a hole shot that could be a turn bouy or the narrows under a bridge. If she don't start-you pull again.

[blueskyracer]

Sounds very simple. I wish our rules were as easy! So how many props and gear cases do you go thru in a year?

[sonnyman]

Gearcases and props

That all dependes on the way you drive it. Some gearcases are maintained better than others. And of course it"s on how agrise you get. What kind of lines you take. I ran mine bass for three and half years. I hit two times with mine and it is still ready for outlaw action. the prop is still spining to the same prop.

[22W]

K&K: Are all underwater obstructions properly marked and are there to be outside course markers clearly delineating your entire course?

Whitewater Guys: Uh.... Sure.

Joking aside, it looks like a blast and I would love to give it a try!

[rob watson]

The course markers are the banks of the river , and some obstructions are marked but mostly we spend alot of time looking at the course and trying to remember the best lines .

[22W]

Oh Rob, I agree with you! I am just teasing about some of our insurance requirements. A few of them fall into the "no sh**, Shirlock" realm of thinking.

[B Walker]

It is an inside joke.

K&K is our insurance underwriter and they have some rules we have to follow obviously made by someone that has never attended one of our events.

Welcome river racers. Looks like fun!

BW

[Islandmon]

There's probably not more than a couple of gearcases on this circuit that haven't had new skegs welded on.

Our rules are pretty simple; boats must be at least 13'6", weigh at least 575lbs with driver at the finish of the race. motors are 44ci mercs, stock internally with fixed magneto and stacks. gearcases are 14:14 or 15:14. The race starts with the boats lined-up on the riverbank, flag drops and the pilots yank the starting rope. If she starts , you head for a hole shot that could be a turn bouy or the narrows under a bridge. If she don't start-you pull again.

Robert, I've watched the vids on You Tube a number of times and love the concept. That said I have a few questions if you don't mind.

1.Why hydro's vs. runabouts ?
2. Why the 44ci mercs ?
3. How long is the course and do you run heats or ?????
4 And lastly, how did this type of racing get started ?

Thx,
Sam

[robert calvosa]

Good questions, Sam. I'll take a stab at'em. #4 The original 'river racers' of the late 40s ran a thing they called the 'daredevil race' from Yreka.ca to Klamath,Ca . 176 mi. on the Klamath River. It was a 'run watcha brung' event and took three days to finish. This evolved into pretty much what we
are doing today by 1959 when The Cal-Ore RiverRacers Assoc. was formed.#3 The courses vary in length and are broken up into downriver and upriver 'legs' with a restart at the beginning of each leg. Total distance is between 35 and 50miles.#2 The use of the Merc 44 is something that has evolved also. They're still pretty easy to find, plenty of power and you can rebuild one on your kitchen table.#1 Why Hydros? I dunno. We need to Ask Larry Darneille about that one.

[Larry Darneille]

When river racing was organized in 1959 most everyone used a madcap or airborne runabout basically adapted from DU racing which was very popular at the time. Runabouts worked fairly well until you climbed the grade of the river where they bounced in the rough water. Hydroplanes of the day were tried but did not handle the rough water either. That is when river design started. Sponsons were added to the runabout and allowed it to fly over the rough water and innovation evolved into the river racing hydroplanes of today. The designs of today fly over the course as you can have anything from flat sticky water to class 3 and 4 rapids. The first true river racing design was in about 1964.
The 44 cu. in. Mercury with stacks quickly evolved from the stock Mark 55H Mercury. In the first couple of years therre was no engine rule set so you could see a 20H, 55H's, at leat one Scott/McCulloch, and one Anzani which didin't work to well. By the early sixties the four cyl. Mercury was the rule.

[Islandmon]

Larry / Robert, thanks so much for the history lesson.....very interesting. So are you serious about the class 3-4 rapids . Now that I have a better understanding of the race I need to go back to You Tube for more re-runs. I have to tell you this sounds like way to much fun, sort of like the TopO Mich marathon we run here. Of course switching the rapids for wind driven and or large boat wakes we have to deal with.

Cheers,

Sam
87-M