one pin corners...?

[Andrew 4CE]

Anyone in USA running tracks with a one pin corner? In the old days this was more common, and they do it lots over the pond I know... anyone here using them?

What's the narrowest body of water in USA being raced on in recent years?

[blueskyracer]

Andrew, we run one pin corners at one of our races.. The only problem with it is everyone interpets what the correct arc is for them and nobody is the same so a lot of conflict comes when the two different arcs intersect. Ouch or near ouch. Most of our folks do fine but the problem comes up when someone else comes to race with us from out of the area.

[BP125V]

yep

Andrew, we run one pin corners at one of our races.. The only problem with it is everyone interpets what the correct arc is for them and nobody is the same so a lot of conflict comes when the two different arcs intersect. Ouch or near ouch. Most of our folks do fine but the problem comes up when someone else comes to race with us from out of the area.

We saw the same thing when the JH's ran with the tunnel boats at Elgin, IL. One pin first turn, 8 drivers and 8 different lines taken. Very suprised there was not a wreck or two or three, especially after some of the kids started to figure out that going very tight was the fast way around the corner.

Narrowest course we run on around here would be Oshkosh. Capital D shaped course with the curve of the D being the front stretch, very small turn one - really 2 pins on a regular course and a 3ish pin turn two. Very fun though.

[sam]

The race course at the defunct Denton MD race had a one pin turn by the bridge, it was probably the narrowest race course in regular use in modern times. (There was a course in PA in a gravel pit that was smaller and tighter back in the '50's.)

Google Maps scale looks like the river is about 250-275 ft wide in front of the Yacht Club. Less trouble with boats bumping than racers running into the weeds from time to time. The weeds made a hell of a noise and slowed the boat down a lot.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=s...ed=0CB0Q8gEwAA

zoom in on Meeting House Rd and look for the Choptank River Yacht Club boat ramp and pier

[propnuts]

One pin turns a bad idea IMO

I have been saying for years now that the best thing a race director can do to promote safety is to make sure turns have an even radius with plenty of pins. The nationals course at Moses Lake a few years ago was criticized by some for being small (3/4 mile or so) but there were few accidents due to the carefully measured corners. It's easy to drop a bouy in the middle and just GPS out X amount form there.

[Andrew 4CE]

Thanks for the words people. So 250' is the narrowest in recent times?

Wasn't there a race in WI or something in sort of a town harbour that was super small lap size in last couple years? I remember people joking about how short the lap times were.

[BP125V]

Oshkosh, WI

That is Oshkosh, WI the Bristol of boat racing. The whole thing is small, yes we still race there. First turn is tight but it is not a one pin turn. Also, with the straights being short you never really get rolling, that is why we can race there and not have problems with the size of the turns or how rough it gets. You can race hard there and be safer than on some 1/2 -5/8 mile courses.

[DiGia54D]

Haverhill Mass race has 2 pins but really only 1. If anyone has been to Lowell, Mass. I would say its a little tighter

[D-Speedlinersforever]

Thanks for the words people. So 250' is the narrowest in recent times?

Wasn't there a race in WI or something in sort of a town harbour that was super small lap size in last couple years? I remember people joking about how short the lap times were.

IHi there.......Just to keep the records right DENTON, MARYLAND should be
the 1 pin short course winner........I raced there for almost 30 years and when the Yacht club was on the south side of the bridge the turn bouy was
just on the other side of bridge where the river was just about 150' wide.
We all loved the close one bouy turn as it gave someone running back a few
boats to turn short and possibly get a head of somebody else who slid
wide. Today we know that if a driver gets a good start most often will lead the race to the finish. The only way he can be beat is your boat is faster than his. With the one pin you have a chance to beat some one else by out
driving them on the close turn...thats racing for me. The boat is only half
of it....Driver skill should be the other half. I remember Norm Brewington
could stand that Rinker of his on its side and turn on a dime....

Frank Novotny, Dave Augustine and myself are working on a race there
next year so be ready for some great race action at Denton.

I am sure that some do not feel comfortable with a narrow river and one pin
turns but as you get to know your boat better that could change.. It sure is
more exciting for the spectators.......

Thanks, ALVIN SANGER (Capt. Sandbar) 51-E 52-E 53-
D-SpedlinersForever MercM40H

[Andrew 4CE]

Thanks for the info...

So sounds like something in 180'-200' is doable if people are paying ya to be there... and people use their heads.

[Dave M]

Tight is Good

Andrew,

I always felt the tighter the course, the better the racing. It leaves cubic dollars out of the ratio. It adds in driving a race boat. The larger 5 - 10 pin turns require very little skill, and just about any boat will perform well on these big courses.

Another advantage is better spectating, which in turn attracts people to watch, intrigues them; which intrigues the media, which grows the sport.

I grew up racing on tight river courses. Back when numbers were high, and prize money was usually present to win. I see a correlation there....

[RLR]

Sparks

If you ever raced at Sparks, Nv, you can race anywhere. Never held my breath longer(shorter) than going from the starting line to the first turn in about 1.75 seconds. Now that was a Holy Buckets!!!! and any other adjectives you could thing of.

Ray

[drew79c]

Love Love Love tight turns! Roll em up and go! Funnest race I ever watched was Allen Sutfin and Darrell Sorensen go at it at Marysville a few years ago, in C runabout! That was GREAT to watch (unfortunately is from about 12 boat lengths back)

[Bill Huson]

And then there was Seaford, DE. Raced there once, and it was a hoot! Both turns had two buoys as per APBA rules for minimum turn, but the actual buoy spacing was not specified, and we set the buoys about ten feet apart. That was all that skinny river allowed. Oh yeah, and the back straight had a *slight* dogleg in it. Try to run it straight and you'd be in the mud with the turtles. Tight courses make it fun. On that course we watched Craig Bowman, who was driving a 25 runabout, run down and pass Major Bob in his D runabout.

[ram95]

Turns should be 2 bouy or 1 bouy.... none of this four bouy multiple bouy crap. Yeah, I hear the safety expurts... those who love those big sweeper turns at full whack, rounding all those bouys with the stick clamped. Go race somewheres else.

Sure..., they're afraid of the driver who makes a square corner and comes out on a different arc than they are on.... Because... they're sweeping the freaking turn at full whack!! Well.... I say you better read up on the 'overlap' rule pal, before you cuse moi of being the problem.

Think about it, how many times have you buried yourself into a turn... got stuck inside a car-wash, only to exit and be looking at a bouy... right smack dab in yer face and wondering ..... Is that the EXIT pin or one of the intermediate pins.

Yeah... screw four bouy turns.

Alex