A look inside Ecuador boat racing.

[KG4]

The class with the fishing gearcase runs very good.Just goes to show ya ya dont need racing gearcases to have a fast rig.I love how the do it over there.

[nelson yela]

Ecuador Boat Racing........jpg

Although I never experienced apba stock outboard racing in its early years (1950’s or so), I’d imagine it to be very similar to what its like in Ecuador today. The rules are very basic, the classes are basic and the interest is very high. It reminds me of those old pictures and video’s you watch where you’d see hundreds of people watching the race and all the sponsorship banners, ect… If anyone ever wanted to feel what it was like to race here during the birth of Stock Outboard, go to Ecuador and experience it. I think it’s the closest thing to that experience today.

The “Racing” class is basically a slightly modified Yamoto 302. They add the megaphone and change out the yamoto carb with (I believe) is a merc carb. This combination seems to work GREAT. The motors run all day, everyday… they idle around with ease… This combination seems to be ideal. The boats are basically an Austin design (literally). Bobby Austin and crew came down in the early 80’s with a boat and they’ve been using that design since. The top speeds are between 68-70mph.

I think the sport down there is really taking off… as you can see they are buying motor’s like crazy. They have a couple really good boat builders down there and Dewald tells me that he sends props down there like crazy as well. The community is really into the sport. Sponsorship has exploded on the scene. Team V220 (Nelson and Jorge) is the team that helped Jeff and I last year and are helping Jeff’s again this year. V220 is an energy drink (basically Red Bull). In fact, I believe it is Red Bull, just the south American version.

Good luck Jeff, Nelson and Jorge and the rest of my friends down south. I can’t wait to see you guys again in 2013.

Thank you Josh is a great friend, I was honored to assist you in Marathon Guayaquil-Vinces 2011.I hope in the Marathon Guayaquil-Vinces 2013 you will have the best team of his friends Nelson Yela and Jorge Tenorio....This year I am working full team to give the best to my friend Jeff Yungen......



(DONDE ESTA LA MA-MA DE ORNADO.....)

[Tomtall]

Copy cat

Nelson - Nice color choice !

[Blackhawkguy]

We can't see the forrest throught the trees

It goes to show how we have regulated ourselves out of fun. Not just the recing organizations but there have been alot of racing venues lost over the years. Trenton is an example of a town that embraces boat racing and does what it takes to put a boat race on.

Most of the time there was no one there to speek for the boat racers when somone decieded to try and stop a race. We lost Pleasant lake Mi. that way and almost lost Grass Lake. It took alot of hard work and the Village to be behind the boat race in Grass lake to keep it going over the years. What is happening down there goes to show you it can be done you just have to try.

My daddy alwys told me there is no such thing as you can't and it won't.

Kerry

[Ecuador Boat Racing]

The boat he used Jeff Yungen in marathon Guayaquil-Vinces on March 25.

[jeff55v]

Update

As most of you know, I raced the great 2012 Guayaquil to Vinces marathon race on March 25th. I do not have the official results yet. I will get them, or get someone else to post them soon.


Some things I can tell you is that the water level was over three feet higher than normal. There was even more debris in the water this year than last as a result. I did not finish the marathon race this year. A hole in my boat caused me to sink. The hole was either a result of hitting a log, or just general wood failure. At any rate, I was racing a great race, up until the halfway point (about 30 miles up the river) when my boat quickly filled with water.
Such is marathon racing. I will give it another try, perhaps in 2013.
I am very grateful to my Ecuadorian friends for their help in getting me into the event again. They really are some nice people. Thank you.
Here are some links to some helmet camera footage. These were recorded by my friend Nelson Yela.
http://youtu.be/C_UwkyVjfBI

http://youtu.be/ir1spcKfueA

I enjoyed many bottles of Pilsener beer while in Ecuador. This is one of their commemorative bottles. Made special for the big race.

[Ecuador Boat Racing]

Jeff: Here are the official results of the international marathon in Guayaquil-Vinces edition 56

[Ecuador Boat Racing]

Jeff. these are the photos of your boat and Julio Sojos .