Future of FEH

[modracer7b]

speed limits

I always had the most fun in the 60 to 75mph range [ Bmod, Cmod, 20H B stock, C stock ].
When I ran the faster stuff, it was not as much fun for me. The A's were a blast after running the faster classes as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Was a lot of fun until I got too heavy to be competative. On the other hand, my brother Ken loved to go fast.

Bill Rosado

[raceright]

I always had the most fun in the 60 to 75mph range [ Bmod, Cmod, 20H B stock, C stock ].
When I ran the faster stuff, it was not as much fun for me. The A's were a blast after running the faster classes as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Was a lot of fun until I got too heavy to be competative. On the other hand, my brother Ken loved to go fast.

Bill Rosado

Yea Kenny drove the heck out of his FEH, when we used to bring the 500 runabouts up to new england I got to know Kenny, without him running FEH up that way it put a hurt on the class. Ken Loved the speed but after a few spills with the FEH and mother time crawling up he hung the gloves up.
Class is fun to watch.
Up in new England as they used to put the 250 hydro's in with them and Mike Schmidt and Kenny would have at it,great racing.

[jimmy112j]

I ran Eric Horns 45. on a kneeldown at millville. It was very fast! just needed more time in the boat. you just don't jump out of csh and are ready. You need to understand that 68 mph. and 85 mph. things happen a lot faster. Meening, you need to give more room to everyone! Not like csh. where you can really LEAN, on someone. dsh. is also.

[propfxrO84]

Got a pretty respectable SE/FE hydro with Tim's Kurz, NBRA legal mods and a overdrive Komato LU for sale, with a MJR (mason built) boat. May bring it to Rockaway Beach to call the shots on for an experienced driver. Would like to sell the rig, or watch someone run out front in it. I am done driving that class. Let me know if you have the desire and seat time to put it out front.Bryan 405-306-4909

[ram95]

C'mon guys.... racing FEH is not inexpensive.... especially when you bust stuff up. I agree, you can fabricate/buy a tower for a few hundred bucks... and buy a used gearfoot for a thou... but, that short coupled driveshaft hammers the crap out of the gearfoot and before long, it's gear time $$$$. Fine if you're the "gear-head" but if you have to have someone else fix it...???$$$. To me, what keeps the FEH and Mod and Stocks going is the word INCREMENTAL. bY that I mean that a person gets into the sport by buying a used rig cheap. Maybe it's not a gangbusters winner, but it's a ticket to ride... and learn. Then that person invest a couple bucks in a new prop. Then, that person invests in a new exhaust system... Keep in mind the word "INCREMENTAL". In other words, that persons 'UPFRONT' cost of joining with us was low, but as time rolls by that person will realize little things that will make him/her go faster. BUT... if that had to fork out all that money they have piddled into it over three years UP FRONT.... that person would not have bought in to our sport.

So... what should we do?
1. Keep the speeds down - shorten the course to 5/8 mile max.
2. Allow any gear ratio.
3. Allow any number of prop blades.
3. Allow front end work - so that creativity isn't stiffled.C
4. Consider a Min weight - say 440lbs, that way a lardo like me can compete with my D. Oooops did I say 440? That's NBRA 'D' weight.... maybe ought to run NBRA.. now THAT would be less x-pensive.

I realize someone is going to say I'm a puss or that I'm afraid of going 90 plus to 100 mph... Okay. But, I've seen the wrecks at 90 to 100 ... and while lot of 'lucky' guys have ----housed at those speeds with no serious injuries..... quite a few have been hurt pretty bad. That's not good for our sport of kneedown or laydown racing.

I'd rather see the emphasis on acceleration and proper driving etiquette.

In the meantime, I'll step up anytime FEH needs a boat or two to make a class. And, I;; do my best to give them a run for their money.

Alex
8A DSH RAM50 Tohatsu

[bill giles]

Alex---You do good~!
Bill

[Mr_dirt]

I've gotten lucky over the years with building up my motors and boat. A good friend helped me step into FEH a little at a time. FEH is where I started and what I know best. Heck, that's all our team is. If all 3 of our drivers show up, we bring our own class with us.

I can also see where the costs can be somewhat higher. We do all our own machine work, so a new motor to us basically means some new parts and a bunch of hours. To the guy that doesn't know how to work over a motor that means more money. And without knowing what to build in order to be competitive that means more money again for development. But I think that is the case with ANY mod class.

I would have to say that finding a motor to start with for FEH is very affordable compared to some. And relatively easy to source. In fact I just saw a motor sitting in a farmer's field yesterday.

My costs have been low mostly because someone else made that investment for me, as far as the R&D department goes. I have some direction in what needs to be done to a motor.

I would hate to see any additional restrictions being added to the class. Just keeping a fast running OMC going for a whole season sometimes seems like restriction enough. I'm quite sure that no one steps up to a faster class thinking it will be safer.

FEH numbers have dwindled in our club, but there are rumors that we may see more next year. I'll keep my head down and hopefully we'll see more in the future. For this year I think Cheney is gonna have to eat my wake!

[daveracerdsh]

Formula e

I am getting to the point where I am nervous about the speeds that D stock hydro is going....pushing the mid 80's....would look at formula e...maybe a capsule boat?

[ram95]

Our sport, consisting of kneelers and laydowners..... exists because of the lack of logistics. And every time we allow additional 'rules' for which there is truly no supporting data or exigent need, we add-onto the the "logistics" of .... just going racing.

The 'lack of logistics' I'm referring to is what entices a person to buy a reasonably priced rig and get their feet wet. D, FE, and all the Mod classes go fast. And, I'll bet those folks are in those classes because they can tweak engines and strain their imagination. They get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from that - let's bot ruin that aspect... it is, afterall, where we originated from. Let's not try to encapsulate it.

Alex

[David_L6]

I am getting to the point where I am nervous about the speeds that D stock hydro is going....pushing the mid 80's....would look at formula e...maybe a capsule boat?

I'm pretty sure that requiring a capsule boat would "do in" the class.

[Hunter]

I'm almost sorry I started this thread ! Stop already. FE does not need any new rules,restrictions,or complications. It is a mod class for those of us who like the many options it presents. Light ,quick rigs...big powerful rigs, weird stuff,conservative stuff, you name it. It is not expensive unless you want it to be. Put a good driver in a bone stock rig and I guarantee they will be competitive. I firmly believe most of us respect the speed and and avoid the close quarters foolishness that goes on in C Hydro,for instance,which I believe has proven to be the most dangerous class over the last several years.

I'm just aim to bring a few new people to the class. If you see me at a race with Friday testing, feel free to try a lap or two in my boat. If you need a powerhead,or a prop, track me down.

Hunter III

[blueskyracer]

I'm almost sorry I started this thread ! Stop already. FE does not need any new rules,restrictions,or complications. It is a mod class for those of us who like the many options it presents. Light ,quick rigs...big powerful rigs, weird stuff,conservative stuff, you name it. It is not expensive unless you want it to be. Put a good driver in a bone stock rig and I guarantee they will be competitive. I firmly believe most of us respect the speed and and avoid the close quarters foolishness that goes on in C Hydro,for instance,which I believe has proven to be the most dangerous class over the last several years.

I'm just aim to bring a few new people to the class. If you see me at a race with Friday testing, feel free to try a lap or two in my boat. If you need a powerhead,or a prop, track me down.

Hunter III

This offer you made is like me and it is what gets folks interested..That will help the class more than anything else..Make it simple and they will come..You are also right I believe CSH has to much BUMPER car racing which leads to more injurys.. I think it is out of control but when you run the bigger boats folks have more respect and the racing is cleaner..

One rule we have which has eliminated a lot of wrecks and lead to closer racing is if you hit the start in lane 6 you hold that thru the first turn..After that you go to the overlap rule.. We just dont have any first corner crashes anymore..

[Mr_dirt]

I'd have to say that every year that I've run FEH, there has been no driver that I wouldn't go deck to deck with.

Now in CSH or 20SS there have been\are a few drivers that if you stay near them, you will end up with firewood by the end of the season.

[marksmercs82r]

FEH boats

I run a DARNEILLE laydown, and daren can see how well it ran at Newberg.
Sorry about the hole I left you.

[maverick]

Fe se

I have a FE/SE project minus a powerhead I need someone to take over on the West Coast. Boat with hardware including foot throttle,tank,battery,tower, Bass 17/17 Gearcase, driveshaft, dolly. Setup needs some TLC, but everything is there except OMC powerhead. Located in Central Idaho. 2K maverickracing@q.com