Newbie needs help in understanding classes

[rcb7761]

I found this in searching trying to understand the less hp classes for my grandson getting into racing. Junior Hydro looks like would be the best class because of his age. Can you take a B hydro hull and run in JH or AX with the proper motor?
Thanks in advance,
Rodney

Junior Hydroplane - JH
For ages 9 to 15. Boats are approximately 8.5 feet long using Mercury J60 in stock form or the OMC 15A and Mercury 15hp with race conversion and carburetor restrictor installed. Speeds to 35 MPH. The restrictor can be removed in 5 minutes and the parent or older sibling can use the same outfit in the ASH class, or when the youngster feels ready to upgrade he/she simple removes the restrictor and is set for ASH. Many famous race drivers started right here.

"AX" Stock Hydroplane - AXSH
Minimum racing weight including driver 345 lbs. More soon!

"A" Stock Hydroplane - ASH
Class for ages 14 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver 345 lbs. Boats approximately 8.5 feet long using OMC 15A in stock form or the Mercury 15hp with race conversion. Speeds to 57 MPH. Very competitive and one of the most popular for beginners and veteran drivers. The same motor is used in the ASR class, making racing in the two classes very inexpensive.

"A" Stock Runabout - ASR ~ Drivers wanted!
Class for ages 14 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver is 350 lbs. Hulls are a displacement type looking long and pointed, uses OMC 15A in stock racing form or the Mercury 15hp with race conversion installed. Speeds to 54 MPH. Very fun to watch and race. This class is growing.

"B" Stock Hydroplane - BSH ~ Drivers wanted!
Class for ages 16 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver is 350 lbs. Boats approximately 9 feet long using a special racing engine made for racing by American Hot Rod Corp. in the United States. Speeds up to 65 MPH. Not as popular as the "A" classes. Fast and competitive ride. Class needs drivers!

20 Super Stock Hydroplane - 20SSH ~ Drivers wanted!
Classes for ages 15 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver 400 lbs. Boats approximately 9.5 feet long using the Japanese, Yamato 80 engine. Speeds up to 65 MPH. High torque, engine with good acceleration and fast cornering. Class needs drivers!

"B" Classic Hydroplane - B-ClassicH
Class for ages 16 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver is 370 lbs. Boats are approximately 9.5 feet long using the classic Mercury 20H Hurricane with "corn popper" exhaust. Speeds to 68 MPH. Very fast and challenging class.

25 Super Stock Hydroplane - 25SSH
Class for ages 16 years old and up. Minimum racing weight including driver is 400 lbs. Boats approximately 10 feet long using the Mercury 25XS short shaft racing motor. Very fast and exciting to watch and drive. Speeds can reach up to 73 MPH. Sometimes combined with the CSH class which is a similar speed.

"C" Stock Hydroplane - CSH ~ Drivers wanted!
Class for 16 years old and up for the heavier racer with a racing weight of 440 lbs. Boats approximately 10.5 feet long using primarily the Yamato 102 and 302 series Japanese motors and a few of the classic Mercury 30H Hurricanes. Speeds to 72 MPH. An exciting ride with fast cornering abilities. Class needs drivers!

"D" Stock Hydroplane - DSH ~ Drivers wanted!
Class for ages 16 years old and up with a racing weight of 470 lbs. using primarily the Mercury 44XS short shaft and a few Mercury 55H Hurricane's. Both 4 cylinder motors for speeds up to 80 MPH. Extremely fast on the water. Great for the thrill seeker or the heavy weight driver. Class needs drivers!

[Raymond]

Rodney,

The B hull may prove to be a bit heavy to be competitive in the JH or AX class. What is the driver weight? Why are you interested in the B hull over a JH or AX hull? From a cost longevity consideration a J hull ‘could’ take a drivers progression though A.

Have you guys signed up for any of the many Racers Schools yet? They are not only a good place for a driver to learn but also a good place for a drivers support staff to learn more about equipment. It is also a good place to find a mentor to guide your team into the sport.

Hope it helps

[Bill Huson]

could work . . .

I believe rcb7761 has a B hydro - Giles built. Nice boat. I believe Gary Augustine had his boy in a 15ss hydro running in J. Big boat - small kid. Even with the big boat Gary had to add lead to meet the weight. Will Augustine did well in J with his 15ss hull.

So the question is, can your driver make minimum weight in the B hull? If so, run that puppy!

[rcb7761]

Thanks guys for the help, since my grandson is not quite 9 and has a skinny frame. It will be a little while and time to get him in a school. I guess I'm putting the horse before the carriage by buying a boat before I did the research or ask you guys, but just fell in love with it and knew I could put him in it a our local lake with a small motor and I could run beside him to watch him. I was thinking that prior experience with the boat on a homemade race course may help and would give me more time with him,
Thanks again,
Rodney

[sam]

A little, but with an actual racing motor it will handle like a completely different boat. The difference is more than you would expect.

[Mrs blueskyracer]

I think that anything that you and your grandson can do together is GREAT! So start by playing on the lake and if he really enjoys the water he will be nine soon enough and he can get the appropriate motor and go racing. I would however suggest that you get him used to wearing all the appropriate safety gear right off the get go, it is way easier to have him not know anything different than trying to add them later.

[rcb7761]

Thanks to all for the advice, experience, and recommendations. I think we'll enjoy this sport and community,
Rodney

[Howie Nichols]

Rodney,
We have a race in Tabor City, NC this weekend. It is about 30 minutes North of Myrtle Beach. If you feel like taking a road trip you and your grandson are welcome to come over to the races where you both can see first hand. We should have a decent field of J's this weekend as well and it would be many of the kids that he would race against.

Feel free to call me anytime if you have any questions, my daughter has progressed up through the J class ranks as well.

Howie Nichols
321-626-0666
apba113@aol.com

[rcb7761]

Rodney,
We have a race in Tabor City, NC this weekend. It is about 30 minutes North of Myrtle Beach. If you feel like taking a road trip you and your grandson are welcome to come over to the races where you both can see first hand. We should have a decent field of J's this weekend as well and it would be many of the kids that he would race against.

Feel free to call me anytime if you have any questions, my daughter has progressed up through the J class ranks as well.

Howie Nichols
321-626-0666
apba113@aol.com

Thanks for the invitation, this will be a learning experience and I'll try my best to make it. This is what we need, to actually see real racers.
R

[spunky64w]

Rodney,

My dad used to run BSH and so when I started racing JH he threw me in the B Hydro for the first couple of races. It was good to start in, as it was big and protective- plus it got on plane much easier. However, since it was bigger it was also heavier and slower. After those first few races I moved into my own boat. It was an A/J combo. The boat was a bit big for JH but a mite small for ASH. That boat is now 10 years old and has served me well through all the years of JH, AXH and now ASH. Since your grandson is young he would probably be competitive in a B boat for maybe 3 years- until he really starts growing- and then the rig may prove to be too heavy for him. If you decide you want to add lots of lead to smaller boat it's good to spread it out all over the boat. I have 30 pounds of lead placed under my body in my B hydro, and 20 in my A. It works well and then the lead isn't all in the back of the boat.

Hope this helps!

[Tim Weber]

I am not sure where Appling is. I am in Atlanta and I am the region 14
stock representative.

We have 3 active stock racers out of Atlanta,1 out of Macon and a number of guys in the Savannah area.

I'll be happy to help in any way I can. My Cell is 770-653-8432.

Tim

[rcb7761]

Rodney,

My dad used to run BSH and so when I started racing JH he threw me in the B Hydro for the first couple of races. It was good to start in, as it was big and protective- plus it got on plane much easier. However, since it was bigger it was also heavier and slower. After those first few races I moved into my own boat. It was an A/J combo. The boat was a bit big for JH but a mite small for ASH. That boat is now 10 years old and has served me well through all the years of JH, AXH and now ASH. Since your grandson is young he would probably be competitive in a B boat for maybe 3 years- until he really starts growing- and then the rig may prove to be too heavy for him. If you decide you want to add lots of lead to smaller boat it's good to spread it out all over the boat. I have 30 pounds of lead placed under my body in my B hydro, and 20 in my A. It works well and then the lead isn't all in the back of the boat.

Hope this helps!

Spunky,
This really helps me understand better. Thanks for your time and experience.
Rodney

[rcb7761]

I am not sure where Appling is. I am in Atlanta and I am the region 14
stock representative.

We have 3 active stock racers out of Atlanta,1 out of Macon and a number of guys in the Savannah area.

I'll be happy to help in any way I can. My Cell is 770-653-8432.

Tim

Tim,
I'm in the Augusta area and will call, after talking with Bill I maybe trying it myself along with my grandson. never knew I could start this sport at 64.
Rodney

[rcb7761]

Tim sent you a PM

Thanks everybody, ya'll seem to be a great group.
Rodney