Boat length, engine size and many more questions to come.

[pav225]

Dave,
NJ is a good region for racing too!
Hopefully the folks that brought you to Millville will introduce you to some of the racers in your area that build or fix boats. Most racers are very helpful, so I'm sure they'll get you headed in the right direction.
- Mike

[rumleyfips]

Fralick Boats and Sorensen Woodcraft have dimentions on their websites. They both sell plans.

[DeanFHobart]

Hello Dave Cofone,

New Jersey is also a good boat racing region and other places fairly close. Are the Kayaks you build ‘Stich and Glue’ or traditional frame, stringers and plywood skin?

If you build your own make sure to get current design plans or a frame kit. Be sure to talk to current boat racers in your area for help. They will be glad to help you I’m sure.

The reason that I asked about your kayaks is that our typical all wood outboards are traditional frame, stringers and plywood skins.

Good luck with your racing pursuit.

Regards, Dean Hobart

[ZUL8TR]

Sent you a PM

[Dave Cofone]

I am on the other coast......NJ. Also a pretty hot place for boat racing. I came so close to hydro school a couple of weeks ago in Millville but a mechanical issue got in the way. I will be back next season to hopefully find out if riding on my old knees is feasible.......if it is I fully intend to buy used equipment......or as much as I can find. The reason I have such an interest in the design and building of these boats is because I build wood Kayaks and mess around with metal fabrication.....it just seems like it would be fun to build one.......

[pav225]

Dave,
You are in a great area for boat racing. Reach out to the members of Seattle Outboard Association (SOA) and try to go to a Club meeting. Better yet, go testing with someone this fall. Quite a few SOA members get on this website, so I'm sure someone will extend you an invite.

We always recommend buying used equipment when you get started. Once you have an idea what class you are interested in, shop around and ask different members if they know of good used equipment for sale. Often times you can get a great deal on a boat, motor, prop package. Be sure to get input from a few different people as you hone in on a class.

If you are interested in a new boat, contact Jerry Davids or John Runne. Both make fast, well built, boats.

[Shorewood]

I’m in Seattle and in contact with a few folks here - it’s a very good racing community. Just trying to pick the collective knowledge for any bits of wisdom!

[Shorewood]

Thanks - those are very very informative posts. There are a lot of variables and I’ve learned enough to ask a few questions. That’s a good question: what questions would you ask a seller when buying a boat? seriously though...

[Wakefield 2015]

The best thing to do is contact some racers who live near you, they will steer you in the right direction. Let us know where you are located and someone here will get in touch with you.

[ZUL8TR]

Treads from the past on dimensions, there are more I just hit search with "hydro dimensions":

https://hydroracer.net/forums/forum/m...ensions?t=8853

https://hydroracer.net/forums/forum/m...-physics/page2

[Shorewood]

Some examples of basic dimensions some of you run in B, C, and D hydro would be really good (length, width). I'm new and trying to get a feel for what to look for in a hull, and any advice you can give will be helpful. I'm even curious about how you store you hulls for the winter, if you do anything special to support them. Having been to a few races I have some idea about hulls, but when I see boats for sale they often reference what class they're intended for, and about the only thing I can determine is that length (and as a corollary, weight) is the primary difference in hydros between J, A, B, C, and D, for instance.

[rumleyfips]

Look at boats for sale. Some people include the length, afterplane, bottom width etc.

[Dave Cofone]

Outstanding read (GrandpaRacer) Gonna have to bookmark all of these.....

[ZUL8TR]

Hello again, newbie here with another question. These outboards are the new 'thing' on my mind. Since Barbara Brink invited me to my first SO race these little boats have captured my attention. As cool as they are the number of classes is confusing to me. My experience is in inboard and Vintage. There is a minimum hull length and a maximum engine size.....simple. But what confuses me about stock outboard is what are the minimum hull lengths that are required to run a certain engine size..? I see a class C hydro can also run in the 300ssh, C and mod classes. So what exactly is the minimum hull length for a class C hydro...? What about a class B hull.....? Indulge me as I am in the learning stage, many more questions to come....I'm warning you in advance.

Have you been here?:

https://www.apba.org/categories

Also here is a very informative manual by GrandpaRacer on hydro basics:

https://hydroracer.net/2015%20Hydro%20basics.11.7.pdf

Edit on page 14: the example of power increase to go 2 times faster uses Total drag vs speed ^2 relation, actually it is Total drag vs speed^3 so to go 2 x faster requires 8 times the power to the water to over come total drag. Grandparacer informed and said he will correct. Also at same temperature water is about 780 times more dense than air so water drag very predominate to these race boats .

[pops67g]

Technical rules supposedly are there to level the playing field so everyone has an equal chance at success. We have a number of boat builders that produce very good boats that fit within the rules. Go to a race or two and watch to see what make runs up front most often. Guys that win races regularly
are good drivers, have a lot of experience, and like to use the best tools for the job.