This year's FEHydro racer (6 cylinder)

[Mark75H]

I race Formula E and Super E hydro. All this spring I've been working on getting this ready for racing. Finally got enough done for a modeling photo to see what it will look like with the short mid section and new lighter stacks. Bunch of internal mods as well, but they don't show in a photo.


Its the other side of the same motor in my current avatar.

[crazy horse]

The new stacks look great! Good luck, this year.

[Mark75H]

Thanks.


These aluminum stacks weigh 14 pounds LESS than the steel ones I ran before. Also moving the ignition box and coil off the motor for more up top weight reduction.

[delawarerick]

Sam will you be racing in Sharptown on the 29 and 30of june. If so I hope to see you there. Delawarerick (motor looks great)

[Laker]

Sam!!
Excelent!!! :D ;)
Can you tell us where you are going to be racing this year?
If you are close I would love to visit!!!
Great job!!
Chris

[Mark75H]

Laker I will not be travelling to your area to race, it is just too far for me. However many other FE's and smaller mods will be racing at Wakefield MI this summer, not that far compared to seeing me in MD, NC or PA.

Mark Welch, 14M, has basically the same boat and motor as I do and will be there!



Rick I hope very much to be ready to race at Sharptown. Right now I'm looking for a good welder who can weld some pieces on my motor to get me ready. Denton, MD is also in your neck of the woods July 13 & 14....my favorite place to race!

[David_L6]

What make stacks are those? The old ones were Quincy weren't they?

Do you have a picture of the whole boat?

I'm still intrigued by that water injection system. Water tank in boat, right? Capacity of tank? What kind of pump? Power for pump? Where's on/off switch located? When do you turn water on and off (on at first pin, off at last pin...)?

Wish you (OR I) could travel farther or lived nearer each other as I sure would like to see you race.


A 3 cylinder OMC set AOF one mile course records this past weekend in both Super E hydro and Runabout. Owner/driver is Ralph Cook of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

[Mark75H]

My old stacks were made by Freddie Goehl in Texas, copies of Quincy's stacks.

The new stacks are a set of Lon Stevens stacks. These were the first or second generation of Stevens' aluminum stacks. Later ones had the 2 into 1 pipe welded to the side plate. Mine bolt on instead. Later ones also have Lon's initials on them:LS.

I tapped the water injection on myself. Some of the late LS stacks have bosses for water injection, but I've never seen one of his completed like a Quincy set.

Normally the water supply taps off of the engine's cooling water between the pump and the powerhead with a $100+ 12v solenoid valve. I use a $20 windshield washer pump and a reservoir that is filled by the water dumping out of the engine. On my favorite 5/8 mile course I use about 5 quarts in 3 laps. I didn't like the idea of carrying that much water (2 gallons) so I switched to the refilling reservoir (6 ounces).

You turn the water on as soon as you let off the throttle for the turn so the pipes are cool when you squeeze the throttle again. The water can stay on until you are on the straight and back to full throttle or coming up to speed (whichever is second).

Over the winter someone suggested I put a micro switch right in the Keller throttle so the water runs except when 100% wide open. It was a pretty easy fit and I'm proud of my work. I'm going to set up a second switch that keeps the water off until I'm over plane and turns it off coming back to the pits. This will just be a plain toggle switch on my kill switch/ignition switch/start switch/choke switch panel. On the ancient 6 I use a 1970ish Thunderbolt ignition off of a 125/135 99ci motor, so I have to carry a battery. Since I carry a battery I use electric start to take it easy on my pit crew. I have a custom made light weight flywheel that just carries the starter ring gear....nothing more. Instead of the clunky Mark75 direct reverse starter I use one off of a 65 hp 4 cylinder, much lighter and more powerful with the permanent magnets.

[Spreadeagle]

In regards to movin the switch box and coil- On my 850 powered Eliminator, I have already rewired and moved my switch box, starter solenoid and rectifier into the boat via a custom made harness and enclosure. I thought about moving the coil also, but have concerns about the HV lead running that distance. What do ya think - mounting the coil is about the last step before I fire it up. ---- well it's nice to optomistic about what's left to do--


Later
Gary

[Mark75H]

I can't think of any functional problem, but if you are nervous about the coil wire chafing run it in another hose...fuel line or clear PVC.

Don't forget the distributor end is screwed in as used in aviation practice. Just order a spark plug wire from www.oldmercs.com if you don't have a spare from another engine.

[Spreadeagle]

thnanks Sam-

I've got enough wire wth the right ends- good idea about the hose-

By the way - nice looking race rig, got any sound footage? It's gotta sound AWSOME-

Later
Gary

[Mark75H]

David, here is the whole boat. The motor is back off but most of my new paint job is on, including the new front emblem straight from Green Eggs and Ham

[David_L6]

You've got your work cut out for you trying to get performance to match looks! That's a good looking set up you have.

Is that a Pugh? What year model? I think I remember you saying you have a Pugh, but I haven't seen a Pugh hydro without that composite front cowling that sticks out past the deck, between the sponsons, in a long time. Have you modified it or did Gary build it that way? Was it built for a FE 6 cyl or another class? (Phelps had Gary build a boat specifically for his 6 is my reason for asking. It's a pretty big boat.) Does it have a tunnel in the bottom? Stepped sponsons?

Thanks for the pics.

Good luck,

David

[Mark75H]

I think this is a late 80's 350cc Pugh, just as Gary built it.

Yes, it has the tunnel back with the shallow v in the tunnel and stepped sponsons. Also has a 1/4" step outside the tunnel as well. Looks like a nightmare of different shapes, I guess there is a reason for each slot and line; you can't argue with success!


(When mod or alky guys refer to "tunnel" in the back of the running surface we are refering to a slot 10 to 12 inches wide less than an inch deep extending forward 20 to 40 inches tapering forward to meet the rest of the bottom.)

[David_L6]

Sam,

Have you had time to modify the D.D.T. so that it may do *something* well or have you been too busy working on your engine and the Pugh?

[Mark75H]

I modified the DDT last summer and hung it in a buddy's shop for safe keeping. I may get it out and test it after the first 2 races with the Pugh, but have no plans to race it this year. There is a possibility I'll drag both to the second Millville, NJ race in the fall.