You dont need a big check book to race class 7 in OPA but if you drive by yourself and use a foot throttle you will be eliminated first bump you hit, stab the throttle and break out :D
Its much harder than you are imagining. JMO
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You dont need a big check book to race class 7 in OPA but if you drive by yourself and use a foot throttle you will be eliminated first bump you hit, stab the throttle and break out :D
Its much harder than you are imagining. JMO
just because you don't see it happening doesn't mean both guys are using all of their senses 100% while running all out! some water conditions may allow a slightly less tense period. smaller courses don't make it easier,running close to shore makes for uneven wave patterns and more boats close together! until you try it you just won't understand! and mostly who would you look over at and say we survived that!
Even with 2 sets of eyes and two brains processing information, collisions still occur in offshore....Drop that to half of that visual and mental input and it becomes even more over whelming. I would say safety is the main reason most boats run a pilot and co-pilot.
I think.... Whaaat and Me could out talk raceman on the power TUNNAs make..... just saying.....HeeHee.....If ya want to be a miilyare... in boat racin..... Start with a Billion....Dave S. out
When I started racing in 1999 it was in a 140 mph Skater. I set the boat up with a foot throttle so I could do both the driving and throttling and just had a friend ride along for the ride. Things went well in the first 2 races , won one and placed second in the other. Then encountered 3 to 4 footers in the third race we entered and the foot throttle sucked. Needless to say that was the last race I tried to do it all myself. A driver and throttle man work as a one and the longer they are together the better they mesh and the faster the boat will go.
Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I have never raced offshore but run plenty of fast boats in rough water and a foot throttle is hard to manipulate. IF you have the bound to's for a foot throttle for rough water you may consider constructing one that swivels from near the middle instead of hinging at the heel, stoutly built. At least you could brace against it as well as throttle. I still vote hand throttle
there's a big difference going out for a blast and running hard for a couple minutes and racing for 80miles in rough water. when I rigged the 24skater in 86 with foot throttle we were just out on the lake most days seeing what it could do. The first pro race really opened our eyes in 3-5ftrs. guys from longshot P7 ran away from us after first 5 mins. They were nice enough to let me look in there boat after the race [omg hand throttles}. and they had the latest front horn intakes instead of the downdrafts. immediately ordered some lathams and took the boat over to peter to get a gyro compass mount glassed into the hull! things were much better after that!
The only time I tried to throttle for someone else was in my old VooDoo. The boat was set up for left foot throttle, so it was easy enough for the passenger to use the throttle. We were very uncoordinated. A Voo Doo is a long way from an offshore boat and I'm obviously not a qualified throttle man. But I can drive an Allison, so that's something.
SAY Whaaaat...???!!?!?!
Check this out. Mercury heard your plight and the new 300R V8 & Verado 400R have Adaptive Speed Control (ASC) which eliminates the need for a throttleman. That's right! Now, your Mercury Outboard is Smarter than YOU!!! When your boat leaves the water, makes a turn or hits a big wave/wake... it can automatically sense the load change and limit the throttle as needed to save the driveline from shock or over-revving.
You see... just like McDonald's has figured out how to eliminate those complaining about minimum wage by replacing them with automated Kiosks, Mercury is changing the racing game!
http://www.mercuryracing.com/optimiz...rol-explained/
I was kidding... try to get R man to chp in...2 men in the old daze.....only way..... now who knows.....
Hey Dave!! There were some exceptions--our throttleman in the late 60's---was a bungee cord and 'red dot' rev limiters:)
http://i67.tinypic.com/izltw8.jpg
As a kid.... going to THE merc dealer in Bellmore... Fat Stans Island marine base.....allways looking thru the parts books trying to trip them up so I could buy a pinion gear for my B quicky.....The boss.... fat Stan.... said if I could pick up a 10 hp Merc with my teeth or pick up a 1250 ss I could Have Em...... I still have my teeth and back...... But my mind has some issues......Ran FRR in my early dazzzs...... Why did that class need a deck rider? but it was fun. Off shore I get scared of England being Too close.....And 25years latter I went to an auction at that old marina and bought old inventory and found a......pinion gear for a......B quicky......I was a kid when you were racing and I am 75 years old......You must be old or I am a liar........HeeHee.
Nitro Glad ya picked that up......I am only as old as the bones tell me...... The mind wants to go..... but it has to drag the bones.....