Brazos River Rat ( Billy's ) Update

[73 Sanger Flat]

I had a few guys comment , it does not look bad out there .. I told them to be safe and go try it .. I don't believe any one got a good solid run in Saturday unless they was pretty large boat or was not running that fast ..

 

[Dry Dock]

The water at J.P. is deceiving.  Looks good, but only place I have ever been able to set and run the flat is over on South bank.  I think Jim has had luck down close to dam.

Tony is a flatbottom driving fool, I cautioned him when he last came, and he returned and said I see what you mean.  when Tony or Rusty cant get it???  Both have a lot of seat time.  I knew it was not just me getting old and loosing it.  I was thinking I was going to have to retire to the big jet barge forever.

Even the jet boats could not air it out........ Ogden returned and agreed after 3 or 4 tries.

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

OK- Let see what happens Saturday on the River .. I am ready to see what this thing will do .. 2 nickle in prop shaft (3/16 clearance )  , plates set at 1/4 up , full of high performance 93 octane .. First run will see how she takes a set and adjust from there .. First  adjustment I will go up a couple of flats on plates , then if I still can't get the boat to loosen up , I will pull one nickel and try again .. Hope wee have good water Saturday .. I am ready for some good runs in this thing ..

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

Just in case any one in wondering . I post what I change on the boat in here , so I can go back and look at this thread  when I lose my notes on the boat..  I can always come back and see what changes I made .. That is one of the reason I love THB .. I can go back and find old threads.. 

 

[Patchman]

Just in case any one in wondering . I post what I change on the boat in here , so I can go back and look at this thread  when I lose my notes on the boat..  I can always come back and see what changes I made .. That is one of the reason I love THB .. I can go back and find old threads..

Yes sir! clap.gif clap.gif

 

[Disturbed]

A place to share and archive knowledge is a wonderful thing.  clap.gif

 

[Patchman]

A place to share and archive knowledge is a wonderful thing.  clap.gif

Now all we need is someone with some knowledge! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :smile28:

 

[Disturbed]

A place to share and archive knowledge is a wonderful thing.  clap.gif

Now all we need is someone with some knowledge! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :smile28:

JJ strolls through the neighborhood on occasion.  :smile30:

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

Couple Video from today .. Thanks everyone for the help .. It is finally getting cleaned up some .. 1 pass was 109 and the other 8 or 9 was all about 110 mph ..
https://youtu.be/uaXAnTWWYhk  facing forward


looking at the side and back , I forgot to turn the Video off after I came in .. The plate adjustment that Jimmy and Tony recommended helped

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydnr1uVIeYg

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

The boat ran 109 right off the trailer and then we adjusted the outside plates up two flats and it picked up to 110 mph .. Jimmy Flippen told me to raise them two more flats and try it .. Did not improve any speed but got the boat freed up some .. Prop burned 6400 , pulled down to 5700 RPM pulled back up to 6750 Speed 110 , that put me right at 18% slip ..The water is breaking right about where my SDBA sticker is on the boat , so we made some improvements Saturday  Tony recommended me to go up two flats on the inside plate before I go back out , so I adjusted those yesterday .. Then before we head out next time , I am going to add 1* timing to get it to 33* to where she liked it on the Dyno ..I may decide to drop down to some 25 or 27 gears to try and get the RPMs up a little quicker .These 32 are still pulling at a 1/4 mile .  I need to learn how to make this thing take a set . 3 hops on take off is not going to work .. I think I am staying on my down plates way to long .. Any way it is fun again playing in the boat ..  Thanks Galen , the engine is doing great and sounding great ..  clap.gif
Saturday I hit a roller about 90 and bounce my butt about a foot out of the seat and the boat tried to go right on me when it hit the water , that was not fun at all .. I really thought I was going out of the boat and getting wet  .. I wore my Lifeline jacket on every pass that  I made .. It is a pain to put on , but it is worth it to have that security ..

 

[Patchman]

Man the boat looked and sounded great Billy!  clap.gif clap.gif

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

Thanks Patch .That means a lot coming form you  :smile16: .. You know how to make one run also .. . The boat is  getting closer to being a  fast lake boat .. I loved the 93 octane all day .. Makes it a lot easier to have fun .. Henry did not believe me until he smell the 5 gallon jug of fuel ..

 

[Devilman]

Billy your boat is an animal, you were hauling the mail for sure. Had a great time watching you run.  :smile17:

 

[Patchman]

He says getting closer to a fast boat, and runs 110 mph. Your killing me man, that thing is faster than most! clap.gif clap.gif clap.gif clap.gif :smile17:

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

Thanks Guys .. I think it runs great , but I am always looking for those few extra MPH .. I think the boat is capable of more speed , I just got to learn how to get the boat to give it up for me .. It may also be the way i drive it also keeping the speed at 110 .. I was hoping to get closer to 115 Saturday and if I would have really stretch it out , it might have done it , but I was still thinking of that first run that almost pitch me .. .. I will continue to try to get more out of it  .. But I am HAPPY Happy Camper right now ..
Maybe next time I can cruise the river with you guys .. I just wanted to test on that smooth water Saturday while I had it ..

 

[Disturbed]

I watched the video.  It's taking a pretty nice set as is.  I know you want to get the little hops out but, they didn't look too bad on the video.  I know how those hops feel though.  I would want to work them out as well.  How much down deflection are you getting?  When I got my prop, Tom Bentley suggested that I needed more down pedal to eliminate the hop.  I still haven't changed that.  Thus, mine has the same hop. 

Also, you might want to be prepared to make a license pass when you go to race it next year.  :smile30: :smile30: :smile30:

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

I watched the video.  It's taking a pretty nice set as is.  I know you want to get the little hops out but, they didn't look too bad on the video.  I know how those hops feel though.  I would want to work them out as well.  How much down deflection are you getting?  When I got my prop, Tom Bentley suggested that I needed more down pedal to eliminate the hop.  I still haven't changed that.  Thus, mine has the same hop. 

Also, you might want to be prepared to make a license pass when you go to race it next year.  :smile30: :smile30: :smile30:

Not sure if I can get any more down on the plates unless I go longer eyelets and I just put new one on and hate to buy more now, but I might have to .. I could move the longer one over and just buy a few new ones . Mine are staggered long to short . Might be able to move my pedal more back and try that ..Not sure yet ..
It still not fast enough to tun T.E.  If I get it to run 115 and do it quick , then i will be ready for T.E then .. I may drop down to 25 or 27 gears and try that also .. What gears are you running in yours ??  Have you tried to catch the boat instead of having the pedal all the way down on take off . Rusty does that on his and I just can't do it that way .. I stab my plates  as far as it will go and then hit the gas and when it takes the last hop I come off the plate then and hang on .. It sure is fun again .. ..

 

[Disturbed]

I watched the video.  It's taking a pretty nice set as is.  I know you want to get the little hops out but, they didn't look too bad on the video.  I know how those hops feel though.  I would want to work them out as well.  How much down deflection are you getting?  When I got my prop, Tom Bentley suggested that I needed more down pedal to eliminate the hop.  I still haven't changed that.  Thus, mine has the same hop. 

Also, you might want to be prepared to make a license pass when you go to race it next year.  :smile30: :smile30: :smile30:

Not sure if I can get any more down on the plates unless I go longer eyelets and I just put new one on and hate to buy more now, but I might have to .. I could move the longer one over and just buy a few new ones . Mine are staggered long to short . Might be able to move my pedal more back and try that ..Not sure yet ..
It still not fast enough to tun T.E.  If I get it to run 115 and do it quick , then i will be ready for T.E then .. I may drop down to 25 or 27 gears and try that also .. What gears are you running in yours ??  Have you tried to catch the boat instead of having the pedal all the way down on take off . Rusty does that on his and I just can't do it that way .. I stab my plates  as far as it will go and then hit the gas and when it takes the last hop I come off the plate then and hang on .. It sure is fun again .. ..

I've looked at the faster flat bottoms at the races and they all have newer hardware that has a lot more throw in them.  Especially, on the actuator arm that connects the cavitation rod to the plate actuator rod.  (Not sure of their exact names right now.) 

I've tried catching the boat with the down pedal.  It didn't work.  LOL.  It might've if I had more down. 

I'm running 22s in mine.  I don't have NEAR the horsepower you're playing with.  :smile30:

 

[73 Sanger Flat]

This is what I just added to mine , but the same length as the old one .. I guess i could get longer ones to go all the way across , that would give it more throw ..Mine are longer on the right side of the plates and get shorter across the plates to compensate for the prop twist ..

 

[Disturbed]

I was thinking you might be able to get more throw out of a shorter control arm.  ????