LOTO Shoot Out Butt Kicking Good Story *READ*

[Infomaniac]

Well we went to run the boat praying for good enough water to lay down a pass that would be difficult to beat.
Already decided if the boat flies too much it is not worth trashing the drive so we will just have a good time watching.
The boat was fast enough but not quite big enough.
THE PLAN: Get out early the first day before the lake gets stirred up too bad - Get the boat on plane - trim it to the normal good starting point - cruise along at about 90 or so - Ease it to wide open at a pre selected land mark - tap the trim up as I go through the timimg area at the end. Hopefully register a 130ish MPH pass.
Sounds easy enough.
What actually happened Went out first thing the first day - most other smaller boats had the same idea - was # 29 to run - running over the game plan in my mind - Listening to about the 22nd boat to run, I hear him nail it near the end, sounded really good, I looked down track and see his boat launch straight up into the sky. A 24 SS HTM. I'm thinking Holly Shit !! - The cell phone rings it is Kevin from Mid West Powerboats. - He says "Are you sure you still want to run that thing"? - so we float around for another 45 minutes or so before they kick it off again - The owner calls me up to let me know where the big boats are really bouncing around - I was thinking the pause in the racing should have helped with calm water. time to race I get the boat on plane - start accelerating - hit the trim button and almost instantly the boat launches out of the water - comes back down and launches again - I trim it all the way down and it launches again - needless to say I am off guard now since the plan is not working out - I have to race trimmed all the way down? - running along at 98 and I find it necessary to take my hand off of the throttle to hang on to the wheel with both hands - running along and the boat looses power and slows - I think that I trashed the drive from all of the jumping out of the water - (figured out later the throttle bounced back) - driving mistake - get back into the throttle and it launched far enough to necessitate yanking the throttle back still think the drive might be hurt - running about 60 MPH now - get back on it and I am way past the land mark to start the Kamikaze run planned - run through the timimg area getting on the trim button look down and see 90 on the speedo.
Register a whopping 88 MPH pass.
I'm thinking maybe I would have rather crashed and burned - trashed the drive - or blew up the engine than face everyone with such an impressive pass in a 130 MPH boat.
Actually it was a good experience since the boat is not hurt - I am not hurt and we saw a shit load of awesome boats.
Live and learn. wink

[Mandelon]

Some days it is just better to be safe than hurt or worse. Save it for next time.
Glad you are OK.. :cool: :cool: :cool:

[mbrown2]

Oh'well, at least you ran Info...too bad things did not go according to plan...someone else mentioned that an HTM broke apart...did you hear anything like that?

[beyondhelpin]

Always next year. Sorry the plan did not unfold as planned.

[Havasu Hangin']

Congrats on the run, Info. Flying level is not as easy as it sounds in that small of a boat. Better safe than sorry.
Did you get the "Okie Video Camera Mount" installed?

[Infomaniac]

mbrown2:
Oh'well, at least you ran Info...too bad things did not go according to plan...someone else mentioned that an HTM broke apart...did you hear anything like that? Blew over and crashed. It was just too rough for smaller boats to run hard.
It was an interesting experience. The boat would leave the water without warning. Normally you can see a roller or whatever and prepare for it. Not the case here.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/513/211DSC00050-med.JPG

[Infomaniac]

Havasu Hangin':
Congrats on the run, Info. Flying level is not as easy as it sounds in that small of a boat. Better safe than sorry.
Did you get the "Okie Video Camera Mount" installed? Sorry it did not happen. Was going to try to do it at the race.
During tech inspection the kill switch did not work. Had to do a very fast Okie rig to get it to work.
It was not even hooked up !!
Pulled some of the speaker wire out and hooked the kill switch to the MSD trigger wire. :D

[Havasu Hangin']

Infomaniac:
Havasu Hangin':
Did you get the "Okie Video Camera Mount" installed? Sorry it did not happen. Was going to try to do it at the race.Well, that explains why the throttle went wacky- one hand on the steering wheel, one hand on the video camera...none left for the throttle.
Better just install a throttle "switch" next time.
Infomaniac:
During tech inspection the kill switch did not work. Had to do a very fast Okie rig to get it to work.
It was not even hooked up !!
Pulled some of the speaker wire out and hooked the kill switch to the MSD trigger wire. :D Classic!
I guess you couldn't crank the tunes during the run (that'll never happen in So Cal).

[Infomaniac]

Yea classic.
After the HTM crash and waiting for nearly an hour at the starting line I called the owner on the cell to let him know I wish I could be listeneng to the radio. LOL

[Froggystyle]

I am soooooo glad you had the sense to keep it mellow, or that you had the experience to know when to drill it and when not to.
I have lived my life in the company of men who don't know when to back off and take "the 88" in this case. Lots have gotten really hurt, lots have died.
That is my biggest fear with releasing a "go fast" Trident. You create a great image for performance, but I don't know that I could ever intentionally build a boat like that, knowing that not every guy with an itch for speed has a corresponding "stupidity meter" in his conscious psyche.
Thanks for burying the drive, and not one of our buddy's info.
I hate to be a bummer here, but stories like this really scare me.
They say it takes one or a combination of three things to make a man do truly stupid stuff. A woman, a camera or a stopwatch. I can attest unconditionally that this is true in my case. You had all three there present, and you chose the high road.
Beer's on me when we meet Info...

[Havasu Hangin']

Froggystyle:
They say it takes one or a combination of three things to make a man do truly stupid stuff. A woman, a camera or a stopwatch.I'd like to add alcohol to the list.

[Floored]

those who know when to drive away, live to race another day. glad you are ok and maybe even a little wiser. experiences like that make you better,there is always next time

[Craig]

My friend Tony is back there. He was floating on a pontoon boat right near where the HTM went over. He thinks he got some good pic's eek! He was on the cell back to me 10 seconds after it happened screaming about it! A guy ran a 22 Daytona last year and that made me want to go, but after listening to Tony last year talk about the way the smaller boats rode, I decided not to go and live another day :) Here's a shot from the shootout site.
http://live.lakeshootout.com/uploads/boat_flip_saturday.jpg
Hopefully I'll get some pic's up on my site later in the week when they get back.
Craig
[ August 24, 2003, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: Craig ]

[Infomaniac]

Where is the drive?

[HighRoller]

According to the website David Scott ran 175 and Callan Marine ran 203!!!

[HighRoller]

How do they measure the speed?Is it trap speed,average speed over the length of course or highest registered speed during run?

[Infomaniac]

Standing start 1 mile - speed measured in the traps with fancy radar rig - that is why the smaller boats were "saving it for the end"
I was sitting 50 feet away from the Callan Marine boat when it left for that run. I got the video camera out and screwed up I guess. It was not on the tape when I looked for it. frown
[ August 24, 2003, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: Infomaniac ]

[HighRoller]

Cool...Gotta love 6000hp in a 46ft boat.I went to their website and watched some video of that thing,it puts up a nasty roostertail from those twin surface units!Info,with your aircraft background are we to assume a Marine Assault T-55 engine will be available soon for those who want more power than the 705 Quad?

[Rock-it man]

Infomaniac ------- What kind of boat were you running and what kind of power,drive ect, I really wanted to go but my boat was late from the factory and I didnt get the motor in and rigged in time ,I have a datona 26 with a blown 598,I see the c1p1 class ran 120mph what class were you in ,really want to go next year and should be 130+ by then,was the water a mess from the other boats ??? any info would help me prepare for next year there . thanks ROCKIT MAN

[HighRoller]

He has a lot of threads about the engine and the boat in other headings.Search for his name and I'm sure they will come up.Some of them even have video.

[Well Done]

I just wanted to let everone know the Infomaniac has a thumbs up in my book. As the boat owner, you can bet that when the HTM crashed right in front of me on the track, I nearly crapped my trunks. You could hear the HTM drive crank on the juice and begin to see him trim up for optimum lift for a Kamakazi finish and that son-of-a bitch kited. Everything seemed to go into slow motion and when the boat landed, you could hear the ROAR of the croud, then you could have heard a pin drop on carpet!! Everyone was looking amoung the debris for the driver and wondering.....he must be dead!! How could anyone survive that kind of CRASH!! Sure enough, there was a black helmet and lifejacket....he waved his arm....must be OK. Now...here I am, sitting there thinking....that boat is about the same size as mine and I wonder if Infomaniac knows what happened.....Plus...I'm thinking that could just as easily been our boat!! I get on the phone to update Infomaniac. He says HOly Shit!! I saw the crash from the starting line. He says to me I'll try not to get one up on that one!! I'm thinking.....Infomaniac's got a set of Balls the size of basketballs. I probably would have just quietly.....motored back to the dock. Infomaniac said that if he kited the boat he would try to MOON everybody on the way down. Now, I know he was just trying to humor me and ease the tension. You can bet that after that crash, you couldn't drive a wedge up my ass with a 16 pound sledge hammer!!! I could not believe the water conditions......Infomaniac made his run and the boat was launching out of the water. By the time he passed us I knew he was trying to save the boat and the dive. Infomaniac...my hat's off to you. Brother..you got the knowledge, knowhow, guts and all the right stuff in my book. You can run my boat anywhere, anytime you like. To all of you on the forum...you just had to be there to see it!! We know it is a 130+ machine and we'll be back again and make the grade under safer conditions. :cool:
By: Well Done

[HighRoller]

Infomaniac said that if he kited the boat he would try to MOON everybody on the way down That's some funny shiznit!!To say Info has balls is like saying the Earth is round.We all know a guy who pilots a 19ft V-drive tunnel with 1000hp isn't a sissy! :D He even videotapes his high speed stuff which scores extra points in my book.

[Well Done]

You got that right High Roller. I just couldn't find the words good enough to describe the feeling during the moment. And...Infomaniac Junior has got the same stuff!! Imagine That...wonder where he gets it from?

[Infomaniac]

Rock-it man:
Infomaniac ------- What kind of boat were you running and what kind of power,drive ect, I really wanted to go but my boat was late from the factory and I didnt get the motor in and rigged in time ,I have a datona 26 with a blown 598,I see the c1p1 class ran 120mph what class were you in ,really want to go next year and should be 130+ by then,was the water a mess from the other boats ??? any info would help me prepare for next year there . thanks ROCKIT MAN C1P1 class. We figured out it is not how fast the boat is but how fast you can run at the time. 26' is the limit for that class. Big advantage.
We had 1,000 HP + (stepped up a tad from the normal tune up) and a 23 foot boat.
Probably the "sickest" boat there.
The interesting part is the water really did not look bad. The boat would just launch for no apparent reason. No way to predict it just hang on.
If I had not let go of the throttle to hang on with both hands we would have went through at about 98 MPH per GPS recall. A bit of a Kamikaze blast would have helped a little but not put down a winning number.
No need to go out to the edge if the winner's circle is not in sight.
There were more than a few small cats capable of 130ish MPH. Just could not run the number at the time.
[ August 24, 2003, 08:45 PM: Message edited by: Infomaniac ]

[HighRoller]

Yeah,I have to say that when I was a kid I had a chance to ride a really fast dirt bike and I thought it would be cool.In reality that thing scared the crap out of me.I can't even imagine driving a boat like that at age 10!!!And as a former race car owner I can identify with your pride.I had a driver who always found his way to the front without tearing my car to pieces. Like they say,discretion is the better part of valor. It's better to save it for another day sometimes.

[TrailerparkTJ]

Anybody have the web address for the shootout website? Thanks in advance! - TJ

[Infomaniac]

Shoot out site (http://lakeshootout.com/)

[Sea Esta]

Here is the link for the results to the shootout
http://www.lakeshootout.com/
We were at the beginning of the timing lights and watched as the HTM was making its run. The boat was making a very impressive run. Seemed to have it pretty well dialed in. We had been commenting on the water and noticing how the wind and chop were effecting the boats. The next several boats were pretty cautious to say the least. We were all glad to hear the guy only suffered some minor back pain.

[BoatFloating]

Craig:
My friend Tony is back there. He was floating on a pontoon boat right near where the HTM went over. He thinks he got some good pic's eek! He was on the cell back to me 10 seconds after it happened screaming about it! A guy ran a 22 Daytona last year and that made me want to go, but after listening to Tony last year talk about the way the smaller boats rode, I decided not to go and live another day :) Here's a shot from the shootout site.
http://live.lakeshootout.com/uploads/boat_flip_saturday.jpg
Hopefully I'll get some pic's up on my site later in the week when they get back.
Craig Is it me or does the water don't look that bad? I heard that they where racing into the wind. Looking at that picture that looks like glass for Havasu.....

[572Daytona]

Somehow I think that whatever roller that the guy hit would no longer be in the picture at that point.

[FingerTight]

Not to be a dick, but it sounds to me like these HTM's have got issues at high speeds.
Didn't they have a similar blow over at Castaic a few years ago?

[Sea Esta]

About the only wakes were the wakes from the boats making the runs. During the Shootout they make that section of the Lake a big no-wake zone. The no-wake zone is close to 4 miles long to help the boats get up to speed. The only problem was when the big cruiser, I think it was a Sunseeker, made a run. Talk about a wake!!!!

[Infomaniac]

Hey guys - I thought the water conditions looked OK from pics etc. also. That is why we took the boat.
Get out there and it is a different story.
The boat goes airborn for no apparent reason. No wakes etc. to be seen.
Even the 30 + foot boats were bouncing around.

[FingerTight]

Interesting, excuse my ignorance but where was this?

[Infomaniac]

Lake Of The Ozarks MO
(LOTO)

[FingerTight]

Got it, thanks.
So what there would cause a boat to handle differently than it normally does?
Was the wind that strong that is caused the air entrapment type hulls to come out of the water too much? Were the V hulls coming out like this as well?
Just talking, kind of an info freak myself.

[BoatFloating]

FingerTight:
Not to be a dick, but it sounds to me like these HTM's have got issues at high speeds.
Didn't they have a similar blow over at Castaic a few years ago? That wasn't a blow over, it was a twin motor 30' that had one of the motors let go at high speed and rolled.
Info, that water looks good your right, no big rollers etc. How fast was the head wind? Cause I tell you just by that pic I see good conditions. Must of been hairy thinking conditions are good then your like a kite eek! eek! eek!