First 20 Stock "Kneeler" Hydroplane Race

[Jerry Dunlap]

The first race for 20 Stock "Kneeler" Hydroplane Class was raced Sunday, April 13, at Twin Lakes, Marysville, WA. Four "Kneelers," all powered by O.S. 21s and built by JD raced in the District 8 20 Outboard Hydro Class. The race was won by Jim Hagan, Seattle, WA, driving one of JD's boats. Wayne Stilson, Lakewood, WA was second. JD ended up third after crashing into the bank(receiver batteries puked) in round 2 and then regluing the transom back on the boat.

JD

 

[Randy Rapedius]

Nice Kneelers Jerry.

A few of us have made the switch from RC to the real ones.

 

[Bill Oxidean]

Nice Kneelers Jerry.
A few of us have made the switch from RC to the real ones.

I actually got my hands on one I bought from Dan Chase

 

[Bill Oxidean]

Here is a picture of mine..

 

[Bill Gibson]

The first race for 20 Stock "Kneeler" Hydroplane Class was raced Sunday, April 13, at Twin Lakes, Marysville, WA. Four "Kneelers," all powered by O.S. 21s and built by JD raced in the District 8 20 Outboard Hydro Class. The race was won by Jim Hagan, Seattle, WA, driving one of JD's boats. Wayne Stilson, Lakewood, WA was second. JD ended up third after crashing into the bank(receiver batteries puked) in round 2 and then regluing the transom back on the boat.
JD

Jerry, those boats look TRICK! How well do they actually run? are they pretty stable, or are they a hanndful? p.s. still havin a ball with my miss vegas....havent done the sponson mod yet, but will soon! THANKS for all your help on that deal! Bill

 

[HTV Boats]

First off as a former APBA driver who went to RC I always respect our boats and never say "real boats" as our models and competition are very real. I like the term full size better.

Jerry I love your hydro's. As a kid growing up on a lake in northern Wisconsin I always wanted a pumkin seed hydro. My 8hp West Bend was pretty fast on a 12' fiberglass fishing boat but I never got that hydro. This is another place for outboard racing to grow. 8' to 11' hydro's at quarter scale make 24"- 33" hulls that would be fun to drive. Since scale looks seem to be popular what are the rules going to be. Sign me up.

Mic Halbrehder

 

[Mark Poole ModVP]

I'm with Mic on this being another way to grow and advance outboards. I also like boats that LOOK like lifesize boats. :lol:

 

[El Zorro]

Sounds like an interesting class. It would be fun to build one like my C Stock hydro, but with my luck it would probably hook, barrel roll, toss the driver out, break his neck and mess his arm up...............

Dick Tyndall

 

[Randy Rapedius]

Hi Dick.

I read last year on Hydroracer.com about your unfortunate accident. Hope you are fully recovered. Are you planning on racing the real ... oh ... I mean the full size boat again or are you sticking with the toys? B)

Am I allowed to call them toys Mic or is that politically incorrect? LOL

I know of many racers who have made the switch from full size to the toys. I guess there are only a few of us who went the other direction.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Sounds like an interesting class. It would be fun to build one like my C Stock hydro, but with my luck it would probably hook, barrel roll, toss the driver out, break his neck and mess his arm up...............
Dick Tyndall

That exact scenario happened in the last heat of our race. The yellow boat with the 1/4 scale driver hooked in front of another boat. The front of the yellow boat's cowling was busted and the driver tossed into the water. The life jacket did keep the driver afloat, but one of the arms popped out and sank. The helmet and visor were damaged as well. I now have a reason to make a new driver for that boat with arms that are inside the cowling. Really doesn't look scale with the driver's hands above the cowling.

JD

 

[moparbarn]

i always thought he was holding the steering cables :lol: :lol: . i'm like mic & mark, i ran c & d runabouts, always wanted an akly hydro. canvas & slat decks, 'veneer' everywhere else. quickie lower, 2 guys hold it up so you can crank it, then drop it when you give the signal, kinda like launching our rc boats . they are really cool looking, jd & ob's, too . where are plans available? any chance they would be offered in a kit? i agree, another good way to grow the ob segment of our hobby.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

i always thought he was holding the steering cables :lol: :lol: . i'm like mic & mark, i ran c & d runabouts, always wanted an akly hydro. canvas & slat decks, 'veneer' everywhere else. quickie lower, 2 guys hold it up so you can crank it, then drop it when you give the signal, kinda like launching our rc boats . they are really cool looking, jd & ob's, too . where are plans available? any chance they would be offered in a kit? i agree, another good way to grow the ob segment of our hobby.

A construction article w/plans will be featured in a future issue of RC Boat Modeler.

JD

 

[moparbarn]

cool, lmk when you know what month/issue, please.

 

[raptor347]

Jerry,

I think I need to build an FE version. They look really cool.

 

[Russ Williamson]

Look mom, no hands! Looks like the driver is getting ready to give everybody a double-birdy

Rw

Sounds like an interesting class. It would be fun to build one like my C Stock hydro, but with my luck it would probably hook, barrel roll, toss the driver out, break his neck and mess his arm up...............
Dick Tyndall

That exact scenario happened in the last heat of our race. The yellow boat with the 1/4 scale driver hooked in front of another boat. The front of the yellow boat's cowling was busted and the driver tossed into the water. The life jacket did keep the driver afloat, but one of the arms popped out and sank. The helmet and visor were damaged as well. I now have a reason to make a new driver for that boat with arms that are inside the cowling. Really doesn't look scale with the driver's hands above the cowling.

JD

 

[HTV Boats]

Hi Dick.

I read last year on Hydroracer.com about your unfortunate accident. Hope you are fully recovered. Are you planning on racing the real ... oh ... I mean the full size boat again or are you sticking with the toys? B)

Am I allowed to call them toys Mic or is that politically incorrect? LOL

Randy,

All boats are toys they just come in different sizes. When I raced OPC's our club shared races with inboards, stocks and alky's at different sites. There were some bonified drivers and quite a few wallet racers in the mix. I just never like the term "real" thrown at RC guys cause there are some very competent racers in our hobby (sport) I used to think OPC's were king of the hill till one day we raced an open bay with white caps and the V's and tunnels played cat and mouse. The Alky guys heats came up and they didn't flinch and ran hard right over the tops of the waves. Those kneel down guys can drive anything.

Wonder if 1/4 scale kneel down outboards could compete in the sport 20 class. Would only build the class. They'd let us run till someone beat up on em. Think Mark Poole's been down this road with MVP's. Be fun to have a bonafied crossover inboard-outboard class.

Mic

 

[Darin Jordan]

Jerry,I think I need to build an FE version. They look really cool.

Just what I need, Brian... another class to try to run!!

Would be FUN on FE power though!!

 

[Marty Slater]

Hay Dunny any changes since your first debut

of the Kneelers

Marty

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Hay Dunny any changes since your first debut of the Kneelers

Marty

All the "Kneelers" I've built in the last two years have been off the plans you have. In order to have at least 3 boats to make a class, I ended up building 5. Even if I don't win any of the "Kneeler" races one of the boats I built will win.

JD

 

[Marty Slater]

The only thing wrong with being a boat owner like that is

at the end of the day you have boats to fix

i tried to do that with your 28/30

had all kinds of professional drivers step up to drive

but no interest in fixing or building one for them shelf

i would have loved 2 or 3 guys wanting to do it with me

Marty