Thunder Boat Rules

[Douglas P Shepherd]

Only been to one race! Sooo?

How often is there a visual inspection?

How often does a tear down after a race happen?

Not often enough,most clubs have 10 or so members so its not a high priority. Look at the Hobart race 5 -7 people putting on a race with 275 plus boats. The only downfall of this race was lack of rounds everything else far exceeded racers expectations making this a very successful event.Want to go next year? you better be ready to get your entry in soon as the flyer hits

In Hobart I ran a RMCK-EVO in my Zip Kit thunderboat hull (as per myself and a corporate lawyer read the rules) nowhere in the rules could we find any wording that stated that an RCMK Evo engine (which is a box stock motor) was not legal. The way the rules are stated (as many us have read over and over) is that it has to be a box stock motor. (period) I ordered the motor pulled it out of the box and put it in my thunderboat. Many days leading up to Hobart myself and many club members were out at the pond and I ran my thunderboat with a stock ZEN. and on a brand name GPS it ran 55.6 mph. After installing the RCMK Evo and after running about 3 or 4 tanks of fuel though it it ran a consistant 56.7mph. A little over a mile an hour faster. In no way shape or form do I feel like I'm a cheater in any IMPBA class. I run, I build my hulls and race them as per the way the rules are put on paper. So if the IMPBA are going to make the rules (which I have no problem with) make them a lot more clearer. Don't just put them in the Rooster Tail where 25% of the american people don't have access to a computer. I RUN BY THE RULES ...... Doug Shepherd Madison,In

Thanks Doug, I thought so much hoopla over that motor was BS, maybe to get some intrest in the new motor. IMPBA could do some real tests to confirm out what you have already seen before ruling out this motor.

Boat setup and tunnig is important. I first ran my Zipp boat at 49-50, went back and modded the sponsons and worked on props and now it runs 55-56 all the time with the stock Z260.

I myself just as Bruce stated. I did not go around a look to see what everybody in the Thunderboat class was running. But I do know that myself and Phil ran almost side by side for 6 laps with nobody having a clear advantage. So two Evo's or a Evo and a Zen. It was great racing hand down !!!

But here we go Phil you stated and I stated that are hulls run 55 to 56 MPH. The Blazer hull out of the box with a stock Zen260 will run 57mph. By no words am I running down Brains hull . Brain has done so mush for the RC gas class were could we stop. But what I am say is that I have spent alot of time working with sponsons and props and skid fins with the Zip that 55 to 57 in the stock form is about it. So hand down the Blazer hull is 5 mph faster than the Zip in the stock form. So even the RMCK-EVO in the Zip can not get it to the 60mph range with the BLazer hulls. The Zip kit is a fine easy to build myself and my two son had alot of fun building it. Just as it was ment to be fun. The bottom line here is that there will always be a better mouse trip and if you want to pay to get there then go for it. But to say with out testing that the EVo engine will put you out front evey time them I think you are wrong. I was at Hobart with alot of GREAT racers and in the thunderboat class I had a EVO in my hull and a Blazer hull came out on top with a stock engine whatever Brian was running!!! Engine is only 1/3 of it!!! If that

 

[Don Brown]

Only been to one race! Sooo?

How often is there a visual inspection?

How often does a tear down after a race happen?

Not often enough,most clubs have 10 or so members so its not a high priority. Look at the Hobart race 5 -7 people putting on a race with 275 plus boats. The only downfall of this race was lack of rounds everything else far exceeded racers expectations making this a very successful event.Want to go next year? you better be ready to get your entry in soon as the flyer hits

In Hobart I ran a RMCK-EVO in my Zip Kit thunderboat hull (as per myself and a corporate lawyer read the rules) nowhere in the rules could we find any wording that stated that an RCMK Evo engine (which is a box stock motor) was not legal. The way the rules are stated (as many us have read over and over) is that it has to be a box stock motor. (period) I ordered the motor pulled it out of the box and put it in my thunderboat. Many days leading up to Hobart myself and many club members were out at the pond and I ran my thunderboat with a stock ZEN. and on a brand name GPS it ran 55.6 mph. After installing the RCMK Evo and after running about 3 or 4 tanks of fuel though it it ran a consistant 56.7mph. A little over a mile an hour faster. In no way shape or form do I feel like I'm a cheater in any IMPBA class. I run, I build my hulls and race them as per the way the rules are put on paper. So if the IMPBA are going to make the rules (which I have no problem with) make them a lot more clearer. Don't just put them in the Rooster Tail where 25% of the american people don't have access to a computer. I RUN BY THE RULES ...... Doug Shepherd Madison,In

Thanks Doug, I thought so much hoopla over that motor was BS, maybe to get some intrest in the new motor. IMPBA could do some real tests to confirm what you have already seen before ruling out this motor.

Boat setup and tunning is important. I first ran my Zipp boat at 49-50, went back and modded the sponsons and worked on props and now it runs 55-56 all the time with the stock Z260.

Phil

What sponson mods did you do? Let us in on your secret.

DonB

 

[P THOMAS]

I just added a step to the pads. Zipp has a stepped sponson mod on their website It just make the boat run looser on the water. I got most of the speed with some prop mods, still working on more of course.