Yah, I'm really pumped.  Have a small oil leak up by the timing cover but other than that, no issues.  Since it started to rain soon after that the next stop is Potholes Res. in Eastern Washingto where we have over 80 boats confirmed and likely will exceed 100 over the Labor Day weekend.  Should be an awesome time and we're really looking forward to just chillin on the beach and motoring around easy like checking for loose bolts and stuff.

Yah Tommy, I was sure you hooked me up with one of the steering racks that you sell to the folks south of the equator cuz the only way I was gonna be able to run it was standing on my head.

On the other hand, Ian enjoyed laughing at me as I tried to uncoil my 6'3" 250lbs fat ass out of the boat to take a look at what was going on.  Sheesh that thing seems smaller than it use to




Thanks again everyone for the support........this is a great site

Ron you have better Mental acuity than most I've been told that its is impossible to drive the boat this way ,no matter how hard you try ! (I did this to a customers boat years ago !)

John  hope you have a chance to run it again befrore the big weekend ,very curious to see how it works ! Tommy

No chit, I couldnt drive that thing for nuthin with the backwards steering and big ass surge. I genuinely had no idea where I was going.

I wish I could make one more run Tommy but you know my hours of work.  I won't probably get a chance to touch the boat till Thursday night and we're hooking up with the convoy Friday morning at 6am.  So no more shakedown opportunitys for me.

PS....no worries on the ride plate.  I used 3" aluminum angle inset (thank you PuertoMill) into my existing ride plate and held in place with 8 - 5/16" grade 8 button head bolts with grade 8 nylocs.  It's not going anywhere and we're planning on taking it really easy over the weekend. No speed runs this trip, just shake it out, throw a rooster or two and watch all the others with their motors set on Kill run it out.

They'll be plenty of pics I'll share for sure.......thanks again for all the support guys.........john

Hey jrork, I drove a boat up a river at over 85 MPH for over 38 river miles with backward steering do to an engineereing boo boo. Major challenge X10, boat looks badass, very nice work, you can normally measure a project success by the amount of adjustments needed to make it work, I would say you were most successful. Great job!

I genuinely can't imagine, hell, I was about to yell abandon ship coming to shore and just jump to save myself.  Leave it up to Ian up to his ass in COLD water to save his Pops (again) and get me straightened out.

Thanks for the props.  Best part was a couple guys test driving a new Ford car with the salesman followed us down the road and sat and BS's with us at the ramp about the boat (and the speed/noise limit at the lake).....

Thanks FU.  Really looking forward to spending some time with it this coming weekend. Gonna go really easy given this thing has been in a thousand pieces.  Lots of tightening bolts and fittings I'm thinking. Still gonna be fun and with luck I'll post up some pics and videos

Thanks again

I know what you mean about getting around in a small boat when I am around 6 2 and 225. Everthing is in the way no matter how you bend or contort yourself. The worst is getting back in the boat when at a sandbar or something. I have to lay on the bow and pull myself up and over the dash sliding like a snake cause of all the wax. I know peope watching me at the sandbar are saying looks at that dork. Your boat looks sweet in the water. Can't wait to see Vids.
  T.J.

glad to hear i wasnt the only one to make the backwards steering mistake 

Yup, misery loves company doesnt it?    

X2       

motor is hurt? wha' happen'?

motor is hurt? wha' happen'?

Full blown 1/4 race course marked out, 107 boats......I started out at damn near 6000 rpm with my son and I and two full tanks of fuel. By Sunday, I was down to 4800 wide open with just my son in the boat and blowin oil the whole pass.  We had a radar gun on Sunday and even hurt, it went thru the traps popping snorting and banging at 74.5 mph at 4800...... One bank it blued headers almost the end of the collector and a nice clean rusty red inside, the other bank is a more typical black carbon and a heat ring way up the collector.........hmmmm.... Didn't get to radar gun it when it was running hard but it felt.....gooooooooooood....(as long as it lasted)  
A nice fresheining up and some good fuel with a nicer mix of pulleys and we'll be doing the wild thing.............



Shit, Skip....it's only a hop skip and a jump from down there......come on up next Labor Day.......what a blast

Pics to follow when I recover....

are your carbs progressive?

John Bummer about you Mill , It'll be back barkin in no time ! Tommy

Beg borrow or steal a compression tester and cylinder leak down tester (more importantly) Call  me when you get time I'm on the road today T

Sounds good. So, what happened to your motor?