John it was nice seeing you and Chris also.  Your boat is not a POS...  Its all how you care for what you got...  Thanks for all the info guys I have a friend, (fiberglass and paint) coming over this weekend to take a look at everything and figure a game plan.

Vince I will go to Bako in September if you go.  Would like to get at least 3 races in this year.  Bob P will just have to instruct me on the lights...

Hey Big John, I'm really not the one to ask about plate advise.  Wayne Mettler did the bottom of my boat and new plate set-up back in 01. I havent touched the set-up sense. I showed you how little plate I have to give my boat and she rides like a dream. Just start out with more plate than you need and adjust from there. You just want the boat to take a nice set and stay down once backing out of the plate.  No hopping like OG, yikes did I say that LOL. Post something on the ask the tech thread.

Your probably going to need more peddle than that on the old flat big John.  Just give yourself plenty of throw rather you need it or not.  Too much is better than not enough and adjust from there.  The boat will let you know real quick if you have enough plate, just take it easy well testing, hole shots to start with until the boats sets and then try to ease out and see what the front end does. Again I'm no expert you should be talking to Master Fin or some of the other flatty brothers.  

Jeff, since Chowtown is a slight chance due to scheduling conflicts I would say Bako in September is a VERY good chance. I'll let you know.

John, as far as down plate travel, I can give you some numbers from mine. When I ran TE with that 555 I had an 1.125 plate (drivers edge) and it was safe. We had about 900HP with that combination.

jeff, i think the new lights will be in use by september, so your guess will be as good as anyone's.  unfortunately, that race is scheduled for the same weekend as san diego, and i don't intend to miss sd for a bunch of reasons.  so, good luck and see ya at chow...

The new NJBA light system will be installed before the weekend of the next race which is the weekend of June 21st.....Word is the lights will be set up on wednesday or thursday and tested to see if all goes well...............Larry Sebben and myself will be there early friday to make sure they don't need any extra help to get this new system started up....hopefully not..........

Looking forward to the new timing system, this will be a great asset for the NJBA members.

The holding rope is not in the same location as IHBA and SDBA. 

they're not 1/4 second numbers.  the rope to beam distance may be a few feet different, but not anything of significance.  that old system was very "quirky".   just at the last race, guys who thought they had the lights dialed on saturday were very surprised on sunday.   every september, you'd see some very wierd things, which some would blame on the sun's alignment with a couple of beams.   if you spent a lot of time down by the starter trailer, where you could just barely see the numbers, and watch boats leave, you'd be scratchin your head, like wtf, maybe that's an optical illusion?   it wasn't the beams, or the numbers, or the rope/beam distance, it was the system they were connected to; the way things functioned on saturday was no guarantee it would be the same on sunday.  that system has progressively degraded over the past 3+ years.   to be successful there, a person needed to know what they were doing, pay attention to what the lights were doing and adjust accordingly.   it will be very good to see that antiquated system replaced.  

but that's not the only track with a few "quirks"...   

Scott, PM me the info about your secret, I could use all the help I can get... You always were the master on the lights and consistent too.  Hi Bruce, see you in Chow Chow. 

Vince I had to cut the opening in the bulkhead a little bigger and my girlfriend  was able to crawl in and remove the bolts to the broken bow eye.  The opening came out good and still looks factory.  At least we can access now if we need to. I'm ordering a new bow eye today from C P performance.

Posted By bp on 06/16/2008 12:13 PM
so jeff, i just hafta ask... is this the same girl that was in your truck saturday evening at red bluff????

Yes it is Bob, Yikes I hope your not referring to the couple extra cutouts I had to put in the bulkhead that I failed to mention... 

jeff, great job at chowchilla.  hope my advice didn't cause that redeye... 

great job taking that win ralph.  nothin' like getting through 5 rounds on sunday! 

Posted By Jeff Andrade on 14 Aug 2011 01:48 AM
Hello everyone this is Orange Gasm under trick ponys screen name. Dwane i cant seem to get a login on this site can you help me on this. And by the way where in the hell is everyone and why arent there any Lucus dragboat races in calif this year. Im going through withdrawls. Thank god that there is going to be drag boat exabition runs/show and shine gathering in chow town aug 27. The New Pony Express TAF will be making its debut in Chowchilla. See you all there, Robert. EAT CALIFORNIA ORANGES