OkieTunnel

I hear all new Fountains now come standard with a crack pipe. (Not JUST the race boats)

Joe

Wow! Either way.... I don't think I'd like to be in any kind of a boat in that water --- and yes, I do see your point.

ApacheCarl

lol

Semper Fi

I was there on the run in HavasuCigs TopGun and we outran alot of fast boats.......38' & 42' Fountains, Hustlers, Scarabs, Spectre's Skaters, MTI, all with big power. We were the 2nd boat to finish behind Kenny's Tiger with 900's. We ran flat out 82mph the whole entire way. The first 4 or 5 boats back were Cigarettes.

The water was very rough (6-10's) and the cats just couldn't run in that water. There were alot of people banged up and bloody. I saw alot of bloddy elbows and knees that day after the poker run. There were alot of damaged boats also, like headliners, stereos broken loose, broken drives, amps ripping right out off the bulheads, etc.....

We have to remember here the the ocean is NOT like a racetrack where every lap it's the same...the ocean is extrmely different every single time you run out there. Sometimes one boat can run better than another boat, then the opposite the next day.

Von Bongo

Sheeet... them Crab Fishermen on Deadliest Catch work in stuff worse than that, in freezing weather at night.

E.A.

So, after all the time of being a lurker on this site.
I finally have something to post about. Hope you all bear with me.

I just think there is a lot of misconceptions and faulse statements that need to be cleared up.

(Large Photo Warning at the bottom of the page, I am not near a computer where I can resize, so I do appologize in advance)


Ok, first and foremost I need to say that everything I am going to post is based on Fact. Not internet hype, or a video, or the he said, she said stuff. It's based on what I saw with my own two eyes, as I road in the back seat of the "Speed Racer" boat.

And before I make my post, I want to give Randy a HUGE HUGE thank you for letting me be part of the action down in FL, and the great time that was had! Can't wait to help out again. Though I can't thank you enough for the weekend that I won't ever forget.


With that being said... I want to start by saying that this post is comming from a HUGE supporter of the V-Hull's and Fountains in general, I wish what I had to say wasn't true, but hey facts are facts. Personally one of the main reasons why I was always so supportive of the V-Hulls, was due to my personal issues with knowing people that had been in bad accidents, due to flights, and stuffs of the Cat-Hulls. Plus that and it was always cool to route for the "Under-Dog" right?

I mean don't get me wrong, the level of quality, safty, and technology have come leaps and bounds with both hulls over the years. But nobody can't deni that the Speeds the Fountain V's have been pulling have just been nothing short of stunning. I can remember the day I heard about the "177 mph pass" made, and I was gitty as a school kid. I just thought that was an amazing thing, and a huge showing of how far the V's have really come over the years.

So what you can see, is that I am being about as honest as I can get here, in saying that as a V-hull lover I wish what I had to say wasn't true. But it is what it is....nothing more nothing less. In fact, so much that durring the first "race" after the first card stop..... I was so in awe that I was riding in a boat that was passing the Rio Roses boat, (so close that i could see their helmets bouncing).... I completly forgot to try and get my camera out of my pocket.

Instead of re-hashing what has already been said. I can say that everything in the following two paragraphs is exactly how I would have written it. SO I might as well just quote it, so that I can save myself the time, and the typing.... LOL.

" First race Rio roses pulled out of the cove first and was up on plane then Speed Racer proceeded to follow him and he was doing about 150 at that time as Speed RAcer pulled up next to him... then Speed Racer looked eye to eye and then hammered down... Speed racer began to pull several boat lengths on him... I know this was witnessed by many other people.David woods,and several other people going the other direction.."

And again for the second "race" no need for me to re-type.

"Then Speed Racer Slowed down for the no wake as the Fountain blew threw the bridge. After Speed Racer went threw the no wake bridge they saw the Ballistic boat Just in front of them.. Speed Racer slowed to about 80 and he didn't want to challenge... Then Speed Racer proceeded to catch the Rio Roses... after Catching the Rio Roses boat, Speed Racer pulled aside his starboard side @ about 145mph and then he picked up his pace.. Speed Racer pulled a head of the Rio Roses and reached a speed of 174 on the gps... Right after Speed Racer reached that speed a blower belt snapped on the starboard motor... and Speed Racer was out of the competition.."


I can say without a doubt, that there was at NO time any advantage in favor or the Rio Roses boat. So much in fact that the only time the boat was ever ahead of the Speed Racer boat, was in the "No Wake" Zones when Randy (SpeedRacer) was obeying the Laws of the Water. I honestly have to give props to every boat, and every driver that did the very best to obey such areas, and slow the boats down. It shows a lot of Character to be able to pull the throttles back, put away the pride, and slow the boat down to ensure the safty, and the protection of the enviroment. ***Props to all of those that did that*** Give yourself a pat on the back, cause having good manors is what is gonna keep such highspeed and fun events going on for many many years.

Like I said, I can honestly say that there was absolutly no advantage at ANY point by the Fountain, at any point up untill the blower belt failure on the motor. Unless your talking about in the No wake Zone. And and as sad as it is, the Speed Racer boat will not maintain 170mph on just one Sterling, thus ending the idea of playing for the rest of the day.


As for the comments about "Be ready to Race, and don't make excusses for being on pump gas" Well I don't think anyone was making any excusses at all. What was being said was that they couldn't believe that the Speed Racer Boat was capable of such speeds on pump gas, the boost turned turned down, and turning the small props. Considering each time the boats lined up, the Fountain was left back in the wake, It was more of saying..."What would have happened if it was turned up, and on the big props, then how bad would it have been?"

Personally if all of this is a big marketing thing... Then so be it... I guess you do what ya gotta do. But that doesn't make it right. Personally comming from a LONG time supporter and fan of all the stuff Fountain has done for the V-hull's I was personally let down to hear such "tall tails" when I knew them to be faulse. Since I was riding in the very boat that was pulling away each time the came near eachother. I will forever from this day forward question everything I read, involving said company. Unless I again see it with my own eyes.


Ok enough with all of that. Lets get to the photos shall we??

Here is the shot of the docks, before the event took place.
Talk about some stunning boats....
I wish I had my other camera, and not just my pocket sized sony.




Now from this point on, I have very few photos.
Because frankly I dunno about you.....
But going 160+ and up to 170, in an open cockpit boat, with no harness.....
Well yeah, fishing my camera out of my pocket was the last thing on my mind.
The first photo, is as we left the first card stop....
And were prepairing to leave the no wake zone, side by side.




Here is a couple shots of the dash after that point....
This is durring the "lets play catch up" after being at a disadvantage...
Because of going through the No wake zone....at umm, no wake speed.




Here is a shot of comming up on the Fountains Tail,
And still gaining speed with the second.
At this point speeds where going well past 165- to 170.
And it was time to consider not hanging a camera in the wind.
And to maybe hold both hands on the handles by the seats.




Here is the next shot of the Speedo, as we start to pass the Fountain.....
Sorry this shot is NOT edited like the others for the size and border.
I forgot to resize it till today. Not bad for Microsoft Paint, LOL
You can see she was knocking on 170's door.
With the motors up and down off the limiters depending on how hard the props where in the water.




And here is the final photo as we passed by the Fountain....
Shortly after this photo was taken,
Is when the blower belt, decided it wanted no part of this "play time"
And kindly made it's exit off the motor.




Sorry that last shot was so blurry..... I really was trying my best, but hey 170+ Mph was getting a little bumpy, and my hand was just a little bit shaky........ (Can't imagine why LOL)

But I hope these photos either clear some things up....
Or at least give you some cool new wallpaper for your computer.



Like I said, Thanks again to Randy (owner of SR) for the amazing ride of a lifetime!


Be safe everyone,
EA

SHARKEY-IMAGES

It appears to me you pulled past the Fountain and then dropped off the the RPMs to let them catch you...

Pictures are worth a 1000 posts!

E.A.

If your talking between the fountain and speedracer.

Clearly both times it was all Speed Racer.

Would have been more, but I guess sometimes the belts don't like to play as hard as the drivers do.

EA


PS: What made me a believer.... was that I was there filling the boat with pump gas.... I personally turned the prop wrech to put the 38's on it. So you are looking at a Photo, of 170 mph on Pump gas, and small props. (GPS later showed 174, but I never thought to take a shot of it)

Just think what she could do with Race gas, and the 40's

PSS: To make it even more obviouse that the film was cut short of both boats leaving the card stop side by side. Just take a look at this photo that is on the main page of this site.



Do you notice that this shot is NOT in the video?
Thats because that is us passing on the outside.
But you will never see us that close in the video, because you would be able to tell that we were at a faster pace, and making the pass. You only see us in the video still getting up on plain, and Randy not even into the throttles yet.

I would like to see the video that this freeze frame was taken from. Cause that would be worth checking out.

But if the two boats were racing to be on Plane, then he wins hands down. Since we were still getting everything in the boat situated ( no canopy remember)

sakoutis3

That had to be some freakin ride. I don't think I would've been takin any pictures. I definetly would be holdin on with both hands.

E.A.

Well, if I get the chance to ride again.
You better believe there will be a video camera in my hand.



Have a great day everyone.... Its BBQ time!
EA