Originally Posted by Smarty (Post 3712164)

Yeah Top Fuel Drag boat racing is pretty nuts, Eddie Hill (the Texan) raced both the dragster (top fuel) and top fuel drag boat, and I may be mistaken but I thought he felt safer in the top fuel dragster than the hydro (dragboat), and he was very, very good at both.

I do not have the requisite experience, desire, or large enough testcicles to drive a top fuel hydro, that is one serious ride.

Eddie Hill pictured below, he was one of my favorite racers.

Originally Posted by Wildman_grafix (Post 3712170)

Eddie quit TF Boat racing to got to TF cars, said the boats were to dangerous. I remember seeing them interview him once when he said that.

And they have gotten much faster now!!!!

Originally Posted by akaboatman (Post 3712821)

I have a or had a vcr tape of Eddie Hills crash. I will look for it. I rember them saying He would be the first to break 200 mph. He was an crashed. The motor was flying in the air an was still screamimg. The crash was at the top end of the run. They said He had gallons of water under His skin. It was a volant crash.

Originally Posted by sdodson1 (Post 3712722)

If the boat takes a "set" (after the hop)they typically stay in it the whole ride unless the boat moves around or does something too wicked. If not they sometimes will whack it again to see if it will reset. The top fuel boats don't like pedaling and neither do crew chief's cause it usually ends up hard on the equipment. Timing of fuel and ignition curve begin when the pedal is fully depressed. Sometimes what looks like pedaling can be the props loading and unloading as the back of the boat pops up in a less than an ideal set-up, like too much lift or down on power. Tricky business and temperamental machines.