kidturbo

I like it down here because it's pretty laid back, quiet, and I'm usually wheeling the loudest things around. The tight bend in the river is also great for watching professional captains screw up. Couple months ago I watched one guy heading south stick the head of 1500' loaded barges onto the WV side sand bar. Within 30 minutes he'd spun a 180 and was heading north again.. Besides that it's a very quiet pool with no fuel docs, no restaurants, and typically no law. I just lock through and head up to Marietta pool when we get board.

Down sides are, nothing else out here and you have to drive 30miles to find a chain store...

Twin O/B Sonic

Hilarious!
About the time I think Ive figured out rivers.....,they kick my ass. Learned a lot on them the 9yrs we lived down in Fla.

Barges/tugs scare the pee out of me.

A 100 yrs ago we towed a lil 16' Checkmate down to Marietta, spent the night before to be on water first thing next morning.
That morning the river was fogged in solid.
Very eerie. Basically a 20' deep valley following the river, that was totally fogged in.
Could see across the top of the fog bank to see opposite bank but nothing bellow that line.

I decided the boat was small enough that we could stay close enough to shore to follow the bank to stay out of trouble.
After deciding I was seeing a barge coming at us, we pulled the boat on the bank and waited on the fog to lift.
An hr later, the fog lifted to reveal a........., bridge was scaring the pee out of me!
I hate fog.

My first 24' Sonic off Fish Point (unmarked, mile long beach/peninsula) at Pelee Island in Canadian water of Lake Erie.
They were having a walleye tournament that day and you could hear fish botes (22' high sided bassers) blowing/flying past in the fog!
Blew a motor and could only run displacement speed.
I called the coast guard and told them what was going on and that we would ck in every 15 mins and if I missed a ck in, to send search/rescue!

Thought we were going to die that day.

Notice the cell phone on the helm

kidturbo

Some video from day one on the dyno last Friday.
Have most of the water leaks sorted out, and made a few part throttle pulls to see how these turbos perform. 900lb-ft at 3200R with about half throttle and only 26psi on boost.

Youtube Playlist

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Twin O/B Sonic

2187

kidturbo

Thanks Dave. Now hop on a plane and come help out a little bit why don't ya...

I promise not to blow them up. I'm just the bloke taking videos while this other guy has his foot on the throttle. But I'll pass along your request.

Is funny on first pull [not recorded] the dyno brake didn't release when he let off the throttle and engine came to complete stop. We both looked at each other like "well that wasn't good.." Walked out and spun engine over with a wrench, everything seemed fine. Then on next pull he realized the dyno control valve wasn't releasing the water brake when commanded, and had to open the manual bypass valve to keep from stalling it again. Quick diagnostic found the issue and everything back to normal. But that one sure got my attention..

Today I'm sourcing some different injector tips and checking into other turbo options. Feeling confident now they will make the power as is, but they gotta do it a little cleaner.

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Twin O/B Sonic

I have some Aussie interests.
A fan of Mark Webber, bad ass (retired) F-1 car racer and Danial Ricciardo who still races F-1.

A hero of mine, Ken Warby, an Aussie, is the baddest SOB on the planet. And a friend of mine. (cant find the pixs)
39 yrs ago he went 317 on water.
Everyone thats attempted to break his record has died.
He and his son are testing in preparation of breaking their own record.

Lastly, one of the few things left on my bucket list is going down under for the Bridge to Bridge water ski race.
I'm an O/B guy and when the US was all geeked about drag racing O/B's I kept pointing out the Aussies who put two lunatics on slalom skis, put their foot on the floor and "raced" for 80 miles.
Make a hot rod O/B survive in that environment, you'll have my attention.

Just cant get past the 22 hr plane ride.

You guys are building a bad ass ride though.
Thanks again for letting me play along.
Im a fan.

Kefurr