Slough Run 2010...

[Helmar]

This event is the only legitimate reason that I have to justify the exponential growth of vintage glass speedboats in my neighborhood.

We are preparing our "well used" 1961 Stiletto with Homelite power, to get us to the finish line...we will be wearing mosquito repellent since our engine doesn't provide a built-in smokescreen...at least fuel won't be an issue!

Are there Trophy girls??

No trophy girls, gotta bring your own

Really, you have a Stiletto with a short shaft Homelite on it ?:eek:
I think Melanie is the only other person to have one setup like that.

[slo-mo]

Renamed ride: Slough-Mo!

No trophy girls, gotta bring your own

Really, you have a Stiletto with a short shaft Homelite on it ?:eek:
I think Melanie is the only other person to have one setup like that.

Hey Joe, I considered grabbing a rare shortshaft kit from Bill, but decided to mount the Homelite in longshaft form, on a jackplate to see how I liked the power on the Stiletto before converting. After mounting, I decided that the "look" of the big Homely just wasn't ever going to be right. Ever the customizer, I have hung the engine back on the Bell Boy I got from your place, and am in the parts acquistion phase of doing a quick inboard jet install, with power provided by a vertical Homelite block hooked to an angle drive.

This combo should be perfect a "Rat Rod" for the Slough run, little rough around the edges, lots of duct tape and chewing gum...and plenty of foam!! with a reliable, gas-sipping, vintage 4-stroke.

What are you bringing to the party?

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Slough Run 2010

Greg -

I've got to see how you engineer the beast...running a vertical powerhead that mates to an angle drive. (I've been staring at two old OMC V-4's that are runners but utterly unappealing to use as conventional outboards. I keep daydreaming about converting them to vertically-mounted inboards, coupled to a conventional inboard-style propshaft, but I'm not set up to do the machine work that would probaby be required--not to mention having NO TIME for more distractions.)

I'll be dragging this little 12-footer to the Slough Run, probably with a small outboard in the 18-25hp range...or maybe a 30 to 35hp....or why not one of the 75hp McCullochs? (Oops, there I go again--better stay with the 18hp and remain upright.)

- Marty

Feb........sounds cold, But Im in for anything to break cabin fever

Anyone here want to run a hydro against me on this slough run?

tell me what you have & Ill pick a ride and or motor to match you as close as I can

[slo-mo]

lead, follow or _____________

Your 12' derelict will be perfect-Marty, give it more power-Scotty! I'm right with you on the V-4's sitting around. Will keep you posted on logistics of the angle drive. We should have the Yamaha middle drive gear early next week, so that coupler/adapter work can commence. Getting everything spinning in the correct direction was the first order. One reason that I chose to drive a less efficient jet pump, was to eliminate the need/complication for an external drive water pump. Reverse thrust with a jet is done with a diverter eliminating the need for a heavy-complicated-rare-expensive gearbox. An outboard gearbox would be perfect to drive a prop & shaft, but seal and bearing issues made me run away screaming.

Jay, what did you do with the band-aid boat? should've been a perfect candidate-maybe not classic but was designed to look the part. Thanks for the hospitality last week!

Props, love your idea of recreating the hydro race, the other 30 miles would be a demotivator, would you be on your knees? Maybe StrayCat or hydro-Brian Flaherty would have a suitable entry?

for a long run I would like to run my Formula 1 Lite so I could sit down



But Ill run a C or D class PickleFork kneeler to match some one , If I can get one of you guys to pry me out at the end

[Tim_Mattson]

Looks like you guys are getting serious,I better get my boat in order.....
I have this old Plywood thing out back.....Marty thinks he once owned it but it looks like your basic Popular Mechanics homemade special.
At 10` and with the kneeldown cockpit I think it take a 25-30 hp.....came with a 1000 gph pump,and 1`` hose.Needs foam badly,was a salvage from my buddy who came last sat.
Sitting down for the big lake water is appealing but we`ve seen 4` waves out there too.
I`ll be following more than leading until I get some seat time back on top of the water which sure sounds like a good plan.
Here`s some Race shots from back in "the Day"'.
TimM

[FINS]

I wish I had a picture of the look on my face when we slid around a corner and under a tressle only to see the "Band-Aid" boat spitting mud and rocks out of the jet in front of us. They were in the middle of the Slough, so I guessed and went to the right and beached the Playmaster in 2" of water on a gravel bar. Cole looked and me and said why did you stop so fast? I thought for sure we were done for the day, but the impellor spit out gravel (for the next 3-5 minutes) and away we went. Some nice character marks left in the impellor. Maybe I should replace it with a stainless...

If you are taking a Formula boat Props, I am going to set up cameras at every crossing just to watch the fun!

Ive never been there, FINS sounds awful shallow,are we talking about the same slough run?........maybe I should run a D class kneeler???

[halffast32]

I would suggest an airboat! I don't want to discourage participation in the slough run, but I would not use a lower unit and/or prop that is not semi disposable! We ran a jet pump outboard one year and we hit submerged objects even with it's shallow draft. It's a whole lot of fun, but can be a little hard on equiptment!

[Tim_Mattson]

My Yamaha 55 hp came with a spare lower unit and 2 extra props.Both skegs already hashed so just keep it in one pc (and on the surface) will be my theme.
Just need some foam and my Survival Suit to make sure I only get wet at the worst.....wait,it`s so I DON`T get wet.
Should be an interesting day.
Gordan! Got welded Side Fins on that Cast alum Jet Foot?
Really cheap insurance with the alum Wings that act like Manta Ray Canards.You can mash them flat without breaking the casting,then cut them off and re-bolt or weld.
TimM

[Bflaherty]

Feb........sounds cold, But Im in for anything to break cabin fever

Anyone here want to run a hydro against me on this slough run?

tell me what you have & Ill pick a ride and or motor to match you as close as I can

We have an 8' long shovelnose woody hyrdo with a 10hp merc on the back, runs about 20-25 mph with an average adult on board... I am sure I can convince one of my buddies to finally do the slough in her.. I did it a few times as a teenager before I owned a "real" boat....

Im not willing to trash any race motor lowers

whats the average minimum depth? you would have to run

I could run a fishing motor on a jackplate and still run the 45sst Formula lite to be able to sit down

I can sacrifice a fishing prop and lower as long as I dont trash my hull

The issue here is not "minimum or maximum" depth. The issue is the large ( and I mean LARGE) rocks and other objects sitting just below the surface. B

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Slough Depth

MadProps -

It's hard to say because the water level of the Slough varies a bit from year to year, but the average minimum depth might be 8 to 12 inches. (Not to be confused with the average overall depth, which would be more like 4 feet.) As Barry says, the problem is that there are some large rocks down there, together with hefty gravel in spots, so it's not exactly like sliding over a soft sandbar.

If you're concerned about damage to the hull, don't go. It's pretty much guaranteed that you'll accumulate scratches when going through the Willow Run just down from the concrete fish weir at Marymoor Park. (Hefty willow branches overhang the Slough in that particular whitewater section; it's impossible to avoid bouncing off them them like a pinball as you drift downstream. You can't run an outboard motor in that section--at least not without some peril--since there are some menacing chunks on concrete block, rocks and other junk just below the surface...so the accepted method is to tip your lower unit up, grab a paddle and do your best not to be skewered on a broken-off willow branch.)

Sound like fun? It's a ball...but you have to be prepared for some scrapes and scratches. Several years ago I ran a B racing runabout during the Slough Run. Right in the middle of the Willow Run section the hull was 'tripped' by a 4-inch willow branch, which caused the boat to roll upside down under the willow. With the powerhead on the bottom and the prop sticking in the air, the hull was jammed hard against the bottom by the current...and I found myself wading after my cell phone and camera, which of course were destroyed. (After that, I started taking slightly larger and more stable boats.)

Finally, it's not a bad idea to wear a helmet during the Willow Run segment. Nobody's been badly clobbered by one of the willow branches (yet), but it could happen. Head and eye protection are advisable.

In the midst of this scary-sounding description, we should also point out that Tom Horn comes up from Portland every winter to do the Slough Run with his gorgeous 16-foot mahogany inboard jet-drive runabout, and his boat rarely gets nicked. Tom's trick is to power through the Willow Run with his jet, zig-zagging to avoid the branches with fantastic skill. Someday he's going to bite it, but so far he's managed to Do the Slough almost unscathed.

(Here's a photo of Tom and his friend Frank negotiating the Willow Run last year.)

- Marty