But it is no big deal, since the record for sport hydro's set in Franklin VA. this weekend is it's first established record (1/4 mile oval--20 seconds for 2 consecutive laps)---and we were the only sport hydro in the LS36 class. The 30.5cc piston port I previously sold through DDM is not a good racing engine, as it is only "race ported" (My Championship porting is faster), and the cylinder (using the 2mm crank) was not set up for boat racing with the 2mm cranks. I only wanted to sell that 30.5cc kit for the recreation boater with big boats. The next batch of 30.5cc engines/kits will be the new configuration that Donnie Padgett (and his driver) used this weekend. If anybody here bought that 30.5cc from DDM that was only "race ported", and you tried racing with it and lost (and probably did), I will upgrade the cylinder to the new configuration for free. Just shoot me a call.

If anybody is going to the Flint Michigan time trials, and would be interested in trying the new 30.5cc configuration in either a piston port or reed case (reed case will be faster), please shoot me a call ASAP, as that SAW and time trials in Flint are only a couple of weeks away.

I think somebody else set a speed record with a 30.5cc at about 102 MPH for his class (Butch the boat man maybe?) at another event, so contrary to popular belief, it looks like the 30.5cc engines are finding a place in boat racing. Built correctly, there should be no reason why they cant give fast running 29.5cc Zens a good race, with stump pulling inside line corner power and a acceptable heat racing top RPM.

This may be the year--to go big with a 3 bearing Zen case, or possibly a 3 bearing set up reed case, if Trevor makes more of them.

I personally hope the 30.5cc engines see some great success this year. We are man---we can do it.

Thanks folks

Doug @ ESP
(616) 458-8103 (EST Zone)

I did some math, and said "now way"!!--that is 90mph!! I now understand it is a 1/8th mile course for the time trials, totaling 1/4mi. for 2 laps. That comes out to 45mph average. Sounds slow to me, but I hear it is pretty good for that racing. I think I like the time trial run stuff. I'm gonna have to get to Flint MI. (on the 4th of May?) and check out some good racing.

You will like it because it is the only true measure of the boats preformance, one boat at a time running against the clock. No BS at the start & the race is over. It will be necessary to run at WOT from beginning to end.

You have to consider that the boats will scrub off a lot of speed when running close to the buoys in the turns. That kind of brings up the question that if you go out a little further in the corners wil the speeds increase as you'd be losing less speed from the scrubbing? Marty Davis brought up that one many years ago on his old forum site. Oval runners have to be set up to turn, not just go straight if you're running at the record trials so you've also got more stuff hanging in the water (longer rudders and turn fins) inducing drag. The numbers are actually better than they seem as you're going more for lap times than pure speed.

Hello Mr. Olsen:

I want to first thank you for driving some of Donnie's boats with my engines in them (if you are that Ron Olsen). Donnie has nothing but good to say about you, and I am honored that your helping us out. Hugging the buoys may prove to be faster if the larger 30.5cc engines can pull through the corners better than the smaller displacement of recent winners. If the engine makes enough power to stay in the healthy part of the power curve when holding tight lines, the inside line could become the best line on the course because of the shorter distance (I am sure the choice of hull is a big factor also, and may be a smaller prop than usual heat racing). That does not count out wider lines though if actual speeds are faster there (and will be), but I believe the inside line will become a more attractive option with the bigger engines. In most racing, the shortest lines are usually hard to beat--unless you don't have enough power to pull strongly out of tight corners.

Thanks again for the driving you have done for Donnie and I. It is greatly appreciated.

Since Donnie's 30.5 ran pretty good as a piston port (which will be for sale at DDM soon), I built him a reed case version, and this reed case long block for Dave Horsley to test out for racing. We have had some problems in the Florida heat and humidity with my previous set up, and Dave noticed the carb getting hot with the reed case which could cause some other problems. I hope we have both problems fixed with this new set up. Here is a pic of the reed case 30.5cc long block. It has higher compression than what we have been using, more correct port timing for the 2mm crank, a 1.5mm thick Teflon gasket between the carb and cases to help prevent heat transfer into the carb, a RCMK piston (longer skirts) to stop the bottom of the piston skirt from opening the bottom of the exhaust port at TDC (a no no for reed engines), a full circle Zenoah 2mm stroked crank from the air cooled engines (reeds like tighter crank case volume), a third bearing to help stabilize the crank a bit (which does fit the air cooled crank shafts perfectly), and a special flywheel to be able to use the shorter shaft air cooled crank. We will use the 771 carb, and of course, the QD hot pipes. This is a G290 air cooled cylinder I modified to make a PUM just before Zen came out with the PUM version, and it will look like a sleeper with the G260 Black water cap.

I expect this larger build to have very tough to beat power in the corners, and keep accelerating to the next corner (easy over 18,000rpm), and I hope the bad air quality in the Florida summer will not hurt much. We will see. Have fun Donnie and Dave.

If anybody out there has a set of TS PUM reed cases, I would be happy to build you one of these (with the bigger cap 36mm bore PUM top end kit though---of course).

Thanks for reading.

Doug @ ESP

CanadianHotRod. You asked where my records were, and I bit your head off. (both deleted--thank you mods. good job. But I won't say I am sorry for defending myself--unless I used vulgar language.)

I found out, actually, we do have two world record's right now. Donnie (and his driver of the day, Mr. Loeb, who I never talked with yet) set them a month or so ago, and the records did not get beat in the Flint Michigan round which ran more recently. So we have the records at least until fall, which we should be able to beat again. Looking at the records (and from what I hear from my racers), it looks like Butch the Boat man is the guy to beat today, so I hope we run against his work this fall.

The classes we won were both sport hydro LSG 36.
The Driver was a guy named "Loeb"/Padgett(boat owner), and my company name (ESP) for the engine is now recorded. I guess it was windy that day, and in Flint (we were not in Flint), and the drivers have to let off a bit or possibly crash I understand, so I am sure the records will be broken by somebody---hopefully by us.

1/4 mile oval used the 30.5cc piston port (first time the engine was raced)
1/3rd mile oval used the 29.5cc reed case engine (but not mentioned by our mistake).
This 30.5cc reed case engine above will be stronger than both of them, as I have built enough reed case engines to know what to expect from them. Contact me by phone if you own a set of reed cases, and I will be happy to build you one.

www.impba.net/attachments/article/63/mat%202.pdf

HotRod, you can pick up my work at DDM, and not thin your wallet so much (but if you own a set of TS reed cases, I would be happy to build this 30.5cc for you also, since I don't offer those at DDM). It might turn out to be a win/win situation for you.

Doug @ ESP
(616) 458-8103 (EST Zone)

all I asked was a simple question - was no slamming involved - I heard u had a set a record and that was all I asked

I read most forums and know who is who in the zoo - I see what people are doing and buy from DDM often.

I'm happy doing my own work thanks - I like doing a complete build and then beating on it ....

Congrats on the records Doug. Keep up the good work!!

Is the intake and exhaust timing the same on a reed motor as it is on other engines?

I'm curious because I want to make a CNC program to do the porting on my engines. I have read several articles on porting and it doesn't seem to be that difficult to do.