July 28, 2010
Especially for those keeping track, please scroll down the HOME page to the TCPBA schedule for some changes.
St. Cloud will not be happening this year, due to bankrupcy of our sponsors corporate owners. But we're optimistic for next year.
Also, Pine City keeps moving farther into the future. But it should take place in September, at least a one-day event and hopefully two.
Comment/Question?
July 26, 2010
More racing coming up this weekend, July 31-August 1. We'll be back on Serpent Lake in Crosby, MN, maybe our very best racing venue.
We always set up a dog-legged course in Crosby. As the boats come down the front straightaway they are heading right for the spectator beach. Then they make a slight but significant turn directly in front of the crowd. The result is fun for the spectators, and sometimes a real headache for the racers.
Bring your lawn chairs. Food and drink are always available. Come spend an afternoon in Crosby.
Comment/Question?
July 21, 2010
The Halver boys did in fact make it to Hastings, so Mini GT was on the program. We were hoping to have one more boat, but that didn't happen. So it was Drake, Korgen and me. Drake won the first heat; Korgen won the second, and won overall. Yours Truly brought up the rear.
Comment/Question?
July 18, 2010
At Hastings yesterday, bad luck continued to haunt the Dillon Sport GT. I drew the pole position for heat #1, but when I hit the starter not much happened. Dean Hansen reached down from the dock, pulled my starter rope and I was off, but dead last. I managed to pass one boat before the heat was over.
Second heat, I kept my motor running, in neutral. When the flag dropped I shifted and was off and running. I was using a 10.5x15 Ron Hill, Yamaha-style cleaver that gets the best acceleration of the props available to me, has reasonable top end, but poor holeshot. Still from the far end of the line I took up the third position behind Steph Hansen and Jeff Larson. When Jeff's motor took a dive I was in second place and on a mission to track down Steph. I pulled up beside her on the white flag lap, then again as we charged for the finish line. I still don't know which of us won the heat. But Steph won the race; Jeff took second; and I got third.
Comment/Question?
July 11, 2010
Finally getting ready to race again. Next Saturday we'll be in Hastings, MN, for a one-day event. The Coast Guard has given us control of the water from 10:00am to 3:00pm, so racing starts early.
I'm not sure if Mini GT will be running since the two Halver boys are at Boy Scout camp this week. Though late word is they may leave camp a day early to come to Hastings. If so, Katie Sellner will also join us in her Uncle Jerry's Yamato v-bottom, which is a hot little boat.
Also looking for Tony Fortuna to be back on the water with a "new" engine and some bottom-work done -- seems a little delamination was happening under there. Anyway, with the new motor and the same Ron Hill prop I ran on the Pro Vee last summer, he should be running up near the front of the pack. If all goes well, anyway.
Come on to Hastings, just west of the Bridge. Saturday, July 17.
Comment/Question?
June 16, 2010
Sunday, June 13, we raced on the Mississippi River in Champlin, MN. The Sport GT was back on the water with a patched bottom, but my trim switch quick-fix (foolishly, I never revisisted the problem) quickly failed and I had to run the entire race at a too high trim angle. A last place finish for #212.
Jeff Larson was back with the Pro Tunnel. Jeff won the race, with Steph Hansen (Racemaster) taking second. Steph's brother Jeff took a step down from SST 60 and drove the original Dillon Mini Tunnel (now owned by Dave Halver) to a third place finish.
Tony Fortuna (Mini Vee: see Customer Projects) suffered engine failure in the warm up laps and didn't race. But he had aquired a new motor the day before the race, so he won't be down for long.
In the first heat, Megan Halver (Kober Cat) and Kris Bjork (Racemaster) collided in a corner. Both continued racing, but Megan's boat was damaged and was taking on water and had to be quickly loaded on its trailer after the heat was over.
It went worse for Chris Miller in VP 75 who barrel rolled a Glastron owned by Howard Pipkorn. Chris wasn't hurt, but the boat sunk in a couple of minutes and wasn't found until the next day. The boat looked pretty rough, but the 70hp Johnson was running within an hour.
Comment/Question?
June 15, 2010
The 2010 racing season started in Detroit Lakes, MN, on June 5th and 6th.
Mini GT made its comeback with three Mini Vees. I drove my Mini Vee on Saturday. Drake Halver won the race. On Sunday Jade Hedlund drove the #212 Mini Vee for his first ever race. Korgen Halver got the win in his second race.
A trip to the scales Saturday morning showed me the new tunnelboat, the Dillon Sport GT, is at least 50 lbs. overweight, way more than I had anticipated. On the short course that we run, I had no time to build up the speed that this boat is capable of. Still, I took second in the first heat behind Steph Hansen.
But a broken wire in my trim switch left me without trim in heat two. A poor start and difficulty getting through the turns.
But I got second place overall. Steph won the race. Jeff Larson did not have his Dillon Pro Tunnel ready and did not race.
On Sunday I spun out at the first turn and ended up in sixth place. Worse, at the end of the heat I realized the boat was listing; I was leaking. I gently beached the boat, and once on the trailer found a crack in the starboard sponson pad.
Steph Hansen won again!! Congratulations Steph on a big weekend.
Comment/Question?
June 3, 2010
The 2010 racing seasons kicks off this weekend in Detroit Lakes, MN. It's been a long fall, winter and spring, and we're all ready to get back at it.
Come see us on the north shore of Detroit Lake, on the south edge of town. We'll have eight classes racing, from 40 mph Mini GTs to 120 mph Formula 150s.
Mini GT has been away for two years, but it comes back this summer. We have three Dillon Mini Vees and one Yamato v-bottom. Not a lot of boats, but similar hulls should provide us with some close racing.
The "Dillon Sport GT" is ready for its first race. It will be particularly interesting to see how it stacks up against Jeff Larson's Pro Tunnel.
And remember, the original Dillon Pro Vee is still for sale -- too late to set up for this weekend, but there are lots more races to come.
Comment/Question?
May 9, 2010
Jeff Larson has finally been able to nail down a couple of days of racing in Cumberland, WI. Nice work, Jeff. It will be a very busy late July and August, followed by (hopefully) a trip to Kankakee in early September.
I don't think the Isanti, MN, "Ice Breaker" is going to happen. And last I heard Pine City is still uncertain. But the rest of the schedule (on the HOME page) seems to be in place.
Kankakee update: Last summer, then-OPC Chairman Mike Weinandt invited GT Pro to the 2010 Nationals. But Mike has since been ousted as Chairman, and has not been invited back as Nationals Race Director. I have been in contact with Great Lakes Boat Club commodore Dee Berghauer, and the subject is going to be raised with their board. Still waiting to hear back from Dee.
Comment/Question?
May 3, 2010
Customer Project update. Tony Fortuna launched his Mini Vee this weekend for its first tests. Results were good and a direction was established to race-ready condition. See his boat on the go HERE.
Comment/Question?
April 29, 2010
A new builder joins the Customer Projects section. SK Yeoh, currently working in China, has made a good start on his Pro Tunnel. See his progress HERE.
I took the "New Tunnel" (gotta come up with a name) out for another spin yesterday. A bit breezy, so I had to go a little easy coming into the wind.
This boat did not start out to be a GT Pro, so I've been thinking of it as a sort of orphan design. But now I'm wondering if I should work up the plans and offer them for sale. And maybe try it again myself for Sport C, its original purpose. We'll see how it goes once the racing season gets underway.
Comment/Question?
April 28, 2010
Finally, the new tunnel boat is rigged and has been out for its first test. Awesome! Over 48 mph with a home-modified OMC prop.
See the latest pictures HERE.
Also, a new Ron Hill prop is on the way, an honest-to-goodness pointy-eared cleaver, 10x17. Should be here first thing next week, and I'm very anxious to try it -- and pass it around to others in the class as well.
Comment/Question?
April 17, 2010
The new GT Pro tunnel boat is all painted. This is the converted Sport C project, originally built three years ago, and now re-imagined for its new class.
And I have a camera again, so I've added pictures to the page linked to above.
Maybe ready to test in a couple of weeks.
Comment/Question?
April 5, 2010
Work continues on converting my Sport C project to GT Pro. I don't have any new photos because my camera bit the dust. Hope to have a replacement soon.
Spring is galloping along in unprecidented form. The lakes are already open, a good three weeks ahead of average. I'm usually sitting on shore with a boat ready to test, waiting for the ice to go out. This year the lakes will have to wait for me.
The original Pro Vee is still for sale. Here is an opportunity for someone to step into racing with a winning rig. I'm not selling a motor with this boat, but you don't need anything special to make it go. Just a good-running 30hp or 35hp (they're the same) Johnson or Evinrude. Or pick up a 20hp or 25hp and make the simple conversion to 35hp.
This is a fast boat with two high-points championships to it's credit.
Comment/Question?
March 23, 2010
It's time again for the "World of Wheels" in Duluth. And when you think of wheels, you naturally think of racing boats.
I'm bringing my Pro Vee (which is for sale) and my Mini Vee. There will also be a V-6 powered SST 120 tunnelboat on display.
And of course a lot of really cool cars that all those other exhibitors will be showing.
The show runs March 26-28, at the DECC. See you there.
Comment/Question?
March 20, 2010
Tony Fortuna sent the latest pictures of his Mini Vee project today. He's done a beautiful job on his boat. And he's in the final stretch, rigging it to race in GT Pro.
Thank you, Tony, for all the updates.
Take a look at the new boat in Customer Boats.
Comment/Question?
March 15, 2010
Spring is coming early to Minnesota. The snow is just about gone. But winter is likely to have a few tricks for us in the next month or so.
It was warm enough to work outdoors yesterday. I got a bit of work done on my "new tunnelboat."
Work also continues on the Mini Vee project. I'm still hoping someone will come forward to buy this boat and get started finishing it for racing this season.
You don't have to build your own boat to get started in racing. My original Pro Vee is still for sale. This is a fast boat which won two highpoints championships in two seasons of racing.
Comment/Question?
February 22, 2010
Lately I've been keeping an eye on a race that is developing in Parker, AZ. For the last few years they've run an endurance race, the Blue Water Resort and Casino 300 Enduro, which is for larger boats, both inboard and outboard. Now Ron Hill is attempting to expand the idea to a "Mini Enduro."
In this case "mini" refers to the size of the boats, not necessarily the severity of the endurance. The rules are only a proposal at this point, but they seem to offer some possibilities for small tunnel and v-bottom boats.
Division I is any 30hp outboard on a v-bottom boat. That sounds to me like a Mini GT boat with a carburetor (and propeller) upgrade. Division IV is any 2-cylinder outboard on any boat. Maybe a Pro Tunnel with a Sport C motor (40hp Tohatsu) could run here. Or with a Yamato (Division II).
The 300 Enduro doesn't seem to allow homebuilt boats. No mention of that for the Mini Enduro, but I'm hoping. Anyway, I'm probably just daydreaming. I don't know if a race 2000 miles away is in the cards for me this year.
Tentative date is October 31st, the day after the 300. Keep and eye on the Mini Boats section at Boat Racing Facts.
Comment/Question?
January 30, 2010
Returning visitors will notice some changes. Nothing sustantive, just a face lift. Although maybe I've made some things easier to find. Or, since it weren't broke perhaps I shouldn't have fixed it....
It's cold, cold, cold here in north-central Minnesota. But as aways we have boats and racing on our minds. The first boat show of the season has already come and gone. The Twin City Powerboat Assoc. had a few boats on display, including a couple of Dillon Tunnels. You can see some photos HERE.
The latest Mini Vee project is coming along slowly. I'll have more to update on that soon.
Comment/Question?
January 16, 2010
The Mini Vee I started last fall has been completed to a bare hull, and the Halvers came to pick it up last weekend. They will be finishing and rigging the boat for Mini GT. Some notes on the project HERE.
I've made a start on the next Mini Vee. This one should be ready by the end of March, and it still needs a buyer. It is available to any current or future TCPBA/APBA member who will complete the project and race it in Mini GT next summer. The price is very reasonable, and the cost to make it race-ready is not excessive.
Contact me if you are interested.
Comment/Question?
January 14, 2010
Rod Muller, from Australia, test-launched his elongated Mini Vee. Just to see how she floats for right now. Check it out HERE
I also recently added China to the list of countries where my plans have been sold. The sale was complicated by the inability to access Paypal from China. So he had a friend in Singapore make the purchase and pass them along. It is indeed a tiny planet.
Comment/Question?
January 1, 2010
What happened to 2009? It was here a minute ago....
Coming up for 2010: A new tunnel boat to race this summer; a Pro Vee to sell; another Mini Vee to build this winter; a Yeeha Sport C boat (belongs to a friend) to work on in the spring.
And maybe a new tunnel boat design to unveil. Hopefully I'll have more to say about that this year.
Happy New Year!
Comment/Question?
December 20, 2009
I will be away Christmas week. All plans orders received during that period will be fulfilled as soon as I get back. I will have access to my email, however, so keep those cards and letters coming.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.
Comment/Question?
December 15, 2009
Scroll down the Home page for the 2010 TCPBA Race Schedule. I'm calling it tentative for now, although most of the races have been signed. Hastings and Pine City are up in the air for now, and Cumberland is still a work in progress.
Comment/Question?
December 14, 2009
Some activity in the Customer Projects section lately.
Rod Muller continues to make progress on "Peggy" after a month-long Australian heat wave kept him sidelined in November.
New boatbuilder Robert Konz, from Virginia, has just started his Dillon Pro Vee.
See both of these builds, and more, in Customer Projects.
Comment/Question?
November 23, 2009
The Twin City Powerboat Association had its annual awards banquet Saturday at Grand Casino Mille Lacs near Onamia, MN. The Hansen family hosted a hospitality room in their suite, and we had a nice buffet supper in one of the facility's ornate meeting rooms.
GT Pro highpoints awards went to: first place, Bob Dillon (Pro Vee); second place, Jeff Larson (Pro Tunnel); third place, Stephanie Hansen (Racemaster).
Another award of note: Drake Halver took home the Rookie of the Year plaque for driving my Mini Vee in GT Pro this summer. My Mini Vee is set up for Mini GT, so Drake was chronically underpowered, but he hung in there and had fun driving the boat despite the disadvantage, even beat a few of the 35hp boats. Nice work, Drake.
Drake and his brother, Korgen, will be back next summer in their own Mini Vees to relaunch our Mini GT class, which has been resting for a couple of years.
Also, Jeff Larson is our new commodore (congratulations, Jeff!) and Yours Truly has been elected to the board. So, a lot of long trips to the Metro area for me this winter.
Comment/Question?
November 9, 2009
I've got a new Mini Vee under construction. This boat will be going to the Jim Halver family for setup and finishing. The Halvers also recently acquired my original Mini Vee, which they will be reverting back to Mini GT. They'll have three racers in the family for 2010, two Mini GTs and one GT Pro.
You can see highlights of this new construction project HERE.
Comment/Question?
October 25, 2009
A break in the horrible weather we've been having this month gave me chance to do a bit of work on the new GT Pro. I also uncovered the Pro Vee and the Mini Vee in case any water had found its way through their covers.
Well, the sunshine didn't last long. I went inside for about fifteen minutes in mid-afternoon, and while I was having a cup of coffee and checking my email, it rained. So the boats that were uncovered to dry out got wet instead. Nice.
But at least I got a little bit of work done on the new GT Pro.
Comment/Question?
October 18, 2009
Now that I'm getting a new GT Pro boat ready to race next summer (see previous post), it's time to find a new home for the Pro Vee. The original Dillon Pro Vee is for sale. I raced this boat for two seasons, won a bunch of races, and almost always finished on the podium. Also won two GT Pro Highpoints Championships.
Comment/Question?
October 15, 2009
The Sport C boat I started three years ago turned out to have some problems -- one problem really: too heavy. This summer I made the decision to abandon the boat as a Sport C project and "re-imagine" it for GT Pro. I got started on that a few weeks ago. You can see how it's going HERE.
Comment/Question?
October 14, 2009
The racing season is over for 2009, and that means the boatbuilding season is on. I have plans to build two Mini Vees this winter, with the intent of selling them as bare hulls to be set up for our Mini GT class. One hull already is sold, but I'm still looking for a buyer for the second one. The price will be extraordinarily reasonable -- but only to someone who will complete the boat and race it in Mini GT in 2010.
Mini GT has not been raced here for the last two seasons, but we intend to bring it back for 2010. We expect to have four Mini Vees in the class, including my original hull which has changed hands again and should be ready for Mini GT next spring. Other racers have also expressed interest in building Mini Vees for the class. Another club member recently aquired a Bobcat tunnel boat, which will be set up for either Mini GT or GT Pro. Another hopeful is looking at a restorable v-bottom.
Meantime, I'm converting my failed Sport C project (it was too heavy) into a GT Pro racer for next season. More on that soon.
I have new activity in the Customer Projects section. Check out Slomke, Fortuna and Muller. I also have reports from a customer who tells me his recently launched Pro Vee hit 57+ mph with a 40 hp motor on it's first trip across the lake. He promises pictures soon.
Comment/Question?
September 16, 2009
I've updated one of my customer projects. Take a look at this rapidly developing Mini Vee.
All is set for the race in St. Cloud, MN, this weekend. The weather forecast calls for beautiful late-summer conditions.
I hear that 2009 SST 120 World and National Champion Jay Fox will be coming, trying to scare up a few more highpoints toward a Hall of Champions bid. A couple of other top 120 drivers will also be making the trip, also in search of a few more points. Six or eight of these 100+ mph boats will make for quite a race.
Comment/Question?
September 2, 2009
It's official, the sanction came in my email today for the St. Cloud, MN, race. It's the Granite Country River Roar and it's at Wilson Park on the Mississippi River, September 19 and 20. They say it's a fantastic site for racing.
I'm off tomorrow for the OPC Nationals. Not racing -- GT Pro is only a local class. But I'll be helping launch boats, and hold boats at the start dock, maybe borrow a camera to take some video of the action. Should be fun.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Comment/Question?
August 28, 2009
Another new Customer Project has been added. Don Slomke is building a Mini Vee in West Virginia, and making a quick start of it.
Comment/Question?
August 26, 2009
Two updates in the Customer Projects section: Keith Drennon of South Carolina, and Tony Fortuna of Minnesota.
Comment/Question?
August 25, 2009
FINALLY! The plans for the Dillon Pro Tunnel are finally available. Read more about them, and check out the YouTube video, HERE.
If you are anywhere near Kankakee, IL, over the Labor Day weekend, think about attending the OPC National Championships. I will be there, not to race, but to crew for a couple of fellow racers. And enjoy the best racing around. See the busy schedule of events HERE.
Comment/Question?
August 15, 2009
It's looking really good for racing in St. Cloud in September. The location will be Wilson Park on the Mississippi River. The club used to race there some years ago, and they say it's a really, really nice venue, one of the best anywhere. Hope to get confirmation on this in a week or so. The dates will be September 19 and 20.
Comment/Question?
August 12, 2009
I just put up a new Customer Project page. Tony Fortuna is building a Mini Vee, and we hope to see him on the racecourse next summer. See his project HERE.
Work continues on plans for the Dillon Pro Tunnel. If you are not familiar with the design, check out the building reports HERE. Or watch the YouTube video.
Comment/Question?
August 5, 2009
We had a busy June and July with six racing events including ten races. I have been very lax in getting my race reports on the site, but I took a lot of notes and will start getting that stuff done soon.
The Pro Vee did very well again this season, but so did that newcomer, the Dillon Pro Tunnel. I have been working on the plans for the Pro Tunnel and hope to have them ready for sale soon. To get a good look at the boat in action, scroll down the home page to the first YouTube window, and watch it (the yellow #19 boat) tear up the racecourse in Crosby, MN. (The Pro Vee brings up the rear after engine trouble ruined my start.)
Comment/Question?
July 9, 2009
First thing tomorrow morning I'm off to Beloit, WI, an approximately 500 mile trip. The weather forecast for Beloit looks awfully good for powerboat racing: sunny in the 80s.
First order of business today is to get my GT Pro motor running again. Of course, anyone who relies on me to fix their motor has a fool for a mechanic, so wish me luck. Last resort: rob the motor off the Mini Vee and leave that boat at home this weekend. I'd rather not have to go that route.
See you in Beloit? If you're in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois region, come to the races.
Comment/Question?
July 7, 2009
Finally the race reports for Champlin. Reports for Pine City to come soon -- that's where things really happened, with one upside-down GT Pro, two big tunnel boat blowing over and a GT Pro damaged in traffic on the way home. (Everyone is alright.) Also, the Pro Tunnel finally starts to show its stuff.
Comment/Question?
June 15, 2009
The racing went very well in Champlin yesterday -- beautiful summer-like weather, barely a breath of wind. Race report to follow soon.
Meanwhile, see Bob Stone's latest video, this one from last week's racing in Detroit Lakes, MN.
Comment/Question?
June 14, 2009
Race Reports are in for last weekends race in Detroit Lakes. Things went both very well and rather disastrous.
Today we're in Champlin, MN, on the Mississippi River.
Comment/Question?
June 4, 2009
I took the Mini Vee out for its first test run yesterday. For fun, I set it up as a GT Pro (35 hp, 10x18 Ron Hill racing prop) but didn't add any ballast to bring the weight up to rules. So I was about 80 lbs. light! I saw 47 mph come up on the gps, at least momentarily. I don't have a tach on this boat yet, but I can tell you the motor was sceaming. I suspect I could have used another inch of pitch and squeezed out another mph.
First run the boat ran smooth and steady, and it turned nicely. I put the tilt up a notch and this time it porpoised mildly at top end -- the kind that won't even happen in the choppy water of a racecourse. I'm very happy with the performance.
But back to reality. Today I'll downgrade to 25hp and add ballast. I'm hoping for 40-42 mph set up for Mini GT. Fourteen-year-old Drake Halver will be driving it in GT Pro this weekend. He won't be very competitive, but he doesn't have to be -- it will be his first time in a racing boat. He'll get his first test run early Saturday morning.
Comment/Question?
June 1, 2009
The 2009 racing season is upon us. It kicks off this weekend in Detroit Lakes, MN.
I've been struggling with my GT Pro motor this spring, but I think I might have sorted it out this weekend. A broken bolt forced me to pull the powerhead. In the process I got some things cleaned up, replaced some hoses and electronics. It purrs like a kitten in the driveway. Now, if it will only roar like a lion with the throttle wide open.
The Mini Vee is just about ready for the water. Just need to finalize the setup and go test. The hope is to have it racing in Detroit Lakes, in GT Pro for now, until more Mini GT boats come forward.
Comment/Question?