OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[Arthur]

New Zealand and jetboating go together like Canadians and beer. I've been searching other websites,forums and getting input from you guys on how to spruce up the forum and get more up to date info when I came across this......enjoy!

“Going Places” was the first jet boat in NZ to break the 100mph barrier some 25 years ago and was broken by my father Blue Derry so I had to ask nicely if I could use the name but somehow it fits in well with the next major step in racing in New Zealand and who knows we may even have a try at the record in NZ in the years to come.

The talk of turbine’s has been around for some years with Tim Harding out of America leading the way and finally getting one to run properly and nearly winning the Worlds in 08 in America, had he not ended up out of the river.
I have known Tim, for a number of years through Rob Chrunyk and got on well with them both so was up with what they were doing when it came to racing.

It was after last years Worlds in NZ and going for a ride in the Turbine boat with Ryan Ringer that got me thinking, my team was the best pre-pared and fastest we had ever been with a new Big block producing good power and a fast boat and no expense spared, (don’t tell my wife) and the bloody thing still broke.

You could say, we have all been through this but I would suggest I have wrecked more motors than most in ten years of racing, and to be honest was a bit over it, and couldn’t afford to carry on that way!
After a few days of watching the marathon finish and drinking far too much I heading home, broken boat in tow and started to think about the next step.

It wasn’t until I got a Phone call from World Champ James Murdoch who was also thinking the same (and he finishes races) and we talked about the pros and cons that I really thought that maybe I should build one.

In November last year I spoke to Rob and Tim and arranged a turbine package and hull from Outlaw eagle. The deal was I kept sending money overseas and they would get it going, well if any one has built a boat and budgeted for it will know to allow at least 40% over budget and you will get close to what you need.

Rob is a master at making these tunnels run fast and I didn’t have the know how of the turbine’s so it made sense to let them build it although it would be more expensive it may end up being cheaper in the long run. Wow what a fantastic job they have done in the fit out, it is a real credit to the team at Outlaw eagle for the hull, Bratt Jet for fit out and Tim for the turbine set up.

Brett Hefford a long time team member with me and Lester Singleton a turbine buff headed over to Red Deer, Alberta, in Canada, to run the boat and maybe do a race to see how it goes, for any one that knows the Canadians they work a bit on Fiji time and are very relaxed about life, great way to be I must admit but a little slow at times when you just want to sit in the seat and see how this girl goes.

We finally got it in the water on the Wednesday afternoon, and I let Gord Humphreys drive as he had some testing time in his boat and new what to expect. These are the coolest thing not wearing a g string when they start up, actually very simple once you get used to them, so I headed out for a run with Gord, and was very impressed with the speed and handling of the thing only to find out when we got back to the trailer we were only running at 92 percent of the power, a simple wind of the little secret screw and we were up too 105 percent, hell what a difference, if I wasn’t scared before I am now, different boat and give me the steering wheel.

Finally got Gord, out of the seat after making some changes and Brent and I were away, you can always see the wide eyes of someone who has not been in one before and Brent was not different, it is a classic to watch. We did a small amount of testing and out of the box on the first day got the boat running at 118 miles per hour, pretty happy. We packed up and spend the next day driving to peace river to get ready for their race weekend, Gord had his new turbine there as well and we spent about 5 hours on Friday trying different things between us and got the boat into the 120’s. We both had our issues with us having pump problems, but thanks to Chad and Willy Burns who lent us some gear, we were able to keep running. Gord, locked up a gearbox and broke the pump shaft clean in half and broke some gears, we didn’t have any spare gears so his race weekend was over, it was a shame as he had done most of the hard testing work for us, not enough for me to lend him my gears though!
The first leg was a mass start and run down to Peace river town about 25 miles , I stuffed up the start and had to chase all the boats down and passed all except Chad Burns who ran first.

The afternoon leg was a 40 mile circuit race around the islands in Peace river, once again a mass start and once again I had to chase all the boats and once again couldn’t pull in Chad and Willy’s fast unlimited boat, although it is nice to be able to pull in the other boats like Dale Whiteside who I am sure gave me the finger the 3rd time I passed him.
We had no major dramas after the first day of racing apart from keeping an eye on the gear box, taking chunks out of the impeller and so on.

The next day was more of a river race, a long leg up the Smokey river which is full of big rocks and some white water, but no braided area’s at all to see if the boat likes tight corners, once again I stuffed up the mass start and had to pass all the boats but Chad, this time we did catch him but couldn’t see the point of trying to pass him in the rocky areas and settled for second up stream. No major issues apart from blowing a nozzle apart, so temporary repairs and back off down stream this time in minute intervals and guess what I had a good start but now no one to pass!

We took the down leg carefully as there are some big rocks just under the water that would wreck a boat so we just wanted to get the boat down safely to put in the container undamaged! We got a second place for the weekend to Chad Burns who ran a good fast race and Dale Whiteside was third and Gord 4th in his spare unlimited boat. Great time had by all and a steep learning curve with these boats, are they the way of the future for unlimited racing? Yes in North America for sure, and it will take some time to get sorted for NZ conditions, they don’t slow down so well and are slow under 50 miles per hour, would be a handful around the pylons on the Waimak, but in the years to come may get sorted.

We were not with out our issues and are sure we will have some more until we get it sorted. The boat is on its way home and will be on display in Blenheim for the start of the marathon and we may even enter if we get it sorted.
If any one was planning a trip to Canada they should pen in next year for the worlds, the guys and girls over there really look after people and show them a good time, and are always keen to go boating.
John Derry

[Bald Man]

Great story. Thanks for posting.
I have had the great pleasure of hanging with Rob & Dale for the past 12-15 years and always enjoy drinking beer while they are working on boats! Ya get to see their minds (and others) at work and their love of going fast and getting faster. Some stuff works, some stuff don't. Like most of the guys in this sport, they really do love this shit and are great embassadors of the sport.
I hope you don't mind if I add a few pics!

[Arthur]

Don't mind at all Baldy...in fact I ENCOURAGE it. Your pics are always awesome....Behind the scenes,boating,dirt biking,mountians....keep em coming!

[Hines]

Hey Baldman how's your summer been, you still hangen out under the bridge drinking beer? HA. Later.