OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[Akgravelpumper]

What modifications did you have to do to your boat for racing? What speeds are you getting from your boat? You must be doing something right, you did well at the race. Hope sportjets get sanctioned

[Xerophobic]

Drive like a psycho and make sure you navigators strapped in tight enough they can't punch you while you're airborn, seemingly out of control LOL
(you may be able to hide the psycho thing by telling people its your first race but that may only work for a short period of time )
haha other than those tips I will leave it to Alumaman...
I belive our fastest time on the salmon with a very stock SJ was about 71 downstream. Thunderstruck seemed to have a few lengths on us over a mile or so in a drag race which im guessing was the race nozzle maybe??? Our seats/tank weren't setback and we had a full interior as well

Cheers

p.s run the Salmon as your first race, everything else will seem flat after that haha

[Akgravelpumper]

Thanks, I think I can handle the psyco driving part. Just wondering what needs to be done to a stock sj to be competative, its a long way to any races from AK. I would like to just show up at a rce and check out the show but dont have the funds to do that right now. would like to set up my brothers sj this year and hopefully try to run it in a race or 2 next year.

[Gator]

I envy those of you who get to race. I watched the run on the Salmon and made a final decision not to race as the old bones in the back would not be able to handle it.
On the Rivers in your boats you are free as the Eagle who chases the Rabbit, nimbly turning and riding the currents of the wind, diving and ducking for that elusive prize while you run at speeds only you can imagine or experience. Ah to be as free as the winds, with the drive and speed of the lightning bolt dashing hither and yon in the rapids and in the flats running free like a wild stallion with the wind in your face and caring only for what is in front of you, with no regard for what has past. The thrill of the chase pulsing through the very essence of your being only to be topped by the crossing of the finish line, finally at piece as you realize that you are as one with the mighty metal beast as that final pulse of its heart goes silent ... waiting for your command to start the next run.

Oh how I envy you, bold Knights of the River.


Gator

[Alumaman]

AKgravelpumper,
Good to hear that you’re interested in getting into this sport. It’s a total rush, and the people you meet are great. I’m happy to share what mod’s I made as everything I learned over the past year was from other racers willing to share their knowledge and from reading on various forums.
But first a couple comments;
- UIM does not allow pump mod’s. The AWJA and the Riggins officials did, so I ran with modified components. I’m a supporter of the “playing with the pump is allowed” rule because it gives us SJ racers something to experiment with. If I do the 2006 Worlds its back on with the stock items.
- there is no one magic bullet, just a whole bunch of little things that individually only add decimals of improvement. Maybe 1.5 mph can be gained, but with sacrifices. Like many jet boat design issues “everything involves compromise”.
- get as much seat time as you can and always be in control of the boat, even when it looks to others that your out of control.

Ok, sorry, the goods. I removed all non essential stuff to save weight, carpet, floor boards, rear seat etc. Moved the fuel tank and the seats back. Ran a 3 blade impeller, and SS wear ring with tight clearances. Custom made aluminum race nozzle (droop snoot), equivalent to about 7 degree of wedge and slight reduction in outlet size. Sharpened the grate, polished the intake. Basically reducing weight, minimizing the wetted surface of the hull, and flowing water as efficiently as possible. Along with the non go fast stuff like roll bar, race seats, and safety gear.
Something to consider is that moving everything back involved several hundred hours of shop time, cutting, welding, and refitting. And it changed a perfectly good 4 seat sport boat into a terrible handling 2 person sled. But looking good is half the battle, lol.

That’s the basics, didn’t get any GPS numbers, but Jame’s numbers are what I would have guessed. I think that 63mph (river effect out) is max that these boats can do.
Oh and during the race only taking your foot of the gas when your out of the water and the engine is at red-line helps too.

Good luck,
The Aluma-man sj24 Thunderstruck

[Akgravelpumper]

Thanks for the replies, couple more questions,
What advantage of does the 3 blade impeller have over the 4 blade?
who made your snoot? What are the disadvantages to the snoot?
Any pics of the snoot ? intake grate ect?
Right now I dont want to make many changes to the boat that are not reversible unless they do not hurt the everyday performance of the boat.
Swapping parts back and forth is not a problem.
Right now the boat is box stock with the exception of a stainless wear ring and new style " turbo" 4 blade impeller, which they say is a mile or two slower than standard 4 blade.
Someone said a 175 nozzle on a sj would pick up top speed, any info on this?
Thanks again
Wish there were more people in AK. interested in racing here.
There are lots of good rivers to run.

[Alumaman]

The three blade lets engine run up an additional 100 hundred RPM, and in theory pushes a little more water, and a little more top speed. Its slower out of the hole and slower to load up when running white water, but if the course has some flat sections the slightly higher top end will make up for it.
Race nozzle was made by Roger Kehoe in Edmonton, Eagle has also made some steel versions. Disadvantage is in tuning, I cant wedge down as angle is built into the nozzle. A future project is to design a wedge that fits between w/r and nozzle. I'll get a picture and post it for you.
Your right the new Mercury high skew and the Solas impellers compromise top end for grabbing power and longevity.
I haven't heard about using a 175 nozzle, I'm pretty sure Mercury uses the same nozzle for both the 175 and 240, but could be wrong. I have experimented with a sleeved nozzle and did not see any gains.

What hull are you working with, 15', 16' or the X16 which is actually a 17'

For

[Akgravelpumper]

please forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between a 16 and a 16 x? It is my brothers boat and i am not sure which one it is, how do you tell? All I know is it is an eagle sportjet built 2 years ago its red and fast and lots of fun.
Thanks

[Alumaman]

No problem, I don't mind the questions. There are to my knowledge at least three different Eagle "sportjet" hull lengths. 15ft, 16ft, and the X16 model which is actually 17ft 4in in length. The longer hulls can be set up to run faster than the shorter ones, but are also more boat to throw around if your just playing in those little back channels.

Here is the nozzle pic.

What rivers in AK are you running?


sub item - jumping back a few posts, very well said Sir Gator, are you going to make it up to any of the Canadian events this year.

Aluma man

[Gator]

I don't think so this year, want to try for the Rogue and I think the McKenzie (the one at Albany). Might make something happen next year. Gas is getting &^*. Just the weekend at Riggins ran me just short of a months pay, with house sitters, etc, and I cannot do that to often right now but thanks for the invite. I loved the races, my last trip to Canada was to Port Albernie. Loved it up there.

Gator

[buellit]

Cheers to alumaman for sharing some of his secrets.

[KJet]

Ya AM, Keep it coming. I'm all ears and eyes.

[Akgravelpumper]

Thanks for the pic of the nozzle, looks nice.
We run mostly in the matanuska and susitna drainages including the yentna skwentna big su talkeetna chulitna talachulitna knik the matanuska little willow big willow and whatever else has 4 or 5 inches of water.
The boat measures out 17' and a few inches so i guess its an x.
What is the best profile to sharpen the intake to?

[KJet]

Ok, we've heard some of the secrets from Alumaman. Lets hear about the misfortunes of Weaver and Leadvilleone and find out the reasons for the missed legs. Not to belittle Alumaman's success but it would also be a great advantage to know what kinds of things can go wrong and how to avoid or minimize those problems.

KJet

[KJet]

Alumaman,

What seats did you install, those are nice.

KJet

P.S. Leadvilleone, If let me know if that P.M. worked, fist time .