12-11-06 The December newsletter is up. Click Here.
11-29-06 Roger has arranged to have the U13 boat shop available for us on Sunday. The address is 3506 “C” Street NE, Auburn, Washington 98002 for Mapquest use, and is located just north of the Auburn airport.
If coming from the north take SR 167 to the S. 277th Street exit. Turn left (east) and proceed to Auburn Way N. Turn right (south) and go to 37th Street NE, where you turn right (west). At “C” Street NE turn left (south) and look for the address on the building.
If coming from the south take SR 167 to the 15th Street NW exit. Turn right (east) and proceed to Auburn Way N. Turn left (north) and go to 37th Street NE, where you turn left (west). At “C” Street NE turn left (south) and look for the address on the building.
Be sure to bring chairs, unless you don’t mind standing for the meeting.
11-28-06 The meeting location will need to be changed for the 2:00 December meeting, as the HARM is booked for a private function. Stay tuned for the new location for the meeting . . . .
11-15-06 At the banquet, non-alcoholic beverages (water, soft drinks) will be available from the club. If anyone wishes to have beer and/or wine with their meal it will not be a problem, but it will be BYOB.The meeting location will need to be changed for the 2:00 December meeting, as the HARM is booked for a private function. Stay tuned for the new location for the meeting . . . .
11-15-06 You’ve got until November 17th to search your junk drawers, closets and file cabinets for your new gold nugget. That’s when the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum will host the first ever Hydro Road Show. See the attachment below for more information.
http://www.thunderboats.org/news/news_20061117.html
11-07-06 Due to the funeral arrangements made for Troy, ERCU has decoded to reschedule the banquet to the following Saturday, November 18, still at HARM and still starting at 6:00. If you could not make it on the 11th but are available on the 18th, please let me know. Also, if you cannot make the 18th but were signed up for the 11th, please let me know that as well.
11-07-06 Model hydroplane world loses a friend, and a premier boat builder
A long-time member of R/C Unlimiteds, and a hydroplane racing enthusiast, Troy McIntire passed away on Sunday, Nov. 5, as a result of complications that came up after an operation to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon. His heart stopped while at the hospital, and doctors were unable to revive him. Troy was an outspoken leader of the club, and one of its most loyal members for nearly a quarter of a century. There is information on the R/CU website, www.rcunlimiteds.org, where information about the memorial service, and a memorial fund, will be posted as those details become available. There is also a memorial page on the site, for those who might want to post a few words about Troy.
11-02-06 Don't forget the E-RCU club meeting on Sunday November 5th at 2:00PM at HARM.
11-02-06 Rick Lentz reports: The museum in Chelan has had a 1/6th scale model of the ’58 Bardahl for years, but it was removed this year. I have the wood ’58 Bardahl I am going to donate to replace it, with a little TLC. Jim Lilly is going to donate an Allison engine to help finish up the project.
10-25-06 Some late web stats: 368 per day for August and 388 for September.
10-24-06 Thinking about a new boat? the final 06 hull roster is up. (Click here for and Excel Doc) (Click here for a HTML version)
10-18-06 The October Newsletter is up. Click here.
10-18-06 Although the Cherokee Bay Fun Run is still to be run, it’s time to start thinking about the club’s winter schedule. As usual, monthly meetings will be held at 2:00 at HARM on the first Sunday of each month starting in November and running through April (for those of you who may be calendar-challenged, that means the meeting dates will be 11/5, 12/3, 1/7, 2/4, 3/4 and 4/1.) Other events that are typically arranged will be the annual banquet, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, November 11 at HARM, (details to follow) a New Year’s Day Fun Run and possibly participation in R/C shows in February. Review of the 2006 season and discussion on a new motor proposal will be held at the November meeting. Board members will be voted in at the December meeting. The 2007 schedule will be discussed at the January and February meetings before final confirmation in March. It may be possible to schedule up to 14 races/events in 2007, so we will need people to take on the Contest Director duties for races this coming year. Think about how you can help with this.
Now it’s time to dust off your workshop, find your tools, sandpaper and paint, and get your boats ready! The next race after Cherokee Bay will be in April, and you know how fast time flies!
10-13-06 One last bit of big news from the ERCU Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship, presented by the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum and North Fork IT Services.
Schumacher Racing Team is officially now a part of this event!
Billy Schumacher called today and said he wanted to be a sponsor of the event. So, after a little negotiation, Billy and I agreed that he’ll be a big sponsor of the race itself, AND he’s sponsoring the Best of Scale Awards that we added this past week.
We’re very appreciative of Billy Schumacher for his participation in the race, as we are with all of our sponsors!
10-11-06 Only Three More Days!!
It’s just about here!
The first ever ERCU Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship, presented by the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum and North Fork IT Services is just days away, set for Saturday, Oct. 14 at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland, Wash.
Weather forecasts over the last week or so have consistently pointed toward partly cloudy skies with a temperature of 68-70 degrees for race day, with winter looking like it starts the next day.
The latest news is that word of our race in the city of Woodland is spreading, and there’s an excitement in the air. Many businesses in town are supporting the race with promotional posters in their doors, and people have seen both our website, and the Woodland Chamber of Commerce site, where there are announcements about the race. Thanks to one of our title sponsors, North Fork IT Services, there has also been an announcement distributed to 425 members of the Woodland Chamber of Commerce – so there’s lots of exposure for the race in the community.
In addition, we at race headquarters have decided to put on a Best of Scale contest during the event. This contest will be voted on by each driver, owner, spouse, significant other, family member, and/or spectator at the event. During our lunch break, we’ll line up the boats that want to be entered into the contest and let everyone vote. Before the end of the race, the votes will be counted, and the winner will get a special prize.
The race has been written up in the weekly newspaper (The Reflector, based in Battle Ground – www.thereflector.com) that includes coverage of the Woodland area, and we’ve handed off media information to The Columbian (Southwest Washington’s largest daily newspaper), The Oregonian (Portland’s paper), and a couple of other area newspapers. We’ve even solicited TV news coverage for the event, but we’ll see if that materializes or not.
Thanks to our race sponsors (see below), we’ll be able to provide soft drinks and bottled water throughout the day, and pizza for lunch, to the racers and their significant other at the race.
Speaking of our sponsors, we’re getting close to finalizing a deal with one last more sponsor. We’ll let you know if they come on for sure or not. If they do, it’ll make a total of 14 businesses and individuals who support this event.
At some point, we’ll also have a group photo with all the drivers/owners and their boats taken to send off to APBA for Propeller Magazine. I’d also like to give each of our sponsors one of these photos for their own memories.
Just a reminder, the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum is going to do a display commemorating this year’s electric R/C scale hydroplane national championship during the winter, and we’ll be asking that the winners of both modern and vintage classes allow the museum to display their boats along with the perpetual trophies and some photography until March, when you can claim your boat back for the preseason prep you need to do for 2007.
Again, we’d like to give special thanks to our race sponsors: The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, Woodland’s own North Fork IT Services, Merrick Lentz Architect, James E. Bakke Inc. Construction Consultants, Red Dot Corporation, Meyers’ Auto Tech, Astro Awards, Rose City Model Yacht Club, Ted’s Hobbies Unlimited, Newton Marine, Jeff Campbell, John & Dianne Earnest, and U-7 Racing Team (Bob VandenAkker & Judy Fenton).
If anyone has any questions, please contact Nelson Holmberg (n.holmberg@comcast.net or 360-521-1590). We certainly hope to see all of you in attendance at the race.
The format for the race is:
Four sections of preliminary heats for both vintage and modern class boats. Appropriate consolation finals for the number of boats in each class, and a winner-take-all championship final for each class. The winner of each final will be the Cascade Cup champion, and the vintage class champion will get to pick where next year’s Cascade Cup is held, closest to their home (i.e. if a Portland guy wins, the Cascade Cup will be held at a location near Portland. If a Seattle area guy wins, we’ll hold the Cascade Cup at a Seattle-area race of the winner’s choice in 2007). The driver, in each class, with the most points at the end of the day will be the national champion. If you’re bringing multiple boats, only your “points boat” will count toward the national championship.
The schedule (subject to change) for race day is:
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006
7-8 a.m. — Course/site setup
8-10 a.m. — Practice & testing
10 a.m. — Drivers’ meeting
10:20 a.m. — Opening ceremonies
10:30 a.m. — First heat of racing: Heat racing will continue throughout the day
1-1:30 p.m. — Lunch break/Driver autographs/Pits open to spectators/Best of Scale voting
5 p.m.* — Winner take all Cascade Cup final (modern class)
5:15 p.m.* — Winner take all Cascade Cup final (vintage class)
5:30 p.m.* — Trophy presentation & announcement of national champions.
* — times are approximate
10-11-06 This from Ron Daum:
As promised, what follows is another installment of the status of AstroFlight 325 motor replacement testing.
The Apple Cup and the Brewers cup are now in the books and the Such Crust has had another 11 good runs on the brushless setup with no failures. Counting the Gold Cup and Gar Wood, that is the equivalent of 18 heats of competition. Mike Campbell had similar success with his brushless in his 67 Notre Dame at the Brewers Cup having not attended the Apple Cup. He even got the motor and speed control thoroughly soaked after a spectacular flip at the Brewers Cup. The result of the dunking, the motor ran just as good as before.
David Gardner received the “new” AstroFlight motor and discovered it was the same as we have always received. Yes, AstroFlight will continue to provide the same 325 we are accustomed to for $125 a copy and $50 per armature. The minimum purchase is 25. At least two board members do not feel that Club funds should be used to fund a buy of this magnitude. David Gardner has again offered to coordinate a purchase. This motor has yet to be demonstrated to determine its quality level and if its performance is the same as before. Hopefully the quality is improved but we won’t know that until it is tested. Unfortunately, it will still remain a special order item and not what I would consider “commercially available”.
Andy Kuntz of R/C Hydros has graciously offered to take our members old Victory 90’s on consignment for those liquidating their brushed equipment. Apparently, he as gotten the word that our decision to go to brushless motors is a done deal, which is not the case.
The consensus of the board at this point based on the testing to date is we should seriously consider approving two motors for use next season: Our old friend the Astro 325 and the HIMAX 3630-1500. In arriving at this point of view, the board is considering the following issues. As much as several of us like the single motor format, the reality of not being able to easily obtain the Astro 325 in a timely manner compared to the ease of getting the Himax is a big selling point. Correspondence with the manufacture Maxx Products Inc. indicates that this is a product they will be carrying for the foreseeable future. One of our local hobby shops, R/C Hobbies, has indicated they would be willing to stock this motor if we were using them as they regularly carry Max Products.
The things we feel are important considerations in coming to a decision are:
1. Comparable performance to the Old Astro 325
2. Commercial Availability
3. Maintainability and reliability
4. Potential policing headaches
5. Ease of installation for our least technically capable members
6. Cost
Testing will continue at the Cherokee Bay Fun Run after switching back to the Astro for the National Championships in Woodland. Mike will be putting the Himax in his Country Boy for Cherokee Bay so that will be the first test of the system in a modern boat.
Personally, I am very happy with the Himax setup and feel it is the equal of the Astro in all respects and superior in terms of maintenance. So much so in fact, should we go to two motors next year I will retain my AstroFlight equipment as the backup motors for my boats. For each member, I would encourage you to communicate your thoughts, feelings, opinions, questions and concerns to one or more board members at your earliest opportunity. Your views are very important to us in making any decision of such importance to the future of our club.
Ron Daum
Contest Board Chairman
10-10-06 If you haven't seen Henry Marvin's new Frosted Flakes, check out both Jim Clark's and Jim Lillys photo albums from the Brewer's Cup.
10-04-06 Here are some links to more Nationals info:
10-03-06 We have been approached by the members of the Cherokee Bay Community Club to hold a race at their facility on October 22. Dan Gilmore has been instrumental in working with this group, and a good showing by our club could result in a very nice venue for future races. Several members saw the Gold Cup on Lake Wilderness in September, and liking what they saw, determined they would like to have us run at their facility. The site is protected from the wind and has two big docks to drive from. They have offered use of their clubhouse, located about 50 feet from the waters edge, at no charge for this event.
The board would like to encourage everyone who can make it to attend. Although it will be an exhibition event, it will run as a typical race. There will be no entry fee, and prizes will include the following:
1st Place in each Class will receive a free membership for 2007 plus one free boat registration.
2nd Place in each Class will receive a free membership for 2007.
3rd Place in each Class will receive one free boat registration for 2007.
Please plan to attend and help put on a good show for the Cherokee Bay community.
09-27-06 The Himax 3630-1500 lists at 99.95 from Maxx Products but you can also purchase it online from Hobby Horse for $86.99, Northeast Sailplanes for $84.95 and doubtless many more. The motor comes with mating solder sockets for the speed control of your choice and an airplane prop adapter that we won’t use. For a speed control I used the Castle Creations Barracuda 80 which is available from Offshore Electric and Fine Design to name two online sources. I also added Fullers Water Cooling Plates to the Barracuda 80 from Offshore for $24.95. Another mandatory piece of hardware is the 5mm thrust bearing for the motor, again from Offshore Electrics $6.49. I also put a 600 size silicon water jacket on the motor, just like the one I use on Crust & Pepsi from Offshore Electrics $19.49. The M3x6mm caps screws, washers and 2.5 mm ball end hex driver are Dubro and I picked those up at the hobby shop down the street. The only other thing that must be done is modifying an Astro shaft coupler for 5 mm drive (I have a 5 mm ream) and make two adapter rings. One to adapt the smaller register of the Himax motor to the larger 3/4 inch bore of your motor mount which fit the Astro and the second one is simply a spacer with a 5 mm bore to make up for the difference in length of the two motors so the coupler will be in the same location it was with the Astro so you don’t have to cut a longer shaft. Take a look at the attached picture. (click to enlarge)
09-25-06 The Gar Wood results are linked up on the results page.
09-24-06 Jim Clark has posted his photos from the Gar Wood Memorial.
09-22-06 Ron Daum has put together a document detail the current status of E-RCU motors and future alternatives. Click here.
09-20-06 Thinking of staying in the Woodland area for the race? Here is a list of local hotels.
09-20-06 Wonder what the Gold Cup qualifying speeds were? Here they are!
09-18-06 A whole lot of Nats/Woodland information:
We received word over the weekend that the following have joined on as sponsors of the ERCU Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship, Oct. 14 at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland.
North Fork IT Services (www.woodlandcomputerrepair.com), bought the second of two Lycoming Turbine (title) sponsorships. We’re especially proud to have North Fork IT Services aboard, as they’re a Woodland-based company, showing support for this event.
Meyers’ Auto Tech (www.meyersautotech.com), bought a Rolls Merlin sponsorship package. Meyers’ Auto Tech is owned by RCU member Scott Meyers, and is located in Kennewick, Wash.
Ted’s Hobbies Unlimited bought a Turbo Allison sponsorship package. Located on the corner of Prescott St. & Interstate Ave., in Portland, Ted’s Hobbies Unlimited has a great selection of boat parts, as well as just about anything to suit your hobby needs. Owner Ted Meyers is also a member of RCU, and was more than happy to support the national championship.
Sponsors that had previously committed to the race include: The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, Merrick Lentz Architect, Rose City Model Yacht Club, Jeff Campbell, John & Dianne Earnest, and U-7 Racing Team (Bob VandenAkker & Judy Fenton).
Thanks to the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, there will be prizes for all kids under 10 in attendance at the race. Thanks to Merrick Lentz Architect, there will be goodies for all of the racers, as well.
This is a don’t-miss event.
For more information, contact Nelson Holmberg (n.holmberg@comcast.net) or (360) 521-1590.
09-18-06 The September newsletter is up. Click here.
09-14-06 Here’s another update from race central for the October 14, 2006 Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship. I’m very proud to announce that the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum has come aboard as one of our title sponsors for the event.
In addition to the sponsorship, the museum’s Executive Director, David Williams, has offered to make our perpetual trophies for the National Championship winners, as well as offering prizes to participants and gift bags for spectators under 10 years of age. We’ll work closely with David in the coming weeks to finalize these great packages and trophies.
We are thrilled here at the race headquarters, and couldn’t wait to share the news with you guys.
We’re also VERY excited about the interest from ERCU members who want to participate in the race.
A big thank you also goes out to the rest of our sponsors (to this point), including: Jeff Campbell, Rose City Model Yacht Club, and Merrick Lentz Architects.
Sponsorship information is available by simply shooting me an e-mail.
Thanks everyone. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the upcoming races, and of course at the Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship in Woodland, October 14.
-Nelson
09-13-06 We’ll be running the ERCU Cascade Cup at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland on Saturday, Oct. 14.
This race, as we announced at the Gold Cup, will be a challenge race – meaning the winner of the race gets to pick the site where next year’s Cascade Cup is run. In even years, beginning immediately, the vintage winner will pick and in odd numbered years (starting next year), the modern winner will pick. It should be lots of fun, as we continue to develop a friendly rivalry between Portland and Seattle. We’re also hoping that it will spur more Portland-based guys to get boats finished and get active in the club.
But wait, there’s more.
We learned this morning that APBA has approved our request to make this race a National Championship! This won’t change much of the format, except that we’ll run four flights of preliminary heats, connies for each division and, of course, finals for each of the divisions. At the end of the day, the vintage boat/driver and the modern boat/driver with the most cumulative points in the event will be crowned APBA National Champion in 1/10 scale hydroplane competition.
Should the winner of the vintage final be from outside ERCU, the highest ERCU finisher would then get to select the site for next year’s Cascade Cup.
In order for this to be a true national championship, we’ll open it up to any and all comers. However, since it is an ERCU event, it will be required that any ‘visitors’ abide by ERCU rules (Astro 25-5 motors, battery restrictions, etc.).
So…make sure to save the date, take time off work, or whatever you have to do to come to the Cascade Cup/APBA National Championship.
I’m working on sponsorship information, and hoping to attract several sponsors, so if you own a business or know someone who does…or just want to be a personal sponsor, please let me know and I’ll email you a sponsorship package flier (BTW: The four packages are VERY affordable…$25, $50, $100 and $150).
09-13-06 The milfoil wins at yet another site. The race scheduled for Long Lake in Silverdale on Sunday, September 24 has to be moved, as the green growies have taken over the available course area. As a result, the next race on the ERCU circuit will be held on Saturday, September 23 at Bellevue Pond. Times will be as usual, with set-up at 7:30 and the course open for testing around 9:00. The Drivers meeting will be at 10:30 with racing starting at 11:00.
There are still openings for ERCU boats at the Chelan exhibition on Sunday, October 1 if anyone wants to be added to the list. Please let me know if you want to be there – it should be a lot of fun, and we hear better weather than last year has been requested.
Sunday October 8 is set for the Brewers Cup, scheduled for Shady Lake in Southeast Renton.
Also, preparations are underway for the re-scheduling of the canceled July 23rd race. The Portland club connection, led by Nelson Holmberg, is planning for an event on the weekend of October 14-15, with the specified day still to be resolved. The location will be at Woodlands, Washington – down there by Vancouver.
It may be fall, but the racing season continues hot and heavy.
09-13-06 It has be noted to the web master that the history pages for winners of each race has been dropped from the site. For now, here is a link and we may need a little help making sure that the '05 winners are correct. Here's the link.
09-11-06 Points Update:
09-11-06 The milfoil wins at yet another site. The race scheduled for Long Lake in Silverdale on Sunday, September 24 has to be moved, as the green growies have taken over the available course area. As a result, the next race on the ERCU circuit will be held on Saturday, September 23 at Bellevue Pond. Times will be as usual, with set-up at 7:30 and the course open for testing around 9:00. The Drivers meeting will be at 10:30 with racing starting at 11:00.
There are still openings for ERCU boats at the Chelan exhibition on Sunday, October 1 if anyone wants to be added to the list. Please let me know if you want to be there – it should be a lot of fun, and we hear better weather than last year has been requested.
Sunday October 8 is set for the Brewers Cup, scheduled for Shady Lake in Southeast Renton.
Also, preparations are underway for the re-scheduling of the canceled July 23rd race. The Portland club connection, led by Nelson Holmberg, is planning for an event on the weekend of October 14-15, with the specified day still to be resolved. The location will be at Woodlands, Washington – down there by Vancouver.
It may be fall, but the racing season continues hot and heavy.
09-09-06 We had a good day at the ERCU Gold Cup Saturday. Thirty boats qualfied. Great time. Should be more boats tomorrow, Gates open at 7:30. Mike Campbell is top qualifier so far in the Modern Class with the Country Boy. Jason Hartly is the fastest Vintage boat with the Miss Timex. Lots of fast boats. See you Sunday.
08-25-06 Zane Courtway is in the newest publication of Propeller Magazine ( Has the turbine Miss Seattle on the cover ) They did an article on him and it is a good write up and plugged the two clubs E-RCU and R /CU . They ALSO mentioned TWO SPONSORS that support the clubs: Red DOT and Oberto. - Jerry Courtway
08-23-06 Remember that the Diamond Cup is Saturday August 26th, not Sunday.
08-23-06 September 30/October 1 is the RCU gold Cup to be held in Chelan. As last year, ERCU is invited to run between heats on that Sunday. This year we have room for 18 boats from either division, with reservations being taken on a first come/first served basis effective last Sunday, when seven positions were filled. As this is a non-points exhibition race, all boats will run together, regardless of division. The only limit so far is one boat per driver, unless the complement of 18 is not filled prior to the race date. If you would be interested in attending, please let me know with your name, the boat you wish to run, and a second boat if desired, just in case.
Rick Lentz
08-22-06 Ron Daum has a gallery of Seafair awards photos.
08-21-06 Jim Lilly has a large gallery of photos from the Seafair regatta posted.
08-11-06 RC-Hydros.com has stepped up as a second sponsor of the Gold Cup.
08-04-06 Henry Marvin sends an updated E-RCU registration Roster. Click Here.
08-04-06 A belated July newsletter is posted.
08-04-06 Please note that the Diamond Cup will be held on Saturday, August 26 instead of Sunday, August 27. The location is still being established, so stay tuned for that one – but it won’t be at South Lake Union.
07-19-06 Due to problems of trying to provide adequate shoring to protect the course, Ron Daum has decided that the Seafair race originally scheduled for this Sunday has been canceled, and will be rescheduled for Coulon Park in Renton on August 20.
07-18-06 There is a great article on outboard racer Mike Perman, Tony's son in the Olympia Olympian newspaper. Tony is a"Charter Member" of E-RCU.
07-17-06 Jim Clark's photos of the Bernie Little Memorial are posted
07-12-06 HILLTOP BATTLEPACK is back as sponsor for our 2006 Gold Cup!
07-12-06 Hello, Karen and I plan to attend the Bellevue July 16th ERCU event. A FUND-RAISER FOR WOMAN INJURED AT MADISON REGATTA ACCIDENT. Prisciilla Johnson, 56, was seriously injured when a car crashed into the crowd at the Madison Regatta on July 2nd. Bob Senior has found a way to raise money for the Johnson Family medical expenses. Bob is bringing a large assortment of Unlimited hydroplane buttons to our Bernie Little Memorial Race. They are all available at reasonable prices, and ALL FUNDS raised on July 16th will be donated to the Johnson Family. Please consider examining Bob's wares, select some cool souvenirs, and make a contribution to this worthy cause.****
Sincerely,
-Bob Senior
07-08-06 The mid-season break in action for the 10th scale electric unlimiteds is just about over! Next Sunday, July 16, is the Bernie Little Memorial race for ERCU, scheduled at the Bellevue Pond location. Contest Directors Jeff and Mike Campbell are working on another spectacular day of racing and promise a little “something special” at the end of the day. For anyone not sure of the location, check the Schedule page on the www.e-rcu.org website. There are currently 68 active boats registered in the club, so plan to be there to see how many are able to attend this race. The usual, race day will start at 7:30 in the morning with setup and testing. The drivers meeting is scheduled for 10:30, with the first heat ready to go at 11:00. Racing will continue nonstop thorough most of the afternoon. Hope to see you all there!
07-06-06 We're a little late, but if you haven't seen the June Newsletter yet, here it is.
07-06-06 The Contest Board has received a formal water quality report provided on the Port Ludlow Marina Lagoon water. After careful review, we have regrettably concluded that we will not be able to race or operate our boats on the Port Ludlow Marina Lagoon. While the water is not salt water in the strictest sense, it is highly brackish and thus too conductive for the safe operation of high powered electric boats.
I am sure that I was not alone in looking forward to participating in the Port Ludlow Funfest and the prospect of a new venue, and wished for an outcome other than this.
I would remind the membership that the Port Ludlow Funfest is a great Northwest Community event. Port Ludlow itself is a historic maritime community on the Olympic Peninsula and well worth the visit by itself.
Ron Daum
E-RCU Contest Board Chairman
07-06-06 Unfortunately Hilltop Battlepacks has had to withdrawal its sponsorship for the Gold Cup. Steve has assured us that he will keep options open for the future.
07-05-06 The Webmaster is back from Southern Utah. Next its off to Cubscout camp for 4 days.
06-23-06 Kerry Kjos is the new owner of Jerry Courtways Olympia Beer. It went to the Newton boat shop to be re outfitted for the Presidents Cup race. david Newton drove the boat to a second place finish in the Modern Class. The boat should be at the rest of th 2006 races. Possibly with Jessie Roberston driving.
06-23-06 Welcome Aboard Steve and Sarah Hill of HILLTOP BATTLEPACK as sponsors for our 2006 Gold Cup.
06-13-06 A couple of galleries are posted with photos of the President's Cup.
06-08-06 For the race at lake Wilderness this weekend. If you want to test on Saturday plan on getting to the lake before 9:00 or after about 12:30-1:00. The road will be shut down for the parade between those hours. You might need a pass to gain entry but explain to them you are going to the race and maybe even show them the boat. We will have passes but we got them too late to distribute them. Usually Sunday we get there before all of the activities start so it shouldn't be a problem. We can park by the bath house.
06-08-06 Both Jerry Courtway's and Kirk Pagels boat sales are closed.
06-06-06 Cascade Arial Photograhy shot some video at Lake Pleasant. Click Here.
06-06-06 Port Ludlow Race Information:
Hi, my name is David Goudie. I am on the planning team for the Port Ludlow Funfest....on the bay which your club has been invited to attend.
I just wanted to say that although this is planned as an exhibition race we really hope you all come over and race. There is really a huge amount of interest in you guys and your racing. Everyone I talk to asks about what the race is and what to expect. An article about the racing and your club is going to be published in the local Port Townsend Leader in the next few weeks.
I don't know how much you know about Port Ludlow or the Funfest but I guarantee you will have a good time. It is a family oriented event with the usual arts and crafts but also has planned activities, such as dinghy races on the bay, Jefferson County Fire Department, marina events, music and entertainment, a beer and brats tent and foods more suitable for the young ones.
We are just 90 minutes away from the Kent/Renton area if you go around through Tacoma and the Narrows Bridge. It's much shorter by using the Seattle/Winslow ferry or the Edmonds/Kingston ferry.
There is lodging in the area for those who might like to stay overnight, including a nice campground close to the event site. The Port Ludlow Resort is pretty nice but also pretty pricey. There is less expensive lodging in Port Hadlock (10-minutes away) and Port Townsend (20-minutes away).
Fort Flagler State Park is on nearby Marrowstone Island. It is a great place to visit and there are many things for the children to do should you wish to stay overnight. Also there is Fort Worden State Park at Port Townsend which is the more well know and active of the two parks. They both have historical significance and a long list of summer activities. The Commons at Fort Worden State Park serves a really super Sunday brunch.
You will be racing on a lagoon located at the event venue and your Jerry Courtway has already inspected the site and was impressed. You will be too. Especially if it's a good day and the sun shows the Olympics. The water is mixed salt and fresh of varying percentages during the year and is constantly exchanged. There is a nice waterfall on each end. A walking bridge divides the lagoon in two parts both of which are suitable but you will be racing on the western side of the bridge.
Power for recharging will be provided by an cord from the Harbormaster Restaurant just above your scaffolding and fresh water will be available to rinse your boats should you wish.
Both I and the team will do everything we can to make you welcome and support your participation. Just let us know what you need. Please feel free to contact me personally should you wish. greybeard@cablespeed.com or (360) 437-7612.
06-05-06 The May site stats are in: 448 unique visitors per day.
06-02-06 Jerry Courtway has a lot of great gear up for sale on the "For Sale" page.
06-02-06 The May newsletter is up. Click here.
06-01-06 Here is a link to Mapquest for directions to Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell.
05-31-06 Vandenberg Cahallenge Reminder: It looks like we are going to have a great turn out of boats at the Leo Vandenberg Challenge scheduled for Lake Pleasant this coming Sunday. Some reminders about this specific site are as follows: After unloading, cars need to park in the Knight's of Columbus lot. Anything that needs to be refrigerated can be placed in the refrigerators in the hall so there is no need for coolers. The bathrooms are also located there. Bob suggests people arrive between 8:30 and 9:00 except for those who are helping to set up the course. All the beverages and eating utensils will be provided.
05-25-06 Remember that it is Hydro Fever at HARM this weekend.
05-25-06 Clearview Nursery
has stepped in to sponsor the Leo Vandenberg Challenge on June 4th at Lake Pleasant in Bothell.
05-19-06 Our friend Eddie Hansen has been working on some resin-cast drivers. Check out the photos here.
05-19-06 From Ned Crimmin (crimminarchives@yahoo.com):
For all you R/C enthusiasts and model builders of the 50's thru the
late 70's hydros, check out this project, for documentation material. Not only are there a lot of photos of the hydros of that era, but I
have also been able to zoom in to specific areas and for a minimal fee sending the material on regular paper for detailing of your R/C. You can also get a very nice photo of your hydro for you documentation book if available. Going a little more in detail, is the information
on your hydro, it's different drivers and builder from all the newspaper articles of the time saved in this data base.
JUST GIVE ME AN E-MAIL OF YOUR HYDRO OR INFORMATION YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW IF IT IS AVAILABLE.
Thank You, Ned Crimmin
05-18-06 Just a reminder to everyone that Doug Ford will be speaking at the Hydroplane Museum's free Friday nigh lecture this Friday the 19th.
Doug is a well respected aerodynamicist who spent many years working at the famous Lockheed Skunk Works and has been deeply involved with the hydros sine the early 1950s and the Slo-mo-shun. Doug probably has spent more time wind tunnel testing hydroplane designs then all other designers combined. He spent ten years as the Director of safety, technology and Competition for the URC,
and is one heck of a public speaker!The lecture starts at seven PM, but the Museum will be providing a barbecue dinner for anyone who wants to show up early.
RSVP to me at (206) 764-9453
Sincerely,
David Williams
Hydroplane Museum
05-16-06 Henry Marvin was the winner of the Modern Class with the ’77 Squire, and Jesse Robertson won the Vintage Class in Kerry Kjos’ ’60 Miss Thriftway. Jeff Campbell won the coveted Hydropalooza Trophy with not one but two spectacular flips. More information will follow shortly.
05-16-06 Update on the race scheduled for May 21 – the lily pads are still not in sight, so plans are going forward for the Silver Cup race being presented by Czar and Monte Steere. As stated earlier, generators will be required, as no power is available to the pit area. Parking is not adjacent to the pit area, so all your gear will need to be carried from the parking area to the pit area – at least 250 yards. So wagons, wheeled carts, relatives, those who owe you money, will be necessary to get your equipment down to the pit area. It is possible that the course will be set up Saturday to be sure there is no conflict with the lily pads. Yesterday (Sunday) there were about 2000 people around the lake at 5:00 in the afternoon, so we may have a good crowd on hand for the show.
05-15-06 Ray Finney 's photos from the Bill Brow Memorial. Click Here.
05-15-06 Jim Clark's photos from the Bill Brow Memorial. Click Here.
05-11-06 Looking a week or so ahead to the ERCU Silver Cup for 1/10th scale electric scale unlimiteds will be held at Bradley Lake Park in Puyallup on Sunday, May 21, run by the capable hands of the Czar and Monte Steere. Generators will be needed. As usual, course set-up will start at 7:30, the drivers meeting will be held at 10:30 with racing to commence at 11:00. For those of you not familiar with Puyallup, check Mapquest with the address of 531 31st Avenue SE, Puyallup Washington. Take the South Hill exit off SR167 just up the hill south of the Puyallup fairgrounds – Lake Bradley is easy to find east of the South Hills Mall.
05-10-06 Henry wants to remind everyone that the race coming up is this Saturday at Twin Lakes in Marysville, and that generators are definitely needed. So as was said earlier, bring ‘em if you’ve got ‘em. Course set-up will start at 7:30, drivers meeting at 10:30 with racing to start at 11:00. See you all there!
05-06-06 The web numbers for April dropped slightly to 453 per day.
05-05-06 The next event for the 1/10th scale electric hydros is the Bill Brow Memorial at Twin Lakes, just north of Marysville. The date is SATURDAY, May 13. CD Henry Marvin and sponsor Seattle Service Asphalt Paving Specialists remind all that this is a generator site, so bring ‘em if you got ‘em. Site set-up will commence at 7:30 in the morning, with the drivers meeting set for 10:30 and racing to start at 11:00 sharp. The site is about 40 minutes north of downtown Seattle, for your travel planning. Drive north on Interstate 5 to exit 206 at Smokey Point. Turn left, go over the freeway and then turn left at the first light. The road winds to the left and back to the right to be a frontage road next to the freeway. The lakes are about a mile south of the turn-off – we will be using the south lake again this year. The special feature for this race will be the hydropalooza – you won’t want to miss it!
05-04-06 The vintage roster is updated with Jerry Johnston's Timex Clock.
05-03-06 E-RCU would like to welcome aboard
as sponsor of the Bill Brow Memorial on May 13th.
05-02-06 The vintage roster is updated with Patrick Gleason's Parco's O-Ring Miss.
05-01-06 The vintage roster is updated with Mark Hansen's 1972 Van's PX.
04-26-06 The results page is updated. Congrats to Mike Campbell (Vintage) and Jeff Campbell (Modern) as winners at the Sayres Memorial.
04-25-06 If you haven't seen the registration list a lot of boat building been going on. We currently have 45 active registered vintage boats(That means they are done and ready to race). There are 12 in progress (2-3 of those are already done!). 18 modern boats are actively registered, and 13 are in progress. See the list (Excel Doc)
04-25-06 Mark your schedules with a correction. The Bernie Little Memorial has been pushed one week back until July 16th. Its still at Bellevue Pond.
04-24-06 Photos from the Stan Sayres race are up. Check the photos section.
04-21-06 This Sunday, April 23, is the Stan Sayres Memorial race, presented under the watchful eye of Monte Steere. This is the first race to be held at the new South Lake Union site, and there are a few things to keep in mind for the race day.
No power is available at this site, so generators will be needed. Anyone who can help should plan to bring one.
A church rents the building adjacent to the race site, so there will be lots of cars in the parking lot between about 10:30 and 1:30. When you arrive at the site it would be appreciated if you would unload your vehicle at the pit area and then park on the south end of the parking lot during the day.
The shore is shallow at the launch areas, so bring boots to assist with launching/retrieving, or plan to get your feet wet.
The course is located at the southwest corner of Lake Union, at the intersection of Valley Street (one block north of Mercer) and Westlake Avenue North, across the street from Jillians, Outback and Bonefish restaurants on Westlake. The Mercer Street exit off I-5 will get you right down to the site. Set-up will begin at dawn (that how Monte runs things) so come a little early to help get the day in motion. Scaffolding will be used. There are still pilings along the west side of the course, so don’t run into them – they will win any bumping contest with a boat.
The drivers meeting is scheduled for 10:30 with racing to get under way at 11:00. Plan to come and have a fun day – so far it looks like a 70 degree sunny day – just a little nicer weather-wise than last week.
04-18-06 Updates to the photos page: Jim Clark's testing shots, and Jerry Courtway's Champion Spark Plug Regatta Pics.
04-07-06 The web master will be out of town until April 16th. Watch your e-mail for updates.
04-07-06 Here is an updated hull roster for 2006.
04-04-06 Here are a couple of LIPO battery links:
http://mysite.verizon.net/kevinkel/index.html
http://www.fancyfoam.com/liposafe.asp
http://www.fmadirect.com/tech_data/index.htm
04-04-06 The March web numbers are in, and its a new record! We averaged 477 unique visitors a day. The 3rd week hit 547 per day!
03-31-06 H.A.R.M. is showing "Across the Lake" on Friday, April 7th, for Roger Newton's Movie Night. This is an excellent portrayal of Donald Campbell by Anthony Hopkins. It's a color film originally shown by the BBC. The film makers used the real backup hull for Bluebird in the making of this film which uses newsreel footage of the actual runs to enhance the reality. I've seen it and highly recommend it for any hydro fan. In fact, I'll go see it again.
Kirk Pagel
03-31-06 Remember the final club meeting before the seaon starts is this Sunday, April 2nd. 2:00 start time as usual.
03-22-06 Noslen Communications has signed on to sponsor the Diamond and Apple Cup races.
03-21-06 A pdf version of the 2006 roster is available here.
03-20-06 A list of active and boats under construction for the 2006 season has been generated. Click here.
03-19-06 Ray Finney sends some photos of today's test at Lake Union. Click here.
03-18-06The March newsletter is up. Click here.
03-17-06 Hi Everyone, the Astroflight motors are here and I will be distributing them on Sunday. Thanks, David Gardner
03-17-06 Another correction on the schedule. The Sayres Memorial is April 23rd, not the 25th as originally posted.
03-16-06 There was a typo on yesterday's schedule. The Double astericks signified Saturday races and not sites without power.
03-15-06 The tentative 2006 racing schedule is posted.
03-14-06 March 19 starting at noon, is the date and time for testing at the new South Lake Union site. Plan to run your boat to get ready for the coming season, or come out to see what everyone else is up to. The site is located at the southwest corner of the lake, just across Westlake Avenue from Jillian’s, Bonefish and Outback restaurants. There should be ample parking available right beside the course. The waterway will be open for the entire afternoon.
03-10-06 A testing session is set for March 19th. Details to follow.This Sunday, March 19 starting at noon, is the date and time for testing at the new South Lake Union site. Plan to run your boat to get ready for the coming season, or come out to see what everyone else is up to. The site is located at the southwest corner of the lake, just across Westlake Avenue from Jillian’s, Bonefish and Outback restaurants. There should be ample parking available right beside the course. The waterway will be open for the entire afternoon.
03-10-06 A speedy recovery is wished for E-RCU member David Gardner. Dave has apparently been having some back issues and recently received some spinal (and painful) injections to help alleviate the problem. Get well soon.
03-06-06 February web stats are in. We averaged 389 unique visitors a day (a new record) The week that straddled February/March was all the way up to 468 per day!
03-02-06 Friday night is movie night at the museum. 7:00- This months movie is the 1965 Gold Cup from ABC Sports.
02-27-06 Is there anyone who can be responsible for the trailer for this coming year? Duties would be to arrange a space for it to park, and bring it to each race at the time and direction of the race Contest Director.
02-27-06 This coming Sunday March 5th is the next scheduled Members Meeting for ERCU. Bring boats for inspection, and help prepare the club trailer for the coming season. 2:00 PM start time.
02-27-06 David Newton has started a website with pictures for sale. He finally found a way to display all of the pictures I have been collecting over the years. He has or will have boats all the way from the early 50's up thru 2005. I think right now he has over 2000 pictures posted. And lots more to come. If there is a boat you dont see drop him a line and I am sure he will be able to find it for you. So, stop by and give a look.
02-17-06 Bring Your Boat, Be A Part of The Big Show!
I want to encourage folks to bring their tables, bunks and boats to display tomorrow at the 2nd Annual R/C Hydro show. Club members from ER/CU and R/CU who display their boats get in for free, so it is worth dusting it off, packing it up, and bringing it down to the show. And, since this is, in part, an instructional exhibit for the public, if your boat is in the middle of its mid-winter repair program- bring it anyway! Folks want to see what goes into the modification and repair of our boats and yours may be a prime(d) example.
Load in, load out
If you are going to display a boat, plan to set up at 10am on Saturday morning. If you are going to display, we ask that you keep your boat displayed until closing at 4pm or so. If you are displaying a boat, you get into the show for free, but you still will need a hand stamp, so please make sure to get one.
We will sort out the area assignments as you arrive. Do bring your race table or a small card table. Considering that there may be many other racers who wish to display, please limit the size of your display to your boat and any display that fits onto something approximately the size of a card table. (If Lee Robertson wants to bring his great, big Gold Cup as a part of his display, I guess we will grant him a little extra room.)
Show and Tell
I realize that the big attraction to coming to the show is to hang out with fellow racers, but please remember that this is a show intended for the public, too. It is a daunting task, getting a successful race program together and the thought of it puts otherwise interested people off of the idea completely. This event is our opportunity to present our sport to the public, answer questions, and build interest and positive regard for what we do. so I ask that you please reserve some of your energy for the public. Answer questions, encourage questions, invite folks to get involved if they seem interested. Mostly, man your table to some degree, so that when someone stops to admire your work and ask a question, they get the right answer from the expert. Remember- the person who stops by tomorrow might be your close friend two years from now.
Okay, enough ranting. I have a display to get together here! See you all tomorrow!
Marc Connelly
02-17-06 The February newsletter is up. Click here.
02-16-06 Don't miss the RCU & E-RCU model show at The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum on Sunday February 19th . PDF flyer click here. Link to RCU, click here.
02-15-06 The 2006 rules are now posted. Click here.
02-10-06 Update to the modern roster: Nelson Holmberg's Red Man.
02-09-06 Another reminder about the meeting and swap meet this Sunday. Click here.
02-05-06 Needless to say: GO SEAHAWKS!!!
02-04-06 January web site stats: 315 unique users per day.
02-03-06 David Newton is offering an interesting eBay auction. Click here for the press release.
02-02-06 This press release fron the U-74 Olympia racing camp.
02-01-06 This Friday night is Roger Newton Movie Night at the Hydroplane Museum. Start time is 7:00. Movie this week is the King TV Roaring Fifties with Ted Jones. Plus we have some other surprises. Admission is $5.00. Free popcorn and beverages.
01-31-06 REMINDER: At the January meeting, the members voted to move the February E-R/C-U meeting to February 12th to avoid conflicting with the Super Bowl. This was also to be Swap Meet Sunday, so we will be holding it one week later as well. The swap meet will be held before & after the February E-R/CU meeting. Again, that meeting will be held at the H.A.R.M. on Sunday, Feb.12th.
Remember that the Museum has a limited number of tables, and we use them for our meeting. So bring your own table!
The swap meet will give any and all members an opportunity to bring surplus parts, motors, batteries, speed controls and other electronics. Or you may have photos, decals, boat covers, spare drivers, dash boards, dummy motors or anything else pertaining to the hobby that can be brought in to sell or trade.
And remember Technical Inspection continues on this date as well. So bring the boats you have registered or intend to register for the 2006 racing season.
We'll be starting at 12:00 noon, break for our meeting at 2 PM and resume at 3:30 or so after the meeting, and stay as late as commerce will dictate.
01-26-06 Update to the vintage page. Some how Howard Price/Ryan Orfer's Gale V was link was dropped.Swap Meet Reminder.
01-25-06 Update to the modern roster page. The boats are arranged in their 2005 finish.
01-23-06 Update to the vintage roster: Ron Daum's Miss Pepsi
01-22-06 Update to the vintage roster: Ron Daum's Such Crust III
01-21-06 Update to the vintage roster: Mike Campbell's 1969 Notre Dame
01-20-06 Update to the vintage roster: Jason Hartley's Miss Timex
01-19-06 Update to the vintage roster: Bob Vander Nakkker's Nitrogen Too.
01-18-06 Update to the vintage roster: Gary Hansen's Muvalong.
01-17-06 Update to the vintage roster: Kirk Pagel's Hurricane VI.
01-16-06 Jerry Courtway has more pictures of Kirk Pagel's 1971 Atlas Van Lines. Click here.
01-16-06 Rick Lentz has put together another stunning newsletter. Click here to see it.
01-15-06 Jerry Courtway has pictures of Kirk Pagel's 1971 Atlas Van Lines. Click here.
01-14-06 More details for the February 18th R/CU & E-R/CU model show. Click here for the press release. Click here for the flyer.
01-13-06 Site Update: The vintage boats roster is taking shape. Some additions, some subtractions. Thare are a few linked pages to still create. As new boats roll out there will be plenty of changes.
01-12-06 Site Update: Race wins and race history are updated.
01-12-06 On Sunday there were 65 boats registered. 38 active hulls and 27 under construction and all are still not accounted for!
01-11-06 Second Annual R/C Hydro Show is on the calendar!
Be sure to reserve Saturday, February 18th to attend the 2nd Annual R/CU - ER/CU Hydro show at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, from noon to 4 PM. We had a great turn out last year and, once again, all racers are encouraged to bring your boat displays, work in progress, or just a good story about the race that got away last year. It is a lot of fun to visit with fellow club members, see what everyone is working on in the off season, meet racers from other clubs, and tour the exhibits at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum.
Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students and kids from 6 to 15. Children under 5 are free, just like Museum members. (Memberships inthe Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum begin at just $35.00 per year. )
This year, we will have pizza and pop available on site for a nominal fee. The 2nd annual R/C Hydro Show is sponsored by the APBA and the Oberto Sausage Company and presented as a joint effort by R/CU and ER/CU. For further information, contact Marc Connelly at: marc@in-ad.com
See you there!
Marc Connelly R/CU Contest Board Chairman
01-11-06 The January meeting minutes are posted. Click here.
01-11-06 This is the latest information for the 2006 motor order. The cost for the motors will be $125 per motor, as we did meet the 10 motor minimum to get that discounted price from $134.95. This is Astroflight's actual cost for us as a club. I am not an Astrolflight dealer and do not receive an additional discount. The motors need to be paid for by check, cash or PayPal no later than February 12 (our next meeting date). They will be available approximately one month later to be distributed at the March meeting or at the HARM when they arrive. The total cost to use PayPal will be $130 to cover the PayPal fees. Contact Dave Gardner
01-07-06 Henry Marvin will have everything ready for 2006 registration at the Members Meeting this Sunday. New members can bring pictures they want to use to support their hull selection, and old members can do the same if they want to register a new boat at this time.
01-05-06 Hello Hydro fans, Tomorrow is the monthly "Roger's Movie Night" at the Museum. This month's feature will be either the '58 Silver Cup' from Detroit or the '58 GC that was won by the Hawaii Kai in Seattle. Plus Bob V has a CD from the early '50's. There could be other suprises. So get your family and friends and come on out. Admission is $5.00 and there is free popcorn.
01-05-06 Here is the agenda for the 1-8-06 meeting. Click here.
01-04-06 Jan 8 th Sunday 2 PM E-RCU Meeting Manditory!Sshow up to put your input on and vote for CLUB LOGO VERY IMPORTANT MEETING !!
01-03-06 Jan 6th, Friday is Roger's Movie Night at the Hydro Museum Admission $ 5.00 STARTS at 7 PM Sharp!!!!
01-03-06 The December web stats are in. 333 unique visitors a day.
01-01-06 Jim Clark has his first gallery of the year posted also. Note the new hosting address. http://jimclark.smugmug.com/gallery/1073221/1
01-01-06 Jerry Courtway sent a nice galley of photos of today's New Year's testing. Here's a link. By the look of things a few new projects out there: A new glass Bardahl for Rick Lentz, Ron Hornung's Hurricane is taking shape, Nigel Steere's T-Plus appears to have hit the water, Roger Newton's checkerboard Bardahl is shaping up nicely, the Hurricane VI has a replacement cowling, the Campbell's are testing the Miss Seattle Too.
Link to 2003 News
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