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GEOO
05-14-2002, 10:35 AM
I feel the need to say something about the speeds some of these boats are and will be going. I'm not tring to make my boat the fastest. There are plenty of small ski boats out West that can run over 120 mph. I enjoy the challange of getting my Donzi to run better, it started with a cam and intake and turned in to an eight year never ending project.
For some reason most people treat a boat differently then a car. Most cars can go 120-150 mph yet many people never go that fast and if they do it's on a race track or a flat smooth clear highway. Yet give them a boat and the first thing they do is go WOT and then try and turn.
Speed is dangerous. Being safe at high speed is less dangerous. No one is perfect and accidents do happen. Safety gear, cautious driveing habits and " preflight check" will help minimize your risk. I try and take minimum risk when going fast.
Passengers are a big responsiblity which I don't take lightly. I went out four or five times on Friday with different people and I didn't feel comfortable to stay on throttle for many reasons, wind, waves, logs, boat didn't settle in right, I felt the passenger wasn't comfortable. Later, I went on a few runs with Brad & Amy and backed off the throttle. Then I went down the Lake did a slow run to check for logs etc. then tried to get a speed run, the boat settled in nicely so I got on the throttle and held in down for a few second. The video makes the ride look more unstable then is actually is. I waited for the boat to settle, then I hit the throttle for a few seconds at the end. Look at the video, things get pretty smooth when I finally get on the throttle.
The rocking side to side is caused by bow steer prior to me trimming up for a speed run.
Brad did a damn good job filming. I didn't even know he was taking the video. I don't know how the video came out as well as it did. If I knew he was going to try and take a video I would have tried to talk him out of that idea.
I didn't plan to have a "SPEED RECORD POSTING" I was just out enjoying the day and Brad happened to video the run.
I participated in one radar shoot out last year, and I like to compete, but it's not very good. The idea is to go fast in these conditions ,period. No extra runs, no calmer day, I found myself pushing harder then I like too. I learned something, (I hope), Always be comfortable at what you are doing, driver or passenger or what ever. I can't wait for another Radar Shoot-Out but I won't run hard unless the conditions are favorable. BE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!and fast... GEOO

mattyboy
05-14-2002, 10:46 AM
well said Geoo,
I gotta tell you the video is awesome,my eyes were watering

Matt

CDMA
05-14-2002, 11:30 AM
Very well said George. But my $.02 ( man I always butt in wink )

First of all that video is NOTHING like what it feels like to ride in the boat. Quite frankly you drop 750ish hp into an 18 with a bravo drive you will go just as fast ( or at least close) as GEOO does. What realy defies logic is the stability and control. George's boat never chine walks, it flies straight and true and does nothing that is unexected. The only issue GEOO ever has is that without enough bow lift his boat will bow steer. At first you think it is chine walking but it isn't. For lack of a better description the sharp part of the bow "catches" the water. What happened at AOTH was that after reinstalling his lower fin after painting the drive the angle was slightly different. This caused the boat to need more positive trim then it previously did and George knowing exactly what settings his boat likes to run didn't realize. As soon as the trim went up one more notch she was flying straight and true again. However the rocker arm had different ideas...and didn't fly so straight... :mad:

On another note George is the single best driver I have ever riden with. I am more scared of the person with a 80 or even 70 mph boat with little experience, poor set up ( manual or non hydraulic steering) and a boat that is not properly built. Most people look at mighty mouse and comment on the set up. What sort of gets lost in there is the actual quality of assembly. No loose wires or clamped fuel hoses, aircraft grade fittings, competition power steering pump and the list goes on. Nothing is adequate for the job, everything is 2 steps above. While I may be young I have been driving boats at both high speed and not for all of my life and consider myself a very good driver. I ride with most people and see them avoiding logs at the last minute, missing wakes, not seeing other boats and so on. It constantly amazes me when I am in mighty mouse we will be going along at breakneck speeds and George will do something I do not expect. Without exception within 2 seconds I see the reason whether it be another boat, an obstacle or a wave. Never misses a single thing. To me that is the epitome (sp) of safety. Sitting there realizing that your driver already has seen, analized and reacted too stuff before you even notice it. Looking a 1000 feet ahead as opposed to 100.

Ok enough from my corner...

Chris

PaulO
05-14-2002, 01:06 PM
I think it is a great idea that George and Chris have decided to post a little "insider" view of the high-speed goings on with Mighty Mouse. As I get older and wiser (okay older) I am becoming more and more safety conscious. I am lucky to have survived to this point. Chris is correct about the inexperienced drivers going 70 as compared to the Georges of the world. There are a ton of 70 mph boats out there rigged with cable ties and hose clamps that are a hazard to all. There are a ton of drivers driving beyond their ability. The real fast guys whether it be Donzis, STVs, or Skaters are the ones who rig their boats properly, use the right safety equipment and drive conservatively. Oh, and by the way, humility usually plays a part too. That's why George will never admit it but:
He is the MAN!!
PaulO

harbormaster
05-14-2002, 02:26 PM
Then there is Steve Marr.... wink

bverd
05-14-2002, 02:54 PM
Geoo is by far the safest driver I ever been with. As far as the boat goes, it is incredible how stable that boat is. You just can't guess it without going out in the boat, but it is just rock solid. At NO time did I feel unsafe or out of control. I have been in other boats doing 1/3 that speed and felt out of control. It comes down to the driver and the equipment and as I have said, they were top notch. Safety was first thing on Geoo's mind he left nothing for chance with us in the boat. --bverd

boldts
05-14-2002, 03:41 PM
I had the opportunity to have George and his family with me on Saturday and when we had a problem with the boat on the way back from the falls, George pointed out a number of things in my engine compartment that were not up to par. I had not taken the time to go over every inch and check for problems. George found a fuel line that had been cut at some time and when put back together, was running dangerously close to one of the pulleys. BTW, George is an excellent teacher. I have been tinkering with my K-Planes and in most cases for no reason. My Classic really doesn't need them and used incorectly, can be very dangerous.

I am now taking the time to put my boat in top notch safety condition. I found that the coil had a crack in the tower which is where the sparks were coming from. I will use this opportunity to change the cap, rotor, wires and plugs. I will also fix the fuel line that is running to close to the pulley and replace the engine belts.

Thank-you George for opening my eyes. I'll also take my learning how to drive the 22 more seriously now and not be in such a hurry to go fast until I can predict what might happen in the water conditions better.

Shanghied Again
05-14-2002, 05:41 PM
I will put in my 2 Cents in, I have met George a few years ago and ran side by side with him on many occasions, In another boat. I have raced, I have even raced 20ft drags at 125 mph. If there was ever a person I can say can handle a boat and her speed, The person would be Geo! He knows when the conditions are not right and he knows what his boat can do. You da Man! :D

Digger
05-14-2002, 06:48 PM
great posts, well said George. (nice blender by the way :) )

I once had an instructor tell me:
"It's much better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground."

if yer gonna do it you better be ready....

Formula Jr
05-14-2002, 07:17 PM
Though I only met Geoo briefly at AOTH I, the thing that impressed me the most, was that his quest, is just that. His Quest, and you instantly get the feeling that he has nothing to prove to anyone. And if you really look at his approach you can see that it is an entire integrated system, not just an over powered, hyper-fast boat. You can literally see the mental check list he goes thru, before he pushes it on a run. We should all be a little more like that. I know, I've gotten a little lazy in these areas. And the intent behind his post is appreciated.

ToonaFish
05-14-2002, 10:22 PM
In horses, when a newbie buys an untrained horse, we simply say: "Green and Green makes Black and Blue..."

Geoo ain't green!

Bunches,

Celene 'Aqua' Howard

RH
05-14-2002, 11:04 PM
Nice comments from all! It just goes to show you how much we can all learn from each other. I come to this site every day and learns something everytime that I do. Geo, I do not know you, but from what I read, I am impressed to say the least. Very cool to teach us all about your setup!
RH

RickR
05-15-2002, 07:42 PM
Safety should always be our #1 concern.

Last year at AOTH I felt VERY confident riding with GEOO but when he let me drive Mighty Mouse I barely got over 50MPH because of my lack of "seat time" in his boat. Even though she handled like she was on rails I just felt better with GEOO driving.

In the 18 I ALWAYS wore my kill switch. I have become more lax because of the high gunnels on the 22 but inshore I still wear the kill switch over 40MPH and life jacket over 60mph, offshore the limits are lower.

Call me a "Nervous Nelly" but on the 22 I have 2 batteries, 2 bidlge pumps, 2 VHF radios, 2 fire extinguishers and TYPE I Offshore life vests. An EPIRB is next on the list.

BTW If you'll watch the 98mph video you can tell there is an experienced driver behind the wheel by the way he's holding his thumbs :D .

Klingon
05-15-2002, 10:23 PM
I second the topic, being in the vintage car racing business I have seen too many people who are out of their range in handling the iron. In my shop we say that they have more money than sense. I am too am new to the world of fast boats and would like to know how one goes about learning the ways of going fast but safe?
Alan

Doug L.
05-16-2002, 08:34 PM
All ways remember if you want to go fast tomorrow
you can't kill your self today

SilverBack
01-07-2009, 10:32 PM
Guys..this is some pretty good reading..I thought so anyway!!

BigGrizzly
01-08-2009, 12:14 AM
That is nothing you should meet him. Most of us old timers know him, not just on a blog on the net, but in real life. You see some call him king Geoo, not because of the boat but because of the MAN.

Carl C
01-08-2009, 08:47 AM
Cool. At first I thought it was a new thread and Geooo actually still secretly had the boat. There are also a lot of names you don't see much anymore.

Air 22
01-08-2009, 09:49 AM
Cool. At first I thought it was a new thread and Geooo actually still secretly had the boat. There are also a lot of names you don't see much anymore.

Carl..They (People and the boat) are still around....they just dont post much...:wink:

BigGrizzly
01-08-2009, 10:38 AM
Just so you know Carl, the people mentioned are as good as they come. That post was don after the Cumberland run of that year. Almost all of us were there except Air 22. We all make mistakes:nilly:. Air I am sure will make up for it this year. BTW if he does a cooler race on that ramp he won't stop until Atlanta.

Carl C
01-08-2009, 02:15 PM
Carl..They (People and the boat) are still around....they just dont post much...:wink:


Just so you know Carl, the people mentioned are as good as they come. That post was don after the Cumberland run of that year. Almost all of us were there except Air 22. We all make mistakes:nilly:. Air I am sure will make up for it this year. BTW if he does a cooler race on that ramp he won't stop until Atlanta. I think I know who Digger and Toonafish are and of course Frank Civitano is still around.

Looped
01-09-2009, 09:15 PM
Some of us are still here but lurk in the background. We still may have our projects but they keep getting put on the back burner...:frown:

Craig