The Dark Side

One year later

            It has been almost one year to the day that I sold the old “Roostertails Racing” hydro. It served me well and groomed me for the new challenge ahead. At the Rocky Fork race in 2006 I decided to go with a new power plant. I spoke to Jim Sechler and he agreed to build me a 1200cc Yamaha motor for the boat he sold me earlier in the spring (Thanks Bill Miller). Many of the Ford 2000cc diehards called this “going to the dark side”. Let me tell you the dark side it was not!

            Let’s start in early November. Fellow racer and good friend Dennis Wright paid a visit to the Roostertails Racing garage. With boat still race ready we began to make mental notes what needed to be done over the winter. A little delamination repair here and there, a new thrust bearing, a gear box mount and viola we are done. Way Wrong!! Man, were we wrong. We started by taking the decks off and that’s when the ugliness revealed it self. I will not go into full details but here is a list of things done over the winter. A good friend of mine Jim Aid, stated early on in December, you will think it was easier to build a new boat then fix the one you got. He was right.

New transom

New thrust bearing mount (designed and completed)

New gear box mount (designed and completed)

New right front sponson (wet balsa core sucks!!)

New motor mounts

New decks (thank you Nida-Core)

New bottom

Two gallons of West System

The list goes on and on…

Total amount spent approx. $2000 and no motor yet

            Enough cannot be said about Dennis Wright and his attention to detail. Without him I would have not made it racing this year and my boat would not have been as well built and safe as it was. Thank you Dennis, you are a true friend.

            Throughout the winter Jim Sechler and I spoke often and a new motor was waiting for me. His great insight and photos helped Dennis and me throughout the winter. Jim is a very selfless person and his great personality and patience with me was greatly appreciated. My father and I made a weekend trip up to Jim’s house in late March to get the motor mounts installed and to take delivery of my motor. I got severally ill Friday night of that trip and with the help of Dennis, my dad, David Archiable and Jim they got the job done.

Well after tons of man hours and last minute parts fabrication I was finally ready for Morgan City. After several cans of primer in the parking lot of Morgan City the boat was mostly one color. It stayed this way the rest of the year, even after thousands of jokes and the phrase “When you gonna paint that thing?”

Saturday in Morgan City was a blow out and thank God. The eBay electronics I purchased were junk and thanks to Jim, David and a few other guys we got the motor running. Now pay attention to this next part. I DID NOT touch this motor for the rest of the year. No burnt pistons, no gremlins, no blown heads, nothing. I was truly amazed after the last race of the year in Stony Creek when I thought back and the only times I got towed in were in Tonawanda when I broke a prop and a shaft collar let loose. No mechanical failures at all over 30 heats. After four years of racing this is the first time that has happened. Also I got my first ever heat win and overall win (Friday’s race) in Valleyfield. Truly amazing!

Hard Numbers from Rocky Fork – 2006 compared to 2007

2006 with the 2000cc Ford Pinto – Fastest Heat 4:39, 64.52 mph

2007 with the 1200cc Yamaha – Fastest Heat 3:48, 78.95 mph

Now I see the light and the Dark Side is only a myth. Stepping up to this new motor reinvigorated me and quickened me once more. Racing is fun again and 2007 was the best year yet. I will always be indebted to Jim Sechler and Dennis Wright. I was just the driver this year, they did all the work!!

Paint is on the way!!!

Sean M. Bowsher

Y-52

Roostertails Racing