Personal Safety Rules

[alinhardt]

When you all are running your boats for test runs or practice and not on race day, what safety precautions do you do?

Such as test run, or practicing on a private lake. Do you go out alone? Have other people with boats ready in the water?

Give me some ideas of what you do to practice or doing test runs.

[HRTV]

Rule of thumb is to never go alone, even if you do not have a chase boat at the very least have a buddy who can call for help or even call 911 if needed. Always have someone on shore watching in the event of flip etc. And of course if you have a buddy with a small fishing boat etc. take him or her along and have them sit in the middle of the lake etc. also do a quick survey of the area for the local nut case that might want to race with you etc. Never get into a race with a local jet ski driver etc. Oh the other big thing is rollers from pleasure craft be very careful if you are not alone on the lake this can be deadly.

NEVER GO ALONE !

[Tomtall]

My uncle told me a story about a test session once.Mickey McDonald,Phil Vansickle and my uncle were testing at Kilo watt lake (Marrow Lake) in Comstock.,Mi..Seems my uncle was out on the lake in his "D" hydro making a carb. adjustment,when he went air born.knocked him out cold.Mickey and Phil had to swim out to the middle of the lake to pull him back to shore.He finally came-to on shore. He told me never test without a chase boat!I always have a cell phone with me as well.

[ian]

Ask Kevin Mallieliue, he has a good, " bad " testing story. Also, how about the home-made fiberglass prosthetic he made for a wedding...

[Mike Schmidt]

When I was young and dumb, we tested darn near year round (in New England) I remember hauling my ASH over the ice on Lake Zoar to test in the spring. Not another boat on the lake. Would have died of hypothermia in a matter of minutes. Very dumb.

Up untill a couple of years ago, we tested in Cromwell, Ct. on the Connecticut River. Big island toward one side of the river, with a small "creek" running behind it. We were able to make runs there when it was rough or a lot of pleasure boats were around. We were getting ready for a USTS race in Zanzville and had a bunch of new stuff to try. Made one last run about 8:30 at night. Saw 94 on the Keller. As I looked up I almost ran over two guys in single man shells. Scared the hell out of all three of us. (more them...)

Todays 250's are able to go so scarry fast. At sea level we can pull props that will run well over 100mph. I must be getting a little smarter in my old age. I have not tested on my own in 3 or 4 years. I go to local races and use them as test sessions. Some times I run a second rig, so I can test even more stuff. We hauls to Camden and Depue a day early to get testing in. There is alot to be said about haveing a rescue boat and medical professionals around.

Read Ian' post before this one real hard. Kevin lost his leg testing a 47 mph ASR. Use you head. Never test without Kevlar or your own tow/ rescue boat.

Michael D-1

[Abbott Racing]

When we test it's just like race day, cut suit, gloves, rescue boat......

My son complained the second season (he's now 14) of testing with the aw dad it's only testing, and I said Ok you don't have to wear the cut suit, but I have to put the boat in the trailer. Never questioned the rule again.

It's always to be better safe than sorry

[Bill Huson]

Back in the good ol' days, when I was 12-14 years old, I was tearing up the Great South Bay in my Merc KG-7 and later Merc 25 powered runabout at the blazing speed of 40 or so. Alone - wearing nothing but a swim suit. No cutoff in those days. I learned about line storms and a few other freaky weather tricks the hard way. Probably used a few of my nine lives in the process.

Now a half century+ older and a bit wiser, I would never test a race boat alone, nor would I neglect to wear the normal race attire when testing. If I'm towing the rescue boat I try to hit the scene early on Friday because I know the boats will be running.

[epugh66]

To add to all the other correct advice, we never run at top speed for very long. Save the hot laps for the race weekend.

[Dave M]

Originally posted by epugh66
To add to all the other correct advice, we never run at top speed for very long. Save the hot laps for the race weekend.

Exactly, well said Eric. I run a speed run, and save the ET times for testing at races.

[Jeff Lytle]

As a Canadian, the one thing I alwats found unusual at the US races was the testing time they allow you before the races on race day or even before, say on the Friday.

We never had that opportunity, as testing was out of the question on the Friday, and banned on race days, with very few exceptions.
The winners did their testing and race prep before getting there.

Me, personally, used to go testing ONLY when I got a new box of props to try from Pop.
It was simple--Run strraight out, turn, and come back in. That short blast gave you everything you needed to know about the setup or prop you were trying out. Lap upon lap never made sence to me.
I got challenged by a lakeracer once. I kept going in as I always did when yahoos like him appeared. But this one time I did give him a go. He was reported to be the "Fastest Boat on the Lake" by many. I figgered a little bit of crow munchin' was in order.

It was a dumb thing to do, granted, yes.
He was good to about 90................I pulled the pipes, flipped him the bird, and was gone.............Never saw him again while testing.

Always have a rescue boat on hand. ALWAYS !
Dyin' just ain't worth it.