Anybody on here a bathtub racer?

[Clint r]

As the title says, any member of the forum a bathtub racer? I’m a huge fan of big motors/little boats and this looks like a gas.

 

[tubber]

They are light and fast, but the motors are 9.9 2 strokes I think.

 

[Clint r]

Yeah I think so too. Not %100 percent on this but dimly recollect hearing/reading or talking to a fellow who said something about 9.9 tweaked to 15hp? Maybe just something I dreamed up? It sure looks like a blast eh? I had a 9.9 on a 12’ aluminum I used in the South Thompson and that thing flew so I can only imagine how fast these guys are going. Just read an article saying first time they’ll be racing in 22 years. Trying to find how long the crossing takes them but no luck.

They are light and fast, but the motors are 9.9 2 strokes I think.

 

[casper5280]

Yeah I think so too. Not %100 percent on this but dimly recollect hearing/reading or talking to a fellow who said something about 9.9 tweaked to 15hp? Maybe just something I dreamed up? It sure looks like a blast eh? I had a 9.9 on a 12’ aluminum I used in the South Thompson and that thing flew so I can only imagine how fast these guys are going. Just read an article saying first time they’ll be racing in 22 years. Trying to find how long the crossing takes them but no luck.

Don't think it is the first time in 22 years, but it's been 22 years since doing the crossing to Vancouver.

 

[Clint r]

Don't think it is the first time in 22 years, but it's been 22 years since doing the crossing to Vancouver.

Haha yep. I just read another article that says as much. Only ten experienced racers too. That too bad. Would’ve thought there’d be more.

 

[casper5280]

I knew a guy that did the races for years and he said that Nanaimo to Van race use to just kill him. He was all bruised and he said once you hit the beach you could barely run up the beach to ring the bell. Flipped his boat tons of times, but he must of loved it because he and his brother did it for years. they even sold one of their boats to another friend who raced it in Saskatchewan

 

[Clint r]

Nice. I think it would be pretty tough too, but man, what a rush. There’s a bathtub boat for sale on Craigslist right now. Unfortunately no pics. If I lived at the coast, I’d be checking it out for sure.

https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/boa/d/real-bathtub-boat/6648736584.html

 

[casper5280]

I see that one of the brothers won it in 1981. Here's a link for rules and info http://www.bathtubbing.com/championship-race/past-winners/

 

[SteelyDan]

I know a guy on the aggressive salmon team. Tough sport

 

[BCI]

Saw one today on trailer at the Horseshoe bay ferry terminal being towed waiting for a ferry. Around 1pm. Maybe they're preparing? It had an older 9.9/9.8 2S, cav burns on leading edge of prop, looked like a dangerously fun machine.

 

[Clint r]

Thanks. I did a quick read of the rules. Seems like relatively few rules and regs to deal with. Mostly safety stuff. Check out the slideshow of pics in the link Casper5280 posted. And the records. I can only assume the 3 hour trips were in tough weather as opposed to the 1 hr 15 minute ones. Pretty sure these old bones couldn’t take a 3 hour pummeling.

I see that one of the brothers won it in 1981. Here's a link for rules and info http://www.bathtubbing.com/championship-race/past-winners/

 

[nicnat]

I was an escort boat for a couple of years in the 90's for that Nanaimo to Vancouver bathtub race for Murray Iseli, former owner of Lordship Marine. They won the race at least once. if it's snotty out not many tubs make it across and actually the last year I did it I had to rescue another escort boat , it was a k & c and the hull separated from the topsides, just came apart from the pounding, we managed to get it tied up to the pier at the maritime museum before it sank. Lordship had one of the tubs up on the sign at the front of their shop on Victoria drive.

 

[doonhamer]

Don't think it is the first time in 22 years, but it's been 22 years since doing the crossing to Vancouver.

glad to see towns this old comp / attraction... helped friends yrs ago, but unlike most yrs she was like glass ...

 

[Brian Reiber]

38 tubs this year. My 17 year old son ran in the stock class and came in first in stock 4th overall. That's a pretty big accomplishment in my book. I raced it 4 or 5 years ago and had a blast. I didn't do nearly as well as my boy. Probably because I'm fat and slowed the tub down. It's a fun sport and I'd recommend it to anyone.