Spring Boat Shop Tour -18
U-18 at home at the "Beaver Lake Yacht Club"
The 2012 ANG H1 season will see the introduction of new turbine powerplant to the unlimited fleet in an experiment proposed by long time UL and GP racer Kelly Stocklin and approved by the H1 board of directors .
Stocklin has acquired one of the boats built for the G Class automotive series and has been approved by H1 to run the boat as an unlimited using a Lycoming T-53 turbine powerplant.
The T-53 turbine and gear box are being fitted into the engine well.
The T-53 produces about 1400 horsepower, compared to 2800 for the T-55 L7C currently used by the rest of the turbine fleet. Stocklin expects the 28 foot boat to weigh just over 4000 pounds, compared to the 6,575 pound minimum for T-55 powered boats.
The team’s T-53 Turbine engine was built by Whispering Turbines, the same company that builds the T-55 powerplants used by some of the sport’s top teams. The company supplies the T-53 to several top teams in Offshore racing.
A visit to the team’s shop on the Sammamish Plateau, East of Seattle, takes you through an affluent, upscale neighborhood near Beaver Lake to the building Stocklin calls “The Beaver Lake Yacht Club.”
The boat's hardware and systems required extensive modifications to meet H1 technical specs.
We found work on the boat progressing well with the gear box and engine being fitted into the hull. Stocklin plans some modification to the boat’s multi colored paint scheme, but says painting will be the last priority on the work list.
Stocklin’s team, which he calls “Bucket List Racing” is making modifications to the boat to comply with H1 technical specifications.
Stocklin told us, “The rudder and skid fin brackets had to be rebuilt and we had to put in a new fire system and air system as well as all new steering components. And we had to move frames and stringers to accommodate the change in engine and gear box configuration, so it has been a bigger job than you might imagine.”
Plans are for the green areas on the boat to turn yellow, creating a yellow boat with blue trim.
The team’s goal is to make the season opener in Madison, which Stocklin says, “Is not out of the question, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
As far as the team’s plans and goals, Stocklin is realistic when he says, “We know we’re not building a 200 mph boat and we are not going to run with the fastest guys in the sport. But we might not be the slowest either and we hope to be consistent. Our goal will be to qualify, start and finish and see where that takes us.”
Kelly Stocklin
If all goes well, it could take the team to a respectable finish in 2012 and give fans a very interesting new combination to watch on the water. It will be a lot of fun to watch this project come together and join the tour.
Spring Boat Shop Tour -18
U-18 at home at the "Beaver Lake Yacht Club"
The 2012 ANG H1 season will see the introduction of new turbine powerplant to the unlimited fleet in an experiment proposed by long time UL and GP racer Kelly Stocklin and approved by the H1 board of directors .
Stocklin has acquired one of the boats built for the G Class automotive series and has been approved by H1 to run the boat as an unlimited using a Lycoming T-53 turbine powerplant.
The T-53 turbine and gear box are being fitted into the engine well.
The T-53 produces about 1400 horsepower, compared to 2800 for the T-55 L7C currently used by the rest of the turbine fleet. Stocklin expects the 28 foot boat to weigh just over 4000 pounds, compared to the 6,575 pound minimum for T-55 powered boats.
The team’s T-53 Turbine engine was built by Whispering Turbines, the same company that builds the T-55 powerplants used by some of the sport’s top teams. The company supplies the T-53 to several top teams in Offshore racing.
A visit to the team’s shop on the Sammamish Plateau, East of Seattle, takes you through an affluent, upscale neighborhood near Beaver Lake to the building Stocklin calls “The Beaver Lake Yacht Club.”
The boat's hardware and systems required extensive modifications to meet H1 technical specs.
We found work on the boat progressing well with the gear box and engine being fitted into the hull. Stocklin plans some modification to the boat’s multi colored paint scheme, but says painting will be the last priority on the work list.
Stocklin’s team, which he calls “Bucket List Racing” is making modifications to the boat to comply with H1 technical specifications.
Stocklin told us, “The rudder and skid fin brackets had to be rebuilt and we had to put in a new fire system and air system as well as all new steering components. And we had to move frames and stringers to accommodate the change in engine and gear box configuration, so it has been a bigger job than you might imagine.”
Plans are for the green areas on the boat to turn yellow, creating a yellow boat with blue trim.
The team’s goal is to make the season opener in Madison, which Stocklin says, “Is not out of the question, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
As far as the team’s plans and goals, Stocklin is realistic when he says, “We know we’re not building a 200 mph boat and we are not going to run with the fastest guys in the sport. But we might not be the slowest either and we hope to be consistent. Our goal will be to qualify, start and finish and see where that takes us.”
Kelly Stocklin
If all goes well, it could take the team to a respectable finish in 2012 and give fans a very interesting new combination to watch on the water. It will be a lot of fun to watch this project come together and join the tour.