Jet-boating in the Field of Dreams
By Sandy Harris for Eugene Daily News
Jet boats are serious business.
On July 28, jet boating teams from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, and even British Columbia gathered at the Field of Dreams race track in Tangent, Oregon to compete against each other.
Measuring 12 to 13 feet long, they accelarate up to 90 mph within seconds. The engines suck in as much as 700 gallons of water per second. The boats are manned by a driver and a navigator, both of whom are belted in securely with Nascar-type buckles and gear. This leaves little room for the operators to move their heads — and considering the intensity of their water movements, this ensures their safety.
On July 28, jet boaters from across west America gathered in Tangent, Oregon. The city of Tangent is located in the central Willamette Valley of western Oregon, about 40 miles north of Eugene. Teams from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, and even British Columbia gathered at the Field of Dreams race track in Tangent to compete against each other.
Designed, built and owned by Kyle Patrick, the Field of Dreams track is the first of its kind in Oregon. Patrick both owns the track and operates one of the boats competing at the races. The track just celebrated its 4th year, ending with this last race on July 28th. There are typically two events per year at the field held in July and August.
In jet boat racing, the goals are simple: The driver and the navigator must negotiate a predefined course correctly and consistently have the fastest time. This takes major teamwork between the driver and navigator, the latter signaling the former at all times during the race. This is no easy task: the track is usually 3 feet deep and the channels are about 12 to 15 feet wide.Add to that the jets’ power, which pulll up to 7-8 lateral G’s on the corners with very little time to make split-second decisions.
Jim DeFord from the United Sprint Boat Association (USSBA) explains how the boats work:
“They are jet-propelled boats. They have an opening in the bottom of the boat that takes in water and then the water is taken into the pump, compressed to a certain degree — not unlike jet engines — and then the water is expelled out the rear. They do not push out any more water during a turn. It just looks that way. In the corners, they corner so fast that they can pull up to 7 g’s lateral forces, but typically it’s only 2-5 g’s lateral. Lateral is much different than, say, what a jet fighter pilot experiences. More use 105-110 octane race fuel. Some use airplane fuel.”
The day of the races in Tangent started out a bit overcast, with promises of a hot day in store.
The track was clean, fresh, and ready for some action. As the day progressed, tents went up for shade, the parking lots filled up, and the smell of food wafted through the air.
Boat #50 (dubbed “Mid Life Crisis”), driven by Bill Bently from Albany, actually came out of the water, flipping twice before coming to rest right-side-up.
There were a few bumps and bruises to the boats, some coming a bit too close to the edges when making the sharp, 90-degree turns, some coming completely out of the water and putting themselves into “dry dock.” Those that did experience “dry dock” were quickly assisted back into the water by the waiting safety crews.
The driver does everything possible to get back into the water unassisted. The official rule book states that,
“If a hand is placed on the boat by the safety men on the track, the boat is taken out of the heat as a DNF (did not finish).”
But now and again, there is no way to avoid the assistance of the safety crews.
Boat #50 (dubbed “Mid Life Crisis”), driven by Bill Bently from Albany, actually came out of the water, flipping twice before coming to rest right-side-up. Navigator Terry Cummings with boat #99 (“Jeeper’s Creepers 2″) had some major bruising and a bloodied shin, but she came through with battle scars and a great story to tell her grandchildren (she had just become a new grandmother). Fortunately for all competitors, there were no serious injuries during the event.
The Moosehead Saloon in Palmer, Alaska sponsored the live stream of the event. Two of the competitors, Eric Werner (driver) /Horton (navigator) #149 came from Alaska to the race.
Results for the July 28 race at Field of Dreams
Super Modified: 1st place went to Hughes/Haskey “Overkill” boat #69 from WA, second going to Werner/Horton “Jolly Roger” boat #146 from AK.
Super Boats: 1st place went to Johnson/McNeal “Liquid Courage” boat #55m (methanol) from BC, second going to Morrison/McGuire “Wicked” boat #10 from WA.
The final race for first place in the A-400 group was between Harrisburg’ very own Henderson/Henderson team “Sling Shot” boat #16 and Albany’s Patrick/Patrick team “It’s All About Me” boat #151. Boat #151 took first place.
Fore more information about jet boat racing, visit www.ussbaracing.com and www.oregonsprintboat.com.
On July 28, jet boating teams from Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, and even British Columbia gathered at the Field of Dreams race track in Tangent, Oregon to compete against each other.
Boat #50 (dubbed “Mid Life Crisis”), driven by Bill Bently from Albany, actually came out of the water, flipping twice before coming to rest right-side-up.
An Evening at the Cuthbert: Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
By Sandy Harris for Eugene Daily News
This last Wednesday, Grammy-award winning comedian Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers performed a sold-out concert at Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater. When Martin led the group on stage, the crowd went wild. Martin made sure to point out the white color of his pants, as contrasted with the other performers’ suits and ties. They are a sophisticated and handsome group of men.
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| Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers July 25, 2012 |
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers performing on July 25, 2012.
The Steep Canyon Rangers are a bluegrass band from North Carolina. Voted bluegrass entertainers of the year, they have played on the lawn of the White House for the President of the United States. Even if you never heard bluegrass music before, this concert had the power to turn anyone into an ardent fan.
Martin introduced each member of the band, leading with comedic flairs. He introduced Charles R. Humphrey lll on Bass, which, according to Martin, is nice to have on tour as “it doubles as a refrigerator.” Next were Graham Sharp on banjo, Woody Platt on guitar, Nicky Sanders on fiddle (an instrument he has played since he was five years old), and then Michael Guggino on the mandolin.
After a few songs, Martin took a short break. As he left the stage, Humphrey opened up a secret compartment on the front of the bass and handed him a beer. The crowd loved it.
“I Can’t Sit Down,” a beautiful song about Heaven, moved the crowd to major applause. The quartet of banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin came together in perfect harmony and the singing was incredible. After this performance, Martin came back on stage and they all sang “Atheists Have No Songs” — a fun song, full of comedy.
The house was packed with barely any room to stand. At 7 pm, when the concert was scheduled to start, it was 91 degrees. Attendees did whatever they could to stay cool in the summer heat. As the sun beat down on them, Martin humorously asked the audience who had the best sunburn.
Steve Martin provided a great combination of comedy and music.
The Rangers left the stage as Martin played “The Great Remember,” a song he wrote and performed in honor of his deceased friend Nancy. Platt, the guitar player, talked about how playing music makes him feel. He said,
“It feels good for a lot of reasons. It’s really fun to have that kind of team work. There are distinctive rolls for each member. There’s a joy when it all comes together and a kind of pride carrying on a tradition. You feel great when you entertain an audience, bringing music to people that they can genuinely enjoy [and] knowing it enriches lives.“
As the band finished the evening, they received a standing ovation from the crowd. It felt like a privilege to be a part of the experience. The warmth of the staff and volunteers at the Cuthbert added to the entire experience as well. They were helpful, kind and knowledgeable. Despite the heat, they always had smiles on their faces.
I went to the concert with the intention of finding a good story. After hearing Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers play and entertain the audience, all while braving the summer heat, what I found was an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and joy.
And I found a story, too — a story of musicians bringing together their phenomenal talents and becoming one amazing act.
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