Newest J-Class Hydro: TUG IT "Baby!"

[TUG IT!!]

Last weekend at the APBA event "Thunder on the Narrows" in Kent Island, MD., Kevin and Ryan Murphy unveiled their newly restored J-Class Hydro TUG IT "Baby!". After a winter long resto, Lil- Kev and Ryan had a chance to finally jump in the boat and see what she had against the rest of the class, each grabbing a 2nd and 3rd place finish in their heats respectively. Not bad since the 1st time the boat had a motor on it was 20 min before the 1st heat.

Last year a good friend of mine Chuck Werner, who is on the Kent Island Racing Association and long standing member and racer with the APBA were talkin about this newly growing class for kids 9 - 15 years old, J-Class Hydro. He informed me that there was a hull that needed some TLC and a family who could campaign the boat at APBA events. My 1st thought were my 2 cousins Kevin 14, and Ryan 13 (at the time) along with my Uncle Matt who taught me about workin on boats as I was growin up. Of course all were psyched, we just had to run it my Mom (Marilyn) and we were good to go.

Chuck suggested that the boys run 1 of the 5 APBA boats in Kent Island, see if they liked it, and talk about the boat resto from there. So the boys got online, took their tests, went to the drivers meeting and we were off. The day before the race I set up some buoys out in front of the Shipyard, put in an inflatable with a 15 Evinrude on it, and Matt and I taught the boys how to take turns, work the throttle, etc... This was the 1st time either of the boys had run a boat on their own.

Saturday morning we helped rig and set up all the the APBA boats along with the privatley owned, and the boys headed out for their 1st race.

Kev took 1st place on Staurday and Ryan took 1st place on Sunday in the rookie heats... Not too bad for their 2nd time runnin a boat.. Chuck agreed, and a month later the boys took delivery of boat 113E to get in shape for next season..