Offroad-Express

This Saturday the, "Timaru Winch Challenge" near Pleasant Point is on.
I've entered the buggy. Towing it down with the 40.
Scrutineering starts at 7am. Means we start heading down at 4.30am.
Got a new winch bitch to try out. Funny thing is. Both of us will be new to it. TRUE virgins.
Not only is it our first Winch Challenge but it's also the first event the buggy has been in since buying it.
A bit nervous to be honest.
In Chch (I guess on ORE to) I have the label, "Has all the gear, but no idea". I can laugh at that cause there's truth in it. But...there's only one way to get ideas. And that's to gain the experience.

I'm up for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QirXXNeBLGE

Good work, and best of luck. I'll be working ... dammit
Jeremy

After watching that vid i feel sorry for your winch bitch hopefully its a warm day hope your taking a camra man with you?

That looks disgusting

But I know you'll have a good time Pete. Hope it all goes well with no majors for you

Good on ya Pete, have fun mate. Jumping in at the deep end in more ways than one.

Being the school holidays the kids are coming along.
One of them should be armed with a camera.
Jumping in the deep end is me. Learn the hard way first i recon.
Was talking to someone in the know and apparently the course isn't the same as that youtube clip this year. I'm told it's more rocky this time with a river involved. As long as it doesn't get deeper than our waists (sitting in the buggy) we should be ok. As the ECU and air intake is just above that.

From a couple of years ago.

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 49#p155549

Good to see you found those video's Pete!!! That was a deep hole. You won't need to worry about that this year, different location.

Good luck man

My best advice is to FINISH THE EVENT

That means driving conservatively and preserving your truck and winch man.

Ya know the old saying??

"To finish first, first you must finish"

That might mean not charging at the bog's full speed ahead, but stopping on bank the before it.

Letting your winch man get the rope out and go around the bog rather than having to swim through and freeze to death while he hunts around in the goo for the winch thats buried under there somewhere can make the all the difference, especially as the day drags on and you get towards the last stage or two of the day.......

If its an electric winch, leave the truck running all day, don't turn it off, you want the batteries fully charged at the start of each stage.

Turn the go fast dial back to 5 or 6 for the first day, up to 8 for the first half of the last day and push like hell on the last half of the last day

Oh, and have HEAPS of fun, co's thats what ya there for

Hey thanks for the pointers diesel. God knows I need it.
I've been watching winch challenge vids. Listening to others like yourself. And I'll be watching very closely to others before I enter hazards. You're right. The idea is to finish the event. Not to get a place.
And most of all. Having fun enjoying all the adrenaline rushes.

I just scored some open face helmets today. Just fitting my motorbike "Scala-Rider" bluetooth communication sets to them. Wireless communication I recon will be a bonus. These things are waterproof.
The land anchor is getting fitted to the buggy this avo sometime.
Also got the essentials together, first-aid kit, snatch block, tree truck protector, winch extension, extra fire extinguisher, cable dampeners, x2 3t D-shackles blah blah.
Roll on tomorrow morning!!

Hehehe, you'l be gettin fark all sleep tonight

Good luck and make sure you can drive it on the trailer at the end of the event

It makes a difference putting something back on a trailer at the end of the day instead of driving it home. But still. I won't be going balls out. Just hope to finish.
Yep diesel. Making breakfast at 4am for me winch bitch when he gets here. But not sure I'll be hungry. Not sure if I'll get much sleep either.

On my first trial event I was relaxed and calm. I figured that this would be fine as long as I engaged my brain before I touched any controls.

That was the theory, but when you line up in the box a strange thing happens. You get competitive and do things you normally wouldnt (after when you look at the vids you will curse decisions you made). Taking the easier line and getting a few points is forgotten and you push your luck for a few less points only to fcuk it up and either break something (finish of the day) or blow it completely and gain max points.

It will be the simple things that get to you. Check ya hubs are locked, that you are actually in low and then check again.

I could have won my first even (even against a couple of real trialers, but I blew it on a hill climb/descent and on a reversing challenge (drive it in reverse).

The hill climb was steep and I couldnt be assed walking it, so watched where everyone else went in their bigger trucks and trick steering/fiddle brakes (first error which got compounded). Couldn't see the bit at the top of the hill so got there blind, turned late and scored a penalty for a wheel out of the course which then put me in bad spot for the descent, I then tried to drive a cross the slope (second mistake) to a better spot, but I bailed out the side of the course (I say I chose to leave, others said I had no choice as I was out of control - I guess bouncing uncontrolably with wheels off the ground and no steering could be looked at that way). Scored full points penalty.

Second one was the reversing one which was near the end and I was again feeling cocky. Drove into the box from the last course (which I blitzed) and was away. Forgot to put it into low ratio and the clutch let go as I was backing up a hill, so 50 points there (a simple hill and I blew it)

I lost by 80 points and my blunders cost me 150. - Bugger I could have been 70 up or had 70 to play with for a buffer).

I always remember that day and the video still pisses me off. I knew what to do but got lazy and cocky.

Had a f###ing ball though.

You will too, take Diesel's advice and dont listen to the little devil on your shoulder.

petefj40 wrote:The land anchor is getting fitted to the buggy this avo sometime.

ya got a new bugger then? hope so.. the last one left its signature on my hand..

good luck fulla.. vid vid vid..

DB's advice is on the money (one day he may follow it to ) But seriously go to have a good time, and learn. Your truck is capable, more capable than you will drive it so take it easy. Just by finishing every stage you will be there or there abouts in the end. The last few events we have done we have had the odd mare stage but still finished them (including one in 3wd) End of events sitting at or near the top.

If there are deap holes stop before them as BD said and winch in and out, its quicker that messing around trying to sort the winch in the slop and if you are moving the whole time the depth isn't as much of a concern.

By the end you will be driving heaps faster and being nicer to your truck all at the same time. Last peice of advise keep a smile on your dial. The more you smile (like actually think about it) the more you relax and the better you will get on.

and dont just follow everyone else tracks, there is usually plenty of room to go somewhere else within the course. good luck pete. hope it goes well.

niblik wrote:

petefj40 wrote:The land anchor is getting fitted to the buggy this avo sometime.

ya got a new bugger then? hope so.. the last one left its signature on my hand..

good luck fulla.. vid vid vid..

No vids nibs. The partner just told me she can't be bothered driving down so no one to take any.

You need some of the wizzy mounted ones Mike had.

Let us know how you got on Pete. Shame no vids

I have a helmet cam Heath. But couldn't be bothered setting it up (sorry).
I would of preferred my partner or a friend to video some hazards. But that didn't happen. So sorry for no video folks.
Turns out this event isn't a big spectators event. It's very much a club one.
I did manage to video Rick for a 30 seconds or so on one hazard. But that was about it.
As this event was John Ross's (co driver) and I's first Winch Challenge, I was more into learning the truck and event than anything.

We really enjoyed it. We were buzzing on every hazard. (apart from the hand winch your truck hazard )
There were 11 hazards in all. I'd say over half of them very technical (for a beginner like us).
It's a pitty there weren't more people taking vid or pix. As there were some pretty cool hazards not to mention trucks.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z_6HYIsvS4

have got some vids ,sorry pete none of you camera went flat just before you went into that gully wiv the big rocks in the creek,buggy sounds wicked pete,
vince

PigFmr wrote:have got some vids ,sorry pete none of you camera went flat just before you went into that gully wiv the big rocks in the creek,buggy sounds wicked pete,
vince

Sweet as. Saw your rig there. Looking cool!!
I'll look forward to seeing any other pix or vids of the day. I heard the turn out was better than years before. Good effort on the organizers and marshals. Big thanks to them!

So you missed me ripping out that fence post on hazard 11 then. Phew!
Was happy to have no breaks though. On the trailer running at the end of the day.
How was your truck at the end of it Vince? Enjoy yourself?

Was just told. In the class we were in, the Outlaw class. There was only 7 trucks. I was expecting to come 7th. So i was stoked to find out we came 6th.

Me and Pig Farmer herd you hit that fence buggy sounds nice

But you finished your first ever winch challenge and drove it on the trailer right at the end????

Thats a bloody good result in my book

Best thing is you can take the buggy out and do skids in it this weekend too, as its not farked

I wish they would let buggies like that compete up here. We gotta have windscreens and doors and OEM look alike panels and all sorts of dum shit

I wish they would let buggies like that compete up here. We gotta have windscreens and doors and OEM look alike panels and all sorts of dum shit

They do let them compete up here. It's called Trials!!!

It went back on the trailer. Stoked about that.
Only damages were one bent bead lock rim and a bent land anchor.

I'm making excuses here. But the rules of Sheffield Mud Plug caught me out a few times. Each time I lost forward momentum I went to the land anchor. As in Sheffield you gain penalties if you reverse. In the Winch Challenge you can reverse as many time as you like without gaining penalties.
Another thing that slowed us down was the mark one (came out with the arc) 4 point harness system in the buggy. I can see the advantages of a quick release harness system.

Come on Mr Pig Farmer.
Where are these pix/vids ??

Jungle wrote:

I wish they would let buggies like that compete up here. We gotta have windscreens and doors and OEM look alike panels and all sorts of dum shit

They do let them compete up here. It's called Trials!!!

we could always start another bitch session

"Whatever happened to the Outlaw class?"

Any Pics

pete is in the outlaw class,

pete will load to u tube and put a link

vince