I have almost no history on the boat. I know it was driven by the late Jack Wilcox because we could make out his name before it faded away. I found two different shaft holes so at some point the engine was amidships I found two sets of exhaust holes in the transom. All the Abbey F-Service boats had a little "tumble home" at the transom like Oh Mona except for his personal boat Hurricane. Mine does not have the "tumble home" so it could be older then 1960, perhaps as old as 1955. The friend in Miami that gave it to me saw it once with all the hardware and a flathead Ford. He tried to buy it but was told it was not for sale and was going to be restored. A year or so later all the hardware and running gear was gone and she was sitting on the side of the road waiting to be hauled to the dump. Someone doing a hot rod made the guy an offer he couldn't refuse and he stripped her.

My friend was told he could take it so it went in his warehouse. When he sold the building I got the "come get it or it's going to the dump" call. My father Curt had recognized it as a Abbey Hurricane on a previous visit and I could not let what could be the last wooden racing Hurricane go to the dump. There is a photo on page 118 of "Classic Speedboats 1945-1962" of what the boat looks like. Their chief competition were the Forest Johnson Prowlers. It may have run in the "Gold Coast  Marathon" as a "C" or "D" service runabout but I have had much luck on history yet. This, and the above photo, were published in "Speed and Spray". I sure would like to hear from anybody who can fill in any history on this boat.

I decided I would do a little exploratory surgery on the Abbey. Then I got carried away. I had to replace five of seven bottom frames, the keel, the battens and the chines. I think this is every clamp I own holding the second lamination of the port chine on. When complete the boat will be an "E-Service Runabout" with a small block Chevy and a V-drive. (18')
 

 © Keith Brayer

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