Century 21 Special, Y-3

A NEW ADDITION
By Bill DeGlopper
(reproduced from ANTIQUE MAHOGANY April 1998)
Vintage hydroplane of some distinction has joined the fleet of Niagara Frontier ACBS member owned boats. It is a 1979 850cc class, 3 point pickle fork design hydro with an interesting racing history. Built by Don Kelson's Modem Pattern in Seattle, Washington, it was actually assembled by Mike Hanson and John Walters. Both men are more well known for their racing success in the Unlimited hydros, with the Miss Madison and Miss Pay N Pak. Jack Sellers, of St. Petersburg, Forida ordered the boat and raced it as the Y-43, High Upkeep, a top performer. After his son blew it over in a race, Sellers traded it to Steven J. David in return for a 1928 Model A Ford. Steve renamed it the Century 21 Special, Y-3 and began a very successful career with it. Powered by an alcohol injected Sunbeam Imp engine, the boat won over 40 races in the 850 class. Steve campaigned up and down the East coast. In 1982, he won the Eastern Divisionals and set the 1 1/4 mile record. Later, Steve set the world Kilo record of 102.263 mph. This record was never broken and was officially retired by APBA in 1995, when the class was changed to 1.5 litre. The boat came to WNY for the Hydronationals held at Isle View Park in 1982. Steve then sold the boat to Bobby Murray Jr. of Raleigh, North Carolina. Bobby raced it as the Y-44, Bankwalker briefly, then stored it until selling it in 1995 to Roger Martin of Prince George, Virginia. Bill DeGlopper bought the Y-3 and is restoring it to Steve David's original color scheme, since it achieved is greatest success during Steve's ownership. It has also been registered as a vintage race boat with APBA. Bill plans to show it on both the ACBS and APBA Historic circuit. Steve David is currently President of APBA and has been a great help in putting together all the facts, photographs and data on this boat.

Owner/Driver Steve David getting into the drivers seat.

The 1996 Antique Race Boat Regatta - Clayton, New York prior to starting restoration.
(My restored Bullet N-17 is in the background).

Bankwalker T-4
These 2 photos as it looked in 1996 when I picked it up in Maryland from Roger Martin. The black color scheme was Bobby Murray, Jr, who campaigned as Bankwalker. Roger had planned to run it as a T class hydro. The back sided of deck were delaminated from weather. The large hole in the engine cowl was made by Tony Scartine in a experiment with a Mercucry powerplant.

I used a router to remove the original deck without damaging any battens. As the fiberglass cloth came off, I could easily see the plywood stained from sun exposure. It was easy to find the original paint scheme & number Y-3. I outlined it with a marker, maded a paper template & was able to use it to restore the original paint scheme. Paul Reid did all the paint work on Century 21 Special Y-3.

There was no broken frames, batttens, etc. anywhere. Remarkable, considering it won over 50 races & ran hundreds of heats in it's past.

Buffalo Launch Club - 1998.
I showed the hydro at the club annual boat show with the new deck partially installed.
The new deck was Okume 4mm plywood with Tacoma Fiberglass lightweight cloth & epoxy.

Sunbeam Imp engine. I traded a Crosley to Don Kelson in exchange for one of his Sunbeam Imps.
(Bobby Murray kept Steve David's original engines).

Jim Appley, world record engine builder, performed the motor work.

The Antique Race Boat Regatta - Clayton, New York

Bill DeGlopper also built a model of Century 21 Special Y-3.

Shaun Berry purchased this combo at the 2002 Lake George Race Boat Regatta.