Gay Zephyr

I am part of a small maritime museum down here in Paynesville , Victoria, Australia who are working to record the local maritime heritage before it is all lost. The story is long and interesting as the Gippsland Lakes were well serviced, pre-railways, with a fleet of small ships and steamers and had a flourishing fishing industry – almost all of the ships and boats being of wood construction. Most is gone now but has progressively been replaced by a thriving tourist industry centred on recreational boating.

 The purpose of contacting you is that we have acquired the “frames” used a station moulds by a local boatbuilder in constructing a high performance racing runabout for a customer and in the process of finding more we have tracked down the now 96 year old owner who provided the attached photos. He said it was a USA design from the E-Class but could not remember anything further.

If anyone can you shed any light on the ‘E-Class Runabout” from around 1953 and/or point us in the best direction please?

 The boatbuilder concerned is a focal point of our museum display as we have his workbench, some tools and his drawing board and equipment so it would be nice to wrap it all together with the E-Class story.

Rob Cook
(Click my name to send me an email)

gay zephyr at speed 2014_gay zephyr bow view 2014_gay zephyr stern view 2014_gay zephyr underwater shape

Pan American Regatta

2014_Pan_American_RegattaOur good friend, Jay Marshall found this picture in his closet of an old boat race to be held on Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, LA.  The date is in the early 1960s.  The upper right picture is his uncle in his Colcock 48.  Under him is Johnnie Landaiche in the 3-time National Champion 150 Wickens hull, “Belle.”  Under him is the original 225 Siracusa “Country Boy.”  It is a Wickens hull, and was replaced by the Lauterbach hull.

Aqua Allisons

Bill Holder and Phil Kunz contribute an article to Engine Builders magazine
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Monthly Calendars

HEATWAVE IIThey are back for 2015. Please note – as soon as I get the 2015 APBA V&H Event Calendar from the APBA VH folks, I will add the dates to these monthly calendars.

Andiamo

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

The start of a new year signals that all the old vintage hydroplanes and owners, like a very fine wine, are just getting better with age. (Hmm….that sounds good, so I’ll go with that).
Every year new year also brings forth a few more vintage hydroplanes that will be reincarnated back to it’s former glory.

The latest project seen at John Jenkins shop is a blunt nose Jones 145 ci hydroplane vintage (1970?).
The boat is the former TOR-GRE for which is was built for & campaigned by the Barker Family out of western New York state.
The hydro then moved on and became the ANDIAMO campaigned by Tony Lamontia in the 1980s (dictionary tells me this boat name is Italian for – “Let’s Go; Hurry Up“) .
From there, it moved on and was campaigned by Jeff Corrigan as WONDERFUL SENSATION and was last raced up into the early 90s when mandatory cell rules were implemented.

The Lamontia Bros. have acquired this hydroplane and commissioned John Jenkins to restore her  as campaigned by their father —  ANDIAMO.

 John Jenkins (left) and the Jack Hines talking about the old Jones.
John Jenkins (left) and the Jack Hines talking about the old Jones.

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Thanks to Phil Kunz for the story and photos!

Mom’s Worry A-55

Mark Wheeler and the family's restored A-55.
Mark Weber and the family’s restored MOM’S WORRY A-55.

Mom’s Worry A-55 has 24 photos posted to their webpage. This is the boat built by “Pops” Weber for his son Ray in 1962. They raced the boat for 5 years then sold it. It was located by Ray’s son, Mark in 2007 and restored by Scott Liddycoat.

Berlin VI

European Class E 2  (2500 ccm) Berlin VI was constructed and built by Kurt Gersch of Wiesbaden, Germany. The boat won every race in its class in 1956 including the 1956 World Championship in Cannes
European Class E 2 (2500 ccm)
Berlin VI was constructed and built by Kurt Gersch of Wiesbaden, Germany.
The boat won every race in its class in 1956 including the 1956 World Championship in Cannes.

Rolf Gersch found his father’s old boat (that his father originally built) and restored her back to life.
Click here to read more of the story on this beautiful boat.