racer cheats death at 130mph

Astonishing moment powerboat racer cheats death at 130mph in spectacular crash on same lake where Bluebird pilot Donald Campbell was killed

Keith Whittle had just set a new record for Formula 2 class in 200hp boat
But his boat flipped one and a half times through the air in Lake District
Hundreds of spectators watched on Friday as Whittle escaped unscathed
Donald Campbell lost control of his Bluebird on same lake stretch in 1967

By Mark Duell

Adrenaline junkie Keith Whittle had just set a new record for the Formula 2 class in his 200hp boat named Pepstar when he spectacularly flipped on Coniston Water in the Lake District. His boat somersaulted one a half times through the air before landing top-down on the water, in an accident witnessed by hundreds of spectators on Friday. Mr Whittle escaped unscathed but shaken. It happened on the same stretch of Coniston that claimed the life of speed record ace Donald Campbell, who lost control of his Bluebird at more than 300mph in January 1967. He already held the water speed record of 276mph and was trying to beat it. His boat was named after the car in which his father Sir Malcolm Campbell had set what was then a land speed record of 146mph in 1924. Martin Campbell, who witnessed the crash, said: ‘Your initial response is hoping the driver gets out and he did but it is still quite shocking when it happens.
‘Most drivers carry oxygen but Keith didn’t need it, he managed to get out straight away. It all happened in an instance and he was a bit shaken up.
Coniston Power Boat Records Week is the only event in the Powerboat Racing Calendar to bring together all classes of boat.

Jim Noone, chief technical measurer, added: ‘Keith was trying hard for the record and when you’re right on the edge these things can happen.
‘But the safety element has advanced in the past ten years and crashes like this are very survivable. He was a bit shaken and a bit cold but other than that he was fine. ‘The water conditions were perfect and there were nine records set through the week and Keith had at least two of them.
‘The high speed runs are always exciting and you have a mixture of relief and elation – it was the last run of the week and certainly the most dramatic.’

50 years of Boat Racing History

Worth a read & reflection – page 17 in the Nov issue of Propeller magazine:
– 50 Years of Boat Racing History – by W. Melvin Crook.
The article was written in 1953(?) for the 50th Anniversary of the American Power Boat Association (born 1903).

Buccaneer — Simulator

Buccaneer (simulator 2013)

Greg and I bought the Buccaneer from Tom Bock in 1995 and was our first UL. We sold that to Paul Becker about 2002 and he ran as UL. He sold to Greg Walden from Atomic Screen Printing. He ran as a UL around 2006-2007? I actually drove it a heat at the Tri-Cities race that year. Greg sold to Jon Bosserman and Greg and I bought it back from John when we came up with the simulator idea. So yes the old Buccaneer is now the simulator. The low trailer was a big part of that decision because the boat is only a couple feet off the ground off tilt. Tom put the canopy on it and when we picked the boat up it didn’t have the tail on it, but it was in his garage with the skull and cross bones still on it and I said “I want that, it’s going back on the boat”. So we put it back on for the first UL race.

When we built the boat as the simulator we were well aware of the boats historic value. We “surgically” removed the portion of the cockpit from the firewall to the windshield as one piece with the thought in mind that some day it might be a vintage boat. We have all the hardware, prop shaft, strut, rudder etc. The boat itself is in pretty rough shape. Not rot so much as several broken ribs, stringers and sponson problems. Nothing that a lot of tender love and care couldn’t fix. Will make a photo album of the simulator project.

Right now this boats roll as a simulator is a real boost for the sport. We have run hundreds of kids through this thing and they all come out of it with huge smiles on their faces. The kids are the future of boat racing, from a “ride” in this positive experience to the next step….a J-Stock hydro or runabout. The simulator has two seats side by side with video screens, steering wheels, gas pedal, and a seat with speakers in it. It has a lid that closes, notice resemblance to the first turbine Pay n Pack. On the out side we have a monitor for each of the inside monitors and the parents can see and hear exactly what the kids see inside. Using the hydro-mod game that Scott Przybylski built. We have taken it to events such as the Taste of Edmonds, Tri-Cities race and the Coeur d’Alene race. Will be doing some boat shows and single day events/parties etc for a nominal fee of course. Think we have plans for the Spokane Boat Show in January.
Jerry Hopp

Miami Marine Stadium

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    Friends of Miami Marine Stadium
   Newsletter #67   October 9, 2013
In This Issue
Marine Stadium Exhibit
News
If Seats Could Talk

Dade Heritage Trust
Dade Heritage Trust (DHT) is the foremost organization in Miami Dade County devoted  to historic preservation Formerly, DHT was the parent organization to  Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, providing important advocacy and  support and an administrative umbrella. Since 2011, Friends of Miami  Marine Stadium became an independent 501(c)(3) not- for-profit  organization.For more information on Dade Heritage Trust, click here.
Join Our Mailing List

  Email List
# of people on Friends of Marine Stadium email list..2706
We respect your time and only send emails on average once a month. We do not give or sell our email list to anyone.

 If Seats Could Talk: Miami Marine Stadium and a Real Marine 
Since May of 2009, we have been collecting memories of the Marine Stadium for our book “IF SEATS COULD TALK.”
We feature a memory in the main section of our newsletter this week. Please respond to this email if you would like to contribute your memory! # of memories for IF SEATS COULD TALK
………..186

Marine Stadium Presentations
The Miami Marine Stadium continues to attract not just local-but national attention. As we move into fundraising mode, it is important for us to get the word out.
If you know of a group that is interested in a presentation about the Marine Stadium, please reply to this email.
# of Marine Stadium presentations made to date……………..76
To: Miami Marines    
Brace yourselves…for an incredilbly busy fall!

  Marine Stadium Exhibit at the Coral Gables Museum                               Opens October 17 
[Official Exhibition Trailer] Concrete Paradise: Miami Marine Stadium
        Official Exhibition Trailer Concrete Paradise: Miami Marine Stadium

Our exhibit celebrating the Miami Marine Stadium, “Concrete Paradise”, opens Thursday, October 17 at 7:00 PM at the Coral Gables Museum. Tickets for the opening, which will benefit the exhibit and our effort to save and restore the Marine Stadium, cost $25. To purchase your tickets, click  here.
The opening event will be spectacular, featuring parkour athletes, a performance by VJ Psyberpixie, Bacardi cocktails,
and even racing hydroplanes parked out front! In preparation for over a year, this first-ever exhibition is devoted to the
Miami Marine Stadium’s flashy past, its edgy present, and its
 spectacular proposed comeback as a world-class sports and performance venue.
 Curated by renowned author and architectural conservator, Rosa Lowinger, this interactive exhibit will bring the glory days of Miami’s most daringly modern structure back to life through stunning video footage, rare photos and keepsakes, original art installations, photo murals of the stadium’s infamous graffiti, and an antique hydroplane. It will conclude with a special section dedicated to the stadium’s next chapter featuring never before seen site renderings and opportunities for museum visitors to share their vision for the structure’s future.
The exhibition is being presented by American Express. We wish to thank our partners, the Coral Gables Museum and the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the tremendous job they have done. Finally, we’d also like to acknowledge our Cliff Mezey, a member of our Board who came up with the idea for the exhibit almost two years ago.
In addition to the exhibit itself, we have a  full lineup of programs we will be highlighting in future notices to you. Coming up soon:  October 24-The Future of the Miami Marine Stadium-a panel discussion and on  November 6-Boat Racing in Miami-Past and Future-a panel discussion.

   Marine Stadium News    
                  

 Gloria Estefan and Hilario Candela at the Never Quit Challenge at Miami Marine Stadium photo (c) Carlos Betancourt, Inc. 

 

The Marine Stadium continues to be in the news. The Stadium was the first stop at the Never Quit Challenge, an event benefiting charities working with Veterans and their families. The participants were greeted by a crowd that included Gloria Estefan and  Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. At the event, Gloria was able to discuss her vision for Miami Marine Stadium.
The Clyde Fitch Report, a blog that deals with the intersection of Art and Politics, featured a very thoughtful article about the importance of the Marine Stadium entitled Miami’s Quest for Global Standing.
CNN ran a story entitled Six Imperiled Sports Sites; the first site in the article was the Miami Marine Stadium. This national story generated the most web traffic we have had on any one day in the last three years.
Finally, there is a recent article in The Miami Herald which featured an interview about the Coral Gables Museum exhibit with curator Rosa Lowinger. We are expecting a lot of press coverage about the exhibition.

IF Seats Could Talk The First Boat Race at Miami Marine Stadium
                                

Photo By Phil Kunz
We are rapidly approaching the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Miami Marine Stadium – in December, 1963.  We recorded a great story from Phil Kunz, who drove down from Ohio to attend the first boat race at the Marine Stadium. Phil and his friend didn’t have a place to stay, so they actually snuck in and slept at the Stadium!
We’ve already collected 186 stories about the Stadium as work continues on our book, IF SEATS COULD TALK.  If you would like to contribute a story for our book (we’ll be happy to interview you or follow up on a recommendation),  just respond to this email.

Conclusion
During one of Phil Kunz’ visits to Miami in the 1960s, he picked up this flag at the Marine Stadium. Phil has graciously loaned it to us and it will be on display at our exhibit at the Coral Gables Museum. The exhibit will not only feature memorabilia and history about the Stadium’s years of operation, but it will also display how it has inspired current artists-and most important, it will help us imagine potential possibilities for its stellar future.
As we begin our “quiet” fundraising campaign, the important contributions you can make are to:  Support us by attending opening night on October 17, come to our related programs and events, and help us create a buzz about the exhibit by liking us on Facebook. We KNOW that after you have seen the exhibit, you will be even more inspired to help us restore the Miami Marine Stadium.
Yours truly,
Friends of Miami Marine Stadium www.marinestadium.org

Frankie’s Boy

1952_Frankies_Boy_Bruce_Smith_CincinattiPhil Kunz has this photo in his Scrapbook section of his website of the boat, dated 1952.
The boat was built by Don & Bruce Smith in the mid or late 1940s and Bruce campaigned it for a few years from the late 40s through the early 50s.

frankies_boy_unrestoredThe above photo was taken by Phil Spruit at the 1998 Clayton Antique Race Boat Regatta. Someone from Florida drove it up and it was for sale there.
Framing was made out of oak, probably the only reason it lasted so long.The boat ran in the 225 class/Division 1. The hydro was powered by a Flathead 6 cyl motor, GMC? Interesting part of this boat is the hand hammered aluminum cowlings, ala sprint car and midget construction of the day. Very high quality work on the cowlings.

The boat must have been retired by the mid 1950s and may have been “put out to pasture” into the field around the rural Cincinnati area.
Past owners were the Wermes brothers and Bill MacTague of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The photos below – show how how it looks today after Don Kelson beautifully restored it.
Not bad looking for a sixty-something year old race boat!

frankies_boy frankies_boy_1

Oh Boy!

S-25 – Looking for history, builder

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Hello, I have recently purchased a “1950’s” lay down hydro (you drive ’em laying down on your belly laying over the gas tank?) with identification number S 25. The story I got was at one time it raced around Springfield lake in Ohio. It was bought at a yard sale by the gentleman I got it from. Any assistance in this endeavor is greatly appreciated as I want to refinish it in the “original” colors. The pattern is still visible.
You can reach me @ boatcraft58@aol.com
Hope to hear from anyone and thank you.

Joe Hodges

F-90 Miss Peg

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After weighing the Miss Peg F-90 on race car scales they found that it was light on transom weight and O/D/B Jack Hines moved the battery back approx two feet. This made it easier to get up on plane and as you can see from the photos, the reports from New Martinsville were – she performed very well.

Midnight Miss

“S’cuse Me”, 88-B

The first race boat in the family, "S'cuse Me", 88-B in 1952. Owner/driver was my dad, Eddie Silva.
The first race boat in the family, “S’cuse Me”, 88-B in 1952. Owner/driver was my dad, Eddie Silva.
Bob Silva