What’s happening on TVH website

Here’s an update on one of my winter projects – housecleaning the entire TVH & PKP websites. Most of this stuff — you may not notice any real changes on. My hope is to have webpages look correct between photos and text and it shouldn’t depend on whether you are viewing the websites with a cell phone or a 65″ TV monitor. I’ve noticed many of the pages on the website had the text & photos ‘splattered’ all over the monitor with no rhyme or reason or had text scrolling across the entire width of the monitor which makes reading a real challenge. I don’t website build for a living…just fun, so I guess I am living and learning this stuff the hard way (my usual route, do it wrong the first time, then spend gobs of time fixing my mistakes).

  1. Photo Albums section is done.
  2. The former Boats section & Owner’s Directory have been combined. Now it’s just called boats.
  3. Official Race Programs section is done.
  4. vintage events & reports is done. These are webpages on past vintage regattas from 1998 through 2010.
  5. Drivers, Owners & Builders section is removed. That data was consolidated into other areas of the website, mainly viewer’s photo albums or put in the boats section.
  6. The monthly Calendars section is done. You shouldn’t notice any changes here.
  7. Photos from a Moment section is done. Same thing, you shouldn’t notice any real changes.
  8. the Models section is done. Same deal, nothing new just all the webpages cleaned up & fixed.
  9. the former Latest Updates section has been replaced with this bulletin.
  10. the APBA Vintage & Historic section r’cd a little housekeeping & is done.
  11. APBA History – new section on the website started. I took the historical parts of the APBA and started this new section which consists of the speed records (all records were consolidated) and the articles From the Vintage Notebook have a new table of contents to make finding articles easier and feature any of the “VINTAGE HOT BOAT of the MONTH” pics I had (wish I had more). The other 2 sections, Propeller Magazine scans from the early 1960s were cleaned up, as well as the Gulf Oil 100 MPH club member’s list of who achieved that goal.
  12. Directory – racing folks – cleaned up & updated. We have 156 folks listed to date.
  13. Where are they now? – cleaned up & all listings consolidated on one page.
  14. Racing Stories – current – all stories cleaned up & updated. Hey folks, it’s been a long time since I posted a new story in this section. Maybe someone can author and write us a story to read over the winter. Any topic will do.
  15. Racing Stories – Historical – all stories cleaned up & updated. Plus added one new ‘old’ story.
  16. Technical Restoration Articles – all stories cleaned up & updated. Plus added 2 new articles.
  17. LINKS – cleanup & all dead links removed.
  18. Sponsors – general housecleaning.
  19. Latest Updates– a couple of folks have asked that I bring back this section. Sorry, I had it for awhile but the NAVIGATION will take to you where need to go..Please send me an email if you find any broken links or other issues.

Looking for a new tow rig?

New 2014 restyled & redesigned GM Sierra and Silverado pickups unveiled today.

…and for the FORD lovers – here’s their new offering which appears like just some cosmetic changes for this year.

 

…….heck I’d be happy with either one.

 

Hydrocart History

A few posts back on this bulletin, I posted some info/pics on a hydrocart someone had. Another email was just r’cd on these unique lil’ raceboats, I thought I’d share along with some neat photos.

Hi Phil —
Thanks for taking the time and posting these jpegs . My father, Craig Bowman helped found the National Hyrokart Association in 1963. He was working in a friend’s fiberglass shop in El Monte, CA where the owner and his son were getting into boat building and racing. Since my dad was the lightest weight guy at the shop, he was recruited to be their driver. The attached photos were from a meet on Oct 6th, 1963 at Lake Ming in Bakersfield, CA where dad won the inboard division on a Dolphin hydrokart. The membership card was designed by my dad when they started the association earlier in the season. He was charging about $20 to register and join, which entitled you to a booklet of meets and rules & regs, etc. that was advertised in the back of a popular boating magazine at the time.

Letters began pouring in from all over, and he was even contacted by a man in Russia who was compiling a government-issued almanac on boat racing and very interested in the hydrokart phenomenon… At this point, my dad got a little nervous as he had accumulated $3-400 dollars of membership dues and wasn’t quite sure what to do next — it all happened very quickly.  Eventually it was funneled into proper usage for NHA activities and the rest is history, but I thought hydrokart enthusiats might enjoy this bit of history and vintage photos.


Sincerely,
Eric Bowman

Miss Thriller

Miss Thriller

Dave R. found this on the internet. Note the big aircraft engines. The ‘Sea Sled’ name sounds like a good description for the hull. The boat reminds me of the thrill jet boats that I’ve taken at tourist destinations. Big motor in back with a few church pews in front for all the paying customers.

The Missing and Deadly Miss Thriller
Miss Thriller, a 28-foot Sea Sled was returning to the docks at Arnolds Park Sunday night July 28, 1929, with 17 aboard when she was struck and sank by another passenger boat, Zipper. Nine passengers aboard Miss Thriller died in the accident. She sank in 90 feet of water more than one-half mile south of Dixon Beach. Miss Thriller was pulled to the surface, towed to Terrace Park Beach and hauled onto shore July 3, 1930 to salvage her twin airplane engines. What happened to her hull is not clear. Some say she was put on exhibit at fairs and carnivals. Other say a grieving parent doused her with gasoline and burned her up. There doesn’t seem to be a written account to confirm either story. There are, or were, other craft on the bottom of West Lake Okoboji.

Yep, sounds like the right boat from the description. Regards, Dave Richardson

Hydro ID needed

Webmaster, Could you please post this on your site:  I am new to this whole thing and obtained  this relic and would like to know what direction to go in:  Thank you for your help.
I would like some help with any information on this hull.  I realize it is is rough shape but have very little to go on.  The hull I am told is from the New England area and the motor is a Ford 4 cyl. with the AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE from Revere, MA. painted on the value cover.  Ser. #70HM6015BA.
The hull is said to be a Sooy but the cowling that was with the boat has a distinctive little hump on the top edge as you can see in the picture.  The original color appears to be white.
Hope someone recognizes it and can provide some insight. Timothy S.

photo album updates

The photo albums on the website have all been “freshened up”. We are currently sitting at almost 1700 photos now in our archives. Please report any problems or broken links. I would also like to add — PLEASE don’t be taking ANY of these photos and placing them on your facebook pages. These pics are copyrighted by the owners! They have graciously spent their time scanning, filing, emailing them and are allowing us to host them. If you want to add them to facebook, PLEASE Email the photo’s owner and ask them first. It’s the right thing to do.

We also added 2 more photo albums. One from Gordy Gillmer and the other from Art McDougall (R.I.P.). Great photos in both photo albums!

Phil Spruit

Gordy Gillmer and Fred Leland having a talk before the heat.

Belle A-66

Brian Blazer has completed another beautiful reproduction of another famous hydroplanes in stunning detail for Richard Landaiche. Richard told me “You know, my dad has been battling some medical conditions the last few years but when he saw the boat, he lit up. It’s been 3 hrs now and I think he is still smiling”.

Richard Landaiche has been looking to find his father’s original Wickens built hull for years. If your not familiar with it’s history, click here.

Until that day arrives, I would think he’ll certainly enjoy running this Belle from ashore. Click here to visit his webpage which has more photos and a must watch short video clip as they fine tuned & conducted a few more shake down runs of the model since the video clip that was posted on the “Models” board a few weeks back.

Belle A-66