My family consisting of my brothers Tom and Bob (who is better known as 'Murdock'), my sister Kathy, mother Margaret and father Austin (better known as 'Ike') lived a 1/4 mile from Stoney Creek in Pasadena Maryland where many inboard hydros tested. Bob Baxter and Ed Alexandrewitz fast and famous racers from the 50’s and 60’s were among the many that used Stoney Creek as a test site. Tom was into boats and would often race outboards with his buddies on  Stoney Creek wishing that someday he too would have an Inboard Hydro. 

One day in the mid 60’s Tom ran across an inboard hydro for sale and had to have it. With an inboard he would be the envy of his peers and be the fastest of his racing buddies. The boat was purchased and Tom figured it was off to the races so to say. He went to tell Bob Baxter the news and asked Bob to come by and check out the boat. When Bob came by our house and looked the boat over, he pulled on the rudder and it moved quite a bit. “You know it is very important that the rudder be attached firmly” he said. After a few of these comments it was realized that the boat was just plain unsafe. It was broken and rotted and everything else, just a mess. Needless to say Tom was a bit taken back by this revelation.

At this time my dad Ike got involved and put his foot down. My dad was 6'1" and about 300lbs and the strongest man I ever personally knew. Once, I saw him carry a refrigerator up what equaled two flights of stairs tied to his back with rope, by himself. Not some little thing, one of those old time heavy as lead 1960's models. The reason I say this is that my dad told Tom that from now on if he was going to race boats, it was going to be in an organized arena with safety precautions. Although Tom was old enough to do what he wanted, due to the respect for my Dad and the above he obeyed my dad’s wishes. 

There was a local racer by the name of Bill Shuey that raced a 145 named Shakey in the 50’s and early 60’s. The boat was named Shakey because every time Bill got in the boat he would shake uncontrollably. Tom and my Dad went over to Bill’s house and bought the Shakey, and for better or worse we were in. 

Now old Shakey was a little worn out herself, but with lot of elbow grease the Tailfeather was born. Most people thought that the Tailfeather name was about the roostertail which did fit, but it was really about a song from the 60's that Tom liked and really was a good name for a hydro.

Well, the first Tailfeather didn't run too bad as although the boat wasn't much, my Dad was pretty slick with Flatheads. The 145 class of the day used Ford Flathead 60’s for power. My Dad was an old Stock Car racer and knew all the tricks to make the Flatheads go. While Dad was tuning the engine, Tom was doing the driving and Murdock was the crew. Back in the mid 60's it was nothing to have 30+ 145's at a race and the Tailfeather would run about mid pack. At this point in time I was about 6 or so. I was kind of a “mistake” meaning my conception was a bit of a surprise as Tom and Kathy are 18 years older and Murdock is 10 years older than I am.

After a few seasons the Tailfeather was just plain worn out. The class had changed to the Falcon engine and the Flatheads were a thing of the past. Tom and my Dad decided it was time for a new boat. As we were not very well off it was decided that they were going to build a boat rather than buy a half worn out boat like before. Another local 145 racer by the name of Bill Bunn had a set of plans for a Ruark style 145 so the final decision was made to build that boat.

Tom and Dad built the boat and named it the Tailfeather II. The problem was that being novice hydroplane builders, weight wasn't taken into consideration. In fact it was the opposite. An extra batten here and there plus all the nice looking Utile plywood made for a HEAVY boat. It wasn't realized until after the boat was finished just how heavy it really was. The new Tailfeather II was christened but it became known to us as by a nickname, the LOG.

With the Log being run at more and more races, I was given a choice by my Dad. Since my Mom stayed home for the most part my Dad said I could stay home with Mom or I was welcome to go to all the races if I listened and behaved. That was good enough for me, I chose racing and I was to be there for the duration. Little did I know that the duration would last a lifetime. 

Although it was known almost immediately that the Log was too heavy there was nothing to do but race it. A boat built too light can be made stronger, but a boat built too heavy is, well, just too heavy. Again the Log ran well. It was a mid pack boat and if Tom really aced the start we had a shot at third. After a few seasons the dream was realized in Pleasantville N.J. Tom hit the start dead on and a few of the fast boats were stuck back in the pack. After 3 laps the Tailfeather reined victorious, sinking as it crossed the finish line. Yeah, that is the Isaac curse, Tom hit something poking a hole in the bottom but wasn’t about to return to the pits while in the lead. So we got a $2 trophy and an engine full of water.

After a few more races Tom pushed again for a new boat. It is funny, racing for third and forth place finishes is great until you get that taste if victory, then nothing else will quench the thirst. A famous racer told me he lived by the motto “First or nothing”, I guess if you don’t have that mentality it becomes next to impossible to beat the guys that do. We had learned a lot by running the Log and Tom decided to try his hand at design. Of course this one was going to be a light weight boat no matter what. Tom sat down at the dining table and drew up the third and last in a line of Tailfeather’s.

As the new Tailfeather III was being built, the Karelson “Bent Bullet” boats were the so called “hot setup”.  My Dad loved the look of the long front cowling so that was going to be the look for our new boat. It would have been much easier to buy a cowling, or make one out of the mold we had but Dad was determined to get the look he wanted. The boat was built in 30 days of evenings and weekends and I’ll bet the cowling took near as much time to build as the hull. I remember frames and battens and plaster and sanding, geez what a mess. Then that had to be painted and sanded and waxed and gel-coated and fiberglassed, all that was just to make the mold. Then the mold was sanded and waxed and gel-coated and fiberglassed, yeah a cowling!!!!

Little did we know at the time but the cowling that my Dad insisted upon was the real key to the boat’s success. With the long front cowling a fair amount of deck pressure was removed allowing the boat to ride lighter on the water. We found this out after the last days of running the boat. My brothers and I were HUGE Lauterbach fans to put it mildly, so in the last year the Tailfeather III was run, Tom changed the engine cowl to more resemble a Lauterbach. That was the death bell for the Tailfeather III. The boat just wouldn’t run no matter what. Tom even went as far as to try another driver that weighed 30lbs less to no avail. After the boat was sold we figured out the problem. The more traditional front cowling translated into more deck pressure and the boat was too tight on the water. 

So the Tailfeather III, an Isaac designed and built Tailfeather was together and ready to go. I don’t recall the discussion about paint and colors but the decision was made to go with stars & stripes. The front cowling was red and white stripes and the tailpiece was blue with white stars. Every thing else was natural wood, it really turned out well. Of course as with all of our boats it had to have a nickname. I am not sure but this one may have come from another hydroplane racer Tom “Slick” Baker. It was to be the “Nose” because of the long nosed front cowling. By the way, Tom “Slick” got his Slick moniker from my brother Tom as he used to watch cartoons with me sometimes on Saturday morning and there was a racing cartoon by the name of “Tom Slick”.

We set off to the first race which was Havre de Grace, Maryland. The Nose was brand new and this was to be the first time in the water at a race. Somehow we got to test before the race started, so in she went. Tom fired her up and took off. He warmed it up a bit and then got on it, man she was flying! You could tell it was going to be a fast boat just by watching it. Tom got down to the first turn area turned the wheel and splash, over it went. Yep, brand new first time wet and it got really wet. Tom had found one of those famous Havre de Grace rollers. Isaac luck strikes again!

Although the boat was broken up a bit we were somewhat happy. As I wrote earlier we could tell this was a fast boat. Tom and my Dad patched the boat and it was ready to go again. The Nose went on to become a great 145 that was feared by its rivals. Although it was finicky on rough water and would bite you quick, it was very successful. The boat barrel rolled a time in two in the rough water but that was not a deterrent to Tom who drove just as hard after the spills. Since this was in the early 70’s, I attribute the problems we had with the rollover to a small turn fin and an overzealous driver. This was back in the days before large and angled fins. The fin on the Nose was probably in the water no more than 5” deep and maybe another 5” from front to back. As a matter of fact it wasn’t even that because the front edge tapered back like a fin used to be on an old Flatbottom. Even with the rough water plague that infected her, the Nose won many heats of racing in its day. We won the prestigious Region 4 High Point Award in 1973 beating out the likes of Billy Brown’s Wanton Duchess among others.

After the Nose was built it was Murdock’s turn. It is still the early 70’s and we were racing the Nose but Murdock wanted his own boat. Murdock is a special human being. To say the least he marches to his own beat. Tell him the way to do something and he will figure out a different way just because. He has the ability to think outside the box. WAY outside the box. His masterpiece was his 850 that he designed over a year long period. The boat was so far ahead of its time it was crazy. So many design features and tricks were incorporated into that boat. It was designed around 1969 and was capable of winning in the class until outlawed by the capsule rule in the mid 90’s. 

Tom built Murdock’s boat and it was nicknamed the “Uglyboat” do to its wild design for the day. Sadly the Uglyboat never really got the chance it deserved to race in the class with the engine it was designed for. Another of Murdock’s great ideas was to run a Harley road racing engine in the boat. The Harley was light and made loads of power but there was one problem, how to come up with one. There was a list to get on as it was a special racing engine and even if he had waited for the engine, he couldn’t afford it. Murdock made the decision that he couldn’t afford to run an 850 so his next thought was to go to a Toyota for the new 72 class which by the way HE pioneered.

The story goes like this. The credit was always given to Dick Sooy for starting the 72 class due to the fact that he did come up with the idea but the first boat ever to race with a Toyota was Murdock and his friend Scott Mauer. Scott had an old kneeler type 44 hydro with a Crosley. By kneeler I mean instead of sitting in the boat you were on your knees driving. Many small hydros of the day used that design as it made the weight adjustable by moving back and forth. Since Murdock was trying to figure out what he was going to do with his boat do to lack of funding, he decided to help Scott. Scott’s Crosley had a Weber carb and he couldn’t get it right. Murdock started tuning on it and before long it ran just good enough to spread itself all over the bilge of the boat.

The “loss” of the Crosley happened just at the right time. It was being kicked around about the Toyota for the T class so Murdock took it upon himself to go get one. Of course there were still money problems and even with Scott involved they were still low on funds but Murdock went to the “Junk Yard” as they used to be called and started looking. As he wandered through the dirt and mud he found it. Lying over on a pile with a hole in the block from an errant rod was a Toyota engine. Due to the hole it was cheap and Murdock figured if it had run good enough to spit a rod out the side it must be a good one. Remember the “Outside the Box” quote earlier?

Murdock disassembled the engine and took the block over to a local guy Ed McCann to have it repaired. Ed was a slick guy and he welded up the cast iron block for some beer and B.S. and it was ready to go. Scott bought some parts as did Murdock and soon it was together. They got help from the West family, another old boat racing family from our area. Mr. West was an ace machinist and could make anything that Murdock could dream up and Hal, his son helped with the machining too. Ross, Mr. West’s other son was the crew chief and helped to keep Murdock under control and organized. With the help of the West family they put the engine in Scott’s kneeler and went racing. 

As I wrote earlier they were the first to come out with the Toyota and there were MANY upset people. Murdock and Scott were unbeatable by the Crosley’s and although they ran for no points or prizes the tension began to boil. The Toyota was an experimental engine in the class so it was given a probation period to be able to run but not get any prizes until the final configuration was decided upon. Murdock and Scott were still very low budget and would scrape pennies to get to races. At one race one of their fellow competitors was nice enough to put a handful of ball bearings down the carb in the pit area. Yeah, the boat racing “family” had just turned dysfunctional.

After the ball bearing disaster, and the proverbial “test and tune” of the Toyota in Scott’s boat it was transferred to Murdock’s “Uglyboat.” Scott and Murdock raced the Uglyboat successfully for a while and then Scott went off to school and left the racing to Murdock. Murdock was pretty fast but had to be the worst driver ever. If he was within 15 seconds of the start he had done a good job for him. The thing is that except for the start the Uglyboat would drive itself. It was funny to watch as the darn thing was so fast in the corners it was ridiculous. Due to being designed for way more horsepower it was down on the water on the straights and had trouble on smooth water, but get to the corner or throw in some chop and the thing took off. I remember a race one time with Murdock on the outside and another boat on the inside. Murdock’s boat was just lying there on top of the water with the other boat flopping around and gaining a bit down the back chute. They got to the turn and it was adios, Murdock pulled out by at least 6 boats from the OUTSIDE.

As a 72 the Uglyboat boat ran over the Kilo record but couldn’t make a backup run due to trash in the carburetor. At a later date the boat ran over the World Record at St. Pete but was in a deck to deck battle on the outside of Eddie Thompson’s Jones T.M. Special who won by a boat length and got the record. Not bad for a boat designed for 30+ more horsepower and a lighter engine.

The boat got a chance to run as an 850 one year at St. Pete thanks to Jim Appley. Jim lent us one of his Sunbeams. After a weeks worth of work to get it together, the boat ran very fast and with some prop work and a DRIVER, would have been a winner. Thanks to Jim for his kindness as he gave us a glimpse of the true lost potential of Murdock’s craft.

As all this is going on I am growing and watching and learning. I watched some of the greatest ever to strap on a helmet and life jacket as a child. The first guy that caught my eye was Skeeter Johnson. Skeeter drove the Wa Wa and was always a favorite. The next was Tom D’Eath in his Southern Style. Tom partnered with Woody Pleiscott  who supplied a Keith Black slant 6 Chrysler for Tom’s boat. I would always bet Murdock on the 150 races. His favorite was “Doc” Davis in the Rudy’s Comet with his destroked Buick and I had Tom in the Southern Style. It was always good no matter who won. The funny part was that the boats were built at the same time, same design but had totally different engines with weights as far apart as possible and they both ran darn near the same speed. Two special boats to say the least.

I loved the 150 class but as it is today, they were very finicky. When boats like the Southern Style, Rudy’s Comet/Doc’s Rocket, Gemini, Fat Chance, were at full song it was the best racing ever. Later came the Bluewater Special, Coal Cat, Rudy’s “Sesco” Comet, Why, etc. Just some amazing races would take place. Equal to the 150’s and more reliable were the 225’s. Tiger, Kitty B., Country Boy, Southern Color, Just A Pest, Der Baron, Goodie Wagon, Special Edition etc. As I think about it hell, every class was like that. Another modified class the 850’s had Lip-Ship, Pachanga, High Upkeep, Southern Air, Super J, Caribe, Anti Stick, etc. As a semi famous racer once said “every race was like the Nationals!”  I promise you there was NOTHING like the hydroplane racing in those days and never will be again. 

The Tailfeather III was sold in 1974 and we were plotting our next move. I still hadn’t gotten a boat ride and was way more than anxious about it. My contemporaries Charlie Miller Jr. and George Ritter began racing in the 72 class but I was too big. Tom always said I was going to need a 7 liter as I took after my Dad. It was kind of nerve wracking but at this point it was what it was. I wanted to drive Murdock’s boat in the worst way but I was too big. My sister even got a ride in that boat testing in Florida!!! But poor little, well not too little Greg just sat and watched.

I was and still am one of, if not the biggest Lauterbach Hydroplane fan to ever live and breathe. Henry Lauterbach was one of the most talented men I ever met. He could do it all not only with boats either. He made parts for all sorts of people and businesses. He was the “go to” guy for anybody needing something made or designed in Portsmouth. He would show me little tricks he would use and tools he had made for specific jobs. I remember all activity stopping at the shop to play the coke game, that was the betting game that occurred at the coke machine, where there was an adjacent map of the world, to determine who could pull a coke out of the machine that had originally been bottled the longest distance from the center of the world where everything revolved which we all know was Henry’s shop in Portsmouth Virginia. The bottles had the initials of the bottling plant's city embossed on the bottom and we would use the map to determine the winner. I wish I had lived closer as I would have been the designated floor sweeper for sure. 

We became a regular fixture at Henry’s shop visiting a few times a month to watch boats being built and catch the B.S. sessions at the Circle while waiting to decide our racing fate. The Circle was a Diner that was supported by the Lauterbach “Gang” for breakfast and lunch. We would leave Maryland early on Saturday morning so we made it to Henry’s before lunch. We would load up into Henry’s car and head over to the Circle where it was inevitable that at least 10 people would eat together and B.S. One of my favorites was “Shorty” Haggard. Shorty was a racer from the 60’s and would always get Henry wound up. Man, I wish I could remember half of the stories those guys told.

The Lauterbach shop was a dream for a hydro nut like me, it was huge. The front of the shop had a big roll up door. As you came in that door there was a spray booth for painting boats on the left along with Henry’s machine shop. The main area was always where all the finishing touches were put on the boats. There was a loft in the back and up in the loft was the main building area. There were full size drawings on the wall, bow piece molds, and all sorts of stuff. There was a crane that would pick up the boats and lower them into the main area. Under the loft is where boats that came in for repair and or storage were kept. An awesome set up to say the least. I feel so lucky to have been able to be part of the “Gang” for those few years. I missed hanging out and playing with my friends at home but I wouldn’t change it for the World!!!

Tom was friends with Tom and Ted Baker a racing family from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. We raced against them in the 145 class with the Nose and had loads of fun with them at there cousin’s restaurant “Pete’s Crab House”. Tom was over talking to the Bakers and their brother Wheeler was there. Wheeler had just gotten out of the service and was looking to get into boat racing. As they talked Tom and Wheeler decided to get and race 280’s. That conversation sparked an idea for Tom, get a Lauterbach 280. The problem was that we couldn’t afford one. I was 15 years old and not able to help and my Dad had gotten out of the racing scene.

The answer was a Lauterbach kit. Tom had told Larry that we were going to go 280 and really wanted one of their boats but couldn’t really afford one. Tom was going to build one of his own design but Larry talked Henry into selling us a kit. The kit consisted of stringers, frames, transom and a bow piece plus all of the information needed from the Master to make it work. I was ecstatic as we were really going to have a Lauterbach!!!!!

As we got started it was a secret what we were doing not that it would not be known later but we wanted the boat to be finished before the word got out. Larry and Henry had helped us out and there was or is to this day no way we would betray the trust that they put in us by giving us their design. Every weekend it was over to Tom’s house for me to watch or sand or varnish, anything I was allowed to do. Meanwhile the engine was to be Murdock’s domain. As the boat was being built Tom would call Henry with questions and we would still visit the shop just a bit less frequently. 

These were the beginning days of the Grand Prix class and the Lauterbach’s were into it almost exclusively. I think Henry saw the potential of the G.P.’s and was willing to forego the small boats. After all, it takes almost the same amount of work to build an 850 as it does a G.P. boat. A few less frames and a little less wood but close just the same and the price, well you would have to sell a load of 850’s to equal the profit made on one G.P. boat. I believe this was part of the reason we were able to get the kit and an inside track to Henry’s knowledge.

As our Lauterbach 280 got together we needed to come up with a name. I still liked the old Tailfeather name but Tom wanted something new. The name had to have a southern theme especially since the gang at the Portsmouth shop liked to kid us about being “Yankees” although we did live south of the Mason Dixon line. Tom used to race sailboats and thought of the name “Southern Cross”, a constellation in the southern hemisphere that sailors used like the North Star for navigation. So it was decided that the name was to be Southern Cross, now we needed to pick a color. Since the Southern Color N-40 was red and of course red is fast, red was to be the color. To set off the red was gold like the Edelweiss G.P. boat.

Tom really took it to heart building this boat. He did everything as well as he could and when it was done it was as close to the 100% “Real Thing” as anyone could do. If there was any question at all it was on the phone to Henry or a trip to Portsmouth to make sure it was authentic. In the original discussion with Henry a few changes were made to the Screaming Mimie a good running 280 design of 1969. The cockpit was moved back 6” to allow a 3 blade prop to be used and bottom lift was increased. I also think that the sponson offsets were changed a little to allow more airtrap. That was the funny thing about Henry, he could tweek the boats and nobody would ever notice. He would build two side by side but although the frames and overall dimension would be the same he had tricks to adjust for the type of engine, driver weight, etc.

Now comes the part you’ve been waiting for, or at least I have. We got the 280 together and were ready to test. We had a great friend of ours by the name of Bruzz Ritter build us an awesome float off trailer. Bruzz had a 72 for his son George to race and he and George set the Kilo record with it. Bruzz is a guy that helps us tremendously to this day and is more like family to us than a friend. Thanks again Mr. Ritter!!!! We took our new 280 down to good old Stoney Creek to give it a go. Tom went out and it was running good. The attitude was good it looked like a Lauterbach!!!!! Tom came in to the dock took off the life jacket and threw it at me. I was standing there and Tom said “Well, are you going for a ride or not?” No way, ME!!!! A LAUTERBACH!!!! RIDE!!!! WHAT!!!!???? 

I was kind of in a state of shock, but I had that lifejacket on in a flash. I sat in the cockpit with Tom telling me what to watch for and what to do and not do. To tell you the truth I didn’t hear a thing, it was kind of like the Teacher on a Charlie Brown cartoon. Wawawawa, wawawa, wawawaw, wawaaaa. I got pointed out and hit the switch, the engine came to life and I was driving a LAUTERBACH!!!! As I headed back down Stoney Creek I thought of all my hero drivers. I passed Bob Baxter’s house on the left, then I got back to Watson Lewis’ shop where the Wa Wa lived for a while and made a U turn.

This was it, the moment of truth. I put the pedal down and away I went. I felt the transom lift and watched the sponsons tap. I studied the water with an Eagle eye watching for wakes or wind. Man what a feeling. I had never drank alcohol or taken drugs but there is no way it could compare to this. The rush was beyond even what I expected. As I got to the opening where we put over I had a decision to make, “Stuff it in” or slow down. Stuff it in is a phrase that we used to describe getting to the turn and not backing off, just turning full throttle. I thought of some of my favorite drivers and what they would do. Drivers like Larry Lauterbach, Sherman Polhamus, “Little” Joe Syracusa. Also thoughts of Butch Kropfeld, Tom D’Eath as well as my brother Tom ran through my head. As I got to the point of no return I thought this is a LAUTERBACH and turned the wheel. It took a small hop and set and I was turning WIDE OPEN!!!!

It is funny that I can sit here and actually get goosebumps as I write this. There are a few moments in our lives that we will NEVER forget and that sure was one. As I came back to the dock I had a smile that was beyond big. I think you could have hit me with a brick right between the eyes and it wouldn’t have fazed me. If I wasn’t hooked before then, I damned sure was hooked now!!!!!

TO BE CONTINUED…….