NOTES: 
Keith Brayer has located a new address for the Legendary Boat Builder, Fred Wickens. His new address is:  631 Stinson, Independence, OR 97351. Telephone # (503)  838-1110.

STORIES OF THE PAST: 
What ever happen to the real 225’s??  These excerpts are taken from Motor Boating Magazine, October 1935. America’s  Greatest Racing Class.
Author unknown....The 225’s are already America’s greatest racing boats. To date thirty-eight boats of this class have been built and registered with the Racing Commission of  APBA. Many more are under construction  at the present time. So by the time the 1936 racing season gets under way, it would not be surprising to find at least one hundred of these craft ready for racing. Last year, this class was started. While the results probably were all that might be expected of a new class, yet there were doubts in the minds of many as to whether the class would live and prosper. The average speeds were only about 40 miles an hour which wasn’t fast. The boats of the 135 cu.in. class were repeatedly finishing ahead of the 225’s even though the latter had nearly 100% more engine.
 The beginning of the 1935 racing season saw renewed activity in the 225 cu.in. class on all fronts. The first test of the year came at the Shrine Regatta at Washington, DC. Dr. C.H. Bagley’s Wilmer III  with a ford V-8 motor won and raised the speed in competition to 41.115 mph., still below the 135 class record. Then in the official one-mile trials at the same regatta Wilmer III raised  the one mile record to 46.918 mph., beating the then existing 135 cu.in.  record for the first time. Then at the same regatta, Edison Hedge’s Universal Eagle raised the 135 cu.in one mile record to 50.01 mph and the 135’s were ahead again.
 During July,  the 225 records were still raised  further. Dr. C.H. Bagley re-powered  his Wilmer III, this time with one of the new Lycoming 225 cubic inch motors. In the  one mile trials at the Harve de Grace, MD Regatta, Wilmer III’s  record went up to 51.575 mph. At the same regatta Ednandy also powered with a Lycoming motor set  a new 225 class record for 5 miles in competition at 46.53 mph, only to break it with a speed of 49.236 mph at Red Bank, NJ. The following day Arno Apel, driving  S. Mortimer Auerbach’s Emancipator IV at Red Bank pushed the five mile competitive mark up to 56.425 mph. 
 At the  Detroit Regatta,  the largest number of 225’s ever assembled competed  for the W.D. Edenburn Memorial Trophy.  The Detroit River was at it’s worst on race day and it was only with the greatest difficulty  that the boats could navigate the high seas. Hopatcong Baby driven by Roy Foyle of Lake Hopatcong, NJ was the winner. After the Detroit races, most of the boats went to Toronto for the World Championships conducted by the Canadian National Exhibition. The overall winner of this event was Little Miss Canada IV driven by Harold Wilson of Ingersoll, Ontario.
 The rules for the 225 cubic inch  class provide that the boats shall have a waterline length of not less than 15 1/2 feet and a waterline beam at their widest section of not less than 4 1/2 ft.  The total cubic inch displacement shall not exceed 225 and the motors must be of a four cycle type. Not more than 2 valves per cylinder or more than one single carburetor to each two cylinders. Motors are required to have a reverse gear or a one way clutch. The retail list price of the motor as installed shall not exceed $700. Each boat is required to have seating accommodations for at least two persons and must carry that crew in all races. There are no restrictions as to the type or form of the underhull design. 
  My comments: In spite of what all the early experts thought. It‘s a shame that such a great class has almost all but disappeared.

CHALLENGES: 
Ted Panaretos is looking for his Ron Jones record holding 225 cu.in. hydro the Goodie Wagon. The boat was sold to Jim Deal in the early seventies. Jim sold the boat but does not remember whom he sold the boat to. So the trail ends. Any one with info please contact me. 
 We are looking for the address and telephone number of Rich Hallet, who is a famous designer and builder of inboard hydros. Rich was from the Southern California area. 
 We also need some more race boat pictures from the 1945 thru 1955 era.  Preferably 8’ x 10’ black and white photos. All photos will be returned. Can anyone help with this?

BOB MOORE’S EAST COAST REPORT: 
We received a nice letter from Geoffrey Magnuson of the Blueberry Hill Racing Team the other day. Jeff informed us of an event he is working on at which Vintage race boats will be featured.  Lanconia, New Hampshire is the race site,  August 25-27, 1995 are the dates. The event is called “Aquafest “95.” Joining our vintage race boats will be a contingent of those beautiful mahogany “speedboats," both restored and reproduction boats will be displayed. This promises to be a great show and commands all the support we can give it.
  Unfortunately, I made a commitment back in January to bring my V8- 60 powered, 136 cu.in. Hydro to a Vintage Race Car Show at York, PA. on that weekend, so I’ll be unable to attend Aquafest ‘95. In addition to the vintage boats an APBA sanctioned regatta is also schedule, featuring Grand Prix Hydros and Jersey Speed Skiffs.
 Currently, the V & H Division has been scheduled for about a dozen race sites across the country.  Here is the schedule as of this writing:
 May  21 & 22            Greenwood  Lake, NJ
 June  01 -- 04            Detroit, MI
 June  16 & 17            New Martinsville, WV
 July   15 & 16            Red Bank, NJ
 July  15 & 16             Sylvan Lake, MI
 July  28 --  30            Hungtington, WV 
 Aug.  10 -- 13           Lake Tahoe, CA
 Aug.  18 -- 20           Hampton, VA
 Aug.  25 -- 27           Lanconia, NH
 Sept. 16 & 17            Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 Sept.  23 & 24           Hillsboro (Rocky Fork), OH
 Sept.  23 & 24           Lowell, MA
 To our V & H members with equipment, I can’t stress enough the importance of supporting these race sites. These race Committees have taken the time and showed the  interest in our category to schedule us. Now it’s up to us to bring out our equipment and display it. A race boat always looks better in the pit area or on the race course than it does sitting in your garage.
 Any race site that wants to put us on their schedule simply has to add us to the Sanction Papers.  NO ADDITIONAL FEE!!  Just add: Vintage Boat Display and possible “Fly-bys” on your sanction and let us know. Help keep our racing heritage alive and give the public a chance to see “Yesterdays heroes.”
 
VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH: 
So Long H-4 owned and driven by Lou Fageol  and the Mercury  owned and driven by Oliver Elam, Jr.  This photo was taken at the start of the Sweepstakes Regatta at Red Bank, NJ during the early fifties. Lou Fageol went on to drive the Slo-Mo-V and captured an APBA Gold Cup victory. Also the Fageol motor was the pioneering engine in the early years of the 7 Litre class. The 1948 Ventnor Mercury was also powered with a  6 cylinder 335 hp Fageol engine. The present owner Ike Kielgass from Renton, WA. has kept this combination intact. Ike is a current member of the V & H Division.

©1995 Tom D'Eath