NOTES:
Tav McTavish of Newport, PA is looking for a crackerbox inboard runabout hull, in any condition. Tav’s entire collection of Swift Racing outboard hydro’s and engines have a new home at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY.
 A long time APBA member and friend, Ed Nabb of Cambridge, Maryland, wrote us regarding Merlyn Culver’s 135 hydro, Yankee Doodle. We are passing the information on to Ray Tischer and Jon Culver. Ed, thank you for your interest and valued information.
 Robert Martin Sr. Of Ogdensburg, NY has the Ron Jones, 280 hydro Buccaneer. This boat, formerly campaigned by John Leech Sr., has a great track record. The craft won both the 1971 and 74 National Hi-Point titles and also held Kilo and Competition records. Bob would like to find a good home for this historical boat. His phone number is (315)393-4139.

CHALLENGES:
Jim Hawver of Rochester, NY came across an ad in his local swap sheet advertising a 1934 Hooton Hydroplane. The boat, located in an old barn, was in remarkable condition with only the outboard motor missing. The Wildcat model, single step hull was built in the late 20’s.  Jim’s challenge to us is to locate information on the Hooton Safty Plane Co. He also needs a late 20’s racing outboard motor for the boat!!
 We are looking for pictures from the 1940 period of Lou Fageol’s 10-G, So Long, a Ventnor 3 point hydroplane hull. This boat raced from 1940 thru 1946. It was powered with a Curtis Conqueror motor.
 To complete a project on a V-8 60 Ford motor we need, an Eddy Meyer front cover and a mag drive.

RACE SITES:
Detroit, MI: Chrysler 1996 APBA Gold Cup will be May 30 thru June 2. Flybys will run on the legendary, and famous 2 1/2 mile course. For those boats not running there will be a static display in the Dodge pits. The Spirit of Detroit Association would like to invite an APBA vintage boat from every vintage class.This vintage event is by INVITATION ONLY!! I need from you, a letter stating that you would like to participate in this event. SODA needs your letter of intent as soon as possible. 
Clayton, NY: The Antique Race Boat Regatta ‘96 will take place August 15-18, at The Antique Boat Museum. Congratulations go out to Bill Danforth and his entire staff, for a job well done. We all look forward to this 3rd event. If you have not been to Clayton, don’t miss it this time around. Now is the time to start making your vacation plans. The 1994 event drew over 130 vintage raceboats. The Regatta Coordinators are looking for volunteers, in connection with the running of the regatta. If you are interested, please contact the Antique Boat Museum at (315) 686-4104.
Rocky Fork Lake, Hillsboro, OH: Dr. Paul Yinger and crew provided a warm welcome to all who attended their good old fashioned hometown regatta. This race certainly reminded me about how much fun boat racing could be. A pleasant surprise for everyone was to see Bill Wise bring his Flying Debris out of retirement and put it on display. This was a boat that I had thought was long gone forever. Other participants in the vintage category were Tom Yost with his beautiful Speedliner D-Utility; Hal LeDuc with his Opechee and Jon Bartell’s Miss Washington DC  Phil Kunz took a flyby in the Wa Wa Too. I hope that we will be asked to come back again.

VINTAGE TRIVIA:
We all know that Bill Cantrell won the APBA Gold Cup in 1949, driving the My Sweetie. Bill also participated in many Indianapolis 500 mile races, but he never won that famous event. Has anyone ever won both the APBA Gold Cup and the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race? If you think you know the answer give me a call. If not, look for the answer next month.

REPORTS:
One of the key builders of inboard and outboard hydroplane’s from 1948 thru 1974 was Wilson “Will” Farmer. Will designed and built about 150 race boats at his shop known as Will Farmer Woodcraft located in Richmond, VA. Will is a great sportsman both on and off the race course. In a 1949 event, 30 yr old Will went to the rescue of Griffin Burnett who was thrown from his outboard hydro during a regatta. The unmanned craft with its throttle still one third open was headed into the pack of buzz boats. Will, well up in the starting field, cut his engine and headed toward the pilot-less hull. Balancing himself well up on the bow, Farmer brought his outboard smartly up to the stern of Burnett’s boat and grabbed the motor. He steered both boats in tandem off the course, picked up a helpless Burnett who was floating in the water, and calmly waited for the crash boat. 
 In 1953, Will, the outboard hotrodder, decided to give up squeezing the throttle, in favor of full time boat building. Farmer has enjoyed much more success as a behind the scenes' man than he ever enjoyed on the race course.
 The first Farmer Inboard hydroplane was built in 1954. This hull was Frankie Farmer’s 136 hydro. Will’s inboard design changed in 1956 to his traditional style of dropped or add-on sponsons. One of his early success’s was the 280 hydro, Tomcat E-60, owned and driven by Tom Carter. The Tomcat was a World Straightaway Record holder in 56 thru 58. The 280 model was referred to by the competitors as “The Kiters”, because they appeared to float across the water. Without question the most famous Farmer hull was Sidney Johnson’s Beverly Anne. This record holding championship hull was driven by Skeeter Johnson. It was then sold to Joel Smith who renamed the boat The Oklahoma Kid and campaigned around the Midwest. In Will’s opinion the Beverly Anne would be the most valuable Farmer Hydro, if it could be found. The records accumulated by the Beverly Anne speaks for itself, but there were also other famous Farmer hulls. Some of the well known Farmer hulls are: Billy Brown’s Wanton Duchess, Mike Thomas’ Lil Apache, Perry Walter’s Miss New Jersey, Roy Wilson’s Intruder, Pat Rankin’s Geronimo, Carter Parrish’s Go Gal Go, and Neptune’s Lounge owned by Bob Maley.
 In a letter address to “The Fabulous Will Farmer” by Michael Reynold Thomas from Harvey Cedars, NJ, Mike who was obviously excited about his new boat wrote this. “The 280 is running like a bomb! I think this is the best riding boat of yours yet- rides high and level even in rough water. After my first place final heat in Miami, I think you can double the price. See you soon, Mike.” “Mike was one of the most popular drivers and always gave us the royal treatment. We built him two 280’s, which were the original Apaches.” circa Will Farmer 1995.
 The last Farmer hull was built in 1974 for John Sullivan. Will’s love and dedication to this sport are very evident by the fact that many of his customers and associates became lifelong friends. Will’s interest in the sport was infectious and it brought many new people into our sport. His contribution will certainly have its place in the history of boat racing.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:
The 280’s officially became a class on Jan 1, 1957 after a probation period. In California the first 280 didn’t appear until early 1958. Due to the lack of enough entries to make a class, the 280’s stepped up to run with the 225 or 266 classes. Ironically, as the 280 class became more popular, owners were converting their 225’s and 266’s to the stock 265 Chevy V-8 engine upon which the class was based. This depleted the 225’s and 266’s to a point where, in some cases, they had to step down to run with the 280’s.
 On June 15,1958, when six 280’s entered the Port of Stockton Regatta, the class members could finally run against their own. Interestingly, all six boats were either built by Richard Hallett, or a copy of his design. Pete Bonanich’s 21-E PE JO DE, formerly a 225, was driven by 135 ace Freddie Galente. The 111-E OOPS of Chuck Thomson had raced for years as the 266 The Witch. Norman Morris’ 116-E Honeybear, was a 1953 Hallett built for Bill Schuyler, who raced it as the 266 $ BILL. Schuyler went on to race Unlimiteds also named $ BILL. As Honeybear, she was driven by veteran Allan Ford. The new 280’s that were variations on the Hallett design were: Emmett Johnson’s 22-E Rickey Dee, the first Calif. 280, driven by rookie Charles “Pinky” Grace (who later in that year defeated 19 other 280’s at Seattle’s Seafair Regatta); the Al Silva-built 5-E Giz Mo, driven by his son Eddie, which later won the ‘63 Western Divisionals; and the winner of that first California 280 event, Lou Joaquin and his homemade 7-E SIDE WINDER. Unfortunately, none of the hulls that competed in that event exist today.
 Today the 280 class is known as the 5 Litres, and still boasts one of the largest number of registered inboard owners.

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH:
Wanton Duchess S-81, a Will Farmer designed and built 145 cubic inch hydroplane. This National Championship craft was owned and driven by Billy Brown of Richmond, VA.

©1995 Tom D'Eath