SPECIAL THANKS: 
We want to thank Don Less from Grand Island, NY for sending us the August 5, 1948, Picton Times newspaper.  The whole paper is about the tragic 1948 Canadian Gold Cup Race held there. I loved his note: After saving this paper all those years. ‘Couldn’t bring myself to throw this out.  Maybe you have a place for it’ Don...
 I had a short but special visit with Tommy Weaver of Raleigh, NC. He gave us his old APBA Propeller magazines, rule books, race programs and boating magazines dating from the early 50’s. Tom is moving from Raleigh to the coast and instead of throwing out his treasured collection, he donated it to us.
  Liz Barker of Grand Island, New York took the time to photo copy newspaper clippings and information on the Buffalo Launch Club Regattas from the late 40’s thru the early 50’s. Thank you Liz.
 We want to thank all of you again for your generous help. We will draw on this information to write future columns.
 We could use more of this type of early racing material. We are in need of pictures, programs and magazines with boat racing information, and any other historical documents . We will treasure any donation.

VINTAGE RACERS REDISCOVERED: 
Chris Hall of Hampton, VA appears to have found what could be Woody Pliescott’s 150 Hydro Woody Jr. Special. Paul Reams of Swoyersville, PA might have found what remains of Bill Ritner Jr.’s Wa Wa 135 Hydro, A-247. Kris Branamen of Baltimore, MD owns a Lauterbach hydro that resided in an international cargo shipping terminal for the last decade. After we reviewed his pictures, this boat appears to be the Empty Pockets, a 225 Hydro that campaigned in the East.

VINTAGE TRIVIA: 
Hoddy Quirk of Ware, MA followed up with additional trivia on the 1923 Gold Cup Winner, Joe Boyer. Joe’s son Frank ran a 225 Ventnor which Hoddy saw at the Boyer family home in Grosse Pointe, MI during the late 40’s. Frank Boyer and Danny Foster also had a partnership in the race boat shop on Jefferson Ave down by the Belle Isle bridge in Detroit. The Prop Riders built a lot of 48’s under the stewardship of Joe Tate Sr., at Danny Foster’s shop.

RACE SITES:
 May 25 - 27  Decatur, Illinois:  Inboard Eastern Divisionals will host the Vintage & Historic raceboats. The invitation is open to all classes of V & H boats. Static displays and flybys are on the schedule.
 May 30 - June 2 Detroit, MI:  Chrysler/Jeep APBA Gold Cup
 June 8 - 9th  Raleigh, NC: Tar Heel Regatta  Tentative arrangements are underway for vintage flybys and static displays.
 June 13 - 16  Dubuque, IA:  Thunderfest 96.
 June 22 - 23  Celina, Ohio: Celina Governors Cup Regatta 
 June 29   Tahoe City, CA:  High Sierra Shootout.  Vintage Offshore class race boats are invited to attend the Shootout and compete in a special exhibition category run with established APBA classes. Rear Commodore Craig Miller’s question is: Are there any in existence that are still floating and running? If so, contact him directly at 916-583-1770. This is a new APBA vintage event. Please give the Tahoe Yacht Club all your support.
 July 5 - 7   Sarasota, FL: Suncoast Offshore Festival Vintage Offshore Racing boats will run with the A Class, Saturday morning on the closed course circuit. All the proceeds from this festival will benefit the Suncoast Foundation for the Handicapped. Come and enjoy the many activities scheduled with this event. If you have an interest in participating, please call Gene Whipp at (941) 388-4441.
 July 21          Sylvan Lake, MI: Tentative Vintage Event
 August 15-18     Clayton, NY:  The Antique Race Boat Regatta ‘96

SPECIAL REPORTS:
Thanks go to Jon Bartel, Jeff Magnuson, and Keith Brayer for their informative report on Mt. Dora, FL 1996. This was not an APBA event, but hopefully soon it will be. There was quite a contingent of restored vintage hydroplanes at this ACBS Winter affair. There were at least four restored vintage 280 cubic inch hydros along with several other vintage classes racing inboards and outboards. Also on display was Lil Stinker, the first fiberglass raceboat. If this was a joint sanction event, this could truly be a winter raceboat rendezvous for all our APBA members.

GET WELL SOON GOES OUT TO:
Danny Foster is at home recuperating from By-pass surgery. He is doing fine. Art Asbury and his spouse Eloise are recovering from a major bout of the flu. You know those Canadian winters! They say they are 10 months of hard winter and two months of good skiing.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:
Every region has its “Hot Shoes,” or ‘Hired Guns.’ From the mid-1950’s to the 1980’s Allan Ford was one of those type drivers on the West Coast. During his versatile racing career, Ford drove in every limited inboard class. He tried his hand at stock and mod outboards, and offshore racing. He even lead the Parker Enduro one year in a 7 Litre hydro, ‘Until the boat sank in 4 feet of water while refueling.’ Noted for his driving abilities in the hot 135/150 hydro’s Allan spent seat time in Avenger, La Cucaracha, JO, and his Lanky. ‘I was never one to turn down a ride’ stated Ford.
 His introduction into boat racing came when he rode with Bill Jagger in the P.O.D.H. Thundermug, for the 1949 racing season. The following year Allan bought his P.O.D.H. that he drove until 1953 when he bought a Kenny Ingram designed hydro, named it Nonchalant II, and competed in the newly formed 136 class. ‘I remember starting a 136 race at Long Beach with 15 other boats, all in the same heat,’ recalled Allan.
 ‘In 1958 I ordered a new Rich Hallet hull. I did not want a flyer, so I asked for 10 inches of lift instead of the standard 14 inches Hallet used at that time,’ he remarked. Running a Arvel Lankford V8-60, he raced his new Lanky in the 135 class, competing against the likes of, Bud Meyer in Avenger, Freddie Galante’s Joey, and Bob Ellis in Hellava, to name a few.
 On the ultimate hydroplane ride Allan remarked, ‘in a 150 Wickens conventional, running on a 1 2/3rds mile course. I was really moving down the chute, and the boat came off the water. Only the prop was touching but still not ready to fly. It was level but right on the thin edge...for 100 yards it road like that!’
 Among Ford’s many accomplishments are: winning APBA’s high points for USA #1 in 1971 with his 145 hydro. Capturing the 1963 150 Western Divisionals in Avenger; and driving Norman Morris’ 280 Honeybear to win the 1961 Nationals.
 Despite all of his awards Allan’s proudest moment came when his son Stewart won the 1 Litre Nationals in 1986.
 Asked why he choose boat racing Allan stated, ‘Because you have to judge everything by using the throttle. There are no brakes.’

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH: 
U-2  Miss U.S., owned by George Simon. The year 1996 will be the 20th Anniversary of Miss U.S.’ historic win on the Detroit River. This revolutionary design forever changed Unlimited Racing. Miss U.S. is the first successful cabover pickle fork design to win a Gold Cup. It is also the last Gold Cup winner powered with the traditional Allison engine. Miss U.S. established a Gold Cup and Historic Performance Competition Record for a 60 mile race average of 108.974 mph.

2nd picture:   Veteran driver Allan Ford pilots his orange and black hydro Nonchalant II, 94-S, during a 1954 event on Lake Yosemite.  The Kenny Ingram designed hull was a converted 135, previously raced as Joey by Fred Galente.

©1996 Tom D'Eath