NOTES:
APBA Legend, Charlie Strang from Antioch, IL sent us an article (“Racing disbanded?” by Kevin Cameron) on vintage motorcycle racing. Charlie says that this article certainly applies to vintage boat racing too! The following is a small excerpt from the article. “I’ve wondered what had happened to all those people I used to know at the races. Parts men and motorcycle mechanics, working guys who could just, with a little help from girlfriend and/or dealer, afford to keep both a van and a racebike. I don’t see those guys at the nationals much anymore. Now I know where they went: vintage racing..” 
Comments: It is obvious with the escalating costs of all forms of racing that vintage racing offers an affordable hobby to anyone who wants to stay involved. You can spend as much or as little on your project that you wish. The social attraction of people and places-to-go are some of vintage racing’s best features. For us ex-racing addicts, this proves that there is life after racing.  For the collectors, this is a way to fulfill a dream.
 Charlie Miller, friend and longtime inboard racer, from Annapolis, MD sent me a copy of a 1942 boat building magazine article. "How to build 20 boats." One of the boats featured with a partial set of plans, was Merlyn Culver’s YANKEE DOODLE II, a Ventnor style 135 3-point hydroplane tail dragger. If anyone is interested contact Charlie (WHOOPEE, A-54) at (410) 849-2575. Thanks for the interesting article!!
 Roger Martin, longtime racing enthusiast, from Prince George, VA is looking for a home for his vintage 1 Litre Kelson cabover hydroplane. This raceboat has won many times and is a former Kilo record holder. Roger can be reached at (804) 541-8539.

CHALLENGES: Skip Hickman of Webster, FL is looking for his 150 cubic inch Jones cabover. Boat Name was CONSTANT COMMENT, A-777. This boat was originally a 145 inboard hydro, late 60’s vintage, that belonged to John Onkey from Miami, FL. When Skip sold the boat, it traveled north, somewhere to the Ohio area. Skip is a former owner/driver and race official from the inboard division.  Anyone who has information contact Skip at (352) 793-6750.

RACE SITES:
 July 4 thru 6  Valleyfield, Quebec  Tentative
 RACE PROMOTERS -- Contact us a soon as possible so that we can help promote your event.  We go to printing two months before the Propeller Magazine is distributed, so early notification is a must.

FAMOUS NAMES OF THE PAST:
Before the legendary Gar Wood, Row Whitlock, from Rising Sun, Indiana, was undoubtedly the greatest boat racer of this day (1907 thru 1920). It is possible that he was one of the greatest of all time. Inventor/owner/driver and builder of HOOSIER BOY U-7, Row was the Champion of the Mississippi Valley Power Boat Assoc. He won the Webb Trophy, a symbol of racing superiority three times. Twelve-mile an hour packet boats were landing regularly in 1907 when Row Whitlock set out on a project that would produce a boat to go a mile a minute. The peak of this inventive man’s career came October 9, 1924, when he drove his HOOSIER BOY racer from Cincinnati to Louisville and back 267 miles in 267 minutes and 49 seconds. The only stops he made were at Madison, Ind for refueling in the heat down and back. The Ohio Valley Motor Boat Racing Association officiated the event. It is significant to note that the origin of OVMBRA was Cincinnati and Dayton, KY. Row Whitlock, also, invented the forerunner of the modern air boat in secrecy atop one of his factory buildings. The 69 ft shallow draft vessel (THE BIG BROWN BEAR) was driven through the water by an airplane propeller fanning the air.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:          THE 160 MPH WHALE BOAT
 Designed by Morlan Visel and built by California’s Fred Wickens in 1948, the HURRICANE IV featured a full length air trap design that years later became known as a tunnel boat. Sans tailfin or cowling, the gray and black 2-G was nicknamed “the whale” by onlookers. The 28 foot hull had a wicked habit of lurching 6 feet to the right every time she hit a wake, causing driver Visel to give a wide berth to any competition. Design changes were made to fix her nasty habit. A tailfin and cowling were added, and the now red and white HURRICANE IV was raced competitively in west coast events. She almost scored an upset win over SLO-MO-SHUN IV in the 1952 Gold Cup, until engine problems sidelined her.
 1953 found Bill Stead taking over as owner/driver, racing under the Lake Tahoe Yacht Club banner. He placed second overall at the Tahoe Regatta behind Stanley Dollar Jr. in his SHORT SNORTER. That same year, HURRICANE IV broke into Hollywood films when she appeared in the opening scenes of “Magnificent Obsession” while Stead stood in for the film’s star Rock Hudson, during the racing scenes. In the 1954 racing season, HURRICANE IV repeated a second place finish at Tahoe, this time behind Jack Regas in Henry Kaiser’s SCOOTER TOO.  On November 8th of that year Stead pushed the Allison-powered hull to a 1 mile run of 164.910 mph at the Salton Sea (only 12 mph slower than SLO-MO-SHUN’S record). Soon after, 14 feet of her deck was damaged by fire. Sentenced to life on a pole as an outside display in Oregon, she was rescued by unlimited pilot Ken Muscatel and now awaits restoration in Seattle.

COMMENTS FROM TOM D’Eath:
It is my belief that the HURRICANE IV (which was my father’s first unlimited ride in 1949), was located on the Stead ranch in Nevada, in Bill Stead’s barn. Presently, the boat is in Seattle awaiting restoration. SCOOTER TOO was the boat on the pole at Pasco, Washington.  It was my understanding that this hull was taken down because it had badly deteriorated.

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH:
HURRICANE IV as she looked while lumbering through the Salton Sea 1-mile speed trial. Driver Morlan Visel and riding mechanic Fred Hallett had to be careful not to run over the trap lights with the ill-handling “whale boat”. Photograph by Kent Hitchcock.

EXTRA PHOTO:
IT’S A WONDER G-88. Present Owner/Driver Jeff Magnuson of Alfred, Maine, with riding mechanic, Pete Kreissle. The original builder/owner and driver was George Davis of Vinegrove, KY. This hull was a 1938 era Gold Cup Class Unlimited. The hull generally saw competition on the Ohio River in the free-for-all events. Photograph by Gil McGraw from Clayton, NY 1996.

©1996 Tom D'Eath