NOTES:
Bill Coberly of Bakersfield, CA is planning to make the cross country trip to Clayton, NY this summer with his beautifully restored Lauterbach 225 hydro, Thundershower. He has heard so much about the Clayton regatta that he feels that everyone should attend at least once. If anyone is traveling a greater distance, let us know. Otherwise our unofficial “furthest distance traveled” award goes to Bill.
 With the beginning of the racing season, everyone is busy getting their equipment ready to run that we are not receiving any information for our publication. Please send us your reports and letters. The members are interested in your work and progress.

CELEBRATIONS: 
Fifty years and still going.  Three 80+ year old characters, namely Jack Fisher, Bud Hornickel and Fred Rechsteiner are spear heading an attempt to have a gala celebration of the Winding River Boating Association’s 50th Anniversary. Tentative arrangements are to hold the affair at Wheaton Village in Millville, NJ on Sunday afternoon, April 18, 1999. Present plans are for a dinner, a display of memorabilia such as old photographs and other items from our past history. There will be a display of antique race boats along the Village Green and a general get-together of our friends old and new. If you are interested in attending, contact Jack at 200 N. 12th Street, Millville, NJ 08332. Jack needs to find out if they have enough interest among the past and present members and friends to pull this off in a fashion that will be a credit to their 50 years of racing history. Jack is also asking for photos connected with Millville racing history that can be part of their display. Take time and drop him a line now. Please support their efforts.  This is what vintage is all about!!!!

FAMOUS TROPHIES OF THE PAST: 
Daniel J. Murphy Jr. of Gladwyne, PA tells us “Your Vintage piece brought back many fond memories of New Martinsville and the good times as well as the good luck I had there.”  He remembers that the former mayor Bob Bruce always gave cards to all the participants that proclaimed the holder to be an Honorary Citizen and ambassador-at-large of New Martinsville. He recalls the fact, that the residents opened their homes to us racers and our crews for an ‘at home’ feeling. We always stayed with a Dr. Oneacre. The second year that we stayed with them they refused to accept any money and had their ‘frig’ stocked for us with no restrictions. It was great! Regarding the trophies, aside from the World Trophy, the big trophy was always the ‘Imperial Gold Cup.' This was a Punch Bowl with 24 cups. It was of etched glass baked with gold. It was donated by the Imperial Glass Company of West Virginia. They claimed it was dipped and baked 24 times. In 1949 I won a 2nd place, a small gold covered vase, with my 7 Litre the DEE-JAY IV. I still proudly display the First place trophy, the punch bowl and cups that I won in 1950 with my unlimited the DEE-JAY V.  The Imperial Gold Cup was a free-for-all race open to all classes of hydros. This writer has personally seen only two of these absolutely gorgeous trophies, one at Daniel’s home and the other with Mrs. Shirley Schoenith. Her spouse Lee also won the Imperial Gold Cup trophy with one of his Gale boats. It is nice to see that these awards are still proudly displayed and remembered. As a child, this writer also remembers going to New Martinsville and witnessing the unofficial boat builders and designers duel for supremacy in the 135 class. Rich Hallet, Henry Lauterbach and Charlie Lloyd sporting their newest creations, would compete against each other in the late fall race. On most occasions, immediately after the regatta their boats would be sold. Watching their contests was another of the highlights for the event.
 A Special thanks you goes out to Dan Jr. for his continued sponsorship of the Daniel J. Murphy award that will be presented again to a special individual at the Clayton Antique Raceboat Regatta ‘98. This trophy had been presented for many years to the 225 class high point champion in Regions 3 and 4. But then it was lost for 23 years. After the trophy was found, Mr. Murphy donated the recovered trophy to the Clayton Museum. He also revived his tradition to honor his late father by presenting the Trophy and a keeper at each of the Clayton Antique Raceboat Regattas. Previous recipients were Henry Lauterbach 1994 and Bob Bogie 1996.

VINTAGE FACTS: 
I received a nice letter from Jim Sharkey of Anaheim, CA. He loves reading our article in the Propeller each month. Jim wrote regarding the Al Brinkman Sea Biscuit and the Sid Street Z-Z-Zip connection. From the March ‘98 issue, he has a question or two for us. We mentioned that Sid Street first appeared out in the west coast in ‘53 in Z-Z-Zip. This was a Joe Guess design. This craft later was sold to Al Brinkman who ran it as Sea Biscuit. Jim states “In his research on the unlimited hydroplanes and post World War II races, my first records of a Sea Biscuit was ‘46 National Sweepstakes Regatta, and the Comenchero Trophy in Red Bank, NJ. Sea Biscuit also ran in the Silver Cup and Gold Cups in Detroit that year. In ‘46 Sea Biscuit was a Ventnor hull. In ‘48 Sea Biscuit was a Graham hull.
 Z-Z-Zip made her first appearance in the ‘48 Red Bank Gold Cup, the ‘48 Calvert Trophy in Louisville, and the ‘49 Red Bank Gold Cup. This was a Hallet hull. At the ‘48 National Sweepstakes race, both these boats (Z-Z-Zip and Sea Biscuit) are listed on the same scorer sheet.
 My question is, how many different craft raced as Z-Z-Zip and Sea Biscuit? From the article in the Propeller, there had to be at least two different Z-Z-Zip hulls (Hallet and Guess), and a minimum of three Sea Biscuit hulls (Ventnor, Graham, & Guess). Could you shed some light on this. When I first saw the article in the Propeller, I thought something was wrong, the dates were all messed up. I now know that there were different hulls”. 
Editors Answer:
Jim, to the best of my knowledge you are correct. There were two Z-Z-Zips (the first a Hallet and the second Guess hull). What makes the issue confusing, is that the last Z-Z-Zip was sold to Al Brinkman and it became a Sea Biscuit. To my knowledge Al had at least three different Sea Biscuits. Since Al Brinkman raced out of the Buffalo Launch Club, maybe someone from the Buffalo area could send us additional information this subject.

CHALLENGES:
If you have any questions about racing past, drop us a line and we will include your questions in our column. That way the our readers can participate and help with the answers.

RACE SITES:
July  3 - 5,  Valleyfield, Quebec  Contact Marc Rousse (514) 371-6144.
July  9 -12,  Detroit, MI: APBA Gold Cup.
July  19,   Sylvan Lake, MI Contact Bill Hickson (248) 682-6730
August 13-16, Clayton, NY:  The Antique Race Boat Regatta ‘98  Contact
Bill Danforth  (315) 686-4104.

GET WELL SOON GOES OUT TO: 
Marion Ritner (the late Bill Ritner’s spouse) is not doing well. You might drop her a line at Bryn Mawr Terrace, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010.

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH: 
MISS PEG, F-90,  Ron Jones built 266 cubic inch hydroplane. Miss Peg from Louisiana, owned by Lawrence Farris and driven by Bill Buntin set a new Competition Record of 92.308 mph at St. Petersburg, FL on February 4, 1968. Powered with a fuel injected Chevy, she started her life as the Gun-shy and then later became known as the Tin Horn. Going on to additional fame under the moniker of Miss Peg. The Miss Peg is presently owned by Jack and Nancy Hines of Dayton, OH. They are in the process of restoring her to her previous glory.

©1998 Tom D'Eath