NOTES: Thanks goes out to Duke Waldrop for sending us a copy of an article about Henry Lauterbach written by Wendy Clarke, published in the Chesapeake Bay Magazine April 2000 issue. This article highlights Henry’s career and the sheer beauty and value of classic raceboats.

VINTAGE RACERS REDISCOVERED:
It’s quite possible that Paul Sawyer’s famous 266 cubic inch hydro Alter Ego has resurfaced.  Gerard Chamberlin of Sutton West, Ontario presently owns one of the late Bill Braden’s Aerials. Art Asbury confirms this is the boat that Bill was driving when he had his fatal accident. Art also told Gerard that Bill Braden’s Aerial was purchased from Paul Sawyer. That being the case, the boat is either the 225 ci hydro, Beligerio II or the 266 ci hydro, Alter Ego. Both of the boats were Hallett hulls, which Sawyer raced in the late 40’s and early 50’s. Does anyone know if Paul Sawyer or his wife are still living or which one of Paul’s boats did Bill Braden purchase? Writers comment: The pictures sent to me by Gerard show a striking similarity to the F-211, Alter Ego. Contact this writer at (941) 792-7554 if you have any information.

CHALLENGES: 
Sylvain Demers of Mont. St.Hilaire, Quebec is looking for a Record two bladed propeller, 12 x 19 pitch, for an 1 1/8 shaft to be used on his restored 5 Litre F-155, Zoomerang. Contact Sylvan at work (450) 467-4683 ext.0
 Joe Marshall of Tennessee has a Toyota powered one Litre Staudacher, with the rudder mounted thru the bottom. He is trying to identify the boat and obtain its racing history. Joe’s number is (423) 983-3115.

RACE SITES:
 July 29 & 30 Buffalo, NY: Hydromania Vintage is on the schedule. Invitation only. Contact Paul Reid 716-691-8351
 Aug. 17 - 20 Clayton, NY: Antique Raceboat Regatta 2000. 150+ Vintage Race boats will be there. Static displays and flybys.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:     THE CALIFORNIA KID 
Every APBA region has a premier boat owner for who drivers yearn to get a chance to drive. Their boats are top-notch competitive hulls, carefully prepared with gleaming paint and chrome. Lon Graditi, from Oakland, CA was one of those owners. Graditi’s boat racing career stretched from the late 1930’s through the 1960’s. Competing in the 225 (Div.II) class his boats bore the racing designation 20-N. His series of two-twenty-fives were first called Californian and later changed to California Kid. Graditi’s racing colors were white, blue and red and his choice of hulls included Ventnor, Tommy Hill, Wickens and Hallet... which ever was the fastest hull of its time. Power plants ranged from the popular Ford Flathead V-8 to a screaming Ford OHV straight-6 and finally a Studebaker OHV V-8.
 Over the 30 years of racing, Lon’s boats set competition, 1-mile and kilo records and won Region and National high point honors for the 225 class.
 Perhaps the most noted driver to chauffeur one of his boats was George Mattucci of Oakland. Mattucci went on to drive Howard Johansen’s 266 Mixmaster, 14-F and set a 1-mile record of 131 mph in 1954. The outspoken Graditi had a good eye for driving talent. Many of his drivers came from the ranks of the 48 ci class. Drivers such as: Joe Quintel, Jerry Eschen, Vern Dallman Jr., Clyde Marney and Denton Denny. Graditi claimed that Denny was the most under-rated pilot that ever drove from him. Other drivers included the talented Allan Ford and Unlimited jockey Roger Murphy. Ironically, Murphy was also one of Lon’s biggest class rivals. It was Murphy’s 16 foot Hallett, Galloping Gale Jr., 22-N that Lon purchased and raced as the last California Kid. Powered by a Tony Cermelli built Studebaker, it set a 225 kilo record of 119 mph in 1962, with Denny at the controls.
 When Graditi retired from boat racing in the late 1960’s, the last Kid was sold to Robert Schwartz. Keeping the same name and racing number, Schwartz campaigned it as a 225 until 1970. The hull was then converted to a Plymouth powered 280 hydro which used the class designation 273-E. Years later, the yellow and black hull was reportedly seen on a Santa Rose, CA used car lot.
 Actually, Graditi’s very last California Kid was not a race boat at all, but an asphalt burning jet-powered dragster, no doubt another, “class act”.
 

Photo Caption:
Driver George Mattucci stands next to the trophy girl at an early 1950’s Oakland Estuary race. Lon Graditi (left), owner of the California, 20-N, changed the hull’s name to California Kid in 1953, the same year it won APBA high points for the 225 class. The hull was destroyed in 1962 when it caught fire as Miss U, 15-N during a race at Freemont, CA.

Photo Caption:
Lon Graditi’s 225 hydro California Kid from the late 1950’s was powered by a screaming Ford OHV straight-6. The birch decked hull featured blue-on-white cowlings, and is shown here driven by 48 hydro ace Vern Dallman Jr. of Daly City, CA. Jack Egan of Pleasant Hill, CA, raced the boat last as, No Mo-Shun.

©2000 Tom D'Eath