NOTES:
We recently received Art & Grace McDougall’s address. This husband and wife team raced their Road Runner 48 ci hydros from 1954 thru 1976. Art was the National High Point Champion in 1961,62, and 1963. Grace is Art’s loyal crewmember. Art and Grace tell us that “It seems like the whole world of boat racing has come to life again! I am hearing from old-time racers I haven’t heard from in more than 25 years. It’s really wonderful and so much of it has been made possible through use of email. By the way, the Y-88 has recently returned to Florida and is currently undergoing restoration, which was a complete surprise to me. I thought it had long ago gone to its final resting-place. It just goes to show that old race boats never die.” The McDougalls now live in Ormand Beach, FL (904) 672-5433 or w4pqa@bellsouth.net

CHALLENGES:
We want to thank Mike Petroni, mp184@aol.com, for responding to September’s challenge regarding the identity of the owner/drivers of the boats in the photograph. Mike tells us “This was an easy one for him. The boat on the right, Renegade is owned and driven by Jerry Drummer from Kankakee. Jerry spent many years racing in several classes in the 40’s and 50’s. Thru his effort and dedication the sport continued to grow and flourish in Kankakee and northern Illinois. The man was a 2-cycle genius with a true “ear” for the small engines. Sadly in February of ’99 Jerry passed away and I’m sure he’s now bench racing with so many greats that have gone before him. He deserves to be recognized for the true champion that he was”. 
 We have members who are looking for usable 2 bladed unlimited hydroplane propellers. Anyone with information please call or email me so I can pass the information on.

REPORTS:
Clayton follow up: It was our pleasure to have Guido Romani, Chairman of the Historic Racing Commission of the Fedrazione Italian Motonautica, and his wife from Milano, Italy attend Raceboat Regatta 2000. Guido also attended the 1998 Raceboat Regatta and was so impressed that he came back. Just home from his USA holiday, Guido wrote “That he enjoyed this year’s event even more. The meeting was really special. Wonderful historic racing boats, and very nice people who had genuine enthusiasm for racing history”. 
On the way home from Clayton, we stopped off to visit with Jean Hoffman, President of ACBS, and her daughters Terry & Whitney. That weekend the Adirondack Chapter of ACBS was putting on a runabout show at Lake George, NY where we static displayed the Wa Wa Too. Lake George was the site of many prewar APBA Gold Cup Regattas. With no major APBA vintage event planned at this time for 2001, the question came up as to where to hold a vintage raceboat regatta next summer. Jean Hoffman had the answer “Lake George!” The boats have been seen on the Lake rarely,” says Hoffman. She thinks that a Lake George Vintage Hydroplane Regatta would be good for hydroplanes and good for Lake George. Mayor Blais who is always hospitable to new events that will attract visitors and attention to Lake George Village met with Hoffman and D’Eath and gave his enthusiastic endorsement. We will keep you posted as to possible dates for the joint APBA/ACBS 2001 event.
Peter Kreissle gave us a quick report on the New Hampshire Vintage Raceboat Regatta held in Wolfeboro, NH on Lake Winnipesaukee. Weather-wise the locals said that this was the best weekend all summer. The boat and spectator turnout was fantastic. Over twenty vintage Goldcuppers did fly byes on the glass smooth 1 1/4 mile course of Wolfboro Bay. All went well until mid-afternoon when Robert Coffin in his Baby Watercar, an original 1925 Dodge designed and built Gold Cupper capsized and sank. No one was injured. Both passenger and driver were thrown into the water. Recovery operations of the Baby Watercar took the remainder of the afternoon. Sunday was devoted to giving raceboat rides. We hope this will become an annual event. Peter said the course had long straight-aways with beautiful turns and would be perfect for three point hydroplanes. 

ON A SAD NOTE:
225 ci hydro racer, Robert “Bob” Bogie passed away September 24,2000. Bob was a veteran of World War II. He ran his 225 ci Ventnor hydroplane Blitz in the 1946 Gold Cup at Detroit, MI. In 1949, Bob took his new Blitz III to Trieste, Italy, where the Blitz was the first three point hydro to compete. In 1996, Bob was the recipient of the Daniel J. Murphy award. Our sympathies are extended to his family and friends.
 Millard F. Sloan Jr., (89) a dear friend of all raceboat drivers of the 40s, 50s and 60s, known to one and all as “Dave” passed on. Dave was with Gulf Oil and attended all the regattas in Regions 3 and 4. He was responsible for seeing that the Gulf Marine Racing Hall of Fame banquet meetings went off smoothly. Dave was instrumental for the start-up of the Gulf 100 Mile an hour Club and the Gulf Marine Racing Hall of Fame. 
 Roger McCormick, (62) brother of the late Jim McCormack, 1971 Gold Cup winner, passed away in September, in Owensboro, Ky. Roger enjoyed driving in the 280-ci hydro class during the sixties. Although Roger’s driving career was short his enthusiasm for powerboat racing lasted a lifetime. He will be missed.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:
Ohio based Australian, Ken Warby and his jet boat was a big focal point for participants and spectators at the recent Clayton Regatta. Warby's latest boat is another of his genius, plywood/fiberglass wonders that may just see 400 mph! Imagine, sponson walking at 300+ mph....that's what Warby did on his last water speed record run.
Was that really "the" ALTER EGO sitting in the Clayton pits? It sure was. The Gerry and Lynda Chamberlin owned 266 Hallett hull is the same one that Paul Sawyer drove to set a 1-mile record of 115 mph in 1950 (later raising it to 120). An historical feat that landed Sawyer and ALTER EGO in the Gulf 100 MPH Club as the first limited inboard members. The boat also went to Europe where it waxed the Italian competition, forever changing Italian hydro designs. The Chamberlins, who hail from Sutton, Ontario Canada, would like to find a buyer for the famed hull. 
A real pretty sight at Clayton was the double decked TIP BACK and ADIEU, owned by Bill Mehan and Norman Gavin. The boats were quite a contrast in hydroplane design. Gavin's ADIEU being a Hacker step-hydro and Mehan's TIP BACK a Farmer 3-point hydro. The two boats sported matching green racing trim with mahogany decking.
Jersey Speed Skiffs rule at Clayton! Lead by Skip Gilliam in his new Seaman Skiff, LAST BLAST, they certainly out numbered other class entries. I can see why the Jersey Skiffs are so popular; you can take a friend along for a great flying ride. 
Californians, Mike Reitman and Scott Courts made the trek to Clayton, sans boats. Mike's 266 Pop Schroeder hull is still undergoing restoration. Scott has a full race V8-60 Ford ready to go in his 1950's Lauterbach 135 hydro, and he just purchased an 18 foot, late 50's Jones conventional. Scott said he wants to drop a Jaguar V-12 into the Jones for a small version Unlimited. 
Three boats that made the long trip from California were: Dave and Lynn Olson's TEASER and WILD HORSES along with Doug Elmore's RAINBOW III, and a group representing the Tahoe Yacht Club. 
Race boat scale models are catching-on at Clayton. Ray and Curt Schmitt had a 1/4 scale Lauterbach and a Jersey Skiff on display, along with available kit plans. Keith Brayer introduced Keith Holm of Osceola, WI who built a rare model of a PODH. Mike Taggert's model of SHAKE RATTLE N ROLL was done in such detail that the fuel petcock, hand pump and steering cable system worked. The 135 was done so meticulously that even the little Stromberg 97's had venturis. There was a model of the Gold Cupper BABY BOOTLEGGER, G-5 and the museum itself was selling a wood model of MISS BARDAHL. It may be time for a model class display at Clayton 2002. 
Ernie King displayed a model at his swap meet booth, along with his binder filled shots of Unlimited, Limited and Outboard race boats. Ernie, sporting a "stuntman union" cap, related stories of his dream job come true, driving the ATLAS VAN LINES for the filming of the movie, MADISON. King is no newcomer to Unlimiteds, having been a riding mechanic in Harry Lynch's 1949 Ventnor, LAHALA, G-60.

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH: 
Y-88, Road Runner, Art and Grace McDougall, 1969 Stuart Sailfish Regatta, Stuart, FL

©2000 Tom D'Eath