VINTAGE TRIVIA FROM BOB SILVA:
You’ve heard the term “Porpoising or Hobby Horsing” when a boat is seen rocking back and forth down the straight, trying to push the bow into the water. Well in Australia they call it “Pig rooting”.
 Did you know that Swift made over 8,000 outboard hydro and runabout hulls? And that the Swift logo featured a clothespin, because that’s what they made before boats…clothes pins! I gleaned that from Peter Hunn’s book, “The Golden Age of Racing Outboard”. It is a really neat book that’s got me looking at vintage/historic outboards in more detail. 

CHALLENGES:
Curt Brayer and Joe Maybrown have issued a challenge. Does anyone know what happen to SK-47, Das Fireschpittin Loudinboomer again? This SK boat raced during the 60’s and early 70’s. If you know this boat’s fate give me a call.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:      CALIFORNIA RACERS UNITED
     Perfect Pomona weather and 20 race boats in static display greeted over 400 attendees of the 1st Annual California Boat Racers Reunion held at the NHRA Museum.  Wes Knudsen's ERR STARDUST, 21-E, was a welcome and emotional sight for many former competitors. Anyone who saw the STARDUST race won't forget the long roostertail-throwing runabout that set a kilo record of 107 mph and won 6 National Championships. New owner Kirk Pumphrey is eager to do a painstaking restoration on the famed hull. 
     Also displayed, to the delight of the crowd, was HUSTLER, the jet hydro driven by the late Lee Taylor. The Hallett built hull, featuring Jack "Willie" Sutton cowlings, screamed to a world water speed record of 285 mph in 1967. Owner Jim Deist plans a complete restoration. 
     Bill Dirksing displayed his Stevens "Hydro-Dragster" TOO MUCH. The immaculate restoration of the BGH (blown gas hydro) includes a 398 Chrysler Hemi. Center stage, in front of the Museum, sat John Fell's restored Rayson-Craft PHFFT-CREAM PUFF, U-9, AKA HOT ROD MAGAZINE SPL. The 20 ft. Allison V-12 powered marathon boat swept both the 1964-65 Salton Sea 500's with Ed Olson and Rudy Ramos driving. 
     Inside the Museum, event organizers Richard Parks, Fred Iaia (SICILIAN BANDIT driver) and Don Edwards greeted guests. Amid the Museum's 50 race cars and numerous articles of racing memorabilia sat the T-55 Turbine that powered Edward's GOLDEN KOMOTION, U-29. The U-29 would have been Unlimited racing's first turbine/prop driven competitor, but it suffered a devastating engine explosion.
     The reunion featured racers from all categories of boating, including boat manufacturers; Nick Barron, Howard Brown, "Sanger" Jack Davidson, "Sonny" DiMarco, Arlen Kurtis, "Buck" Smith, Rudy Ramos and Jerry Wriedt.
     Barry McCown was there to reflect on his BFH 1/4 mile APBA record of 161 mph in the 19ft. Hallett BONZAI set in 1963. Early water dragsters Ernie Jenewein and Bob Velenzuela shared their wild experiences of driving the first "glass" BFH Sangers, ASSASIN and WINDJAMMER. Eddie Weinberg recalled driving the unusual looking DiSilva designed "hydro-runabout", HOT TOMATO.
     TV Tommy Ivo spoke of his land dragster friend, Don "the Snake" Prudhomme's driving Rene Andre's CITATION to a 1965 APBA Blown Gas record of 136 mph. Just as Prudhomme passed the 1/4 mile timing lights he crashed and destroyed the brand new hydro.
     There was an emotional reunion between the DOWN-N-OUT BFH team of Ron Campagnoli, Jim "Bones" Noteboom and Jean "Ma Bale" Gravelle. Ma Bale's late son's, Mac and Dwight broke many APBA drag records in the late 1960's and early 70's.
     The man who covered the quarter mile faster than you could pronounce his name, Larry "the shoe" Schwabenland thanked Bill Fauntleroy for developing the parachute lifejacket. Schwabenland was no stranger to the dangers of drag boating, piloting fuelers like CLIMAX, WHITE MIST and MISS SPICO (an early Ron Jones dragster).
     Engine men Bubba Wilton and Paul Pfaff joined v-Drive expert, Andy Casale. Ken Black spoke of how his father, Keith, began his engine building career with racing circle boats named FLYING SAUCER in the ERR and 225 classes in the early 50's.
     Jet boat pioneer Lee Talbot shared his beginnings in the wild ERR runabouts before switching to the unpredictable Jets.
     Four of the fastest 135 hydro drivers of the 1950's were gathered around SCSC's Adelle Stone comparing records set and sharing memories of past fellow competitors. Red Reeder (HELLEVA), Bud Meyer (AVENGER), Bill Dugranrut (RIC-O-SHAY) and Bobby Sykes (MIGHTY CHEVRON) all left their marks on the 135/150 hydro class.
     Tom Scherer, John Leach, John Sherin, Mary West, Mike Bellmore, Dana Fisher and Rocky Hartland shared Crackerbox stories and photos. Flatbottom racers included Bill Foster (SK), Bill Paget (KRR), Danny and Paul Stratton (SS), Newt Withers (KRR) and Rick Williams (KRR). 225 class hydroplane aces Chuck Doidge (Gidget) and Bob Hansen were joined by 280 drivers Ray Wheeler and Rex "Bix" Bixby (Sam Too-'63 National Champion). Harlan Orrin Jr., who drove his HOMEWRECKER in circle and drag racing while also building flatbottom racers, attended with his beautiful all-wood Mandella-SK. Outboard racers included Tom Love and APBA Region 12 Chairman Roger Carr, who spoke about bringing all boat racers together regardless of affiliations.
     Everyone enjoyed the reunion, which went by too rapidly to visit with all of the familiar faces and see the many, many photographs and videos on display. The first California reunion was certainly a success and just may be the beginnings of the development of a California Race Boat Museum.

Photo Captions: 
California Boat Racers Reunion
Photo 1: 
Rocky Hartland displays a photograph of his Playmate, 2-P that he drove to a National Championship and 1 mile record in 1960.
Photo 2: 
Four of the fastest 135 hydro drivers were reunited at the 1st California Boat Racers Reunion: (Left to Right) Red Reeder (Helleva); Bud Meyer (Avenger); Bill Dugranrut (Ric-o-shay) and Bobby Sykes (Mighty Chevron).

©2000 Tom D'Eath