Dick Bonneville from New Cumberland, PA is trying to locate the patterns and molds that Charlie Lloyd sold when he quit the hydroplane business in the mid 1970’s. One person who may know where this equipment went is Sonny Kohr who used to race and now lives somewhere in Florida. In 1960 Michael Lloyd, Charlie’s son and Dick were best friends. Dick was a crewmember, worked part time and hung out in Charlie’s shop. Bonneville would like to purchase a vintage Lloyd 150 or 280 cu. in. hydroplane hull and rig. If you can help him out Dick’s number is (717) 774-5388 or e-mail him at r.boneville@paonline.com.

 Recently chatted with Bunnie Coberly. She indicated that she would like to liquidate her late husband’s vintage raceboat collection, which includes many racing outboards and the 225 ci. Inboard hydroplane Thundershower. All these raceboats are in beautiful restored condition. Bunnie can be reached at (909) 866-8630

VINTAGE RACING HEROES:                 225 CUBIC INCH HYDRO       1946 THRU 1970.
These are some of the outstanding racers from the 225 ci. hydroplane class. Feel free to send me your additions. My source was the APBA Rule books.
 California Kid was the dominant boat for the early years (1947,1953) with Lon Graditi, G. Mattucci, and Danny Foster. In both 1948 & 1949 L. Turner in the Green Hornet increased the one-mile record. Rich Hallett driving his I’M IN set a 1949 competition record followed by mile records in 1951 and 53. Sid Street was the 1949 High Point Champion and a competition record holder in 1950 with the Z-Z-Zip. High Point winner in 1950 was Paul Sawyer. 1951, we saw Elmer Enquist of CA win the Nationals and Art Maynard with Restless wrapping up High Points. Art also set a mile record in ’52. 
 Chuck Hunter (Miss Columbus) was the National and High Point Champion in 1952. Ray Smith’s hydro won the 1953,54,55 Nationals with Ron Musson, Doc Linns & Ralph Manning driving respectively. Keith Black’s Flying Saucer set the one-mile record and was High Point Champ in 1954. While in 1955 George Smith win Hi Points. Rig-Am-Mortis and Mac Wiefering won the ’56 Nationals. Ron Smith with Jersey Devil set the one-mile record. 1957 Bill Ritner’s Wa Wa won Nationals and the same boat won High Points in 56 and 57 with drivers Ron Musson and Henry Lauterbach. Henry Vogel’s competition & straightaway record holding boat, My Sin III was the ’58 & 59 National Champion. 
1958, Rodney Brogden with his Kitty B was the fastest in a straight line and also the Hi Point Champion in 1965. Knute Solland of WA state won the ‘59 High Points. Billy Schumaker was 1960 National Champ and 5-mile comp. Record holder with Miss Goodwin. The same year, Ken Wade in Teacher’s Pet set a new Kilo record. The 1960 Hi Point Champ Lou Gradit won the 61 Nationals with driver Denton Denny who also set a kilo record in 1962. Paul Edgar was the ’61 High Point Champ. The 1961 one mile straight away record holder Marion Beaver won the 62,63, & 64 Nationals with boats Uncle Gummy, Gummy’s Ghost with drivers Bob Ellis & Wayne Thompson. Lynn Montgomery with Misty IV became the 1966 National Champion. 
 Ed Morgan & Dick Gordon with their raceboats High Winder & Chip Winder won Hi Points in ‘62,’63, & ‘66; Nationals in ’65,’67; and set the 5-Mile records in ‘62, and ‘66. The first 225 cabover to set a kilo record was Henry Schneider Jr. and his Tiger in 1964. Royce Richards and George English wrapped up Hi Points with Fat Chance. Jack Wong’s Charity with driver Merle Solland set a 5-mile competition record in 1965. 
 Bill Allan in the Alouette Angel were High Point Champion in 67, 68 and 1970. Gene Whipp was the ‘68 Nat’l Champion. Danny Walls in Just-A- Pest won the Nationals three years in a row (‘69,’70 & ’71) while George Henley took Highpoints in 1969, and in 1970 Ted Panaretos with his Goodie Wagon, set competition and kilo world records.

ADDITION:
We want to thank Jack Fisher. He tells us that the very first 136 cu.in. hydro Nationals were held in Millville, NJ and hosted by the Winding River Boating Association in 1952. The Winner was Ed Carhart driving Cold Rod, S-6.

CHALLENGES:
Jon Bartell is looking for a 12 x 21 Mercury 3 blade propeller for his 280 hydro Chuck Wagon. Jon can be reached at (937) 882-6372.

RACE SITES:
 July 6 thru 8  Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada
 July 13 thru 15  Detroit, Michigan - The Gold Cup
 Contact me if you wish to participate in this vintage event. The Race Committee has just informed me that we are going to gets LOTS of water time this year. Make your plans early!
 July 23 & 24  North Tonawanda, NY Hydromania 2001
 Sept 7 & 9th  Buffalo, NY, Race Boat Reunion Pit Party at the Buffalo Launch Club and Vintage event with flybys.
 Sept 21-23   Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:                BEST WISHES to the SHADY LADY
The SHADY LADY III, 56-F originally started out as Bill Muncey's 7 Litre, BEST WISHES. Built in 1959 by Ron Jones the 19'6" conventional featured a blown 283 Chevy (later a 327) in the mahogany and light blue hydro. During her very first race the BEST WISHES shed a sponson. The sponsons were then reinforced with scrap aluminum borrowed from Muncey's Unlimited ride MISS THRIFTWAY, U-60. The 7 Litre became a solid front runner in Northwest action but had a nasty tendency to blow-over backwards when driven without her engine cowling. This dangerous aerodynamic trait was experienced first hand by relief driver Leif Borgersen at Lake Sammamish, WA.
In 1966 Muncey sold the boat to Seattle's Bob "Todd" Slater who renamed it THE GRADUATE, 56-F and switched to a 265 ci Chevy for the 266 class (now called National Modified).
In 1968 Slater sold the 56-F to Bud Burns. Bud began his APBA racing career in 1961 in the 136 class and then went on to build and race 280's. Burns changed the color scheme to maroon and white and built his own 265/305 chevys for the 266/5 Litre that he renamed SHADY LADY III. Mindful of the hulls’ tendency to blow-over without its engine cowl, Bud was always quick to replace this broken or lost part despite several flips and rollovers. He also discovered the boat didn't want to turn. "I tried moving the skid fin to the outside of the sponson but it never helped," Bud claimed, "eventually, I just put it back where it started."
Bill Muncey surprised at seeing his former hull at a local race years later, asked the current driver how it turned. The driver said, "that it didn't" and Muncey added, "It never did." Nonetheless, Bud Burns drove SHADY LADY III to 5 Litre Western Divisional Champ in 1971. Disappointed with not being able to, "keep up with those darn cabovers in the turns", Burns sold the boat in 1976 and built his own cabover, which he ran until retiring from the sport in 1993. 
The old Jones hull went through several owners before coming to rest in a boat storage facility where it sat for many years. Burns then came across his old hull and decided to restore it, noting, "the boat has won many trophies", due to its winning ways and many years of active competition. 

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH:
ED NANDY III, F-13,  Andrew Crawford was the owner /driver of this 225-class single step hydro. One of his accomplishments was winning the “All America Sweepstakes” held in 1935 at The President’s Cup Regatta in Washington DC 
 Gerry and Elaine Davidson from Gilford, NH are currently building this hull from the original plans. In April of 1935 Walter Leveau meeting the new 225 class specifications designed the hull. For many years, Walter Leveau was an associate of George Crouch, and 10 years earlier he did the drawings for such boats as Baby Bootlegger and Miss Columbia.

©2001 Tom D'Eath