NOTES:
We would like to thank Phil Spruit for his hard work keeping vintage racers updated on his hugely popular website: www.vintagehydroplanes.com. It takes money and a large time commitment to maintain the site and it is not done for money but for the love of vintage race boats and a desire to share knowledge. Several years ago Phil's personal website was recognized by former chairman Tom D'Eath as “the official website” of our APBA Vintage & Historic Division but without funding. In the beginning, Phil carried all the expense but recently has had to ask for help. If you enjoy visiting his site, please consider becoming a sponsor of our "official" APBA Vintage Website.

CHALLENGES: 
Harlan Orrin Jr. is looking for info on twin-prop flatbottom boats such as: DONALD DUCK; RAZZIE BARTON; the Kindsvater built, THE BEAST; the Sanger WHITE MIST; Gary Colledge’s, HIGHBINDER and any others. Harlan can be reached at: WOODBOATHARLAN@aol.com

EVENTS:
  Feb.26    Detroit MI  APBA Winter Gathering: contact Tom and Jacq Bertolini at 586-716-4490
  Apr.23-24: Dayton OH. Dayton testing: contact Jack Hines 937-898-0562
  June 10:   Pomona CA. Boat Racer’s Reunion: contact Richard Parks RnParks1@juno.com
  July:      Detroit MI. APBA Gold Cup: contact Alan Radue 248-616-1317 
  July:      Columbus OH. Scioto Riverfest: contact Kevin Klosterman 614-336-3590
  July:      Waterford MI. Quake on the Lake: contact Tom Bertolini 586-716-4490
  Sept.10-11: Grand Island NY. Race Boat Reunion: contact Bill DeGlopper 716-773-6093 or squeegeede@adelphia.net
  Sept.15-17: Wolfeboro NH. Vintage Raceboat Regatta: contact Bill John 603-569-5824 or vintageraceboatshop.com 

REPORTS: 
APBA Vintage/Historic member Bob Foley (FULL HOUSE MOUSE,Y-116) recently saw the W. R. Hearst Perpetual Trophy up for auction and, thanks to his inquiry, some light has been shed on this old trophy. Bob writes: “I consulted with Steve Greaves and John Read, and it appears the trophy was for A Alky Outboards, up to 14 ci. It was awarded in 1936, 37, 38,...,43. Then it was either retired or discontinued due to the war. A fellow named Jim Wellington(?) found it in an old trunk and inquired about it in APBA’s Vintage/Historic section in 1999.” 
Steve Greaves added: “I spoke with Art Losvar who just turned 80 and has been racing outboards since he was 14.  Art remembers Bob Munsen, Orville Brisban and Fred Malkey as being California outboard racers in Class A. This class was in the "Outboard" category which later became PRO, before the Stock and Mod Categories existed. At the time, Class A was up to 14 cubic inches and ran alky (methanol mixed with castor oil). In this period, the motor used was a two cylinder Johnson model KR. 
Russ Hill Jr. also responded to Foley’s inquiry: “OK, the Hearst Regatta. I'm not sure exactly when it started, I'd guess in the early thirties. It was a Silver trophy and was perpetual, it had to be won three times (I think in a row) to be retired. The races were run all during the War (W.W.II), without interruption. It was about the only boat race that was run each year in the 1942 -'45 eras, at least in the Southern California. The race kind of “died on the vine” after 1952. A guy named Robbie Robinson, a sports writer for the LA Examiner (of the William R. Hearst press) was the main thrust behind it. He passed-on, either shortly before or after the '52 race. 
The A Hydro trophy was retired, but I don't know by whom. I won it in 1949 and I was the 5th name on that trophy. There was also a B Hydro trophy that was retired in 1944 by a guy from Phoenix named Skip Hooper. He had two "legs" on it and then had health problems and hired Mabry Edward to win it the third time for him. He may have also won the A Hydro trophy. Mabry was a pretty big time driver who had raced in the thirties for the Johnson factory team. The A Hydro trophy probably had Orlando Torgiani's name on it after mine. I'm not sure. Elgin Gates of Mercury Stock Outboard, African Safari, and target pistol shooting fame won it in 1952 and as I said, then the races “died on the vine”. Gates did, however, win it with a Johnson KR, not a Mercury which was not made legal (because it was 15 ci.) until about 1954 or '55.”
Doug Clem then noted another Memorial Trophy, this one from the Southern California Speedboat Club, for the 135 ci Inboard class. Doug wrote: “I bought the Clay Smith Memorial Trophy for the 135 ci. Class on an auction site several years ago. From 1955 to 1963 Bud, Eddie and Randy Meyer won the high points “Clay Smith” award 5 times (with their AVENGERS). The trophy is 4 feet high, and I feel much honored to have it in my Eddie Meyer collection. Other top 135 driver names on the trophy are: Bill Guasti-THUNDERBIRD, 1956; Frank Neely/Jack Salmon-CUMON BABY II, 1957; and Fred Galente-JOEY, 1958.”

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:
TIDBITS FROM THE PAST
The 135 ci. hydro class had 151 boats registered for the 1949 racing season. At the time, it was the largest class since APBA’s inception in 1903. Genius hull designer/builder Joe Guess built the first of his five hydroplanes, the 135 HELLCAT, in the 1940’s. It turned out to be a flop, but the second through fifth hulls were all record setters. They included the Div.II 225, MISS ART HALL; the Div.I 266, COPPERHEAD; and the two most famous of his designs, a pair of 266’s, named GUESS WHO and Z-Z-ZIP. Interestingly, both the MISS ART HALL and Z-Z-ZIP would later become Al Brinkman’s SEABICUIT’s.

In 1949, Fred Wicken’s first Crackerbox creation, DRAGON-B-HIND set a new 5-mile record of 60.484 mph. The Crackers had only been a sanctioned APBA class for three years when Ralph Phillips of Columbus, Ohio drove the DRAGON-B-HIND to the new record. Many more records would fall to Wickens- built Crackers over the next 40 years. In late 1949, Harold I. “Hi-J” Johnson of Newport Beach, CA. and his partner, Ren Ludlam came-up with an “angle pitch to compensate for shaft-angle”. Hi-J became known as “the propeller wizard” of the 1950’s as his props pushed many hulls, from the small 48 hydro to the big Unlimited, to new records.

In 1957, you could have ordered a brand-spanking-new Rich Hallett built 225 hull (like the record holder FLYIN SAUCER) with the running gear, cowlings, three coats of varnish and a trailer for $1,150. Of course, you had to provide your own engine and Hi-J prop. 1957 was also the last year for the Salton Sea Regatta. Since 1930, the heavy Salton Sea waters hosted circle races and the famed 1-mile speed trials. During an unusually calm, misty weekend in 1951, 21 records were set and drivers joked that the salty brine was so thick that it had the consistency of oatmeal.
WHY NOT, 11-E was the first cabover style hydro to be built and raced in California. The 280 was designed and built in owner Bruce Bryant’s Castro Valley garage during the fall of 1959. A row of Corvette valve springs, attached to the driver’s seat brackets, were used in an effort to dampen the jarring ride. Two other Californians, Hayden Harris of Los Angeles and Ron Schneider of Palo Alto purchased Ron Jones Sr. built cabovers during the early 1960’s. The two round-nosed 225’s, ISOTOPE, 50-N and the record setting TIGER TOO, N-86 were at the forefront of the cabover revolution.