NOTES:
The Cambridge Power Boat Regatta Association (CPBRA), retired driver Dave Bromwell Jr, and renowned artist, George Wright have come up with ideas for paintings to benefit boat racing. Together, they are using the talented Mr. Wright’s artwork as a promotion and fund raiser for the community’s regatta (Cambridge will host APBA’s 2005 World Inboard Championships, July 29-31). 
The Cambridge area is noted for producing some of the most successful boat racer’s in history, and the paintings were rendered to honor those local legends as-well-as other areas. “APBA Hydroplane Legends” depicts vignettes of five drivers and their boats: Calvert “Skeeter” Johnson, George Cusick, Alton Pierson, Henry Lauterbach and Ronnie Hearn. All former world record holders, national champions and members of APBA’s Hall of Fame, and each has paved the way for the sport as it is known today.
The display of the finished painting was attended by the wives of the late Mr. Cusick and Mr. Johnson. “I think it looks great. It looks like they’re sitting right there, so real”, Doris Johnson said. “It’s a great tribute” added Marilyn Cusick. Limited edition and open edition prints are on sale through CPBRA at: www.cpbra.com 
  
VINTAGE TRIVIA:
Donald W. Peterson is writing a book on WORLD WATER SPEED RECORD ATTEMPTS from 1967 to 1989. He is looking for information and photos on this subject, especially on the HUSTLER (in its Captain Crazy phase), the US DISCOVERY II and Lee Taylor Jr. He can be reached at pip1934@earthlink.net.  

CHALLENGES: 
Margo Saylor-Patrick is desperately searching for information on her late father, Skip Saylor who is being inducted into his hometown’s Hall of Fame in Bakersfield, CA. Margo was only 14 when her Dad was killed racing at Lake Havasu, AZ. on June 26, 1977. He drove a jet boat, BAD NEWS CJ-76, one of the first tunnel boats designed by Sleekcraft Boats. Gayland Hill Engines, Sanger Boats and Valley Boats worked with Skip. He was good friends with fellow racers Mel Bacon and Mel Friend, and was nominated VAPOR TRAILS magazine’s “Rookie of the Year” for 1976. If you can help with this challenge please contact: (gidgetgurlz@hotmail.com)

Challenge answered: Thanks to Peter Thomson for information on the 7 Litre that Bill Kilian is restoring. Thomson writes: “I owned and drove the COPYCAT. It was built for me in 1975/76 by Don Kelson and Jim Lucero and I campaigned the boat 10 years. The boat was one of the prototypes for the ATLAS VAN LINE “Blue Blaster”. It held the 1 mile, 1 1/4 and 1 2/3 mi. course records. We competed in Divisions I and II and in GP at Valleyfield, Guadalajara and Mexico City races. We were second in APBA National High Points for several years.”

EVENTS: 
June 11-12:  Pomona CA.      Boat Racer’s Reunion: contact Richard Parks RnParks1@juno.com                           
June 10-12:  Kent Narrows MD.Kent Narrows Vintage Regatta: contact Larry Lauterbach 410-643-4521
July 1-3:    Madison IN.     Madison Regatta: contact Joe Johnson 812-866-8940
July 8-10    Valleyfield     Quebec, Canada : contact Benoit Lemay 450-371-3291
July:15-17:  Detroit MI.     APBA Gold Cup: contact Alan Radue 248-616-1317
July:23-24:  Waterford MI.   Quake on the Lake: contact Tom Bertolini 586-716-4490  
Aug.13:      Columbus OH.     Scioto Riverfest: contact Kevin Klosterman 614-336-3590
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
Oct. 14-16   Georgetown S.C   Georgetown Wooden Boat Show: contact Bill Steinfield 843-236-8743        
   
REPORTS:
Bill John III Report: 
George Johnson fell and broke his hip while at his Cape Cod condo. The good news, although this sounds pretty scary, is they put two pins in his hip but there is no pain. He is up and about and undergoing physical therapy. George loves to talk on the phone, so please give him a call to cheer him up at 508-945-4611 ext: 306.
Dave Yeager is making good progress on MY PRECIOUS, a brand new replica of a Jersey Speed Skiff that is being built for local, Gerri Prusko. The deck is going on and the new motor is ready for installation. 
Mike Michaud is making good progress on the replica of Gar Wood's MISS DETROIT III and is confident that he will make our New Hampshire Vintage Race Boat Regatta in September. The original boat, a single-step hydroplane, won the APBA Gold Cup in 1918 and 1919 and was sponsored by the Detroit Yacht Club. 
Check out all the triple cockpit runabouts that will be participating in the opening ceremonies at our NH Vintage Race Boat Regatta in Sept. These stunning mahogany racing runabouts will be re-enacting the boat racing that took place on Lake Winnipesaukee, in the 1920/30's.
For a listing of all the vintage race boats, view them at this link: http://www.VintageRaceBoatShop.com

ON A SAD NOTE:
Bascom Grooms, of Key West, FL passed away March 14, 2005. Bascom built his Ingram designed, Crosley powered 48 hydro, TINKERBELL, Y-117 in 1953. He raced the Y-117 until retiring in 1974, winning three Orange Bowl Championships. 

Paul Bauer, of Deer Park, OH died April 23, 2005 at age 89. He was married for 69 years to his wife Virginia, he raced in the 1950’s and 60’s with his 48 hydro, KAT N’ ANN, named after his two daughters, Nancy and Kathy. Paul served as an inspector for Unlimited Hydroplanes and was named URC’s “Offical of the Year” for 1986 and was elected to the Gulf Marine Hall of Fame three times. 

Charlie Long of Danville, KY passed away on May 3, 2005 at age 71 after a long bout with cancer. Charlie raced in the 145 hydro class for many years driving his round nose Jones cabover, LIL MISS LOU. His hard charging driving style found him piloting hydros for several other owners.

Joe Suski of Dunkirk, NY passed away at age 92. Joe started in racing by building outboard hydros and runabouts. He built his first inboard, a 280 conventional, in the late 1960’s. Suski raced BIG JOE in regions 2 and 6 and in 2004 finished construction of his 7 Litre hydro. Beginning in 1996, he ran his E-158 at APBA vintage regattas.

God Speed to our fellow vintage racers.   

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:
OUEEN BEE
She was pretty in pink and lime green and any metal parts that weren’t chrome plated were highly polished. The curving lines of her aluminum cowls and the rounded-off chines on her sides made QUEEN BEE, 50-B, from 1952-56, one of the prettiest runabouts on the race course. Pretty as she was, it was “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”, when it came to winning a B racing runabout National Championship. It’s not that builder, owner/driver Dick Overpack of San Leandro, CA. didn’t push the 50-B to the max trying, but the competition was tough. At every race QUEEN BEE faced off against BRR record holders, high point and national champions like: Jack Kelly in WEE WILLIE, 21-B; Woody Eldridge’s SLIDE RULE, 40-B; Willie Miranda driving VINA MAE IV, 1-B or Ernie Rose with LIL BEE, 28-B. Overpack’s beauty was a crowd favorite and number one attraction but a second place finish was the closest he and QUEEN BEE would come to a Nationals win, at Lake Yosemite in 1955. 
In 1956, the BRR class racing action was entirely on west coast waters, so when a job transfer required Overpack to move to the east coast, he put the QUEEN BEE up for sale at $1150 which included a spare methanol burning V8-60 Flathead Ford.
Clark Post became the new owner and from 1957-59 and the QUEEN BEE ran as FOUR BITS. Third and fourth owners, Laurel Barnett and Harry Bosworth returned the 50-B to her original name. John Fay raced the now, Falcon-6 powered, purple and gold hull until 1965, at which time the grand lady was junked. 
Alas, to see her in her prime, t’was a thing of beauty.