CHALLENGES:
The 48 cubic inch hydroplane class was founded in 1948 and following a one year probation period was declared an official APBA class in 1949, with 19 registered boats. Our list of past National Champions is complete except for that first official year in ’49. The challenge goes out:  Where were the 48 Nationals held in 1949, who became the class champion and what was the name of the winning boat?  

EVENTS:
Jan 30-Feb 2 Detroit MI             APBA Annual Meeting and Awards
Feb 2      Detroit MI                   6th Annual APBA Vintage Winter Gathering Contact: Tom & Jacq Bertolini  586-716-4490
Mar 29-30  Chatahoochee  FL   Contact: Joe Phillips 321-799-4595  (no crane)
May 16-18  Muscatine IA          Muscantine Boat Show Contact: Phillip Mitchell 952-934-3670
June 21-22 Cambridge MD       Contact:Tom Ebeling 410-228-7324
July 4-6   Valleyfield Can.   Valleyfield, Quebec Canada  Contact: Ben Lemay 450-371-3291
July 11-13 Detroit MI         APBA Gold Cup Contact: Alan Radue 248-616-1317
July 18-20 Waterford MI       Quake on the Lake Contact: Joe Schulte 313-885-5976
July 24-27 Bemus Bay NY       Bemus Bay Regatta Contact: Ron Mativy 716-665-9744
Aug 9-10   Algonac MI         Silver Cup Regatta Contact: Joe Schulte 313-885-5976
Aug 14-17  Clayton NY          Antique Race Boat Regatta Contact: Charlotte Brooks 315-686-4104 x229
Aug 23-24  Celina OH          Governor’s Cup Regatta Contact: Joe Schulte 313-885-5976
Aug 29-31  Wheeling WVA       Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta Contact: Debbie Joseph 304-233-4738
Sept 5-7   Buffalo NY         Buffalo Launch Club Vintage Regatta Contact: Bill DeGlopper 716-773-6093
Sept 20-21 Utica MI           Streak on the Creek Contact: Joe Schulte 304-885-5976

ON A SAD NOTE:
Bob Baxter, of High Point, MD., passed away in November of 2007. Bob was known as a gentleman and great driver. He was a wonderful supporter of the boat racing community, always ready to help out his fellow racers. Bob, a top competitor in the 136 cubic class throughout the 1950s, always named his hydroplanes after his daughter, GAIL. 
Godspeed, Bob.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT: 
TOMMY HILL LIST
Whether or not, Tommy Hill of Alameda, California was the first hull builder to design a 3-point, prop riding inboard hydroplane he certainly had a leg up on the competition. When Hill drove his 135 class hydro, LYBEE to a new class record at Salton Sea, on November 17, 1945, he obliterated the old straightaway mark set by Clay Smith in YANKEE DOODLE by 27 miles per hour, clocking 80.178. Hill’s 135 record was also 3 mph faster than the Div. I 225 class record. It was a stunning achievement and fully appreciated by veteran East Coast driver, Edison Hedges who bought LYBEE on the spot. Hedges became Hill’s first customer as Tommy went on to build his prop riders for 135 and 225 competitors throughout the 1940’s. Hill’s hydroplanes were very costly, and he would not allow anyone to take measurements off of one of his hydros. If you wanted to build a copy of Hill’s latest hull, you’d best purchase one. This so enraged one top 225 California competitor, he did just that. At great expense, he bought a Hill hull, set a new class record with it, then turned around and had it duplicated by another Alameda, CA boat builder. The angry owner then went out and broke his old 225 record with his Hill duplicate. 
The dawning of the 1950s found fellow California designer/builder Rich Hallett developing a new lightweight design that featured drop sponsons and a lot of tunnel lift. The Div.II 225 class 1 Mile straightaway record of 92.54 mph, set November 11, 1949 by L.O.Turner’s GREEN HORNET, would be the last Tommy Hill hull record to fall. Ironically, on November 9, 1951, it was Rich Hallett driving his I’M IN that erased that last Hill record, running 96.944 mph. Hallett hulls would go on to dominate limited hydro competition and records during the early 1950s and by 1953, leaving the heavier Hill designs to run as back markers. By then, Tommy Hill had turned his talents to becoming a first rate wedding and boat racing photographer.

The following is a list of known Tommy Hill designed hydroplanes:
Special thanks to Phil Kunz for helping to compile this list.

LYBEE, 11-A Tommy Hill owner/driver 
PSST, A-7 Al D’Eath owner/driver
HOT STUFF, A-90 Peter Sloan owner Bob Lueckenhoff driver
TIME FLIES, A-? Ken Muscaatel owner X
JACK OF HARTS, A-21, Peter Sloan owner/driver
DING HOW II, 31-A Hart Chan owner/driver
LITTLE IODINE, 34-A Jack Terrett owner/driver
PHYLISS J, A-99 Bob Stein and Guy Lombardo owner/driver
COUNTRY BOY, A-19 George Walthers owner/driver
CHARRISA, B-3 Edison Hedges owner/driver
DAUNTLESS XII, N-77 Ron Musson owner/driver
BILLY BOY, N-47 owner? 
RICHOCHET, N-62 owner?
COUNT CRISTO, N-8 John Cristo owner/driver 
GREEN HORNET, N-10 L.O. Turner owner/driver 
HI BALL, 16-F Porte Alameda and Peter Ritchie owners/drivers
CALIFORNIA KID 50-N Lon Graditi owner, George Mattucci driver
SKIM BEE, 14-N Manuel Quintel owner/driver
MISS SAN FRANCISCO, 15-F ? owner/driver ?? 
YANKEE DOODLE VI, N-38 Culver owner/driver
YANKEE DOODLE VII, F-38 John Culver owner/driver
THUMPER, 110-S Norman Morris owner Al Slinker driver
EIGHT BEAT, S-134 Don Sea owner/driver X
X designates existing hull
If you know of other Tommy Hill hydroplanes not on this list please email: Bob Silva at: hiosilva@mcn.org