Whizzbang JS-81
owner	Kathy Shuler
location	Harrison Twp, Michigan
drivers / riders	Kathy Shuler & Earl Stilson
hull	original Jersey Speed Skiff class (JS) hull built in 1974 by Ken Germenhausen of Baron design
LOA / beam	16' / 8'
motor	1959 Chevrolet 283 190hp Engine rebuilt in 2008 by Earl Stilson, Whizzbang's riding mechanic in every sense of the words. Engine was rebuilt to 1982 APBA jersey skiff and vintage rules and is pretty stock. Serial numbers show it was manufactured at the Tonawanda engine plant Feb 1959 for a Corvette.  It's naturally aspirated with a basic Holley marine carburetor. In years past I mushroomed several sets of valves and this year I've moved on to demolishing spark plugs - nothing left but what's screwed into the block. It's a good thing the block has never been bored out because it stands up to all we throw at it. Earl tells me to run it till it breaks and then he fixes it.  We use a run across Lake St Clair between the mouth of the Clinton River and on the South Channel / Harsens Island as the test track.
power transfer	velvet drive tranny 1:1
propeller	unknown mfgr - size varies on which ones I run
years raced	unknown Whizzbang was a tired old hull rescued in 1998 by Jim Anderson - ex drag racer - of Girard PA. A lot of love went into her restoration. He purchased this very tired and abused Baron skiff in 1998 in South Carolina, brought it home and completely refurbished the hull, inside & out. Over the last winter, Whizzbang had a major facelift. Earl & company  removed all the hardware and rigging and 12 - yep, that a dozen - coats of paint, fixed some glass and gave her a new paint job. We're guessing she's several hundred pounds lighter now. Jim or myself haven't been able to find any history to date but he had great fun running it out on Lake Erie. The boat was sold to Kathy Shuler March 2004. Continuing the tradition started by Jim, I broke the center turnbuckle the first three events I attended. Then I went to Clayton in '04 and surprise! - hit a wave and cracked it too - but I waited until the last run on Sunday to do it.  Ouch! But we're back together and having more fun than I thought possible. I thought riding was amazing but skiffing in the driver's seat is the best. George Baker gave me my first skiff ride at Clayton - and I was hooked. Dave Yeager showed me how much fun it is to run on the ragged edge. Dan Dobbins gave me the chance to drive one. That was all she wrote, I had to have my own. At my first time out in Dayton, Whizzbang weighed in at an even 2000 lbs so the boat is officially a TON of FUN.  Most racing Jersey skiffs today weigh in around 1500-1600 lbs.
launch	ramp or crane