SOUTHERN AIR
  Frederick C. "Doc" Moor
Hialeah, Fla.



year unknown



SOUTHERN AIR IV TOO
This hydro built by Henry Lauterbach
Morgan City, Louisianna 1964



Y-172 SOUTHERN AIR IV TOO
Miami, Florida 1966




Y-1 SOUTHERN AIR and Y-100
Norfolk, Virginia
Grace McDougall photo






Y-4 PLAYTIME    Y-269 LIPSHIP    Y-83   Y-17 SOUTHERN AIR
Ypsilanti, Michigan 1970


Y-17 SOUTHERN AIR
When Doc would win a race, he would perform a paddling motion as he crossed the finish line
Ypsilanti, Michigan 1970



Y-17 SOUTHERN AIR
1970
Doc founded/owned Southern Air Transport (SAT) in 1947, initially operating as a Miami-based charter airline that flew cargo.
Here, he is boarding his hydro/station wagon on to his Lockheed L-100 Hercules (civilian variant of the C-130 Hercules) transport aircraft.
Southern Air Transport lasted until 1999 and had a very colorful history. Doc's son wrote a book on his father.







Y-17 SOUTHERN AIR IV
In the early 70's Doc switched to a Ron Jones built cabover
Dayton, Ohio 1973
He won the World Championship when Ben Lemay took this photograph in Dayton.


L-17 SOUTHERN AIR V
Miami, Florida 1966


L-17 SOUTHERN AIR V
1970 Mount Dora 1969
A Ron Jones built L class hydro that he campaigned in the Florida race circuit.
Doc won L class National Championships in 1962 and 1964.




A-37 trying to catch 'Doc' in his Ron Jones built A-117 SOUTHERN AIR
St. Petersburg, Florida 1965



E-517 SOUTHERN AIR
Morgan City, Louisianna 1969
Doc running in the E class Ron Jones built cabover.


All four drivers won National Championships on Lake Washington
engage in some after-race horseplay at the boat pits when it was all over.  From left:
Henry Vogel, Webster, New York - 225 cu in N class, Time Flies
Jack Salmon, Whitier California - 135 cu in A class, Cumon Baby
Ron Musson, Akron, Ohio - 266 cu in F class, Wa Wa
F.C. 'Doc' Moor, Miami, Florida - 48 cu in Y class, Southern Air
AP Photo 1958




FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY - SING LIKE A BEE
Brief History of the Y class in the early years

     They were little 9 foot alky burners, so lightweight they could be carried on top of the family station wagon. The engine had less than 50 cubic inches and came from an American automobile that was the forerunner of today’s compact cars. Most drivers knelt and used a hand throttle. In 1955 there were 160 registered owners, making it the APBA’s most popular inboard class of the time. You may have guessed that I’m referring to the 48 cu. in. hydros - the precursor to the 850 c.c. and 1 Litre modified classes. When the methanol powered, 4 cyclinder Crosleys ran up the back stretch together, people said the unique exhaust note sounded like a swarm of giant bumblebees in pursuit of an invisible intruder. The father of the 48 hydro was John Peek of Port Arthur, Texas. Created in the early 1950’s, the class became very popular nationwide with development help from Eastern racer Mulford Scull and California partners Lou Meyers Sr.,(3 time Indy 500 winner) and Dale Drake. Speeds for the 48s jumped from 60 mph in 1951 to 80 plus in just 2 years, and by 1963 Mickey Remund reached an impressive 97 mph with Doc Eastman’s Piranha.
     In 1953, Gillette Smith won the 48 Nationals in Beaumont, Texas, which brought the Nationals out to California for the first time. In 1954, the 48s held their Nationals at Long Beach. But the tight course proved too dangerous for the 13 boat field when Kenny Ingram was seriously injured in a 1st heat accident. Smith was able to repeat as champion with Kenny Harmon’s Tinker Toy and in 1958 the Nationals moved to the roomier Salton Sea. There, underdog George Moniz of Hayward, California pulled off an upset win in his Undecided II, beating such top dogs as Seattle’s Jack Colcock, New York’s Bill Shicora, and F.C. “Doc” Moor of Miami, while defending champ Smith scored two D.N.F.s.
     1956 saw the 48s move to Northern California’s Lake Yosemite, where Colcock swept both heats in Racket II. Guntersville, Alabama won the bid for the ‘57 Nationals where Colcock was defeated by Doc Moor’s Southern Air IV. Seattle’s bid returned the championships to the West Coast for 1958. By the time the Nationals ran again on the West Coast at San Diego’s Mission Bay in ‘61 and ‘63, the little Crosley was becoming extinct, leading to their replacement with the 850 cc Fiat, which then evolved into the 1 Litre Modified class.
     If you have one of those little Crosley - powered hydros in storage today, you truuly have a classic boat on your hands.

Bob Silva article that appeared in APBA Propeller Sept 1995









 
1973 Miami Marine Stadium
F.C. "Doc" Moor
Inboard Memorial Regatta

© to all respective photographers

Back to the boats