If you like Merlins, you will like this

[Rash]

http://youtu.be/RFPOQUlQXt0

They broke a lot of these engines......but

[Getback]

Those boats always fascinated me. Back then open cockpit too.

[MiloMorai]

In 2000 was at Tri-Cities WA for the U race. The turbine boats are nice but when the old boats came out the crowd came alive. A friend I used to race with had one of his designed and built boats there.

In the late '70s was in WI for a OPC race crewing for a friend in the Mod 50 class. At supper that night in the hotel in walks Bill Muncey and sits down with us Canucks for about 1/2 hour. Another  .

For any in the American north east who want to watch some great racing, check out Valleyfield PQ in early July (the first weekend after Canada Day (July 1)).
http://www.regates.ca/

[Rash]

Great stuff, it was the wild world of sports viewing, when I was a kid.

[icepac]

I still have Bill Muncey's shirt that he gave me after I saw a part roll across a table and it looked bent.

It was the quill shaft and would not have survived another heat.

When they ran in miami, you could hear them from all over miami and key biscayne....the entire area rumbled.

The biggest rumble, though, I ever heard in miami was when the entire town shook after they won the super bowl because nobody was running a/c that day because it was a sweet 70 degrees............ so the entire town sounded like a huge stadium every time they scored.

I really miss all the great motorsports coverage up until the late 80s.

Diamond P motorsports would cover any form of road racing and broadcast it on TNN or sunshine network while we now have infomercials right up to the nascar race and infomercials after it until prime time.

I think the over the air networks have given up though I feel there is a niche for playing old racing events that garner a strong viewership.

[Rash]

You make me feel sad Ice.

[icepac]

The support races of the jersey speed skiffs were crazy.

Here's a modern one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p68LKqo4oDE

[MiloMorai]

See what happens when you hose someone down before the race starts.


Took the Cdn High Points in this boat. Won all 4 races that weekend.


It might look like smooth water but there was 2' waves plus boat washes.

First boat, 13' Checkmate


I also drove the 3 Litre hydo for the guy with the broken leg (white lines).

[icepac]

Is that a factory color?

Mine seems to have been a very similar color but I ran a chrysler 55 that I took off of a 1960s powercat 15c that rotted out.....wish I still had that because it was powered by two 55s.

I can't imagine how fast it is in your configuration with everything optimized......crazy.

[MiloMorai]

Is that a factory color?

Mine seems to have been a very similar color but I ran a chrysler 55 that I took off of a 1960s powercat 15c that rotted out.....wish I still had that because it was powered by two 55s.

I can't imagine how fast it is in your configuration with everything optimized......crazy.

The Checkmate was repainted. The Johnson was factory paint.

The tunnel would top out in the low 80mph range (race set-up). The Checkmate did around 65mph (fast enough for a rookie). The 3 Litre hydro would do around 95mph. It was powered by a Ford 6 cylinder motor. All the boats used a foot throttle as 2 hands on the wheel was a necessity.

[RTHolmes]

I like merlins and it seems like a dreadful waste to destroy so many of them like this.

then again, as long as there are enough left to maintain the remaining airframes which originally used them then I guess its ok. I'd hate to see a day where there are servicable warbirds grounded just because there arent enough spare engines for them ...

[icepac]

They have been destroying merlins and griffons at reno a lot the last few years.........split cases and such.

[Melvin]

Open cockpit death machines.

Great race.