Bill Leutner's DU [Archive] - Boat Racing Facts Forums

Tim Weber

01-23-2005, 10:18 AM

Ron, thanks for posting the pic but wrong designer!

This is a Leutbomb. My Grandpa built the boat in the 68-69 winter. It is his own design. I remember as a kid, him lofting out the design on the basement floor. It originally had an open cockpit and was really an old school boat. We had a Hill stallion in the stable, the boat that Ron won with at the 74 Dayton nationals so the boat was sold to Ed Frecks. Ed ran it for a couple of years then retired it. For some unknown reason, I guess nostalgia, he bought it back.

In its original form, it was built as a 13' 6" DU for 525#'s total weight. Some dummies decided that a DU should weigh 500 and that 12' was the optimim size. Well, we rebuilt it.

In the summer of 83 my grandpa and myself tore the boat down to the frame and shortened it to 12' 8" and we took about 20 -25 pounds out of it. We never touched the chines or bottom. It has new sides, decks and the first 3 feet of the nose was re-done. This is what the pic shows.

In original form, the boat took 2nd overall in the 73 Utah nationals. Also that same season , we traveled to Michigan for the divisionals where it finished 2nd to Joe White. I think that same season he was 4th in high points with it. I know he was region 7 high point that year. It was weird looking but really fast!

Anyway, I inherited the boat after my Grandpa passed on in 1990. I've had it laying around in my garage and had even thought of taking an ax to it when Jon asked if he could borrow it. He had just restored an original 55H ( shown on boat ) and wanted to play around with to which I was tickled to oblige.
So here it is!

Tim

Ron Hill

01-26-2005, 07:34 PM

Tim,

Bill, your grandfather, was a "TOUGH OLD BIRD."...and a super nice guy....

My Old Man, your grandfather, and Harold Berghauer met in Nebraska, at my dad's family farm...and went hunting. My dad delivered the DU your grandfather bought....

My dad died at 90, but I think the most fun he ever had was hunting with Harold Berghauer and your grandfather...They all three came from the same era...they weren't Bull Shippers...they were all "TOUGH OLD BIRDS"...

I miss all three!!!