1963 Fantasy Hydro

[59powercat1400]

Ron said I should post this pic so here it is. It's one of the 3 Fantasy Hydros that I've built in my garage. Dick.

[hydroc888]

I would like to see a few more pics. of this boat . Side and front. The Fantasy hydros I remember were big and wide things , looked like a catermaran only with sponsons.

[59powercat1400]

ok, here are some more. Dick.

[59powercat1400]

I guess I can only load one at a time here's more.

[59powercat1400]

another

[59powercat1400]

they are big wide things. 14'3" long and 7' wide. I made a new deck and made a Cabover out of it.

[59powercat1400]

new deck

[59powercat1400]

new deck on

[59powercat1400]

this is it in the water for the first time.

[Ron Hill]

Because he had two of my "CLASSIC" props on it...besides, it it a "COOL" looking piece....

Somewhere in the back of my mind the name Kenny Pyle comes up when I think of Fantasy's Design.

Art Carlson had built a Kenny D Stock Hydro, that was cool looking, but he didn't win any D Hydro races until he bought a boat from Gail Adams, who only built two D Hydros, but both were fast. Gail's son, Larry, drove both...the first boat ever to have REVERSE AIR TRAPS....as Gail built a rocker in the the bottom, last 12 inches had an 1/8" rocker, and to keep her from blowing over, Gail cut the air traps down in the front, near the sponsons, and ended them a foot from the transom, which also acted as fins to keep the *** end under her in the corners with a high set up...Kenny may have received the nod for design work from Fantasy Boats because of his winning ways in D Hydro...

Biff Parker ended up with Kenny's Adam's Boat and Kenny headed for OPC and the Salton Sea 500. The word on the street about the Fantasy was that had they left the sponsons off, she'd have been faster, as the boat was so heavy, the sponsons never lifted...the sponsons "Plowed" the whole time...

Kenny kind of "Hung Out" with Gary Ferguson's dad and Gary....Gary is still under contract with Advantage Boats in Havasu....

But really, in those days, no one knew anything about design...It was like, "Hey, lets add a foot here."

Had Sid and Mickey not told people how to set up a Sid Craft, we might still be pointing the propshaft at the bottom of the sponson....

When you look at designs today, It reminds me of a Johnny Cash song, "One Piece at A Time".....He'd see them BEAUTIES GO BY AND HANG HIS HEAD and CRY.........

She (THE FANTASY) ain't state of the art...but she's good looking...especially them PROPS!!!!LOL!!!!

[59powercat1400]

state of the art it's not, but it's the first raceboat I ever rode in. 1963 and I was 4 years old. and yes, the props are nice. :)

[hydroc888]

Those pics. were great . That was the Fantasy hydro that I remember. Only LOVE for a boat and what could have been, could drive someone to do a restoration like that.
I use to have a Powercat hydro that Walt Crane had specially built from CEEBEE, It was really heavy[ but hell for stout ]. He ran it with duel 110 mercs. I had a 110 merc on it and we used it for everything. Skiing, Fishing, etc. I worked at Bobs Bait Box and Ted and I would take my boat and pull omc outdrives off custamers boats in the water, plug the electric shift wire hole , stick a differant outdrive on it and send them on there way and fix the old one under warrenty and put it back the next week when they were at work.
I would love to have one of those hydros now with the new 150 v6s on it. I think that the boat would finally come into its own . Great boat but the motor technology wasnt there.
Anybody got one send pictures

[77Stream]

The only thing you forgot is the Mustang Cobra Jet Hoodscoop! Beautiful boat.
Pete

[Powercat]

hydroc888
We have 3 of the Power Cat hydros under restoration in our owners group..
The links that follow show the pages with photos..
http://www.powercatboat.com/Group/Beaver/beaver.html
........
http://www.powercatboat.com/Group/markey/markey.html
........
http://www.powercatboat.com/Group/luvnthelake/luvnthelake.html
........
There are also several pages devoted to some other boats that
Dick Davis "59powercat1400" has reworked and is still working on.
http://www.powercatboat.com/Group/Ddavis/Ddavis.html
..........
Thanks
Danny Leger
Those pics. were great . That was the Fantasy hydro that I remember. Only LOVE for a boat and what could have been, could drive someone to do a restoration like that.
I use to have a Powercat hydro that Walt Crane had specially built from CEEBEE,
I would love to have one of those hydros now with the new 150 v6s on it. I think that the boat would finally come into its own . Great boat but the motor technology wasnt there.
Anybody got one send pictures

[hydroc888]

Those were great shots. I would love to see them underway with the petal to the metal. That boat has got to run great with todays technology. I loved mine , and wish I had it back but if I had all the boats back that I dearly loved I would have to sleep in one and cook breakfast in another one. We wont mention the bathroom part.

[Sunburnt]

I can't wait for another chance to give her a go..

Jeff

[59powercat1400]

Hey Sunburnt, come on up when the ice melts. With the new Menkens Cleavers it should be more fun. Dick.

[59powercat1400]

here's another good shot of 2 of em in the water. I built the green one for my dad. Dick.

[Mark75H]

I was very sad this morning to receive an email from Dick that his father, Eldon Davis, passed away. I am told Eldon was snowmobiling up north with friends and lost control of his snowmobile.

When the time comes for me, I hope that I go in a simular manner, enjoying a favorite activity with friends.

Condolences to the Davis family and friends,

-Sam

[Powercat]

I would also like to express my sadness at the passing of Eldon Davis.
I only know Dick through our internet communications over the past 4 to
5 years, but I have come to know how close he and his dad have been.
They shared many of their boating adventures with the rest of us, in our
Power Cat owners group, and we have come to know them as friends of
kindred spirit. My deepest sympathy to Dick and his family and friends for
their loss.
Danny Leger

[PowerCatHydroJoe]

My dad, Joe Stevens used to race those Fantasies...he was high point champ around central ca. often in the sixties...he took one of those babies airborn..it disentegrated after coming down out of the clouds...took him under as he was caught in the cables...he managed to get to the surface...and they pieced him back together...then he started racing larger Stylecrafts...I remember Ronnie (Loger?)...a one armed mechanic in Stockton..racing one of those and doing the same thing in the Stockton Colusa race...1963ish...they were quick...but had a habit of getting airborn ..but in the sixties they were crashing everything.....probably the big dual mercs with stacks and direct lower units and going as fast as possible in rough water didnt help...purdy boats!....

Joe Stevens Jr.