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Here are two pictures of my Dads Six Looper the day it cut itself apart. It was an extremely sad day for my Dad.
The other pictures are of the Yamaha Six that my Dad has. Mike Schmidt ran this motor and did all of the pipes and hardware on this motor. This motor still is
in my brothers basement.
As someone who had a small role in the creation of this great engine, it's sad for me to see the 6-looper destroyed as well. I'm sure most true sportsmen who ever had a rooster tail in the face from that engine would agree.
I've told this story before but:
I was sitting at a table in DePue one night with about 6 deck riders. One of them had a few too many Bud Lites and started bragging about what he and his driver were going to do the next day. After I had heard enough I told him "Yea right, you're going to hold your ears like all the rest of us when Bill Fales comes roaring by".
I only rode 2nd man a few times, but I knew who King William was. One could only hope to beat him. To brag about your intentions to do so was simply STUPID!!
Jim Schoch and I got caught in your Dad's rooster tail once. That's as close as I ever came to going over backwards!
Your Dad was a great competitor, more importantly, he was a great gentleman!
He truly is a "Legend of Boat Racing"!!
I've never seen the 6-Yamaha before. Very impressive!
I've heard you tell that story before Gene, and it's a good one. Bill was not only a great competitor and at the top of his sport, but he was the same in the pits. He was a great guy and was a good friend to many.
Both pictures are special to me. I was on the deck riding with Bill when the Looper came apart. It ran for about 50 feet and stopped hard. As any good deck rider, I was dog paddling like hell to get back to the pits. Bill tells me to forget it. I yelled back that we could put plugs in it and still get out. Then he told me that the boat was full of aluminum.....
When I retire and have some time, I would like to restore this for Rick and Steve. I know a good welder up hare....
The six Yamaha is still the badest thing I have ever driven in 40 something years of racing. 60 to 100 in seconds. If only we could have kept gears under it.
Steve: Thanks for posting.
Mike--I will never forget both days. The day the six came apart, I was being launched at the same time. I heard a huge bang, but could not figure out what happened.
I looked down at my hand when I saw blood all over the top of it. Not knowing what was going on, I did what we all do as racers, I went out and ran the race. I looked
all over for dad but didn't see him. I won the race and when coming back to shore I saw dads boat up on the shore. I got out of the boat, hand still bleeding and asked
my brother Rick and my brother-in-law Dave what happened. Dave was standing there with blood all over his head. They said for me to look at the six. I did, and what
I saw made my heart sink. Of course you can see the pictures. I asked wher Dad was and they said they didn't know, he just walked away. Of course Dave and I
realized why we were bleeding, we were hit with pieces of the motor when it broke. Well we cleaned up, and still we could not find Dad. About two hours went by when
Dad returned. He still had tears in his eyes, for him, his baby was gone. My brother and I loaded the trailer, and Dad would not even look at the motor. When we got
home that night, which was about 1 am, Dad asked Rick and I to unload the motor. We did, and Dad spent several hours looking it over. It was a long night, but Dad
felt at the time it would have been to big a project to do at the time. Perhaps if Eli Langdon was alive, Dad would have attempted it. So the motor was put away in
the shop. It was a sad day for all. To this day, I still believe it was the fastest, most oustanding six-cylinder that ever ran. I am not knocking any other six out, for
they ALL sound beautiful, I just think Dad's was the best.
As for the Yamaha. I will never forget the day Mike tested that motor. You were a brave soul that day. That motor, when it came on pipe was a sight to see. I have
never seen a motor/boat do what that did. It literally lifted off the water like a hydro. You were hanging on with all you had. It was a shame that we couldn't keep a
unit under her that day. You had done alot of work on that motor, and you deserve to have done much more testing on that day. I am not quite sure, to this day, if
Dad would have raced that motor. Rick and I were not ready at that time to just jump in that rig and run, and Dad didn't say he was going to. So, I might be wrong,
but I believe, That you, Mike, may have been the one to race that motor until Rick and I were ready to. It wouldn't have been fun to see.
By the way, Mike, if I haven't said this before, I will say it now, thanks for all the work you did for Power-Mist Racing. You were a big part in our success. Thanks.
Mike--
I know you have BIG B---S but in a runabout? That gearcase probably saved your life!
Would that WELDER up there have the initials M.S.?
We were going to come to Loch Haven but Shirley is still in recovery mode [started physical therapy] and I'm in MR. MOM mode[payback time]!
Later,
Bruce
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Schmidt
What a remarkable tale Mike and Steve. Thanks for sharing.
Back in 1971 or so I met Bill Fales in Northport....I was a young kid that never saw such stuff.....My friend had a 14 foot Desilva.... an old BF boat.... ran a rude on it... El langdon... was a nice Gent.... Butch langdon ran a V4 on Longisland races.... that boat was fast.....We had some 6 loopers that we sold to BF.... a nos block.... what happened to it....That yammi should had a Walter Peterson lower unit.... would'a held up....Good old times... Hi Mike S.