As soon as Mark gets me the pics from the weekend, which will be very soon, I'll post. So, this year 2010, this last weekend. Havasu was a great time and some really good racing, even though the boat count could have been larger.
As soon as Mark gets me the pics from the weekend, which will be very soon, I'll post. So, this year 2010, this last weekend. Havasu was a great time and some really good racing, even though the boat count could have been larger.
Bill Schwab
Dirty Deck Brewing
Company
Joe, I am trying to find the race results for the 1981 Havasu MOD VP race.
I have one of the Hydrostream V Wings that raced there that year, and am wondering how they placed. Thanks, Joe Wallace.
Hey Joe,
Hope things are good with you, those were some fun races at Havasu. If I remember right Fred Bowden won in 81, he and Mike Miller had the 2 tunnels with bottom pick up units. It was rough that year, I know I lead day one (tunnel std pick ups) and broke out front about half way thru day 2. I thought Louis got penilized for cutting someone off, I remember them with a sign on the point telling Louis same lap I think it helped me more than him. We had the blow out problems you mentioned on day one and switched to a thru hub prop for day 2 helped lap times a bunch.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Alan Stoker
Hi Alan,
Really a surprise and pleasure to hear from you. I'd looked on the web only a few weeks ago to see that John's Custom Marine still exists. I think you mean 1980 that Fred won and Louis was penalized, but it was '81 that the under gearcase water pickups were allowed. I didn't run Havasu in '80. I think that in '81 it was the black tunnel/Mercury that won, the driver later ruined his arm and a fundraiser was held for him after a race. The fund raiser was held around a swimming pool somewhere near Pasadena (I visited Fred Bowden that weekend). You and I were assigned to walk around the pool collecting pledges (it was a big honor for me to be assigned the job along with the best OMC motor builder and Havasu winner!). I met your parents and liked them a lot, and really admired your motor building.
Very best,
Joe
PS After hearing from you I've added a few words to my original post, you triggered my memory.
Last edited by Smokin' Joe; 01-23-2010 at 02:47 AM. Reason: sentence added
Joe,
I thought Kim Howard won in 82, extremely rough that year I broke and got in a customers boat that was down 2 laps and got back to the same lap and finished second. Bowden took off a sponson that year, I may have to look at some old magazines. 78-80 I ran stock 235s 81 was the first modified one and it was fast until I hit something and put a hole in the boat,
I won in 78,80,84, and I think 90 Louis was penalized in 80 I was chasing him.
Fred in 81 with bottom pick ups and Kim in 82 the fund raiser was at Sandy Gilcrests house in Orange Park Acres with the boat in the pool. At least thats my memory but its a long time ago.
Shop is still going Johnscustommarine.net we still build boats and engines.
Al
Al,
Yes, Sandy Gilcrest, Kim Howard, thanks for providing the names I'd forgotten. Sandy built Eliminator Boats, right? I think Kim won in 1981, but can't prove it til Aug. in Houston when I can pull the records out of my file. Here's what impressed me in 1981. At 85 mph I was of course unmercifully lapped by tunnels running upward of 100 mph. Here's how one tunnel, probably an Eliminator ran, and he often lapped me coming into the far turn, after the right hand turn: I could see completely under his sponsons at the rear, the boat was trimmed up very high, and near the turn buoy he'd 'land' and set the boat, run through the turn, then 'take off' again after the third buoy. I wished I'd had a camera!
Best,
Joe
Yes, we're near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, really land-locked. From this computer I see the lift station on the Zugspitze. Wayne Baldwin asked me to post some local photos but I can't remember which thread that was. I particularly like backcountry skiing with our lightweight steel edge cross country skis, but I also frequently go into our cellar workshop where we've got two two rebuild projects and a bunch of props: a 1980 Johnson 35 and a 1978 Evinrude 25. Can throw the motors in the trunk and drive to the Baltic in July, a 15 hour trip.
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