Butts Aerowing-The Only Way To Fly

[F-12]

I can't say enough about Tim regarding his talent in all fields of outboard racing. Even though it was his choice and I presume his best interest to chase other goals, I think his best work was yet to come. I know his mind is always working and I think he still has ideas and designs that have yet to be pursued. Wayne, you would be the most knowledgable in this field since you have probably spent more time with him than most. What do you think about Tim coming back and revolutionizing our sport again? I think he could do it.

[F-12]

I also forgot to tell you the picture of Tim modeling his suit and jacket is 'True Tim Butts'. Always the showman................

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Tim always looked forward. He could come up with something that at first sight you wonder "why do that?". Then when you understand, it makes sense. Not everything he tried worked, but he would use that as a step toward something that would work. Joe Rome has got a story on a boat he designed that was so successful that a rule change had to be made overnight to keep it from use.

Tim, as successful as he was in racing, is also down to earth and likes to clown around. You know you got me thinking, and I don't recall him ever bad mouthing anyone, or really even getting mad.

[John (Taylor) Gabrowski]

For me this thread is very special. I got my first Aerowing back in 1980 and another one in the early 1990s. When you finally have the name, face/pictures and raceboats, that is all truly honoring Tim Butts personally and as a legend to our sport. It would truly be nice to see him here participating in some way he would want to and we would sure be glad to hear from him.

[jrome]

Wayne said that I had a story about a boat Tim had that was outlawed. Tim and I went to Europe twice to race OB. The first time we went to Nottingham, England in 1984 and the next year to Boretto, Italy in 1985. We raced against the Russian team. The Russians had a boat called a "Hydrocat." We all knew that when Tim saw a boat, that he had already started on improving on the design. He told me on the way back from Europe that he could cross the Hydrocat with the Aerowing. Then OMC called him along with 4 or 5 other boat builders for the 45 SS project. Tim worked many, many hours and we tested many, many hours. When it was time to take the boat to Dayton, Ohio, Tim had the boat running really fast. It was quite evident that it was the fastest boat at Dayton. That night the racing commission changed the rules concerning the dimensions of the boat specs which made our boat illegal. Tim never complained about the rule change. He tried to modify the boat to accomodate the new rules, but it is sad that we never saw how that boat would have really performed in a real race. I will always believe that this boat would have been the best one that Tim had ever developed. It is a shame that he never got the chance. That might have been one of the reasons that he decided to get out of building boats. We weren't used to having the rules change in the middle of a boat race. He always amazed me all the years that we were together. I miss him and hope that he comes on board with BRF so that we can share all the great memories together. Thanks for the good times Tim!!! The following pictures are from the race in Italy. We shipped the boat to England in 1984 and Landini picked it up and hauled it to Boretto for the race in 1985. Tim sold the boat in Italy. We thought that we had hit the jackpot for millions of lira, only to find out that it was like Monopoly money. The Italians treated us like kings. We spent time together seeing the countryside of Europe. What a great time we had.

[smittythewelder]

Are those pictures of the boat you're talking about? Maybe I'm going blind, but it looks like any hydro; what was different about it?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That is one that Tim took to Italy to race. The one Joe is talking about was for another racing division. Joe...Do you have any pictures of the boat that was outmanuevered in a hotel room?

[Mark75H]

Are you guys talking about this boat: Butts Aero Cat

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'm not sure. I was long by then and never saw it. This ad looks like something already race proven. My understanding was that there was a prototype being tested against other designs, which proved superior in speed. However, it was not performing well in the turns. Short of Tim coming on to tell us, Joe Rome would be the one to fill us in on whether or not this is the boat.

[jrome]

Are you guys talking about this boat: Butts Aero Cat

Yes, that is the boat. But that is the final result after Tim made several modifications. But after the rule change about the specifications of the bottom dimensions, the boat never ran as good as it did before they outlawed it.