DeSilva brothers

[Tim Weber]

Why the name Delta?

A triangle, which is used in math and science terminology, means change.

Yes, it was a change.

Tim

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Tim:

Thanks for the clarification/explanation about the name "Delta". Every little bit of information that can be added about the history of PRO racing is great and very helpful.

There was another boat built by the DeSilva's in a similar time frame to the Delta, only this was a hydro campaigned by Ron Schrilla (SP) from the New England area. It looked like a runabout from the standpoint of having a "pointy nose" but also had sponsons that were outside of the cockpit sides but only were about 2/3 the length of the total boat. Someone also had an unlimited boat that looked very similar several years ago, and that boat had a very public moment when it blew over on National TV and then just kind of "flopped" back down on the water right side up.

Unfortunately the Schrilla boat suffered the same fate at a USTS race in upstate New York. I think it was being run with either a 500 or 700 engine on it, and I am not sure about what happened to cause the blowover, but Ron did not race the boat again after that I don't believe. I don't remember what the bottom of the boat looked like, whether it was similar to the Delta, or had a conventional bottom with the sponsons ending at only approximately 2/3rds the length of the boat. It also looked small insofar as sponson length for the motor/HP being used on it. Whether it was actually overpowered for its size, and that was the cause of the blowover, I have no idea.

The DeSilva's were certainly not afraid to try new things, and those kinds of innovators are hard to come by when they risk their time, money, and reputation to build something that hopefully is safer and better. I can certainly understand the attitude about not building anymore PRO boats after what happened when the boat was initially approved a by the legally voted in Commission, and then that decision was overturned after boats had been built, sold, and raced, based on the feelings and attitudes of a small group of people after only one racing season. Especially as noted in an earlier thread about this boat and the PRO category, that the category is the place for innovation.

[Lee Sutter]

Thanks for all the information. It's a shame that this was approved and then revoked after it won some races. I don't blame the DeSilva brothers for being upset. On the other hand, I think it's an air packing tunnel with some kind of sponson/step up front. I don't know what the rules were during that period, but the commission must have seen something legal to approve the design. Maybe, it was the right direction for the Pro runabouts - especially with all the power they had.
I alway thought they should have allowed (even today) a small step in the Pro runabout boats to help eliminate them from sticking to the water. This might cut have back on the blowovers.
Thanks, Lee