BU Drivers...

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

John, how about telling us some classic battles you had with some of those guys, blow by blow. I know you've got some heats that always stand out in your memory.

Wayne,

Yes, there are many, mostly with Kough & Wehrle in BSH, but also with O'Dea in CSH & Okner in DSH. Johnny WEhrle & I battled continually during his short term racing prior to a skirmish with his dad over focus on racing or girlfriend. He met her at a race in Northport, LI. She was just a spectator. Anyway, we both had Jacoby 3 point hydros and whoever got the start usually won. I guess equally divided. We had a race in Pitman, NJ, just a large pond with very tight turns. Johnny was out front & I was doing my damnest to out turn him. Huge center fin, more like a center board for a sail bot. Well, in one turn the fin ripped out the plank that it was fastened to and water started coming in. I still finished second. My boat was built with a planked bottom by Pop, Johnny's and all from 1953/1954 on were built from plywood. The next day was our big race at Long Branch, NJ and I couldn't challenge Johnny. He won easily.

It was interesting competing against Dave Kough. He won the first heat at the 1954 Divisionals the first year for the MK20H. He missed the 5 mile compettion record by about0.1. I win the second & broke the record. So who did his brother help in inspection? Me. See picture below. Jimmy on the left. 2 weeks later we all went to the nationals in Depere, WI. Long trip, no Interstaes but did have turnpikes. We started 16 boats in those days. Dave & I were on the far outside, see picture, Dave to my right far outside. In the first heat I was just passing him as we passed our pits and I was about to blow over backwards. My dad said all he saw was me hanging on with my feet straight out.(I'm sure he exaggerated some). Dave went on to win the heat, I finally finished 6th. I finished 3rd the next heat, Dave was way back. Overall he was 3rd, I was 4th. I was 15 years old.

In 1956 Sid built his first hydro which was for me. He built 3 others that year. One for Dave Kough, one for Jim Coulburn & one for Johnny WEhrle, but because he quit it went to Marolyn Donaldson. That was the year that the Hot Rods came out. Kough had one, we were stubborn & stayed with Merc. Dave could hardly beat me as I had better speed but also had a prop my dad had made that could accelerate with the Hot Rod. During the qualifying heats at the stock nationals in Cambridge, I was out fron with just 2 turns to go, would have qualified, but trip a sponson in a hole. (If you read the articles about that nationals I think several drivers either flipped or got pitched out as the Choptank River was notorius for swells. I was even ahead of the fast Mr. Fixit's Hot Rod prepared by the late and famous Paul Kalb. I didn't qualify, Dave Kough won the Championship.

More later about other classic battles with Dick O'Dea and Bob Okner.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

After Zubak won BU, Stu Downs bought his Sid Craft...but Wendell Keith had made the deal BEFORE the race...

Cheowith's motors were total box stock...my dad always said....

I wasn't trying to say anyone cheated...we cut our 45 gearcase to the minimum...might not pass Ziggy or such....When you get to a Nationals you run the fastest stuff....usually, what you've been running...

How many times did Ron Zubak win BU???

Ron,

Not exactly sure, but he won in Oakland then I think with the 20H conversion won Seattle I think 1959.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I look forward to hearing about your duel with Dick. I never raced with him, but my memory of Dick goes back to the first "Roostertail" I got in 1966. I read and reread all issues from those days and Dick had an ad in all of them, so my roots of boat racing has fond memories of Dick O'Dea. A few years later I got to meet Dick and get to know him as an engine builder, a great guy, and always fielding one of the top teams. Dick.....please tell us some of your stories as well! Thanks John.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I look forward to hearing about your duel with Dick. I never raced with him, but my memory of Dick goes back to the first "Roostertail" I got in 1966. I read and reread all issues from those days and Dick had an ad in all of them, so my roots of boat racing has fond memories of Dick O'Dea. A few years later I got to meet Dick and get to know him as an engine builder, a great guy, and always fielding one of the top teams. Dick.....please tell us some of your stories as well! Thanks John.

The one that I remember most was in CSH which started at the 1958 Miami Stock Nationals and continued for several races afterwards. Prior to the nationals, Sid Urytzki (Sis Craft) made a prop for me that tested well. But I needed to test it on the race course before making the decision to race it. Unfortunately, Sid had it and wanted Skipper Ritter to test it in the gravel pit near Hallandale. By the time Sid got back to the race site, no more testing allowed so I made the decision that probably was a mistake and didn't run it. I finished I think about 7th or 8th. All these years I recalled that Dick had won, but he reminded me that Bill Brown with a Charleton hydro and padded MK30H block had won & he finished 2nd. 2 weeks later we raced at Millville, NJ with the Sid prop, and in my typical fashen started dead on the inside. Dick won the first heat so I "jacked" up a 1/4" and won the 2nd, Dick won on time. It was either the next day or a week later (memory fade) we went to Norristown, PA. I told my dad that I was going up another 1/4", I did, and won both heats. Oh for the want of having that prop at Miami.

Here is a picture that same year taken at the Delaware Water Gap. Dick is 3rd from the laft in 2-j. On the bottom is Tony Rodrigues in a Mishey & just above him is me in 19-J. I won that day as well.

[Ron Hill]

Bill Brown with a Charleton hydro......My memory says his name is Bob Brown, because in Seattle, a guy from Florida had a C Hydro Charleton that said, on the side, "This AIN'T Bob Brown."

When Jeff Merlin came to California and was going to race the Colorado River Marathon in my CU...I had the sign painter paint, "This ain't Ron Hill." Merlin got so mad at me, we added,....it is Jeff Merlin....", that calmed Jeff.

As I recall, Seattle had long mother straight aways. The first turn was a wide sweeper and the pit turn, as the boats came right at you on Green Lake, the pit turn was somewhat tight... I had watched John Alden blow over his B Stock Hydro in that corner, first time I saw a hydro blow over in a corner....so, I was watching that corner like a hawk.

Bob Brown came out of the first turn very wide, by the time he got to the second turn he had a 8 boat length lead....he slowed for the corner, damn near spinning out and when he got on the throttle to save his spin his motor sounded like it had quit....

The next lap he had a 30 boat lead, same thing... After the first heat I WENT AND LOOKED AT HIS RIG. NO AFTER PLANE AT ALL ON THE BOAT, WIDE MOTHER BOTTOM...AND THE BIGGEST PROP I'D EVER SEEN... I then looked at that Charleton's deck and concluded that it was really a big wing...all cloth deck...

Second heat was the same...every corner, he lost control, almost...Charlie Strang ispected my D motor in Seattle, I assume he also inspected Bob Brown's...

The padded C blocks were all on Wizards...and never had the Turbo Four name plate on the side...except for some padded blocks that Lon Stevens made..

I never saw Bob Brown again...The next time I ever same a C Stock Hydro win that easy was Bunky Bowerman in Hinton, West Virginia, 1976....Again the biggest prop I ever saw was on Bunky's boat...I saw J.R. Saffel pass 20 SST 120's at Bay City once, in one lap...last to first......Big prop, on the outside HUMMING!!!

I conceptualized the transom height rule, in 1975, and I believe in it today!!!!!!

Tony Rodriguez went 70 mph at Cambridge, Maryland, 1956, for a one mile record.....My dad and Tony ran into each other on the turnpike...my dad offered Tony a $1,000 if he could go 60, thaey damn near got in a fist fight too!!!.......Later, 1964, I went 64.661 (UIM Kilo Record) in a C runabout....My dad later apologized to Tony...but is was maybe 15 years later...

Never under estimate what guys can do to get speed out of their boats...and get speed legally..

Lloyd Mize, 153-0 went 94mph for a kilo record in D Stock Runabout, with a borrowed motor...No one could believe his speed until his back up run was faster... 44XS...motor, I think Jimmy Dawe owned it...Lloyd had this BIG RECORD WHEEL AND A FLOATER...runabout..

Anyone see Lloyd Mize around? He was a damn nice guy. I sold him a 30-H once, because I needed the money...I always wished I'd have kept it...My dad had built it for Mike Wetmore, Mickey Schwarzenbach got it, I borrowed it from Mickey......it was so fast, I never gave it back....Lloyd always "PRETENDED" to not know where that engine went...bet it is still in his garage!!!

[Joe Silvestri 36-S]

Great photos guys. I'm posting in this thread in hopes to bring it back to the front page so you guys can post more pics and stories. Thanks.

[one eight-w]

Back a page or two you posted who are theese guys...
56W is Ron Thomas from Milwaukee

[RichardKCMo]

Sure hope you guys continue this thread it's a fun one.!!!
RichardKCMo, love them B's

[RichardKCMo]

Center o' Gravity, curios as to what some think on subject of boat size as per rules , duh, believe it or not. There was boat size once.

And 'nother thing wha t have extremly short towers done for speeds, reduced the sides of boats , on , n, on?

Anyways i know it's relative!!!
RichardKCMo

[jon66w]

Ron, you mention 1959 Seattle Nationals so you must have memory of results. I have been trying to find out who won DSR at 59 nationals which I thought was in Hinton but obviously wrong. I was told that Gary Stippich won with the new "Floater/Quack" that Carl had built him as a present for returning from the Service. This boat was the one I later ran as 66 W. Can anyone help me out with the DSR results from 1959???? Thanks, Jon