My Vintage Hydro.

**bherrick** · 08-25-2005

Greetings Tom

Do you live in the Collin County Area?

**Tom Mitchell** · 08-25-2005

I live near Gilmer in east Texas and spend a lot of time at our place on Caddo Lake. In the 60's several of us from this area would race on most of the Dallas area lakes and many of the Dallas people would enter in our races on Lake O The Pines and Lake Gladewater.
Tom

**Ron Hill** · 08-25-2005

It is fun to take things apart and then be able to actually fix them, rather than throw them away....And some of thse old motors will run like a pussy cat when they are well tuned...

Thanks for posting, guys!!!!

**bherrick** · 08-26-2005

This old Wizard Powermatic 12 sat for over 30 years. We dug it out took the carb apart and gave it a good cleaning, replaced the fuel pump with a walbro pump from my sons Jr. Dragster, cleaned the plugs and had it running in 1 hour.

I replaced the plugs and plug wires at a later date and have had to do nothing to it since. It really does run like a pussycat Ron. It is also pretty fast. After all it was built by Mercury for Western Auto.

I sure would like to find a Wizard Super Power 25E (WA25E) for a runabout I am building for the wife. I am building a Blitzen by William Jackson from one of the old Boat Builders Handbooks.

I like to use the Wizards as these were the only outboards sold in the town where I grew up. They were everywhere in the lakes and ocean around home.

Thanks Tom for the info. I like to hear stories about the old days! If you ever get up to Lavon get a hold of me and we will get the toys out!

**Ron Hill** · 08-26-2005

I walk my Golden every night at 9:00. If it isn't 9:00 I show her my watch and explain what time it is...

I always carry two plastic bags.......Maybe, becasue I was once a kid and played in the park daily, but doing the right thing when no one is looking is something to be lived by...Great MOTTO.....Though most people are just no damn good...LOL!!!! You know the whole world could blow up, liquor stores and all!!!

I'll look for Wizards. My Old man found three four cyclinder Wizards in Nebraska about 1976...Clean fresh water, blown gearcases, at an Evinrude dealer....He only bought 30 and 40 cube Mercury motors for C and D stock...But I buy stuff all the time...sometimes I even sell it...

**bherrick** · 08-26-2005

Ron,
Thanks for carrying the plastic bags! My son is now in the Navy, so I don't have to worry about him. However I hope to have some grandchildren soon.

The park by the house where we go to walk the Chihuahua has dispensers with plastic bags in them for the dogs. Now if everyone would use them (sigh).

Thanks for keeping your eyes out for a 4 cylinder Wizard’s. I am working on the Blitzen tonight. I have the frames and keel cut and fitted to the mold. She looks like she will be a great boat.

To hot outside to do much else. It’s 97 degrees at 9:00pm. The shop is air conditioned so I can get the boat built.

You Know It’s Summertime In Texas When..."
You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
You discover that in July, it takes only 2 fingers to drive your car.
You discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window.
You notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.

Tomtall · 06-20-2006

Bob - Believe it not that boat was also my first hydro. I believe I was about 12 at the time and I bought the boat from a father and his son after they had it for a few years. The thing was build very well and with my 20H on the back gave many people fits on our lake when I was young. Cool story. Brings back a lot of memories.

I still have the planes and the original article and magizine it was in.