OPC when it was Outboard Pleasure Craft

[D-44]

After reading a request from the late Jim Stone's uncle, I put up a few pictures and a 3 minute movie of Jim Stone and myself testing. The main star of the movie is my Curtis Craft SD/SE boat. Also includes a few moments of the late PRO racer Jim Stone. This is from the days when OPC literally meant a race boat with "your dad's fishing motor" attached. The stock 40 HP Merc could almost beak 50 mph, 50 HP good for around 58 or so with a much smoother ride. The movie shows the 40, and Jim's hydro had a 40H with stacks. Enjoy.
http://www.world-net.net/~crash/tom

If you had difficulties with the movie, please try it again. When we squished it from 220 meg to 20 meg, it was unstable without a fast video processor. Now, at 30 meg, it plays OK. If you don't have a fast Internet connection, try downloading it (right click) first, then playing. Also, it does not work under current Microsoft Media Player, but it does using Quickime or iTunes.

[D-44]

Not sure of the number ROD!!! But, your boat sure looks like the one in the pictures...This yellow boat is Rod's...

IS this the Jim Stone that was killed driving a hydro?

YES, Jim and I were very close from High School until his death at the World Championships in Laredo.

[Mark75H]

If you had difficulties with the movie, please try it again. When we squished it from 220 meg to 20 meg, it was unstable without a fast video processor. Now, at 30 meg, it plays OK. If you don't have a fast Internet connection, try downloading it (right click) first, then playing. Also, it does not work under current Microsoft Media Player, but it does using Quickime or iTunes.

I wasn't having trouble playing the video, I was having trouble opening the video page after your main page (or downloading the linked file).

There is something on the video page that some browsers can not read. The page opened blank with no file with Safari, but opens a page to correctly download the video with Camino.

If anyone is trying to view it with Safari, just use another browser.

Thanks for putting that up and linking it. It's great!

[D-44]

I wasn't having trouble playing the video, I was having trouble opening the video page after your main page (or downloading the linked file).

There is something on the video page that some browsers can not read. The page opened blank with no file with Safari, but opens a page to correctly download the video with Camino.

If anyone is trying to view it with Safari, just use another browser.

Thanks for putting that up and linking it. It's great!

Sam, thanks for giving it another shot. BTW, the movie was produced by Ben Perry, a well known F Hydo driver, in the South East, in the 1960's. He was one on the very few people who started with an actual 75H, and would only use the 75H gearbox. It was like Christmas whenever he was able to find a new set of gears!...

[Mark75H]

New gears to Merc spec are available now

[Danny Pigott]

Back in the mid 50's Southeastern Boating Association ,SEBA mainly a Pro Association, Started running what they called the fisherman class. This was for any non Hydro or Runabout. I can't remember what motors most of them run but they had fun doing this. I guess this was SEBA's OPC

[capnzee]

D-44, this is a picture of my Curtis Craft on a poster for one of our Key West races. I think I bought it in 1965 and I am thinking I bought it used for 400 bucks. Could this have been your boat? The number is D-89 on the pictures which I have to apologize for their quality. One of the reasons we have started a class of boats called COR (Classic Outboard Runabout) is an attempt to return to the days of Outboard Pleasure Craft. Our current rules are posted on APBA's web site under Special Events. We now have 15 COR boats in Southern California and are in the process of spreading to other regions. It sounds like we are starting out like the old OPC only we will be more careful so as not to fall into the current OPC game where engines and boats can run into the 10's of thousands.

[D-44]

D-44, this is a picture of my Curtis Craft on a poster for one of our Key West races. I think I bought it in 1965 and I am thinking I bought it used for 400 bucks. Could this have been your boat? The number is D-89 on the pictures which I have to apologize for their quality. One of the reasons we have started a class of boats called COR (Classic Outboard Runabout) is an attempt to return to the days of Outboard Pleasure Craft. Our current rules are posted on APBA's web site under Special Events. We now have 15 COR boats in Southern California and are in the process of spreading to other regions. It sounds like we are starting out like the old OPC only we will be more careful so as not to fall into the current OPC game where engines and boats can run into the 10's of thousands.

Nice shot of a good-looking boat, but it's not mine. I got my boat from Nick Chapman (Curtis Craft) new in 1966, while attending U. of Miami.