Speed Marine Legacy: Jerry and Mitch Lembke

[Ron Hill]

I was look through a 1968 Powerboat Magazine...and saw an article about Speed Marine. Dave Severson was riding with Jerry Fitschen and Jerry Lemke.

Dave started Power Boat Magazine and really was never part of Speed Marine.

I don't know enough of Speed Marine's history to tell their story. I do know that Jerry Fitschen and Jerry Lemke were close friends. I know Mitch Lemke was Jerry's son. Mitch won Parker with an ET tunnel.Speed Marine did a lot of racing and winning. I know that Jerry Fitschen passed away with cancer. And that Jerry and Mitch Lemke were killed in an auto accident on the way to Walker Lake, Nevada....

Mitch had designed the Silver Wing Tunnel hull and several Deep Vee Offshore hulls.

For many years Richard Berg, from Newport Beach, California, sponosred Speed and marine....Yosemite Sam was one of their boats. Richard's company, Seagrams Liquors, sponsored the Miamai GN Race that paid $100,000 cash in prizes. Maybe, the richest race in APBA's history!!!

Mitch had the ET Kilo record witha Jaguar powerd, Mercruiser of somewhere around 138...

Jerry Fitschen is survived by his wife and son, Todd. Todd was scheduled to drive with Greg Foster at the Parker Enduro...Greg's daughter was elkected Homecoming Queen, so Greg did not attend the boat race...

I hope some of you will add to the Speed & Marine Legacy!!!!

Here are some pictures from 1968 POWERBOAT....(When Dave Severson was at Powerboat, racing was NUMBER ONE.....Dave made all the Havasu City Outboard World Championship programs....and they were cool!!!!

More Speed Marine: http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?15182-Parker-Enduro-1988-Program-Mitch-Lembke

[Ron Hill]

I just posted this picture under the Elsinore 500, but it is part of Speed Marine's legacy!

[Lotsa Bills Racing]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=219&pictureid=1557

If I remember correctly Speed Marine was plastered all over the side of my grandfather's boats... I have more pictures that I will upload soon.

[ALembke]

Thanks for sharing, what an amazing tribute.

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?15182-Parker-Enduro-1988-Program-Mitch-Lembke&highlight=mitch+lemke

If I could figure out how to do this, I'd merge these two threads.

It is time to have another race at Walker Lake!

[largecar91]

I remember seeing pictures when Mitch won with the ET tunnel . Had a v-12 jag. Cool setup back then.

[joe p]

I worked at Speed Marine just out of high school in 1964 until 1966 when Jerry Lembke and Steve Ribeau first set up shop on Maple Street in Orange, CA. They were building boats and occasionally working on cars. During the time I was there, they were Sanger dealers but rigged all brands and types of hot boats. They built a top fuel hydro for Tom Weeda, El Tigre 2, which ran a custom twin counter rotating prop shafts v drive and Keith Black Chrysler engine. It ran in the 160's at Perris Ski Land races. Also built a Mandella/Ford enduro boat U-44 campaigned nationally and a Hallet hydro that held the unblown gas record at the time. I was lucky enough to have Jerry and Mitch build a new 22' open bow Silver Wing day cruiser in 1985 which we still enjoy today. Have lots of stories if anyone is interested....amazing opportunity for a 17 year old kid that loved boats. Jerry Lembke (Dede to his friends) was a great guy and brilliant boat builder.

[Ron Hill]

Great post, enjoyed every word. More stories would be great. Do you have any pictures from this era?

[joe p]

I have some old magazine photos and will add info when I can.