Dean F. Hobart Asks About 1965-1966 Tunnels

[Ron Hill]

Were there any tunnel race boats prior to the 1965 - 1966 time frame? If so what were they?

Thank you.

My first experience with a tunnel was Havasu, 1966. Dieter Schultz had just won the Single Engine class. 2 Hours Saturday and 4 Hours Sunday.

My twin engine Glastron had broken early both days, but we stayed til the end of the race.

Dieter's boat liked like a Big Sled. I figured it must have about a 48 inch wide bottom, like a "Floater" and he just flew over the water.

The boat was hooked up to Dieter's car as we were leaving, I told my dad I wanted to look at the boat. My dad was wanating head back to California, but allowed me to get out of the car.

I looked at the transom and to my surprise there was NO BOTTOM. Just two narrow runners that were on like a 45 degree angle. I started yelling for my dad to come and look at this boat with no bottom.

On the way home my dad and I talked, "Like how could a boat do that with no bottom."

That was my introduction to tunnels, November, 1966.

[DeanFHobart]

Well there you go... Thanks Ron.

However I do know there were Catamarans prior to that, and I think they were the precursor to tunnel boats.

Then the next question is what would have been the difference between a Catamaran and a Tunnel Boat back then?

[Ron Hill]

Living in Seattle, you probably remember when the bigger hydros were all cab overs until the Sid Crafts showed up. I don't recall their name, but Mike Raich seems like one name that stands out. 1960, in Beloit, two Sid from Seattle were fast as hell in D Hydro.

California Catamarans were big, strong, heavy boats with flat bottoms. Each sponson of like the Style Craft had a 14 inch or wider bottom. In those days, wider bottoms were faster.

In Europe than ran much rougher water, and flat bottoms just beat the **** out of you. So, light weight wood hull were build to "Fly" over the water.

Switzer Wings had flat bottoms, the DeSilva Wing that won Parker 1970, had 12 inch wide redwood bottoms....I put them on the angles runners.

As speed and power came up, less bottom was needed to support the weight.

[DeanFHobart]

Yes, Mike Raich was the fast D ..... he set records at both Devils Lake, Lincoln City, Oregon... and Lawrence Lake, Yelm, Washington. He was fast for many years. Then Tom O’Neil with a short sponson Sid was the guy to beat. Then later it was Dick Davison, Larry Lister, Ric Hannon and Dan Schwartz all in Karelsen’s.

My cousin had a catamaran that was built by Ted Jones in about 1962 with two Mark 58’s on it. Now that I am thinking back, catamarans were wider and deeper... while the Tunnels had less deep sponsons and had lower profiles from the water.

That’s what I recall. What’s your recollection Ron?

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Living in Seattle, you probably remember when the bigger hydros were all cab overs until the Sid Crafts showed up. I don't recall their name, but Mike Raich seems like one name that stands out. 1960, in Beloit, two Sid from Seattle were fast as hell in D Hydro.

California Catamarans were big, strong, heavy boats with flat bottoms. Each sponson of like the Style Craft had a 14 inch or wider bottom. In those days, wider bottoms were faster.

In Europe than ran much rougher water, and flat bottoms just beat the **** out of you. So, light weight wood hull were build to "Fly" over the water.

Switzer Wings had flat bottoms, the DeSilva Wing that won Parker 1970, had 12 inch wide redwood bottoms....I put them on the angles runners.

As speed and power came up, less bottom was needed to support the weight.
1st & 2nd at Beloit in DSH with Sids were Bob Okner & Dick O'Dea both from NJ, the home state for Sid-Craft

[Ron Hill]

1st & 2nd at Beloit in DSH with Sids were Bob Okner & Dick O'Dea both from NJ, the home state for Sid-Craft

As I recall, the two boys from Seattle with Sid Crafts were fast. I also recall that one of the two got his left side sponson knocked off in the first turn, but he finished the heat with no sponson or sponson fin and might have gotten third.

He did not return for the second head.

I remember Dick O'Dea being fast.

My real point about their speeds (Mike Raich and Tom O'Neil) was Seattle was Entrop territory, he held records and all with Cab Overs. Along comes these two guys with Sid Crafts and Cab Overs were done.

I drove Elgin Gate's Entrop Cab Over at Irvine Lake, 1965. It was a kick to drive. I could get in the back toward the transom and the nose would come up about 24 inches, and I'd jump forward and the transom would lift. But compared to my Sid Craft.....it was a DOG.

I never drove a B and H but my BeZoats was so fast compared to any Sid I ever drove, it was crazy. I'm betting B and H's were and are very fast compared to a BeZoats.

[Ron Hill]

Yes, Mike Raich was the fast D ..... he set records at both Devils Lake, Lincoln City, Oregon... and Lawrence Lake, Yelm, Washington. He was fast for many years. Then Tom O’Neil with a short sponson Sid was the guy to beat. Then later it was Dick Davison, Larry Lister, Ric Hannon and Dan Schwartz all in Karelsen’s.

My cousin had a catamaran that was built by Ted Jones in about 1962 with two Mark 58’s on it. Now that I am thinking back, catamarans were wider and deeper... while the Tunnels had less deep sponsons and had lower profiles from the water.

That’s what I recall. What’s your recollection Ron?

WOA was considered an "Out Law" club. They made their own rules and McCullough Outboards kind of "Bank Rolled" them. One rule, APBA racers didn't like was the fact that they raced class by ADVERTISE HP, not cubic inches. The big McCullough was called a 60 HP but was like 90 cubic inches. Also,every class required two in the boat.

Anyway, they raced, by club rules one race a month, usually marathons. And During the winter they raced like every other weekend down at Pacific Landing where the Queen Mary is today.

Hell, they raced in Mexico, Carlsbad, Havasu, San Diego....I was in high school and my brother used to fix these WOA guy's props and motors. In fact, my brother was making John Cordes an EX motor (44 cublic inch, stacker on a Quickie) when he found out he had a sister. My brother refused to help John until he lined my brother up with her as a date.

My brother married Judy Cordes, and they stayed married til she passed with cancer.

I helped guys build some boats and we made the first power trim in my high school metal shop. We used a hydraulic Press and we made our own rams. I told those WOA guys it was a dumb idea.

I'll say this, I drove several single engine WOA boats, nothing special, but the twin engine Style Craft and Power Cats were fast looking, and I wasn't sure if I'd wanted to drive one.

THIS WAS ABOUT 1960. It was about 1966 before I ever really saw another WOA race, the new club was COBRA. I raced a twin engine Johnson at Havasu, 1966. 1245 boats in three classes.

Not the lack of houses at Havasu, 1966. Ole T-198 was a handful!

ADD: D Stock Hydro...1977 DSH competition record was broken by me in my BeZoats. Dan Schwartz was second to me!