Early tunnel hulls

[Mark75H]

It is pretty clear that the square inside/extended sponson tunnel hull came from the Lake Como Italy area ... what is not clear is exactly which of the 3 builders was first.

Jackie Wilson is leading a pretty convincing argument that Geremia Cetti's Torriggia boat works was the innovator of the square tunnel/light weight style boat.

Other stories have Molinari or Schulze possible originators.

I'm leaning to Cetti over the other 2 based on these pictures Jackie sent me. In Kevin Desmond's books this same tunnel hull is identified as a Molinari belonging to the Rasini brothers. The problem with this identification is ... Wilson later bought it from it's maker ... Geremia Cetti.

Top picture is one of the Rasinis at Paris, the bottom one is Wilson testing the same boat after he bought it.

[Mark75H]

Contrast that boat with this early Molinari

[David Weaver]

When I was growing-up, a man named Paul Angel owned a marina in town. He had a number of OPC boats over the years and his boats held many records. If I recall correctly, he had early tunnel boats that were kneel downs. And I have a vague recollection that one or more may have been built by the DeSilvas. The last I remember, Paul had his boats stored in work shed in Toano, VA near Williamsburg.

[Mark75H]

Yes, the DeSilvas did build a few tunnel hulls and Paul Angel's boats did set some records. The boats that Angel owned that I am aware of were Switzers, McCalls and possibly E & T's. The boats developed at Lake Como were during the 1964 - 65 time period.

[Ted March]

Pau had a kilo set up in his back yard. Was on the APBA schedule for a bunch of years in the 60's in September. It was abou the only kilo event in the Northeast part of the country, if VA can be considered the Northeast. It drew a lot of boats and a lot of records were set. We ran there in 66, 67 and 68.

Paul owned several Mc Call kneel down tunnels which set a bunch of records in the Sport Classes with Bobby Drewry driving. They also set the FJ record at just under 80 mph with a family sytle Switzer which was essentially a Shooting Star with a short front deck.

[David Weaver]

Pau had a kilo set up in his back yard. Was on the APBA schedule for a bunch of years in the 60's in September. IZt was abou the only kilo event in the notheast part of the countryy, if Va can be considered the northeast. It dreew a lot of boats and a lot of records were set. We ran there in 66, 67 and 68.

Paul owned several Mc Call keel down tunnels which set a bunch of records in the Sport Classes with Bobby Drewry driving. They also set the FJ record at just under 80 mph with a family sytle Switzer which was essentially a Shooting Star with a short front deck.

My spelling is probably off Ted, but this was the river. It is a beautiful stretch of water. M dad ran an AOH there and I believe that Dick O'Dea's crew made regular visits. The runs finally ended due to complaints about the noise.

[Ted March]

It was a great place to run. We looked forward to going there every fall. Two days of kilos and a good time was had by all.

[Ron Hill]

Ralph DeSilva's only wife, I think, Armel came from France. Ralph met her after the war and stayed another year and married her....Anyway, Ralph went to the Six Hours of Paris about 1965 and came back with many photos that I recall really enjoying looking at.

Ralph built a twin engine tunnel with an engine on each sponson that I ran, for OMC, at Parker 1967. We had gearcase problems but the boat handled quite COOL, but only went like 70 with two motors.

Ralph wanted to build a WING, so (I hung out at DeSilvas some in those days) I cut the sponsons off the first DeSilva tunnel and Ralph was going to make a WING out of it, but finally told me to cut it on up as he was starting from scratch on the wing. About this time, Tom Roth, from Denver, bought a new DeSilva tunnel and as I recall, the engines were in the tunnel. Squared off nose but quite rounded like an airplane's wing. Tom ran twin Johnson GT-115's at Havasu 1967, and with 128 boats was leading the first day overall. Tom had some kind of fuel problems on the second day and dropped way back. (Bill Cooper, Rudy Ramos, and the GOVENOR'S SON, Mike Reagan ended up winning first overal with me second, though I made the most laps)...

The 1968 Parker Enduro, I ran the New WING (White Wing) of DeSilva's and I don't know what happened to that boat. In 1969, I ran the RED WING with black and white Rod Zapf checkers on it and was the first outboard to ever lead Parker. I personnally took this boat to the dump, kicked off the trailer and watched a "CAT" run over it. So, I know it is gone.

The DeSilva's build a WING for Warren Thompson, he was killed testing it, on Thanksgiving Day, 1969. That boat was totally destroyed.

To my knowledge, two twin tunnels and three WINGS are the only BIG boats DeSilva Boats ever built. They may have built a single engine tunnel but don't recall them doing it...

So, I feel there could still be Tom Roth's tunnel and the White Wing kicking around somewhere.

[Roy Hodges]

Many years ago ,maybe around 1975 , i saw a single engine desilva at stockton , i think. it had a merctwister (t-1 ) that Lon Stevens had rebuilt . it turned on a dime, but lacked competitive speed .

[Ray Lumpkin]

Paul Angel help start OPC here in region 4. Yes he had many kilos at home on the Chickhomny river. This was great kilo water. He also had a Mercury dealership in Williamsburg Va. Paul started OPC with Revoue boats and later set many many records with Bobby Drewey in McCall boats. He ran SE,SG,SH,UI, He got John McCall start selling boats in region4. Heny Day and myself ran SH, Buck Thronton had a SJ McCall also. There were many others! Yes Bobby ran a Switzer through the kilos too. I have more McCall pictures too!