Butts Aerowing-The Only Way To Fly

[crankbearing]

Hey Jeff,

I have not had much time too build baots lately but I have some plans done for the 3 boats. I went over all these with Dave R. Attached are the DSH DMH and FEH that I have redesigned. I also have a 25SSH Boat drawn and a D classic hydro boat as well. these are now all in Cad at full size.

I still Ian Thorpe's Rasoncraft SCCH and I found and now own Gresco F44 boat which will require full restoration as a butcher was at it.

Regards,

[BRIAN HENDRICK]

A 'lytle' off topic here, [do we have a CSrR thread?] but here is a pic of
the infamous CZ-1 in action, with 'we all no whom' at the helm. The Lytle's, Sr.& Jr., made a cameo apearance in this rig a few years back at a AOMC meet in ON. It is part of a well cared for collection owned by retired Canadian racer Ken Kirk. CZ-1 still holds some CDN records.

[Jeff Lytle]

I found and now own Gresco F44 boat which will require full restoration as a butcher was at it.

The last time I saw that boat, it was being driven by Bob Abbott with a 44 on it. He got it from Tom Bird.
It was painted yellow with sposors names on the sides.

Where in the heck did you find it?

Also----I am really impressed with the drawings, and shocked at how similar they look to John Yales designs of 25 years ago!

[Jeff Lytle]

Good Evening,

Jeff & Bryan,
The boat I remember was all wood finish. Little, if any, and a duct tape X for a number. There was a BUTT'S emblem on each side near the transom. VERY VERY FAST. It may have been Roy Alexander.

Now I remember!! (I think?)

As I recall, one of the last races we had there was attended by Raymond Ratitius (SP?) who was Vic Pede's Brother in law. Guess he caught the racing bug while attending races with his sister Sylvia and Vic. Vic used to race 250ccH untill his death at a race in Acworth Georgia.
Raymond purchaced and engine from Bill Wanamaker ( Canadian Doug Thompson raced his stuff ) and a new Butts lay down. He was still rigging it in the pits at Carelton place it was so new. Was this the boat you remember?
I wish I knew where it was.........It had less than 10 heats on it.

[Jeff Lytle]

Will we ever see the CZ-1 make a comeback?

RussW

Hey Russ............The last time I took her for a spin was in Clayton NY a number of years ago. Ken called me up out of the blue and asked me if I wanted to take her for a spin!
Honestly, I really doubt I 'll be able to ever drive again, let alone start one of those old buggers. I've got some medical issues that'll probably prevent it. Lot's of good memories though. In that pic Brian posted to my inside is Mike Willan, the fastest and best driver to come from the Willan family in my opinion.
And the pic was taken at Carelton Place.

[Jeff Lytle]

Hey Pat!!

I remember seeing a video of what I think was your boat. I remember it was a Butts, with a big OMC monster on it.

I saw it at a boat show years ago. I remember the boat launching through the 1/4 and hanging high as a Butts always did. The engine had a small blubber, so the front dropped down, but lifted up high and hung there when the engine cleared out. IMPRESSIVE!

I too would love to see your pics!

[Jeff Lytle]

I sure would like to talk again to Tim, he left Michigan when we got the Butts/areowing drag boat running. I know you circle boaters are not interested in drag's back then but this is more about one of the winningest boats from 78-85 and it was on a Butts hydro. It measured out from the tip of the sponson to the after plane 14' 11". The engine was a first year V-6 Evinrude 1976 200hp on a racing V-4 midsection and gearcase. One year later Evinrude people (Tom Ireland) saved me the last of 50 factory new racing CCC engines. Tim I wish to say your a man of your word, you built one of the safest boats one would ever drive at that speed. Your boat won a total of 38 of 44 events entered. It beat Ron Jones hydro's and several others during those years. From VA to CA the aerowing was the boat to beat. I have some pictures if your intersted later I could share with you. I hope you guy's get Tim back to look at what your running, he would make suggestions that could only help you to strive and achieve your goals of safety and speed. Take care.

Pat Golba

I emailed Pat a week or so ago about his drag racing, and especially his Butts hydro. After digging for a few days, here's what he came up with. I saw a video at a boat show of a Butts drag hydro with a CCC on it. I posted my comments on it once before--It was hangin' high in typical Butts fasion when the engine blubbered for a sec, when this happened, the front of the boat lost it's altitude. When the engine cleaned out, the front lifted right back up again........Love to see that video again!

More pics of Pat's racing days to come.........

[wboxell]

Here's a couple pix of an Aerowing that Tim built for a Johnruid for the 75 season.

[Jeff Lytle]

Heres another pic of this cool boat!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks Pat and Jeff for the pictures and info on the drag boat. I remember Tim telling me about the drag boat successes, and I thought I took notes of what he said, but I couldn't find them. Seems like there was another guy from central Texas that had great success with a Butts drag racing hydro in Texas and Louisiana. I did find this note however, that I am not sure I ever passed on. The first boat he built was bought by Karl Williams and the last he heard, was still in Canada. I believe Tim built it for himself and then later sold it to Karl. It had a cloth deck and Tim described it has looking like a Dubinski, or a bull nose DeSilva hydro. He built two like this in 1967 and 1968. The first Aerowing was built in 1969. Joe Barto bought the first two picklefor Aerowings and the Quincy loopers that Tim ran on them.

Looking forward to more drag hydro info.