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It's Not Always Airboats

JDotson, you're right, it ain't just airboats, and if we don't write letters in defense of ALL other boaters and other Sportsmen's rights, then it 's just like BPS said the other day..... that pushy, noisey Great North American Snowbird is going to try to change things around here forever.

Hell, if I wanted to do things like they do them in New Jersey, I'd live there!

K.
 
I used to go to those races when I was a kid, always had a good time. The east side of the lake is train tracks, and the trains are alot louder than the boats, hell, the car stereos blasting rap music on the south side of the lake is probally louder than the boats, should we try to ban all car stereos and trains?
 
Outboard racing is the oldest type that the APBA has.
Pro Outboard hydros are just plain cool! Glad to see that sport continues to draw attension, and that those sportsmen are gonna be able to have thier anual event. I hope.
 
Cowboy .. used to run in the KOA (Knoxville Outboard Assosciation) back in the early 70's. Had a 12'6" Reeth hydro that weighed 118# dry. With a Mark 30H (30 cubic in., 4 cyl. Mercury) the little rascal was clocked at 78 mph on the long back straight at Lake Eufala, AL. TOO much fun!

I was second in points in the '71 season. A guy from Syracuse, IN named Stover Hyer was #1. We'd gone out to break-in and test the morning of the "C" Nationals. Stover was out, and I went out over on the back of the lake to watch him and see where he was going to try to make his turn for the starting clock. I really don't think he was aware of me, because he picked his spot and then punched it to time himself to the starting dock. When he did, I punched it with him and was pulling on him Big Time. I knew I had him.

The "C" Main came that afternoon. Stover started his run to the clock just where he had that morning, and I was just outside of him past the timing stand into the first turn. We both came out of the first two turns in that same position and then I decided that it was time to try him. I crossed his wake on the front straight, and we went into the next turn side by side. His boat was a Hedlund, and they would turn like crazy, so we came out together (3' apart), and headed back down the back straight again.

My Reeth would rock side to side a little when it was really cookin' .... it was dumpin air out from between the two forward sponsons. I'd made the better part of the run into the next turn bouy when my boat just got real still, and the next thing I saw was that the horizon went away, and I was skidding along on the top of the water without a boat. I'd blown over.

Stover went on to win the KOA "C" National that year, and I went home with a broken boat. Cowboy, that's everything I know about outboard racing .... :wink: .

Sorry y'all. OF's like me have a tough time staying on the subject. :lol:

Ken
 
From Noxville hugh?

Recon you know who Gary Pugh is then.

I used to go to races in Florida with Alan Tilton. He ran Pugh boats, and Konig motors. He could really smoke alot of people, especially in the 500cc class. He would just destroy them in that class.

I got to drive his 350 boat once, but never got a boat for myself.
I always wanted to, but that desire has gone away now.

Those alky four cylinders screaming down the straight, with the pipes slid up, is one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard.

Outboard racing is cool.
 
Reccon I do .....

Gary Pugh (and his cousin, Allen?) were legends in APBA Alky back then. If I'm not mistaken, he had the top speed record for several years in that class ..... something really freaky like 94 mph.
They had so many shims under the transom bracket of those boats that they must have steered in slow motion at that kind of speed.

They were the 'big dollar' boats (alcohol) compared to what I ran ... Sunoco 260 and some Mobil outboard oil.

Ken
 
Thats cool man.
At least you were out there compeating. I was on the beach.

I did have a yamato 102 for a long time, and sold it a while back. Never got a stock outboard rig put together.
I always wanted to race those outboard hydros, and never did.

Oh well...
Just wanted to make sure you know, I was'nt trying to be a smart a$$.
I always thought the pugh built boats were the best.
 
I have a Sidcraft B class hydro here from the 50's or 60's and a Champion hotrod to go with it. The Hotord was a b mod when we got it. I still have the megaphone exhausts. It actually belongs to my son. He used it for a play boat in the 70's.

It has not run in years.

jim
 
Jim,

I had a friend who ran a Sidcraft "B" ..... they're tough boats, and the curve of the cowl forward of the steering is pretty, too. Nice old hydro 8) !

Does your Hot Rod have the external girdle that they put on some of them to add support for the head bolts? They ran a lot of compression in some of them as I remember, as high as 14.5 to 1, and then burned 110 Avgas in them to keep from melting the pistons. Very fast little motors .....

Ken
 
They are running in Lake Placid this weekend. I saw a sign yesterday that stated races Sat & Sun. I think they are trying to add the lake in Avon Park to their schedule.
 
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