VOLUME 70, ISSUE 6 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
APBA.ORG • USA: $5.00
HYDRO BASICS
Props, Pitch, Gear Ratio, RPM
COMPLETE SUCCESS
Stock, Mod, J Nationals
wheeling
Vintage Raceboat Regatta
DONATE TO THE OUTBOARD DRIVING SCHOOL FUND!
Outboard Driving Schools are a proven way to bring new members into APBA. The APBA Historical Society maintains a fund to provide grants to local clubs to help offset expenses, so they can introduce more newcomers to the thrill of racing. Invest in the future of racing. Please consider a donation to help APBA clubs with their Driving Schools in this racing season and in years to come. The APBA Historical Society is a 501(c)3 corporation, so your donation to the Driving School Fund is fully tax-deductible. Contact Linda Likert at the APBA office, or visit www.apbahistoricalsociety.org .
IN THIS ISSUE 17640 East Nine Mile Road, PO Box 377 // Eastpointe MI 48021-0377 PHONE: 586.773.9700 // WEB: apba.org // EMAIL: apbahq@apba.org twitter.com/APBARacing // facebook.com/APBARacing EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACCOUNTING MEMBERSHIP SANCTIONS/ HIGH POINTS PROPELLER EDITOR
Patrick Mell Linda Likert Sabrina Haudek Cindy Minoletti Tana Moore
pmell@apba.org llikert@apba.org shaudek@apba.org cminoletti@apba.org tmoore@apba.org
2016 APBA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT NATIONAL COMMISSIONER TREASURER SECRETARY LEGAL COUNCIL CATEGORY REP REGION REP
Mark Wheeler Fred Hauenstein Charles Strang Steve Compton Mary Williams Steven Hearn J. David Augustine Sr. Kyle Bahl Chris Fairchild Dan Kanfoush Jean MacKay-Schwartz Howie Nichols John Runne James Chambers Buddy Tennell
president@apba.org VP@apba.org NC@apba.org treasurer@apba.org secretary@apba.org legal@apba.org patndave2@verizon.net racerkyle@hotmail.com outboarddrag@apba.org dankanfoush@yahoo.com jean84c@earthlink.net apba113@gmail.com j.runne@hotmail.com OPC@apba.org Region14@apba.org
COUNCIL-AT-LARGE: Penny Anderson, Bruce Broussard, Jeffrey Conant, Gloria Crim, Richard Fuchslin, Patrick Gleason, Alex Jennings III, Jack Meyer, Steve Noury, Bob Wartinger, Rachel Warnock, Matt Yarno
2016 RACING CATEGORY/COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Inboard Inboard Endurance Junior Classes Modified Offshore OPC Outboard Drag PRO Special Event Stock Thundercat Unlimited Vintage and Historic
James Sechler Ted Kolby Patrick Gleason Tom Sutherland Mark Wheeler James Chambers Jr. Chris Fairchild Kristi Ellison Scott Schatz Jeff Brewster Jeff Howie Charlie Grooms John Krebs
inboardracing@apba.org Inboardendurance@apba.org junior@apba.org modifiedoutboard@apba.org offshore@apba.org opc@apba.org outboarddrag@apba.org prooutboard@apba.org specialevent@apba.org stockoutboard@apba.org masterauto1150@yahoo.com cgrooms@seidata.com vintage @apba.org
2016 REGION CHAIRMEN Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Region 6 Region 7 Region 8 Region 9 Region 10 Region 11 Region 12 Region 14 Region 15 Region 16
Dave Jones John Krebs Ann Shaw Richard Shaw Jeff Titus Tom Johnston Kris Shepard Don Lick Billy Wichers Rick Sandstrom Julian Rucki Roger Carr Buddy Tennell Carleton Callahan Dutch Squires
region1@apba.org region2@apba.org region3@apba.org region4@apba.org region5@apba.org region6@apba.org region7@apba.org region8@apba.org region9@apba.org region10@apba.org region11@apba.org region12@apba.org region14@apba.org region15@apba.org region16@apba.org
PROPELLER© welcomes unsolicited articles and photos. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publication and do not represent official APBA policy. Advertising herein cannot be construed as an endorsement by APBA or its members. PROPELLER (ISSN 0194-6218) (USPS 0047-800) is published six times yearly for $25.00 (U.S. and Canada); $55.00 (foreign) by APBA, 17640 E. Nine Mile Road, PO Box 377, Eastpointe, MI 48021-0377 Periodical postage paid at Eastpointe, MI, and additional mailing office. Postmaster: send addresses to APBA, PO BOX 377, Eastpointe, MI, 48021-0377.
From the Top Breaking Down Barriers to Entry: Part 2 3 In Brief 4 Dream Big The Art Oberto Drivers Program 5 Hydro Basics: Props 6 Suited for Safety 8 Race Calendar 9 OPA Hits the Water 10 A Labor of Love 2016 Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta 12 A Complete Success Stock, Modified, J Nationals in Hinton, WV 14 Hampton Cup Regatta Where Families Come Together 16 Inboards Crush It at Devils Lake Records Shatter 18 It’s Regattafest! Records and Racing and Demos...Oh MY 20 Comeback Shane! H1 Unlimited Season Finale 22 Powered Up for 2016 Powerboat Nationals 24 Category Corner Junior Classes 24 Modified Outboard 25 Inboard 26 Stock Outboard 27 Region Roundup 28 Race in Peace 31 ON THE COVER: Amy Sweeney gets a hug from husband Jim after winning the 200cc Mod Hydro Nationals in Hinton, West Virginia. Jean Tennell photo
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APBA National Meeting January 25-28, 2017 Los Angeles, California Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel 6101 West Century Boulevard Reservations: 866-716-8134 www.sheratonlax.com
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FROM THE TOP BY // MARK WHEELER, APBA PRESIDENT
Breaking Down Barriers to Entry: Part 2 The President’s column in the last issue of Propeller pointed out several challenges faced by newcomers to the sport of powerboat racing. I noted, “Competitive equipment is often difficult to find, time to work on equipment is in short supply, and speed secrets are tightly held by established racers.”
APBA’s “rule-making season” begins with the forming of category commissions at the fall region meetings. The commissions, together with category and APBA committees, do most of their work at the APBA National Meeting in January. As we move toward the 2017 APBA season,
I ask each of APBA’s rule-making bodies (commissions, committees, and the Board of Directors) to do everything possible to simplify rules and, where possible, reduce the size of APBA’s rule books and inspection manuals. Newcomers and longtime racers will appreciate your efforts!
Stock Outboard’s 300SS class reduces these challenges by offering standardized propellers and sealed engines. In response to the column, some APBA members pointed out another difficulty that new members may encounter. APBA rule books and inspection manuals can appear very complicated, especially to people not involved in writing them. We have actually lost members because they became frustrated by rules they didn’t understand or felt were needless. APBA President Mark Wheeler hugging daughter Laura after she won AX Runabout at the Hinton Nationals. F. Peirce Williams photo
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IN BRIEF... BRUCE BROUSSARD, IRC MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD The highest honor awarded by the Inboard Category is the Bruce Broussard Meritorious Service Award. There are many members who have served for years doing the tasks that are needed to make APBA, our regions, and clubs function. If you know of a member, or members, who deserve recognition, please take a few minutes to send a nomination. The guidelines for this award are as follows: RULE 38 - BRUCE BROUSSARD, IRC MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD CRITERIA This presentation may be awarded annually at the APBA Annual Meeting, by the Inboard Racing Commission. No past recipients of this, the “Bob Ballinger Award” or the “Tony Scartine Award” are eligible to be considered. This award will be based on the following criteria and point system. A nominee must have a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) points before he/she will be considered for this award. All nominations should originate at the club level. The nominations should include the nominee’s history with the APBA,
emphasizing the following criteria. National Officer (past or present) . . . . . . . 25 points Council Member (past or present) . . . . . . 20 points Region Chairman (past or present) . . . . . 20 points Region Officer (past or present) . . . . . . . . 15 points Race Chairman (past or present) . . . . . . . 15 points Race Official (past or present) . . . . . . . . . . 15 points Club Officer (past or present) . . . . . . . . . . 10 points Honor Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 points Hall of Champions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 points Inboard Racing Commission Member or Inboard Board of Governors (past or present) . . . . 20 points Add one (1) point to the above for each year the nominee was a member of the APBA Inboard Division. Send nominations no later than November 15th to: APBA/IRC Meritorious Service Award, David Shaw, 20414 Spangler Drive, Lincoln, DE 19960 H) 302-265-2465 C) 973-714-9785 E-Mail: instpov@yahoo.com Copy to the Inboard Chairman
CHARLIE GROOMS TO SERVE AS ACTING H1 CHAIRMAN Charlie Grooms, the Vice Chairman of H1 Unlimited Hydroplanes and President of the Miss Madison Racing Team that is sponsored by HomeStreet Bank, will serve as Acting Chairman of H1 upon the retirement of Chairman Steve David until a new Chairman is named. “The sport has some excellent momentum and I am excited to step in at this time to keep it going,” said Grooms. “The Board of Directors will meet soon to discuss strategy and proposals for 2017 and beyond.”
NEW WAY TO GROW THE SPORT? In a 2016 newspaper article about an APBA race, the writer referred to “hydroponic watercrafts.” Who knew you could grow your own?
Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation (as required by the U.S. Postal Service)
Publication Title: Propeller Filing Date: October 30, 2016 Publication Number: 0194-6218 Issue Frequency: Bimonthly Number of issues published annually: 6 Annual subscription price: $25.00 Publisher and Owner: American Power Boat Association Contact Person and Editor: Tana Moore Managing Editor: None Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None Complete mailing address of known office and general business office of publication, owner, editor and publisher: American Power Boat Association, 17640 East Nine Mile Road, Eastpointe MI 48021-0377 The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months. Issue date for circulation data below: September/October 2016 Extent and nature of publication Total no. of copies (net press run) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Sales through dealers, carriers, street vendors and counter sales (not mailed) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Paid Distribution by other classes of USPS Mail Total paid and/or requested circulation Free Outside-County copies:
Grooms has been with the Miss Madison Team since 1977, when his uncle Jon Peddie was named driver. He was promoted to Crew Chief and Team Manager in 1980 and held that position with the team until 2006, when Mike Hanson retired as a driver and took over the Miss Madison Crew Chief position.
Free Inside-County copies:
As President of Miss Madison Inc., Grooms oversees all aspects of the team including sponsorships, logistics, budgeting, personnel and other administrative duties. When not racing, he runs Mothers Grilled Wings, a company that produces and sells flame grilled chicken wings in Kroger stores nationwide. Grooms, a resident of Madison, Ind., is married to wife Nancy and they have three children: Codi, Cati, and Cortni.
Total distribution:
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Free copies mailed at other classes: Free distribution outside the mail: Total free distribution:
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0 0 0 0 64 71 2113 2311 0 0 0 0 10 6 0 0 10 6 2123 2317 177 133 2300 2450 99.5% 99.7%
Required publication of statement of ownership in the NOV/DEC 2016 issue of this publication. The editor, Tana Moore, certifies that all information furnished on this form is complete.
DREAM BIG The Art Oberto Drivers Program STORY AND PHOTOS BY // ANA CAPPELLETTI Someone’s dream could be one step closer to reality, thanks to the newly established Art Oberto Drivers Program. Some Region 10 Junior Classes drivers participated in the program at the H1 Unlimited races in both Tri- Cities and Seattle. This experience wouldn’t have been possible without Larry Oberto, David Vaillancourt, Brent Hall, and Matt Yarno. As boats were pulling into Tri-Cities and Seattle, the J drivers were setting up the Seattle Outboard booth with boats for display. They got to talk about boat racing with people who stopped by. Also, prospective new racers could attend the “New Folks in Boats” at the Eatonville race in mid-August. Reaching out like this helps draw attention to the sport. There was a positive response by all. The Art Oberto Drivers Program was designed to expose the younger generation to H1 Unlimited boat racing. It was well received by all race camps, and they treated each J driver and their families as if they were a part of the team. Each participant was there to experience a day in the life of an Unlimited driver, and learn about all that both the driver and crew have to do before the boat even leaves the dock. Each race team even included the J driver in their celebratory speeches upon winning their awards. Beyond each race camp, H1 officials and staff were accommodating and receptive to the Art Oberto Drivers Program. It may expand to other H1 Unlimited events. Other young individuals would surely love to take part in this experience of a lifetime. What better way to help young drivers dream big? The participants that made this dream a reality were: Andrew Vaillancourt, Jack and Fyn Peterson, Travis Ulsh, Josh and Ken Zahn, Cayden Cole, and Connor Harnack. From left: Alison Grande from KIRO 7 interviews the J drivers; Jeff Bernard and Connor Harnack; Kevin Eacret and Travis Ulsh; and (above R) Andrew Tate and Josh Zahn.
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HYDRO BASICS: PROPS BY // JOHN M. ADAMS
The following is excerpted from A Beginner’s Manual for Outboard Hydroplane Racing by John M. Adams, which he has generously shared with APBA. This is only the chapter on propellers. There is much more on outboard hydroplanes. You can download his excellent manual at: www.apba.org/sites/all/files/u28646/HydroBasics-JA.pdf . In the introduction, Mr. Adams explains: I wrote this manual for you, if you are new to outboard boat racing. It is intended to give you a head start in understanding your boat, motor and prop. ...I hope it covers the basics in such a way that the new racer will find it useful and helpful in the enjoyment of outboard racing. Unlike just about every other type of motor racing, you cannot go to an “Outboard Boat Racer Shop” and buy everything you need to race a boat. There are several people who sell some of what you need, and many are listed in www.apba.org/resources/where-to-buy .
Props, Pitch, Gear Ratio, RPM Most experienced racers will tell you the most important thing in successful racing is your propeller. They are correct. I cannot tell you what to look for in a good propeller—only you can determine what works best on your boat and motor. People talk about how fast their prop is (they usually are stretching the truth) but the fastest prop often will not be the one that will win you races. A fast prop is like driving your car in high gear. In a long straight line it can work pretty well, but on a short course with tight turns it can be a poor choice and load the engine down! Often a prop that may not be the fastest can win races for you if it accelerates well and gets you through the corners well. You have to test and write down what you learn and then apply that information to racing. As you look around the beach you will see props of all blade shapes, but in general there are two kinds: cleavers with straight backs to the blades, and round blades. Neither one is definitely better than the other. The best one comes down to personal choice. Some cleavers, when set high, will make the back of the boat walk in toward the center of the race course. This can be a big surprise the first time it happens to you.
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Also, props come with 2, 3, 4 or more blades. Certain classes limit how many blades you can have, so check your rule book. The blades of the props also come in low rake and high rake. This means they are either perpendicular to the prop shaft (90-80 degrees) or they are laid back further in the high rake versions (80-75 degrees) from the prop shaft. High rake props will tend to lift the bow of the boat more than low rake props. Again, this is another personal choice, and what works best may depend on the boat design. For example, if your boat rides high in the front with a low rake prop, you probably will not have much luck putting on a high rake prop; but vice versa, the high rake prop may help a low riding boat. The funny thing about props is that there is almost nothing that we can say about them that is certain (maybe you already detected that J). I can teach you some propeller basics that you can use to help gather information about your prop. With this basic information you may be able to explain to yourself differences in performance that you see while testing different props. Propellers are measured in “pitch” inches. The pitch of a blade is equal to the distance that blade will move forward when turned 1 revolution in a solid material. So let’s say, for example, we have a 10-inch pitch prop and we turned it one revolution in something like Jell-O where there is no slip, as you can easily imagine happens in water. A 10-inch pitch prop will move forward 10 inches with that single turn. OK, now you are going to ask, “How fast will that 10-inch pitch prop go?” To answer this we need some additional information and we need to make one big, yet reasonable, assumption. That assumption is that there is no slip. It turns out that in hydroplanes there is not much slip, so to get a first order answer we are going to assume it is zero slip. How fast we go will depend on how fast we are spinning that prop. To know this, we need to know how fast your engine is running, or the RPMs (revolutions per minute). Let’s assume we have a Yamato that runs 6900 RPM at the end of the chute and we want to guess how fast this 10-inch pitch prop will go. We need to know the gear ratio, because the prop turns slower than the engine. In most Yamatos, the prop speed is 93.3% (14/15 gear ratio) of the engine RPM. So the prop is turning 6438 RPM when the engine is at 6900 RPM. Therefore, each minute it moves 64,380 inches forward (6438x10). In an hour it moves 60 times that or 3,862,800 inches. A mile has 5,280ft X12 inches = 63,360 inches. So in an hour, this engine and prop will go 3,862,800 inches/63,360 inches/mile or 60.966 miles; or, more simply, 61 miles/hour. This calculation can be simplified to speed in MPH = RPM x Pitch x Gear Ratio x 0.000947.
If we want to go faster, there are only two things we can change in this example. We can make the engine run at a higher RPM by getting more power some way and/or we can increase the pitch. In this example, if the pitch were 10 ½ inches and the RPM stayed the same, we would be going 64.1 mph! You can quickly appreciate now how important pitch is! However, often when you increase the pitch, the maximum RPM will drop because it takes more HP to spin it. To get a good understanding of racing propellers, you need speed and RPM data when testing. The gear ratios for some common motors are listed below. You can find this information in APBA’s spec sheets for your particular engines. In the old days, more than one gear ratio was legal on some motors. Yamato102/302 14/15 = 0.933 OMC 14/19 = 0.737 Merc Bs and 25XS 16/21 = 0.762 This is all nice and simple, except props don’t come in a nice 10-inch pitch like my example. Real props have a generally low pitch at their leading edge, and get higher in pitch as you move from leading to trailing edge; 9 inches to 13 inches, for example. So now we are getting into the “mystery” of propellers. What pitch props do you have? They are never marked this way. Sometimes they have a stamp on the hub that may say “11” or “12,” for example. But if you measure it you will find it is all over the place—like my example, 9-13 inches; and worse yet, each blade can be slightly different. How do you know the pitch of what you have in your prop box? Some guys just test them on the water and keep good records. For me, I want to measure the prop’s pitch and I keep performance data on each. To do this you need a pitch gauge that measures pitch anyplace on the blade and tells you in inches what the pitch is at that spot. In order to do this, the pitch scale or reading scale must be set at a specific radius out on the prop. If your pitch gauge is not set to read at specific radii, it is not accurate; and the numbers cannot be used in the calculations I have made here. Adams Racing (me) sells a pitch gauge that is accurate at 1-, 2-, and 3-inch radius (Figure 10). (Ed. note: other pitch gauges are available.) Once you know the pitch of the blades, you can begin to understand why some props work better than others. High pitch numbers are like “high” gear in your car and low pitch numbers are like “low” gear. One is faster; the other accelerates harder. Once you have mastered reading pitches and can always pick the best prop, you will be able to write a book and make a lot of money. The number of blades, blade area and blade diameter also affect performance. Testing and recording speeds and RPM are very important to developing a good understanding of your props. Understanding props is a lifelong challenge for racers J.
Remember, the single most important thing in boat racing (besides having fun and staying safe) is the propeller. It is also the least understood J. Figure 10. Adams Racing Pitch Gauge. Notice that the pointer angle shows pitches of 6, 12 and 18 inches depending on the radius being measured. What is the most important part of the propeller? This is another question where you will get every answer under the sun. But let me give you some information about area of work being done by a propeller. The propeller pushes you forward by pushing an area of water backward. The outer part of a prop blade covers a bigger area or pushes more water than the inner part of the blade. Look at Figure 11 for an example. A prop 7 inches in diameter is divided into 1-inch rings. You can see that the area of water pushed by the outer 1 inch of the prop is 49% of the total area while the 1.5 to 2.5 inch area is only 33%. So, most of the work is being done at the outer radius of the prop. Figure 11. A 7-inch diameter propeller area chart. How do I make a “quick change” to a prop? It is not uncommon to see an old guy at a race take a brass or dead blow hammer to a prop placed on his trailer ball! All kinds of stories are told about the prop that set a record or won a race after an owner made a few whacks on a trailer ball. Be careful if you do this and make small changes rather than big ones. Remember, you could make the prop better or worse doing this J.
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SUITED FOR SAFETY BY // DON (ELI) WHITNEY, APBA SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN 2016 is in the books. A new season is beginning, and with that, let’s look back to the beginning of 2016. Our safety rules got a couple of additions which created quite a challenge for racers, officials, and race committees alike. First, a rule specifically for drivers strapped into safety cell equipped hulls (Inboard, OPC, and PRO): they have to utilize, at a minimum, one-way audio communication with a spotter on the shore. All of these drivers complied, starting with the earliest events on the calendar in March. Officials, though, had to come up with a system to ensure the communication was actually happening and each hull on the water indeed conformed. Thus, the spotter corral and sign-in sheet came about. These turned out to be quite efficient and effective, while keeping things simple. Good job—made it work, and it’s not going away. Second, race course definition got some added attention, and here race committees and their race officials (read that referees/risk managers) were put to work. Outside course markers were now more noticeable; a definite quantity and placement requirements were specified; and minimum distances to spectator areas and land features not only increased—their placement had to be verified by measurement.
Race sites and referees/risk managers stepped up to this task, using range-finding equipment to verify distances, and good communication with enforcement personnel to keep spectators at their marked viewing areas. A side benefit of this effort: it is a lot easier for the spectator to understand where the race course is, because they can more easily see not only the inside course markers (turn buoys, starting line buoys), but the outside limits of the oval, adding to the viewing experience. Makes it easier for a driver to not go out of bounds, too! All in all, successful efforts, and this ain’t going away, either. In the last issue you saw some news of our sport giving back to the community: Box 21, the Region 6 Inboard safety team, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, was on duty at the Inboard Nationals—Quake on the Lake at Waterford, Michigan’s Pontiac Lake race site in July. The racing was inexplicably held up; turns out the delay occurred when a couple of people on a nearby island were injured (something about trees, jetskis, horseplay, and jumping into the lake). Responding sheriff’s deputies requested EMT aid from the race control, as Box 21 personnel were closest to the accident scene. Box 21 provided emergency aid and transported one person to the shore, and transferred her to the on-duty ambulance, after which transport to the appropriate hospital occurred. Once this task was completed, Box 21 resumed their duty posts, and racing resumed. This is a great example of community service from our sport, and Box 21 is congratulated on their competent and quick work in this emergency. Kudos! In closing, remember the holiday season is upon us, so be careful. Celebrate safely—be there for the new year!
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RACE CALENDAR REGION 3 6/3/2017 to 6/4/2017
Greenwood Lake Spring Race West Milford , NJ - Greenwood Lake
9/16/2017
Inboard
New Jersey State Championships Roxbury, NJ - Lake Hopatcong
Inboard
REGION 4 10/29/2016 to 10/30/2016
Tabor City, NC 2016 Halloween Regatta Lake Tabor PRO Outboard, Modified Outboard, Stock Outboard, Junior Classes
REGION 5 11/19/2016 to 11/20/2016 11/19/2016 to 11/20/2016 3/3/2017 to 3/5/2017 5/20/2017 to 5/21/2017
Tavares Fall Thunder Regatta Tavares, FL - Lake Dora Englewood Beach Waterfest/OPA Worlds Englewood Beach, FL - Gulf of Mexico
Special Events Offshore, Superlight Tunnels
Orange Cup Regatta Lakeland, FL - Lake Hollingsworth Stuart Sailfish Regatta - 5th Year Anniversary Stuart, FL - Indian River Lagoon Inboard, Outboard Performance Craft
REGION 7 6/17/2017 to 6/18/2017
Whiskey City Regatta Lawrenceburg, IN - Ohio River
Outboard Performance Craft
REGION 11 10/29/2016 to 10/30/2016
Lake Minden Halloween Spooktacular. Inboard, PRO, Junior Classes 3 days of points in 2 for Stock, MOD, PRO and J Classes Modified Outboard, Nicolaus, CA - Lake Minden Stock Outboard, Outboard Performance Craft
REGION 12 10/29/2016 to 10/30/2016
Parker 336 Enduro Parker, AZ - Colorado River
Special Events, Inboard Endurance
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Class 7 racers Hangin’ N Bangin’ hold a 9-point lead after a 3rd and two 2nd place finishes.
OPA HITS THE WATER Port Huron, MI - Fall River, MA – Lake Hopatcong, NJ BY // CHRIS REINDL • PHOTOS BY PAUL KEMIEL OPA finished its Michigan swing on a beautiful afternoon in at Sarnia, Canada/ Port Huron, Michigan August 14th. Then teams headed to Michael Lund’s Bordenlight Marina in Fall River, Massachusetts Aug. 28th, and finally Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey Sept. 25th—where OPA throttleman Jay Muller rolled out the red carpet for all his fellow racers at his hometown lake. “The fans came out in droves on both sides of the river; these races are great for both towns here,” said Vince Nova, a young but knowledgeable fan who came to the Port Huron race site from Concord, Michigan sporting his Synergy Prototype and Stamping race jersey. The three races brought the total registered boats to 90, and it surely would have surpassed the century mark, but Hurricane Matthew had Ocean City, Maryland in its path. Officials had to cancel the event due to a hurricane for the second straight year. Thus the final race of the OPA National Championship will again be the first race of the Englewood Beach Waterfest OPA Championships on Saturday, November 19th. Let’s take a look at the individual classes and see how the battles are shaping up. In Class 1, Lightning Jacks has continued to dominate, winning all three races and another National Title. Fan favorite Batman – Here We Go has secured back-to-back Class 2 National titles with a second in Sarnia and the victory in Lake Hopatcong. While not yet official, Wazzup, winning five in a row, has all but secured the Class 3 Championship and will be looking to add HOC to their titles with another OPA Championship. They will have their hands full in Florida, as Strictly Business has had a fine year as well, and Repeat Offender should be dialed in by then in their first season in the boat. After Simmons Marine won their third race of the year in Sarnia, Saris Racing won their 3rd and 4th victories in the next two races, giving them a 105-point edge in Class 4 going into the final. Edward J Painting is in 3rd, followed by Wicked Racing 2.
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With 16 registered boats, Class 5 has had epic battles all year. Reindl Powerboats/Synergy Prototype and Stamping grabbed an early lead and held on in Port Huron. Jeannette Allred moved to the throttleman seat in Fall River where they finished third, putting them just 3 points behind last year’s Hall of Champions inductees in the Wazzup 2 boat. Josh Wall and Dale Wright have the most dialed-in boat right now, taking second in Sarnia before back-toback wins at the next two races. It must be noted that Wazzup 2 was leading both races before small issues forced them retire early. They are working on an additional gas tank, after their massive power plant left them a little short. It is going to be one heck of a finale in Englewood. In Class 6 the most impressive boat of the year on their way to their first Stuggots Cup is You Gun Learn. They took second in Port Huron and won Lake Hopatcong. With wins in Port Huron and Fall River, Smith Brothers Racing is in a solid second place, followed by Reindl Powerboats/Early Detection Racing, where drivers Brian Munro and David McNulty both got second place trophies in Fall River and Lake Hopatcong, respectively. Class 7 has had its share of amazing races this year as well. Hangin’ N Bangin’ holds a 9-point lead after a 3rd and two 2nd place finishes. Bay Rat, after a win in Lake Hopatcong, is right behind them followed by the hottest team in the class. Done Deal has caught fire lately, finishing the last race second, after 3 straight victories, moving them ahead of On a Mission and into third place. In Extreme Class, Cat Can Do/American Ethanol finished second in Port Huron behind Wicked Sensation, while Alex and Ani took the checkered flag in Fall River, leaving just 2 points between them heading to Florida. Miss Geico is in third. In Super Stock, FJ Propellers has a slight edge over Double Edge Motorsports; Above & Beyond Roofing is in third. The Super Cat National title will be settled in Florida as the top four teams—
In Class 6 You Gun Learn, the most impressive boat of the year on the way to their first Stuggots Cup.
Batman – Here We Go secured back-to-back Class 2 National titles. Extreme Class, Cat Can Do/ American Ethanol finished second in Port Huron in a very close points race.
Performance Boat Center, Cleveland Construction, Warpaint and HP Mafia—are all within 11 points of each other. We Haul Boats.com won Super Vee Light and a National Championship in Sarnia over Octane and BoatFloater.com. This OPA class is quickly growing. Typhoon won Fall River, and Woah Mama took the flag at Lake Hopatcong where Class 7 team Done Deal also brought their new SVL to play with the always-fun Tug It Baby! group. In Lake Hopatcong, the hometown team of Big Momma Mullnhill scored the win, tying them with Hampton for the year’s lead; Herb Moore moved into a 2nd place tie with Playcraft. I can’t wait for the National Championships in Englewood, Florida Nov. 19-20. While the battles in some of these classes has been off the charts, the camaraderie and willingness to help each other before the races is what truly makes this group special, and a lot of fun to race with. Anyone interested in racing this year or next, please give us a call and come check it out first-hand. Chris Reindl has built, raced and leased offshore race boats since the late 1990s. His race boat leasing program and corporate team-building events have introduced thousands to the world of offshore powerboat racing. He has throttled for 6 World Championship teams with six different drivers. For more information on leasing boats at any race or for a corporate event, visit www. reindlpowerboats.com or call Chris at 702-228-2628.
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A LABOR OF LOVE
Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta PHOTOS BY F. PEIRCE WILLIAMS
E-102 TIJUANA TAXI, a 1966 Hallet 280 class hydroplane, owned by Jay Marshall of Baton Rouge, LA.
Since Dan and Debbie Joseph started the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta 10 years ago, it has been a labor of love. Participants and fans love beautiful Vintage boats, the chance to celebrate them with friends, and the thrill of powerful engines rocketing across the water. The 3-day Labor Day weekend regatta also spreads the love to the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Wheeling, having donated over $50,000 to the charity over the past 10 years. A total of 38 Vintage raceboats—32 running and some on display— graced the 3-day event. Registration on Friday was followed by the annual VIP and Sponsor Dinner. There, the Henry Lauterbach Excellence in Power Boat Racing Awards (right) are presented each year to those who have contributed to the sport. The 2016 recipients are John Mason of Washington D.C. and Robert Theoret of Valleyfield, Quebec. Congratulations to both. The dinner kicked off a wonderful weekend of Vintage heats on Saturday and Sunday. The 2016 Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta was another family-friendly event with live music, raffles and giveaways, plenty of activities for kids, and a great view of all those beautiful boats.
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Vintage Chairman John Krebs and Wheeling Regatta co-founder Debbie Joseph.
Steve Webster of Reading, PA drives his 280 Hydroplane E-888 MISS NEW JERSEY. H-202 HEAVY DUTY, a 1964 Lauterbach 7 Litre/Grand Prix hydroplane owned by Gary Vore of Fort Myers, FL.
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Eric VanOver, headed straight to a win in 750CCMH. F. Peirce Williams photo
STOCK, MOD, J NATIONALS AT HINTON, WEST VIRGINIA
“A COMPLETE SUCCESS”
BY // JEFF AND CHRISTINE BREWSTER • PHOTOS BY JEAN TENNELL AND F. PEIRCE WILLIAMS A summer national championship has been my summer vacation for as long as I remember. Many travel to play in our oceans, tour our national parks or enjoy a Caribbean island; but I wouldn’t give up a week at the Nationals for any of them. As great an experience as this can be, it is even better when we are returning to a past race site. All the memories come flooding back of those times that we enjoyed so long ago, in a sleepy little town in the mountains of southern West Virginia, that explodes in population for one frantic week of excitement, drama and competition among the very finest our sport has to offer. Hinton, WV has been one of those places for many of us. Amazingly, the 2010 census counted only 2676 citizens, or about 676 families. Many are hidden away in the rural areas, but Hinton only encompasses three square miles—and a third of that is water! If you have ever been there, you would wonder how in the world the Carolina Virginia Racing Association (CVRA) ever pulled it off? The answer is simply the PEOPLE!—club members, race committee, townsfolk and the rest of us APBA members and our Jeff Brewster was pretty darn happy after winning 25SSH. F. Peirce Williams photo
families. In fact, all of us made it the success that it was. There are so many to thank, it would be impossible to fit here. All the way from CVRA Commodore Abby Pond to the person in the pickup boat, towing in a dejected racer when things went wrong on the race course. Incredible photographers like F. Pierce Williams and Jean Tennell captured the entire experience for many in pictures. Beautiful Bluestone Lake is one of my favorite Nationals race courses, with plenty of room for full field racing and perfect buoy placement. Mostly great water conditions all week made it a great venue for our competitors to go all out and, most importantly, race safe. As the week went on and the rainy days added up, the swollen creeks brought wood and debris to the lake. Thankfully, the race committee, under the wisdom of longtime referee Dave Augustine Sr., had kept pushing the program—days ahead of schedule. This determination allowed us to complete our Nationals; as we have seen in the past, this is so important for the success of a championship. Sure, it got a little sketchy sometimes with driftwood invading the backstretch at the end of the week, but it could have been so much worse if we had been running behind. Not only was there success in the racing during the day, but also in the evening. Of all the nightly events, my favorite is called “the Taste of the Regions”—maybe the best yet. We sampled delicious salmon from Pikes Place Market in Seattle, multiple varieties of “Ron’s Balls”, and fresh oysters and clams from our Long Island friends. There was so much food, it was impossible to sample it all. An added bonus this year was the amazing collection of boats, engines and memorabilia on display. I remember at least 10 boats from past Hinton Nationals that were brought in from all over. I especially enjoyed seeing some favorite engines of my childhood, the 20H Mercury and the Crescent Super C. The week culminated with a wonderful Finals banquet, with great food enjoyed by all. Those fortunate enough to take home an award will always value the artistic trophies made by Robin Shane, in the shape of the state of West Virginia. As with any great event, all the planning, hard work and enjoyment happens way too fast. Before we knew it, we were on our way home. Exhausted for sure, but nevertheless very, very happy that we were able to visit and experience all that Hinton has to offer once again. Memories to last a lifetime!
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Natalie Miskerik #5M and Ben Brabb #29M, racing J Runabout. Natalie went on to win the title! F. Peirce Williams photo 200MR Champion Peter Lauer gets a hug from Tim Sidor. Right: The hard-working judges’ stand officials. Jean Tennell photos
TOP 3 AT THE 2016 STOCK, MOD, AND JUNIOR NATIONALS IN HINTON, WVA, AUGUST 2-5 JUNIOR CLASSES J CLASS HYDRO 1. TYLER PRICE 2. CODY OLSON 3. COLE OLSON J CLASS RUNABOUT 1. NATALIE MISKERIK 2. TREY MARQUARD 3. ISABELLA HEARN AXH 1. NATE MITCHELL 2. CODY OLSON 3. COLE OLSON AXR 1. LAURA WHEELER 2. RYLAN CHEW 3. COLE OLSON
MODIFIED OUTBOARD 200CCMH 1. AMY SWEENEY 2. ANDY HANSEN 3. JEFFREY SCHEFFLER 200CCMR 1. PETER LAUER 2. DAVID BENNETT 3. NATE MITCHELL 250CCMR 1. SPENCER DAVIDSON 2. EDWARD HEARN 3. DARREN GALLAGHER 350CCMH 1. BRANDON BOYD 2. JOHN W. MAUCK 3. RICK MILLER 250CCMH 1. JOEL KIDDY 2. THOMAS SUTHERLAND 3. STEPHEN LISIUS
350CCMR 1. GARY HAMILTON 2. RICK MILLER 3. BRANDON BOYD 400CCMH 1. RICK MILLER 2. STEVE WHEELER 3. JEFF CARTER 500CCMH 1. RICK MILLER 2. SCOTT CLARK 3. JOE SILVESTRI 500CCMR 1. GEORGE LUCE 2. GARY HAMILTON 3. JEFF WILLIAMS 750CCMH 1. ERIC VANOVER 2. AUSTIN VANOVER 3. FRED HAUENSTEIN JR.
750CCMR 1. RODNEY TERZINSKI 2. BRIAN BOYD 3. GEORGE LUCE 850CCMH 1. AUSTIN VANOVER 2. DANIEL KORPE 3. ALEX POLIAKOFF 850CCMR 1. GEORGE LUCE 2. BRIAN PALMQUIST 3. JERRY DAVIDS SR.
STOCK OUTBOARD 20SSH 1. DANA HOLT 2. DONNY ALLEN 3. RYAN RUNNE 25SSH 1. JEFF BREWSTER 2. KYLE BAHL 3. DAVID W. YOUNG
25SSR 1. THOMAS NUCCIO 2. KYLE BAHL 3. MICHAEL YOUNG 300SSH 1. TERRY KERR 2. STEPHEN LISIUS 3. THOMAS SUTHERLAND ASH 1. ROB DIXON 2. ABBY POND 3. RYLAN CHEW ASR 1. RYAN RUNNE 2. PETER LAUER 3. BILLY SIMMONS BSH 1. DYLAN RUNNE 2. CALLIE SHENSKY 3. SPENCER DAVIDSON
BSR 1. EDWARD HEARN 2. PETER LAUER 3. TERRY KERR CSH 1. SCOTT CLARK 2. MARK MISKERIK 3. JOE PATER CSR 1. JOE PATER 2. DEAN SUTHERLAND 3. JESSE SWAIN DSH 1. DANIEL E. KORPE 2. RON MAGNUSON 3. BRANDON SUTTON
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HAMPTON CUP REGATTA Where Families Come Together BY // LEONARD BANKS
Tyler Price, 11-year-old Courtney Fike expressed her desire for competition and need for speed. “Competing against my friends makes racing fun for me; once you start, it feels like a family.” Now a seasoned sophomore J Hydro driver, Fike was ranked 31st nationally and 4th in the EPIC Series. She participated in five races in 2015. Fike’s father Larry, part of her hometown’s fire and rescue team, is her chief mechanic. Fans also got to see nationally known racers lke Scott Liddycoat, John Shaw and Scott Schatz in action. Taking two trophies in the Cracker Box class, Schatz, a California native, reflected, “(Cracker Box) is the oldest
J Hydro driver Courtney Fike: “It feels like a family.” Photos by L. Fike Photography
Every August for the last 91 years, families have gravitated to the oldest continuously running hydroplane race in North America—the Hampton Cup Regatta, on Mill Creek at the entrance to Fort Monroe. A site where national and world records are set, Hampton showcases racers from across the USA and Canada. Each year 25,000 to 30,000 race fans get the thrill of their lives as they watch some 80 flatbottoms, hydroplanes and Jersey Speed Skiffs attain speeds up to 150 mph. And Tony Black is one of the racers to watch there. It was love at first sight for four-time National/ one-time World Champion Tony Black. From the first moment he crewed for a hydroplane team out of Mt. Vernon, Ohio in the late 1970s to the recent Hampton Cup Regatta, racing has been part of his life. Black has been an avid driver for 34 years. “I told my girlfriend (now my wife) that one day I would drive hydroplanes—and if that’s something we could not agree on, we needed to go our separate ways,” Black said. As it turned out, after the Blacks were married, Tony bought his first race boat. Currently, the Ohio-born pilot drives for the Tom Newman Racing Team. Black drives the NM100 Sum Toy IV National Modified hydroplane. At 140 MPH and with a 368 cubic inch engine, National Modified is just behind the Grand National and Grand Prix classes in Inboard speed and power. Racing has become a family business, now that Tony’s son-in-law has become one of his competitors. Family ties are strong in boat racing. Kids race just as hard as the adults. Finishing with two 2nd place finishes on Saturday and a 2nd/3rd place on Sunday against National High Points leader
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Inboard class in the APBA, but it’s brand new to the Hampton Cup Regatta.” Kraig Cole is Race Vice-chairman in charge of bridge operations. Thrilled with the turnout of 30,000 over two days, he believes Hampton’s 12-class regatta offers fans the best in water racing. “We’ve got the best viewing areas on the East Coast,” Cole said. “We provide a quarter mile of viewing area on the bridge, and a quarter mile that leads down to the pits. Our viewing areas include elevated viewing platforms, and great views of the straightaways.” The hydroplane bug extends far beyond the realm of drivers and pit mechanics; it infects race sponsors too. Hampton resident and longtime boat sponsor Chris Bauman grew up near the shipyards of Norfolk, while his father was stationed in the Navy for 34 years. “I cut my teeth here,” Bauman said. “(Sponsoring boats) was a rite of passage; something you did; and I’ve never grown out of it. My dad continues to sponsor boats, and matches me dollar for dollar.”
Another avid racing fan/boat sponsor, and owner of Steel Standing, Randy Jackson has brought his entire family to the event for the last five years. “I started sponsoring a boat five years ago, and now it’s a family event with my wife and kids—we spend the weekend together, and just have a good time.” Based on the success of this year’s event, Hampton will also host the Eastern Divisionals and the National Championships in 2018 and 2019. For more information, visit www.hamptoncupregatta.com . Also see www. visithampton.com for information on other Hampton attractions including Fort Monroe Monument, Hampton History Museum, harbor tours and cruises, The American Theatre, and Virginia Air & Space Center. For complete results from the 2016 Hampton Cup, please visit www.apba.org/node/6928/results
Tony Black: drives Tom Newman’s NM-100 SUM TOY. Photos by F. Peirce Williams
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Duff Daily makes it look easy as he sets a new record in Grand National.
INBOARDS CRUSH IT STORY AND PHOTOS BY // MIKE AND DENISE JOHNSON As September and Northwest circle racing end, the Oregon speed freaks begin stirring, hosting yet another Devil’s Lake Time Trials (featuring the Rockey Stone Kilo and the John Myers Quarter Mile) in Lincoln City, OR. From around the country they have trekked over the years; Froelichs and Pavlichs, Kanfoush and Daily, Olsons and McKeans. From Quinault with tribal canoes and from Canada with jet turbine river boats, they join up with the West Coast core group: Nilsen and Myers, Peeters and Goehring, Hopp and Tietze, Wilde and Sorensen. All under the watchful eye of the Oracle of Straightaways, Bob Wartinger. Saturday dawned blustery. Despite less than ideal conditions, several boats made attempts. Three records were actually set (but would be broken Sunday) as the passing storm front ended activities for Saturday. As often happens at Devil’s Lake, the day after the storm provided the conditions that make this arguably the fastest water in the country—smooth water and dense, cool, sea-level air. Records began falling immediately. Several were crushed. On the quarter-mile, Ryan Gowin from Kent, WA upped the K PRO record to 55.317. Chad Burns from Grimshaw, Alberta established the Turbine Jet River Racer mark at 141.621. Donny Allen from Oshkosh, WI obliterated the 5 Litre standard at 129.032 (almost 18 mph!). Josh Harnack from Spokane Valley, WA increased the National Mod speed to 154.506. Duff Daily of Stuart, FL continued his world tour by blasting the K Racing Runabout record to 152.931 (almost 6 mph!). Duff also established a new Grand National mark at 110.633. Craig Selvidge raced outboards for many years. He has lived on Devil’s Lake for decades (the event essentially happens in front of his house). He built a runabout and had a 20H put together to establish the 250cc Mod Runabout record. When testing didn’t go well, Craig pulled his 1977 Nationals-winning ASR off the wall, added the 20H and Dan Wilde (Pleasant Hill, CA) to the cockpit —and the combination established the record at 59.036. Records were set on the kilometer track as well. Daily broke the K Racing Runabout record, upping it to 149.878. Burns took the Turbine Jet River Racer mark to 142.389. Allen smashed the 5 Litre standard as well, moving it to 134.310 (almost 10 mph). Three region quarter mile records were also established: Tay Diamond in K PRO and AXR, and newly minted CORA member Jim Sobol in CSH. Thus ended another speed weekend on the Oregon Coast. Looks like the full moon falls on October 4th next year—see y’all that weekend.
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Yes, that’s Duff Daily beating another mark in KRR by 6 MPH!
AT DEVIL’S LAKE! Despite a flip, Josh Harnack crushed it in National Modified at 154.906 MPH.
Donny Allen from Oshkosh, WI obliterated the 5 Litre record at 129.032 (almost 18 mph!).
Dan Wilde took Craig Selvidge’s 250cc Mod Runabout to a new 59.036 MPH mark.
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SST 120 competition #94 Rusty Wyatt, #20 Ashton Rinker. John Hering photo
Records and Racing and Demos…Oh MY
IT’S REGATTAFEST! Five years ago, Powerboat Superleague brought together a dedicated group of local volunteers to answer the question: “Could nationally (APBA) sanctioned powerboat racing and record-setting opportunities return to the New Martinsville, West Virginia/Duffy, Ohio area?” Understanding the challenging logistics, the small sponsorship arena, while taking into consideration the tradition of racing in the communities (since 1938) and the overwhelming enthusiasm of area residents, the initial response was a cautious but definitive—”Yes.” Since that initial planning session, the group has successfully created RegattaFest, a festival encompassing both shores of the Ohio River that offers a full weekend of fun for fans, families and participants. New Martinsville has reclaimed its rightful place in the world of APBA/ UIM powerboat events, allowing teams to set or create ¼ mile national and world speed records (a grand total of 87+ current records) and an opportunity to race for valuable APBA points and purse. These sanctioned advantages have allowed teams to enter the Hall of Champions and add to their personal racing career CVs. Friday afternoon set the stage when three new records were set by Amy Sweeney, Tom Johnston and Paul Nichols. Saturday and Sunday were race days with 30 boats, two classes from the OPC category, two classes from the Inboard category as well as demos from hometown drivers/owners Dave Kappel and Jack Wolf in the Vintage category. Earning sufficient points over the two-day weekend to take the contested Superleague points chase to a tie, Jeff Reno (OPC/SST 120) stood at the podium in first place, followed by Lee Daniel and Ashton Rinker; while Toby Hood added five more points than Carole Reno to break the SST 60 tie. The GNH teams gave everyone heart-stopping moments as the contenders rocked the water; #83 piloted by Scott Liddycoat narrowly bested the competition. The margin of victory was equally narrow in the SE class, as Jim Clauss defeated the rest of the field by a 00:05.38. This year (2016) Unlimited hydroplanes returned to the storied stretch of the Ohio River when the Vintage teams, headed by Bill Black and Jay Armstrong, accepted the invitation to be a part of the fifth anniversary Record-setter Tom Johnston. Sherron Winer photo
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celebration of RegattaFest. The hills echoed with the sweet sound of aircraft engines as the U-55 and U-1 fired up for the first time in 54 years. New fans and older generations had the opportunity to see or remember the scope, size and sound of the “big boats.” As they entered the course, the expectant crowd readied cameras and then watched, some with tears, as with each increasing demo lap the grand ladies of racing increased speed and the famous wall of water began to build. APBA racing exists in a number of adrenalin-pushing categories and classes, but if you break everything down to the most basic parts, it’s all the same: a passion for speed on the water, an often inexplicable love for the sport. During the last weekend in September, racing in New Martinsville/Duffy brought disparate disciplines together to showcase what happens when a dedicated all-volunteer group of area citizens embraced the concept and invited everyone to grab a spot on the riverbank, stroll down Main Street, visit with friends and neighbors, and enjoy all that RegattaFest had to offer.
Bill Black in his Vintage Unlimited Hydroplane, the U 55 GALE V. John Hering photo
SST 60 driver Toby Hood takes a victory lap! John Hering photo
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What a season! Here the U-5, U-1 and U-7 rumble. Facing page: Jimmy Shane with son Colton. Paul Kemiel photos
COMEBACK SHANE! They did it! Once again the City of Madison, Indiana can be proud of their U-1 Miss Madison, aka Miss HomeStreet Bank. Jimmy Shane drove the U-1 to victory at HomeStreet Bank Regatta on Mission Bay, San Diego Bayfair—the U1 Unlimited season finale. That win clinched Shane’s season High Points championship—for the third year in a row. 2016 was an exciting, lead-swapping, competitive season throughout. H1 Unlimited tells the San Diego story September 16-18: FRIDAY: Rookie Andrew Tate in the U-9 Delta/Realtrac grabbed the top qualifying spot with a 160.972 MPH lap. Jimmy Shane in the U-1 Miss HomeStreet gathered in second place with a 159.900 MPH lap, with J. Michael Kelly in the U-5 Graham Trucking in third place at 158.061 MPH. SATURDAY - HEAT 1A: Kevin Eacret in the U-99.9 Miss Rock grabbed a surprise win over Shane, Kelly and Tom Thompson’s U-11 Peters & May who all jumped the gun. Unfortunately, it was Eacret’s lone heat of racing on the weekend, as the only engine they had tightened up and they withdrew to save further damage. HEAT 1B: Andrew Tate started off an almost perfect weekend with the first of three heat wins over Brian Perkins’ U-21 All Access Equipment, Jeff Bernard in the U-7 Graham Trucking and Cal Phipps’ U-27 Dalton Industries. Phipps DNF’d after getting washed down before the start. SUNDAY- HEAT 2A: Tate once again grabbed first place over J. Michael Kelly, Tom Thompson and Cal Phipps. Phipps once more ran into trouble—this time with flagrant N2 and fuel flow fouls—and earned a DSQ. HEAT 2B: Jimmy Shane had a relatively easy run to victory over Jeff Bernard and Brian Perkins. HEAT 3A: Andrew Tate once more led the field home, with Jimmy Shane second and J. Michael Kelly third. HEAT 3B: Perkins and Thompson battled the entire heat, but both jumped the gun, leaving Bernard to collect the win. Thompson gathered no points after violations were discovered in the tech truck. FINAL HEAT: During scoreup, Tom Thompson ingested salt water in a scrum on the backstretch. At the start, Bernard jumped the gun trying to leapfrog a very slow rest of the field. Kelly led Shane and Tate around the first turn, but Shane started to pull away slightly on the backstretch. Brian Perkins turned sharply left into a roostertail at the entrance to turn 2 on the first lap due to a broken rudder bracket. He soon retired with engine trouble. J. Michael Kelly slid wide into Jimmy Shane’s roostertail in turn 1 of lap 2, shearing off the saltwater snorkel and right upright. He turned slowly left into the infield, but recovered to continue at full speed. Shane took the HomeStreet Bank San Diego Bayfair win and the 2016 H1 High Points Championship with Tate 2nd, Kelly 3rd, Thompson 4th and Bernard 5th. There is cheering in Madison...
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SST 120 drivers Jeff Reno #34 and Mark Jakob #7 in hot competition.
POWERED UP FOR 2016 BY // POWERBOAT NATIONALS • PHOTOS BY PAUL KEMIEL The 2016 Powerboat Nationals first of four stops saw the largest fleet of SST 120s in recent years as 14 pilots battled for the chance to be crowned APBA’s North American Champion during the 6th annual Huntington Classic Regatta on the Ohio River in Huntington, West Virginia July 22-24. Toby Hood after his win. Paul Kemiel photo
Toby Hood (#1) won the North American Championship in SST 60 and Jayme Durand won her first career race in Super Sport. Steve Merleau (#66) won in the SST 45 class, while Jeff Reno (#34) took the top spot in SST 120, besting Mark Jakob (#383), Rusty Wyatt (#94) and the rest of the 14-boat field.
It was the second consecutive year that Huntington hosted the SST 60 and SST 120 North American Championships at Harris Riverfront Park. The three-day Huntington Classic featured a full weekend of concerts, fireworks, carnival rides and other events to entertain several thousand spectators. The second stop took teams to Ravenswood, WV August 6-8, where the Constellium Ohio River Grand Prix title was up for grabs. Toby Hood (#1) came out on top again in SST 60, while Chip Wavro took the top spot in Super Sport. Lee Daniel powered his #2 Pugh boat to the win in SST 120, besting runner-up Jeff Reno (#34) and third place John Ludwig (#98) for the title. Fast forward a week and many of the same race teams were in Rising Sun, Indiana August 12-14. Huntington’s runner-up Mark Jakob (#7) claimed the Grand Prix of Indiana in SST 120, followed by Lee Daniel (#2) and Rusty Wyatt (#94). Tim Seebold (#16) was the man to watch in SST 200. When the flag dropped, Tim led the entire race to be crowned SST 200 North American 24 \ \
Champion. Mark Jakob (#7) took second and Jeff Reno (#34) finished in third. The SST 45 North American Championship was awarded to RJ West (#93) with Amanda Hagerl (#4) in second and Mark Schmerbauch (#6) in third. In SST 60, Toby Hood (#1) took the checkered flag again. Sam LaBanco (#44) in his first race this year after repairing his boat, took 2nd with Carole Reno (#16) landing a solid third. Finishing up the weekend were the Super Sports. Chip Wavro (#33) beat rookie Jayme Durand (#9) to the finish line, with Florida native Gary Harris (#180) in third place. Powerboat Nationals finished up its 2016 season Labor Day weekend in Shreveport, LA where 56 entries in many classes gathered for the first true APBA OPC Nationals in several years. Here are the final results: POWERBOAT NATIONALS - Grand Prix of Louisiana 2016 OPC Nationals - Shreveport, LA, Mon. Sept. 5: SST 120 SST 45 1. LEE DANIEL 1. MARK J. SCHMERBAUCH 2. MARK JAKOB 2. ROBERT J. WEST 3. ASHTON RINKER 3. RUBEN ASCENCIO III 4. JEFF RENO 4. SPENCER LOVE 5. JEFF VASKO 5. COLIN CROSS SST 60 FORMULA 150 1. CAROLE RENO 1. DUSTIN TERRY 2. TOBY HOOD 2. TIM SEEBOLD 3. SAM LABANCO 3. TRACY HAWKINS 4. JEFF KRISCHANO 4. JEFF SHEPHERD 5. GORDON DOWNARD 5. LEE DANIEL SST 200 FORMULA 1 1. ASHTON RINKER 1. TIM SEEBOLD 2. AARON WACHHOLZ 2. GREG FOSTER 3. MERVIN BJORK 3. TERRY RINKER 4. JOHNNY FLEMING 4. ROBERT RINKER 5. TRACY HAWKINS
From top, the SST 45 start; SST 45 North American Champion R.J. West; SST 200 North American Champion Tim Seebold, Lee Daniel (inset) and the SST 120 start at Rising Sun. Paul Kemiel photos
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CATEGORY CORNER
Start of AXH at Hinton, West Virginia: Cody Olson 1S, Rylan Chew 2H, David Woodle 43B, Kierra Marquard 150R. Jean Tennell photo
JUNIOR CLASSES
BY // PATRICK GLEASON, JUNIOR CLASSES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Another season of J racing has come to a close, and unless you are in Region 12 or Region 5, your J equipment is probably tucked away for the winter, hopefully in a warm, dry place. Whether you won or lost, I hope you had a great time competing, and learned a lot during your 2016 racing season.
One of the big things we learned at the Hinton Nationals this year is that we need more J Championship props. We are working hard on trying to get more for the 2017 season, and hope to have something to announce about this at the APBA National Meeting in January.
Some of you may have ideas or suggestions on how to improve J racing in APBA. If you have suggestions, please feel free to send them along to me. While not everybody’s idea can be implemented, we on the J Committee are always interested in listening to your input. I will be happy to pass any ideas or suggestions along to the members of the J Committee to review and discuss.
Finally, don’t forget the APBA J Scholarship Program! Each year, deserving former J drivers can be eligible to win a one-time scholarship of up to $1000 to go toward their higher education. There is an application on the APBA Web site. Maybe you, or a former J driver you know, will be headed off to college soon—or maybe are already in college. If you have not yet taken advantage of this great program, now is the time to get that
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application filled out and submitted. Remember, the deadline for applying is January 1. And, if you have benefitted from the fund, or know a driver who has, we encourage you to send in your donation to keep these scholarships available for other upcoming and deserving APBA members. Thanks, and see you in January in Los Angeles at the APBA National Meeting!
MODIFIED OUTBOARD BY // TOM SUTHERLAND, MODIFIED OUTBOARD CHAIRMAN After fighting the wind at Wakefield last year, many of us had to race in the rain this year in order to crown our 2016 National Champions in Hinton, WV. We had five first-time National Champions this year. Joel Kiddy was a first-time champion in 250MH, while Brandon Boyd edged out longtime racer John Mauck for the 350MH title. In 250MR, Spencer Davidson beat last year’s champion Ed Hearn, and in 350MR Gary Hamilton was able to keep last year’s winner Dr. Rick Miller at bay. Longtime racer Rod Terzinski won the 750MR crown.
won the title in 500MR. This was the second year for Mercury wins in 500MH. Besides Luce, Rick Miller was also a double winner, winning National Championships in 500MH and in the struggling 400MH class. Peter Lauer won the title in 200MR, beating defending champion David Bennett. In 750MH Eric VanOver defeated his son, defending champion Austin VanOver. Austin went on to become the 850MH National Champion. For all of the rest of us, maybe next year’s Nationals—wherever that may be.
Repeat winners this year were Amy Sweeney, who made it look too easy in 200MH; and George Luce, who was a repeat winner in 850MR. George also Rick Miller was a double winner at the Nationals. Jean Tennell photo
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INBOARD
BY // JAMES SECHLER, INBOARD CHAIRMAN For those of you who may not already know, Mark Weber resigned as Chairman of the Inboard category in order to pursue other personal/professional interests. Mark cares far more for our category than most would ever know and he realized that, with all his other obligations, he could not spend the time needed as the Inboard Chairman. He has served as Chairman for the last 4.5 years, guiding our category through the some of the roughest times in recent memory. The IRC and the Inboard category owe Mark a huge thanks for all his hard work. I was elected by the voting members of the IRC to finish out the remainder of Mark’s term, ending after the 2017 season. I would also like to thank the IRC for their support in electing me. I will do my best to earn the respect of the membership and the next IRC. For those of you whom I have not met, I have served on the IRC for the last 11 years, been the Chairman of the Inboard Technical committee for nine years, and have been the Chief Inboard Inspector for the last two years. I also owned a little yellow One Litre that won a few races over the years! I’m hoping my experience over the last decade will help me as I work along with the IRC to make our category better. I do not plan on making any major position changes, as I believe the people we now have in place are doing a very good job. Sandy Cody has agreed to continue serving as our Inboard Administrator; Ann Fitzgerald has agreed to continue helping out with the all our National awards, the poster project, and supporting the Inboard Banquet. Mark Weber will still serve as the head of the Dayton School Boat program, and has also agreed to help with the administration of the new 5 Litre Classic class. Jeff Bernard will still serve as head of the Safety Committee, JP Squires has agreed to continue the administration of the Rookie of the Year Award, and finally, Kim Liddycoat will continue working with both APBA and the hotel staff to put on our Inboard banquet. Once the new Commission has been established and I have more time to discuss the other positions with people, I will choose the remaining committee Chairpersons.
As I am taking on this new role, Greg Isaac has agreed to take over as Technical Committee Chairman, and Brian Hajny has agreed to serve as Chief Inspector. Both Brian and Greg have been around racing for a long time, and can bring a lot of knowledge and experience to these committees. While I am still working on how best to prioritize all the tasks at hand, I do have some general ideas regarding how I would like our commission to operate over the next year. I think the goal of the commission should be to remove as many roadblocks as possible in order to increase membership and the number of places to race. One way I think this can be done is to go through the rule book and update or get rid of some of the outdated rules. We must follow our rule book, but I have been to so many races over the last few years where our Race Committees and Officials have been handcuffed by rules within our rulebook, making it much harder to run the race. This is where the membership and Race Committees can be a big help. If there is a rule that makes putting on a race harder, I think we really need to take a look to see if the rule can be modified or removed. Clearly, we can’t make every change that is brought up but we should at least review and debate it so see if there is an alternative out there that could help. The 2017 Annual Meeting is fast approaching, so if you have any suggestions or ideas, now is the time to propose something so we can talk about it at the meeting. Again, if you plan to submit a rule proposal, make sure you ask yourself, “Is this rule in the best interest of boat racing and does it make putting an event on easier or harder?” then only submit proposals that make it easier. Based on my experience as Tech Committee Chairman, I realize that leading any committee or commission isn’t the best way to make friends. Boat racers are passionate people and it can be hard to look at an issue from both sides. It’s my hope that even members who disagree with a particular action the IRC takes at least concede that it was done with the best intention for our category. Finally, I would like to personally thank Mark for all his support and effort of the last 4.5 years. His continued support is a huge relief for me as I transition into this new position. Good luck in whatever you pursue next, Mark! All the best in Racing. Jim Sechler APBA Inboard Chairman
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Mike Pavlick commands attention in 20SSH. Jean Tennell photo
STOCK OUTBOARD BY // JEFF BREWSTER, STOCK OUTBOARD CHAIRMAN As we close out the racing season and look forward to 2017, many memories come to mind. With our successful championship races in the books, we move on to the High Points race—and especially the battle for the three Stock Outboard spots in the Hall of Champions. Soon, we will be in Los Angeles to honor those that were the very best. Please plan on attending if you can. You definitely won’t regret the trip to celebrate with the champions. Many of us that attended our Taunton, Massachusetts race this fall are still dealing with the terrible loss of two of our fellow racers, Stephen Joy and Mark Greene.
As I look back on that tragic day, it gives me great relief to know that we as a group banded together so quickly and professionally to give the best possible care to our drivers only seconds after the accident, then dealing with the aftermath of media attention. The thoughtfulness continued— from throughout our entire country, donations poured in to help Mark Greene’s young family. (See https://www.gofundme.com/2xaa7jm4) I don’t believe I have ever been so proud of my racing family. For all of those involved, thank you. You are all an amazing group of people!
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Top-5 finishers of the rugged Cal-Ore race over Labor Day weekend: (L to R) Roger Sanderson, Justin Hood, Michael Dickson, Jude Hoestler and Buck McCovey. Jay Reese photo
REGION ROUNDUP REGION 5 Summer is officially over as of today (I am writing this on September 22nd) but since it is 94° outside...I rather doubt fall is just around the corner. However, this does mean that Region 5 is beginning to make plans for the “winter season” J. Our Fall Region meeting is November 6th, and we are already getting requests from members to be listed on the various ballots. We are fortunate to have good support for our Region positions and commissioners. The Region Meeting brings forth a lot of creative ideas and active discussions. I am told some people come just for the chocolate brownies, but I choose to believe it is for the ideas and discussions. The Spring Region Meeting will be held in February 2017. In past years it has been held in Temple Terrace, Florida. We do schedule Capsule Training the same morning as the meeting, which is held on a Sunday. The date has not been set yet but will be finalized at the Fall Region Meeting. If you need capsule training for competition this year and will not be attending the Fall Region Meeting, you can email me at jstitus2@ embarqmail.com after the Nov. 6th meeting and I can tell you the location and date for the capsule training in 2017. Plans are in place for the Classic Race Boat Association Vintage Event—Tavares Fall Thunder—on November 19-20. Bill John and Gerri Prusko work hard to make this a weekend you don’t want to miss. Jeff and I drove to Shreveport, La. over the Labor Day weekend to attend the OPC Nationals. My thanks to Dan
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Bunting and Brit O’Brien and their staff for putting this all together and giving OPC a National Championship event in one location again. They worked through many obstacles created by the flooding in Louisiana a few weeks before, and they pulled it off. We had a fun weekend, seeing many old friends and watching some very good races. Region 5 brought two championships home—Ashton Rinker of Tampa, Fla. in SST 200 and Carole Reno of Okeechobee, Fla. in SST 60. Carole has said she is retiring at the end of this year...NICE EXIT! My last Region article was about Carole kicking butt, and she did it again...YOU GO, GIRL! Jeff and I were part of the planning meeting this week for the March 3-5, 2017 Orange Cup Regatta. So put that one on your calendar, folks. Record course, lots of fun and Florida sunshine. And remember, this is located very close to Disney World, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens. You can’t beat that . Thanks again for listening... —Sally Titus REGION 10 Here’s a quick recap of the end of the Northwest’s racing season. Jim Codling gives us an update on the Seattle Inboard/Seattle Drag and Ski season wrap: “A long month of racing is now past; our region boarders are all packing up and heading home. It was great to see the Mauldin family back at the Inboard races, and they can bring young son Jacob with them to race in the Stock Outboard classes we are now running. Their boat continues to be very fast in the 5
Litre class with the new Foster 350 motor. “We ran at Oak Harbor in mid-August. It was a large community event right next to the Navy air base, and the place was packed. Race Chairman Lenny Baker rolled through the challenges of tide, crane placement, and water depth, but it went well. The Outboard contingent was large and fast with all the kid classes a crowd favorite. “The annual Black Lake race also went well, with Shawn Waters and his dad running a large and long 2-day event. Large crowds filled the viewing areas around the lake, and the Little Creek Casino sent courtesy vehicles back and forth to the event. It was nice to have the Squaxin Island tribe back aboard with the Little Creek Hotel / Casino as the main sponsors. As usual we knocked off a couple more records on the Russ Dodge course, and that makes 32 records set there over the years. “Seattle Inboard held a race in mid-September at Manson. Great weather, a cute little course, and the town has a very nice park viewing place. Twenty-five sponsors helped bring the event back to the town, with Julie Porter pushing the load all summer and John Walcker doing his usual job gathering workers, rooms and other race necessities for the 2-day event. A couple of boats found the water a little bumpy and suffered cracks and holes, but all went home safe. “All summer we have had visitors from around the country out here chasing points on fast race courses. It looked like they had a good time with our racers in Region 10. The flatbottom gang was fun to watch,
with the growing SE Class at every race and getting more and more hulls lined up for next season using the 350 engine. Dave Hooker has several more of the old Starfires located for folks to acquire for next season. “The Kilos followed, the first weekend in October down in Lincoln City, Oregon. See more in this issue. Time to head to the garage to start cleaning and rebuilding everything for next season.” Tacoma Inboard hosted two successful late season events in Pateros and Spanaway WA. TIRA’s Commodore Ana Cappelletti fills us in on their season: “It seems like one snap of the finger and the season is over. Tacoma Inboard has both of their races at the end of the season, which means a lot of preparation for the race chairmen and committees. We had our first race in Pateros the weekend of August 20th and 21st. What a great event we had. Tim Hamilton and Julie Porter and all of the volunteers made another great racing weekend! The spectator attendance was great and so was the boat turnout. We had 18 Vintage boats doing some great exhibition racing. They had to split up into three different classes. Thank you to all of the Vintage owners and drivers for your support! Also, a big shout out to our announcer Brad Luce, who got a ride in the E1 Calypso Too from owner/driver (father and son team) Frank and Jeff Schneider! I know Brad had an awesome time, as he stepped out of the boat smiling from ear to ear! Saturday’s racing offered some deck-to-deck competition in all the classes, especially 1 Litres and 5 Litres. Many have commented all season on how great it was to watch our very own Jeff Bernard, Mike Kelly and Jimmy Shane battling one another not only in Unlimiteds, but also in the 1 Litre class. Josh Culver really hung in there and gave all of those boys a run for their money. It was some of the most exciting racing all weekend! On Sunday, Mother Nature had other plans for us. We got an early start and almost got through our first run-through of the schedule, but then got blown At the Seattle Outboard race at Angle Lake Sept. 10-11, Daren Goehring and Ron Magnuson carried flags in a moving 9/11 tribute. Matt Yarno photos
out and called it a weekend! Big congratulations to Josh Culver, who received the Terry Troxell Award for driving the boat like a true champ! Terry would have been very proud of you, Josh! Very deserving! “Three weeks later we had our annual Spanaway race September 10th and 11th on Spanaway Lake. The weather really cooperated for the Compton Lumber and Hardware presents 2016 Western Divisionals/ Yapachino Memorial Regatta. Sue and her volunteers came on Friday to set up the pit area, place boats in the pits and get ready for more exciting racing among those fighting for another title. This is the second to last race of the season, so not only is everyone fighting for a Divisional title, but also clinching National High Points and class championships. Sunday, 9/11, was a day to remember our fallen heroes. We had a ceremony with a moment of silence for those we have lost, including our fellow racers who lost their lives back east at an outboard race. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the family, friends and racing family that are involved. I don’t think that there was a dry eye in the house as we all stood there watching our flag wave and hearing the beautiful voice of our very own Cheryl Waters. “Tacoma Inboard would like to wish Greg Sheard a speedy recovery as his boat went flying in the first turn. It was a pretty hard crash, but he got checked out and sent home the same day with minor injuries. His boat may not be saying the same thing, but as we say, ‘Boats can be repaired, but drivers cannot.’ Kip and Stephanie Hucik presented the Yapachino Memorial Award perpetual trophy to this year’s recipient, J Michael Kelly! Congrats on another great race and season! “ One of our final events of the Northwest season was the venerable fall classic, Mahogany and Merlot. The team of Jon and Chris Courtright and John Walcker, plus David Williams of the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, again hosted what has become the largest stand-alone APBA Vintage event west of the Mississippi River. Five
Vintage Unlimiteds and 19 Vintage Inboards made the trip to beautiful Chelan, Washington. They put on a show for hundreds of spectators who came to enjoy vintage race boats, vintage wooden classic boats, and classic cars all in one venue. It’s a great way to end the racing season. Ron Morrison provides us with details on this fine event: “The October 1st and 2nd Mahogany and Merlot Regatta on Lake Chelan capped the 2016 Vintage Division racing season in Region 10. The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum sponsors this event each year. It is the largest vintage hydroplane regatta in the western United States, and unique in bringing Vintage Unlimited hydroplanes and Vintage Inboard hydroplanes together at one event. The growth of the event is noteworthy this year, displaying greater support from the Campbell Resort, the City of Chelan and a range of local businesses. “And then there are the boats, the feature attraction. Along with five Vintage Unlimiteds brought over from Seattle, 22 Vintage Inboards, all from Region 10, were on site. These ranged from the smallest—a 48 class hydro—to supercharged 7 Litres. Eighteen Inboard hydros actually ran on the course. They were divided into 4 groups: ‘smalls,’‘medium-sized cabovers,’ ‘medium-sized conventionals’ and ‘larges.’ Each group (4 to 6 boats) ran two race format display heats each day. The display heats—roostertaiis and much side by side running—along with the Vintage Unlimited activity on the course—made for nearly continuous action 10 AM to 3 PM each day. The crowd—yes, there was a good crowd—was engaged and enthusiastic. “I cannot leave this summary without mentioning the location. Lake Chelan is nestled in the eastern edge of Washington State’s Cascade Mountain range. The racecourse has ideal spectator viewing from high above the course. The spectators also enjoy a spectacular panorama of mountain scenery looking around and across the lake. “If, as they say, ]the proof is in the pudding,’ then M and M is good stuff. For anyone interested in or connected to Vintage hydroplanes, it is the place to be! Next year, 2017, Mahogany and Merlot is scheduled for October 7th and 8th.” Seattle Outboard finished with something old and new in 2016...a new race at Angle Lake, just south of Seattle (one of those little lakes just beyond the
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What a great surprise to be at Manson, Washington and discover two wonderful days of hydroplane racing! —Bob Cerelli, Cerelli Photography
landing path at Sea-Tac airport) and their traditional season-ending mega-race at Lawrence Lake near Yelm, WA. The weather gods offered up a mixed bag this year: nice Friday testing; clouds, wind and a little rain on Saturday; and dynamite weather on Sunday. Big record setters on the 1-1/4 mile track included SOA’s own Kyle Lewis in CSR and 25SSR, and Daniel Wilde, who made the trip up from Region 11 to take home a new comp record in ASR. All this and Push Boat Nationals too! On the same weekend as Mahogany and Merlot, the folks in Columbia Outboard Racing Association hosted the Rockey Stone Memorial Kilos and John Myers Memorial 1/4 mile Straightaway Trials at Devil’s Lake, OR. This event also had a mixed bag in the weather department, with crummy weather on Saturday and great weather on Sunday. There was a whole passel of records set at the regional and National level on this final weekend of our season. Look for more details about the event elsewhere in this issue. As another great season come to a close, we want to thank all the folks who travelled to Region 10 to race here. We’re very proud of our little corner of the country, and hope you had a great time racing with us!
—Patrick Gleason
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REGION 11 Sport C Chronicles Region 11 may not be among the biggest of regions in APBA, but we cast a big shadow by virtue of our boat racing nationwide. RJ West, driving his 45 boat for the Skelton Racing Team, recently participated in the Three Rivers H1 race in Pittsburgh and emerged victorious. On his way back home, he thought it would be nice to stop off in Rising Sun, Indiana to test the waters in the SST 45 North American Championship. Wouldn’t you know it?— another victory to relish on the long trip back home. Way to go, RJ! In a recent issue of Propeller, one can’t help but notice the black #25 boat driven by Warren West, leading the #18 boat driven by Jared Wallach in the Newberg, Oregon Race. Lookin’ good, Warren!
this season, and is doing some serious butt-kicking. In his sophomore year, he is already ranked #2 in the Sport C National points standings. Last season it was as though the boat was handling George. This year a much-improved Stewart is really handling his new “screamer.” He ran at Salt Springs on the weekend of 13-14 August and swept both days. At that same race, another kid from Antioch showed some real stuff. Justin Noack chased Stewart and the rest of the field all weekend long. He had a solid lock on second place both days. He is really getting that boat dialed in. Jerry Croft ran a Sport C boat both days and grabbed one first place, only to have it eradicated because of a flag problem. Didn’t take away from the good time he had in a different kind of race boat. l Karl Bishop ran a Sport C boat and came home with gnats on his teeth, from the big smile on his face.
Making his presence known in the Great Northwest is our Sport C points leader, Steve Walde of Discovery Bay, California. On August 13-14, Walde did battle with Wes Fridell, Mike White and Russell Mead at the Oak Harbor, Washington race. Following a bit of a mixup on the course, Walde came away with a 2nd place and some damage to the boat.
The Drivers School saw several newbies drive a boat for the first time. One rookie, Kevin Schillig, got out of a kneeler and jumped into Frank Banducci’s Sport C boat, the Patriot; and we had a hard time getting him out of both boats. Kevin’s dad is Dave Schillig, a former SST 45 racer, so he already has a built-in pit crew. All he needs now is to pick a class and he’ll be ready to rock and roll.
A few days later, Steve raced at Pateros, Washington and emerged victorious over a full field of Sport C boats on Saturday. Sunday was not to be, as Mother Nature intervened with a blowout.
Can’t say enough about the Driver School concept! We can all be thankful to Jeff Brewster and Mark Weber.
George Stewart is on the water with a new race boat
—Frank. L. Banducci
Frank Banducci’s cardiologist has pulled him out of a race boat. (But I’ll be back; just wait and see.)
RACE IN PEACE BUTCH BAILEY The Vintage hydroplane family lost a good friend, Butch Bailey, in late September. He loved hydros all his life. Butch found, restored and campaigned Buddy Byers’ famous Miss Desoto V in 2010-2011. His father, Elmer Bailey, had campaigned two hydros, which influenced Butch when he was young. MARK GREENE On Sept. 10th, at the Bill Giles Memorial Regatta in Taunton, Mass., a three-boat collision proved tragic. Mark Carroll Greene, 39, of Moultonborough, New Hampshire, died at the scene despite the best efforts of rescue workers. It was devastating to the South Shore Racing Club and all of APBA. A graveside service was held Sept. 17 at Rural Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life at Wolfberg Farm in Holderness. Mark left his wife Kendra, two children, many friends and extended family. Mark was a wonderful husband, father and friend, who loved speed and being on the water. A GoFundMe site was set up for Mark’s family at https://www.gofundme.com/2xaa7jm4 Memorial donations may also be sent to Squam Lakes Trail Busters Snowmobile Club, PO Box 555, Holderness NH 03245. STEPHEN JOY Stephen Joy, 67, of Bangor Maine, was seriously injured in the same Sept. 10th collision at Taunton, Mass. that took the life of Mark Greene. Steve succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, Sept. 14th at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. The South Shore Outboard Association, hosts of the annual regatta, were deeply saddened and asked the racing community to keep the racer’s loved ones in their thoughts and prayers. LYNN SIMBURGER Longtime OPC racer Lynn Joseph Simburger, 58, of Elsah, IL, passed away at 4:51 a.m. Wed. Aug. 24, 2016 at BarnesJewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO. He was born Dec. 11, 1957 in Wood River, IL to the Harold O. Simburger of East Alton, IL and the late Louise (Higgins) Simburger. Lynn was an outboard mechanic and was the owner of Simburger Outboard Service. His love and passion was Formula 1 Boat racing, and he was an accomplished record-holding driver, having won numerous awards and National Championships. He was a member of the Alton Motorboat Club and also loved to hunt. In addition to his father, he is survived by his
wife Phyllis Hicks, stepmother Wilma Simburger; stepbrothers Ronald (Joan) Voyles and Charles (Terri) Voyles; brother-in-law Harley (Betty) Hicks Jr.; numerous nieces and nephews and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother Louise, and in-laws Harley and Opal Hicks. Funeral services were held on Mon. Aug. 29, 2016 with Rev. Laurie Vidal and Fr. Roy J. Simburger officiating. Memorials may be made to Legacy Ministries, P.O. Box 328, Evinston, FL 32633. Online information and guestbook may be found at www.paynicfh.com. JOHN WILLIAM WEAVER John “Bill” Weaver died peacefully at home in Williamsburg, VA on August 25, 2016. Bill is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sara, and his son David. Bill and Sara moved to the Williamsburg area in 1961 and were active members of the community ever since. Bill taught history, geography and vocational training in area high schools for over 30 years. He also coached track, crosscountry and swim teams. After retiring, Bill worked within Colonial Williamsburg and especially enjoyed leading tours of students throughout the historic areas. Bill and his brother Tommy developed an interest in outboard boats in the early 1950s. They purchased and/or built A and B Stock Utilities. They began racing around 1952 in Region 4. Bill’s racing was “on hold” when he enlisted in the US Army in 1956. While stationed in Berlin, Germany, he attended local races and met a young Dieter Konig. After finishing his military duty and obtaining a degree at the University of North Carolina, Bill returned to boat racing in the late 1960s. In 1969 he purchased an “A Alky” Konig and a used McClung hydro. For the rest of his racing career, he focused on the Alky (PRO) category. Over the years, he competed primarily in 250cc and 350cc hydroplane. He also raced on occasion in 125cc, RB and C Service Hydroplane. He also supported his brothers Tommy and Bobby with Inboard racing. Primarily working on 1 Litre and 2.5 Litres in the pits, Bill did assume driving duties a couple of times. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bill and Sara could be found at boat races of all types throughout Region 4, including SO, PRO, Inboard, Drag, OPC and Unlimited. They worked alongside Pop and Lucille Augustine to help a local boat club organize a new Offshore race in Virginia. A typical season would find the family at a dozen races or more, although not always racing themselves. Bill served multiple terms as Region 4 Chairman, as well as Secretary, Vice Chairman, PRO Representative, etc. Bill was a longtime member of Carolina Virginia Racing Association. He and Pop
Augustine were race chairmen for the 1976 and 1977 Stock and PRO Nationals held at Hinton, WV. Bill actively supported boat racing clubs and events through 2008. In that year, he served as a lane judge in the UIM World Championships held in Lake Alfred, FL. His declining health prevented him from attending races thereafter. Bill simply adored powerboat racing and cherished his many, many friendships cultivated over 50 years of racing. Shortly before he died, he was presented an enlarged photograph of his son’s new 250cc Pugh hydroplane competing at Kingston, TN. He kept that photograph nearby for days and asked many questions about the new boat. He was excited and pleased that the family is continuing to enjoy such a great sport. —David Weaver WILLIAM (BILL) WURSTER Bill Wurster was born June 27, 1923 in Seattle, WA, and passed away peacefully on August 1, 2016. He lived a colorful life: founding member of the Seafair Pirates, Unlimited hydroplane owner/ driver, member of the West Coast Swing Dance Club (oh, how he loved to dance!), great humanitarian and a wonderful father, Bill touched many lives with his generosity and thoughtfulness. He attributed much of his success to good friends and his father’s saying that he could do whatever he wanted, if he applied himself. Wurster’s father died when he was 17, making him the head of the household. Bill lied about his age to land a job with Boeing. In 1948, after working as a commercial artist, Wurster opened his own advertising agency. There he learned successful business skills. Wurster raced Unlimited hydroplanes from 1972 to 1978. He won sponsors like Sunny Jim Peanut Butter, Pringles—and perhaps the one he was most proud of—Tide. Wurster continued racing competitively until 2006, when he retired at the age of 83. He was bestknown as a top owner from 1976 to 2005; his boats won eight titles. Bill Wurster is survived by daughters Babs, Linda and Becky and son Shawn, 10 grandchildren, 12 greatgrandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. Preceded in death by beloved son William (Billy). On Saturday, September 24, the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum hosted an Open House to remember Bill Wurster. — The Seattle Times, Aug. 9, 2016. Paul Kemiel photo
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