Greg and I bought the Buccaneer from Tom Bock in 1995 and was our first UL. We sold that to Paul Becker about 2002 and he ran as UL. He sold to Greg Walden from Atomic Screen Printing. He ran as a UL around 2006-2007? I actually drove it a heat at the Tri-Cities race that year. Greg sold to Jon Bosserman and Greg and I bought it back from John when we came up with the simulator idea. So yes the old Buccaneer is now the simulator. The low trailer was a big part of that decision because the boat is only a couple feet off the ground off tilt. Tom put the canopy on it and when we picked the boat up it didn’t have the tail on it, but it was in his garage with the skull and cross bones still on it and I said “I want that, it’s going back on the boat”. So we put it back on for the first UL race.
When we built the boat as the simulator we were well aware of the boats historic value. We “surgically” removed the portion of the cockpit from the firewall to the windshield as one piece with the thought in mind that some day it might be a vintage boat. We have all the hardware, prop shaft, strut, rudder etc. The boat itself is in pretty rough shape. Not rot so much as several broken ribs, stringers and sponson problems. Nothing that a lot of tender love and care couldn’t fix. Will make a photo album of the simulator project.
Right now this boats roll as a simulator is a real boost for the sport. We have run hundreds of kids through this thing and they all come out of it with huge smiles on their faces. The kids are the future of boat racing, from a “ride” in this positive experience to the next step….a J-Stock hydro or runabout. The simulator has two seats side by side with video screens, steering wheels, gas pedal, and a seat with speakers in it. It has a lid that closes, notice resemblance to the first turbine Pay n Pack. On the out side we have a monitor for each of the inside monitors and the parents can see and hear exactly what the kids see inside. Using the hydro-mod game that Scott Przybylski built. We have taken it to events such as the Taste of Edmonds, Tri-Cities race and the Coeur d’Alene race. Will be doing some boat shows and single day events/parties etc for a nominal fee of course. Think we have plans for the Spokane Boat Show in January.
Jerry Hopp