All these photos & captions graced the home page
of The Vintage Hydroplanes during 2002.
My sincerest Thanks to all who contributed! |
This picture was taken in 1946. The owner and driver
is Benny Bass of New Orleans, LA. I guess you could say that Mr.
Bass was a charter member of the New Orleans Power Boat Association.
He loved racing more than anything else. My Dad, Johnny
Landaiche, was given this photo from Mr. Bass when he started driving for
him in 1959. In that same year, Mr. Bass bought the Miami Belle,
which became the Belle and later won 3 National's in '60, '64 and
'68. Mr. Bass and my father became the best of friends.
Rich Landaiche |
A St. Petersburg City News Bureau photographer snapped
this photo
while on my boat during the 1974 Southland Sweepstakes
Regatta's.
The photo is of Lynn Zirkle in
Noter Critter A-812
in the first turn in St. Petersburg.
Brent McLean |
Wa Wa SK-247
Bill Ritner's Wa Wa with Henry Lauterbach driving.
The photo was taken at the Orange Bowl 9-Hour Marathon in December 1958.
As I remember, the boat was built by Bob Patterson of Van Nuys, California
in six weeks time. She was powered by a Chrysler Hemi 392 with 6 two barrel
carbs. She carried 60 gallons of fuel in 2 - 30 gallon tanks located on
each side of the engine. The Wa Wa was co-driven by Henry Lauterbach
and Bill Ritner, Jr. and won the 9 hour race. In 1959, Hot Rod magazine
had a two page article on this boat. Brent McLean |
Tinkerbell Y-117
"In the always exciting 48 hydros, Bascomb Grooms
of Key West, in his
Tinkerbell, walked off with both heats,
with l7-year-old Randy Harris of Miami placing second in his first official
race. Sunny Jones was third, due to his inability to start in the first
heat." The quote is from the ABPA Propeller July
1963 story on the Pelican Harbor Regatta in Miami, FL. Tinkerbell
was 10 years old for that race at that time and still winning. Great stories
to be relived by visting
all the old APBA Propeller issues that are I have just started posting.
Tinkerbell is now owned by Keth Brayer. |
Hebe O-60
Hydro/Racing runabout hull with 136 ci Ford V8 "60" built
in 1933 by Somerset. Owned by Kerstin & Jeff Buckley of Tega Cay, South
Carolina. Hull is 14' long and almost fully restored.
In 1975, it was clocked at 87.33 mph. |
September 11,
2002
"Today is a very sad day also for us European drivers,
who share your passion for the vintage racing boats. This year, as last
year, the glorious American flag will be on our racers during the vintage
boat race of next weekend in Cremona, Italy to testimony our solidarity.
On behalf of the vintage racer drivers of Europe.
Yours sincerely, Roberto Romani". |
1958 Nationals - Buffalo, NY
Hi, My name is Bob Jones. I currently live outside of
Roanoke, Va. My father, Edgar Jones raced an E-service named Miss Bee
Bee E-4 from 1955 to 1966 and won the nationals in Buffalo in 1957.
She was a Davis hull from Manteo, NC. I still have lots of memorabelia
from those days including many runabout and hydro pictures of racing on
the east coast. My family was from Hampton, Va, and I grew up around such
hydro greats as Curt Martens, Skeeter Johnson, Alton Pierson, Ronny Hearn,
Rodney Brogden, and Runabout crowd including Harry Bickford, Enoch Walker,
Bill Thomas, Dick Cooper. and Del Daily. I have attached a picture I have
from Buffalo, including one of the finish in 1957 when the Miss Bee
Bee swept both heats. In 1958, there was controversy as the first heat
was thrown out due to a boat flipping (which dad had won), and both heats
were run on Sunday. Dad was second in the first heat to Bill Engle's Rebel
Rouser E-111 and won the second, only to lose by 3 sec. in total elapsed
time. Sadly, the Bee Bee had jumped out of gear ( they had reverse
gears in those days) in the last turn which likely cost the win. Also in
the pictures are the Russ Kirtpatrick's Rock-A-Bye 10-E, George
Klein's Baby Live Wires E-2, Jim Venor's Too Much M-12, Al
Bingham's Seabiscuit M-1, and Wooday Rice's Bob-n-I. I would
like to see if anyone knows the whereabouts of the Miss Bee Bee.
She was sold to Arthur Jebson of Newport News in 1966 and raced as the
Amy
D E-87 for a couple of years. From there she may have gone to an owner
in North Carolina, and likely on to Morgan City, La., which was the last
hotbed of E-service before the class disappeared. Bob Jones |
H-22 Record-7
On October 4, 1969, George Babcock in his H-4 Record-7
broke his own, old record, set 3 months earlier in that year (97.720) for
the 5 mile Competition Speed Record for the H class hydroplanes. This was
the first racing hull in this class to break the 100 MPH barrier when he
recorded an average speed of 101.58 in Seattle. This cabover hydroplane
was built by Ron Jones and utilized forced induction Chrysler power. Unfortunately,
this hydroplane met it's demise at a race in Washington. Steve Parker
photo. |
Z-Z-ZIP
Here is a picture of Joe Guess's Z-Z-Zip, driven
by Sid Street. The
photo was taken by Master Marine Photographer, Kent Hitchcock.
My father, Bobby Sykes, Sr. built the Desoto hemi engine in the boat which
broke dads own record in Guess's
Guess
Who. The interesting part of the picture is how Kent blacked out the
backround. Apparantly he posed the picture after the sun went down and
lit the boat up with plenty of lighting to get this masterpiece floating
offshore on glassy water. Bobby Sykes Jr.
Background on Sid Street and Z-Z-ZIP
Gulf Marine Hall of Fame Member - '48, '49, '50, '51.
Sid Street, in Z-Z-Zip won class high points, keeping Paul Sawyers,
F-111
Belligero II from making a clean sweep of 266 class laurels for 1949.
In the 266 Hydro class from 1956 to 1971, the King of Speed in a straight
line was the Z-Z-Zip, later known as Iroquois Chief. The
boat was designed and built by Joe Guess of California. Powered by a Bobby
Sykes’ DeSoto engine. The first owner/driver and brain trust behind this
package was Sid Street, the legendary racer of Kansas City, MO. Sid Street
was responsible for two of the boat’s three records. The first one being
set in Hollywood, Florida on December 27, 1956 at 132.600 mph. The second
and most noteworthy, quite a milestone, was set on December 29, 1958 at
an astonishing speed of 146.945 mph. Bobby Sykes, Sr. clearly remembers
a record attempt in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. “It was a foggy morning, and we
had trouble starting the Desoto using those injectors on methanol. So we
borrowed a heavy duty battery out of a taxi cab. The engine was turning
7000 rpm with the 10% O.D. when Sid set that record in an irrigation ditch
that wasn’t more than 50 feet wide. It was a sight I’ll never forget, seeing
that boat go so fast.” The amazing thing, besides Street’s record shattering
146 mph run, was that “Sid was really disappointed that he didn’t go 150
mph! He was such a great competitor,” Sykes said with much admiration.
Sadly, the beloved Sid Street died while competing in the 7-Litre Nationals
only eight months later. After Sid died, the boat was purchased by Gordie
Reed of Grand Island, New York. This long time boat racer virtually duplicated
and slightly bettered Sid’s run some eleven years later in the same boat
at St. Petersburg, Florida on January 31, 1969 at a speed of 148.638 mph.
This record held until 1971, but actually the class had changed at that
point to 302 cubic inches then known as the 5 Litre class. |
GP-31 El Bandito
The boat was owned and driven by Norm Phillips. The photo
was taken in Cocagne N.B. Canada in August 1986. I'm not sure about the
origin of the boat, the only thing I am sure is that it's a Ron Jones hull
but not positive what was the boat's name originally. I thought it may
be Tool Crib Special of Paul Sparrow, but I am really not sure about
that. If you have any info, please let Benoit know.
Editor's Note: Photo sent in from Benoit Lemay
who is the webmaster for The Hydroplane Photo Gallery. Check out
the great photos on his Photo
Album I and II. |
Gone Heavy F-95
Here is a picture of a Lauterbach built hydroplane that
was owned by Ron Brown, (Les Brown's son). This 5 litre class hydro campaigned
under the name Gone Heavy F-95. Drivers were Roger & Tom D'Eath
and Butch Kropfield. Photograph was taken in Miami 1977 with Roger driving.
Photo by Chris Hall.
additional info came in 5.29.02: It ran both 5
litre and GP class. They would change engines between classes, from the
302 to a 350. from Tom D'Eath 6.6.02: Roger D'Eath was the first
driver of the new Lauterbach Gone Heavy. He won the Grand Prix at
Valleyfield, Quebec and also drove the boat at other races and then retired.
I started driving the boat for Ronny in the mid 70's. Butch Kropfield also
drove the boat on a couple of occasions. This is the boat that I won my
first Canadian Gold Cup in 1976 at Picton, Ontario. The same year that
I won the APBA Gold Cup in the Miss US, Unlimited Hydroplane at
Detroit, Michigan. Ron Brown, the owner of the
Gone Heavy was the
crew chief of the Miss US that year. The boat was fast right from
the time it left Henry's shop.
Everyone who drove it, won with the boat. Tom D'Eath.
(Part One) |
Tru Colors
The vintage hydroplane is now in New Zealand. Nathan
Mills sends us this photo of the Lauterbach. She was campaigning as Goldfinger.
Kerry Smith June 4, 2002: "I have only just found
this site. I am from Christchurch, New Zealand and I own the old Gone
Heavy F-95 it is now called Tru Colors and runs a 427 big block
carbed Chev in Grand National class and is still very competitive in this
class. The boat has had 4 owners in NZ including Peter Knight. I know a
lot of history about what the boat has done in NZ but would like to know
what it did in the USA. Any info would be appreciated."
(Part Two) |
Kelp Cutter
This hydro belonged to Richard F. Rupe, a machinist friend
of mine and neighbor who recently passed away. It was originally a 280
with a Y-block Ford and this is it's debut and demise at it's first race
as a 225, powered by a 221 Ford. Dick was injured but recovered. The boat
was rebuilt and sold but I don't know who purchased it. It was a Jack Colcock
design built by Harold Mansfield who also ran a 280 and built Mansfield
Campers in Tacoma, WA. Dick was a charter member of the Tacoma Inboard
Racing Assn. Randy Wold
Editors Note: Photo by Bob Carver This one does not appear
in his book, "Speed & Spray:The Art of Bob Carver". In
my opinion, a must-have book. The book was compiled and is available through
the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum. |
Miss Supertest III
The fate of this 1959 unlimited hydroplane, which
is the only hydroplane in history to finish first in every race it competed
and also won 3 Harmsworth Trophies seems to be in question. Please feel
free to participate in the Forum for the latest Vintage News regarding
it's future and the concern of all vintage racing members for this important
racing hulls future. Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Photograph
by Alan Radue in 1990. |
Wildcard E-148
Hi, My name is Durward Wilson. I owned the Farmer Hull
you now have, I knew it as Sweet Pea E-148. Enclosed is a picture
in racing form at Millville N.J. I bought the boat from a police officer
who lived in Maryland, he campaigned the hull as Super Fuzz, and
he acquired it from Chris Oliver. I changed it to run as a 280 hydroplane
putting in the 265 cu in Chevy engine. I also put on a three blade Roberts
prop on it, the hull would never turn left, it would go like a bandit straight
but you had to make it turn, I would be black and blue with bruises around
my waist after a weekend of racing. I sold the boat to John Parone a Navy
Captain who sold it to Bill Martin. I'm wondering if it still has the 265
engine I put in it. It had a balanced assembly from Crankshaft Co. of California
with Jahns forged pistons. I like the new paint and hope you enjoy it.
I won Region 4 High Point Champion with it in 1982.
(Editors Note: This is an email that Marv Hart
received from a former owner who "stumbled" onto The Vintage Hydroplanes
website..) |
Miss Bedeli
Driver/owner Mr. Brunet at the helm.
Italian-designed racing hydroplane. Power
for this racing hull is an Alfa Romeo engine fed by twin webers. Hervé
Fressard of France is currently restoring this vintage hydroplane. |
Moonshine Baby E-54
A Rich Hallet hull that seems to have disappeared. This
is the 280 class Moonshine Baby E-54. Note the enclosed cockpit
on the hull. The engine cowling is in the background against the wall.
This photograph was taken just before leaving for the 1959 Orange Bowl
Regatta. Dallas Kremer built the enclosed cockpit and only raced it at
the Orange Bowl. He soon did away with the canopy as he stated it was a
rough ride and the sound was like being inside the a Bass drum.
Photo by Cliff Wartman |
Golden Nugget
A Lauterbach that no longer exists. This was the 7 litre
Golden
Nugget, driven and owned by Butch Kropfeld (Jim's brother). Chris took
this in 1978 in St.Petersburg, Florida right before the
Southland Sweepstakes 5 minute gun.
Photo by Chris Hall |
APBA Vintage
& Historic Division
In the pits at the The Gold Cup
Detroit, Michigan 1992 |
H-54 Moonshine Baby
Early 1960's
Photo by Phil Kunz |
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