About this time someone laughingly said the reason I could not win 280s is because I weighed 225 lbs and I should switch to the 225 class so I bought a “Colcock” barrel top 280 E-97 and converted it to a 225 using a BUICK engine. On my first engine I had help from Jack & Harold Wilcox. When I ordered the intake manifold the only thing available was a 4-barrel, which turned out to be a fantastic “mistake”. I won five races with this boat in a row. A major problem developed as the boat was too light. I had to bolt over 100 lbs of lead to the inside to bring it up to legal weight. As I developed more powerful engines the boat became uncontrollable at the end of the straight-a-ways and became totally airborne several times, so I sold it in 1970.
 

1970 & 1971:  I bought a used Lauterbach 280 thru Tom D’Eath  and converted it to a 225 N-129. I won seven races in a row with this boat.

I intentionally started behind the pack at the 1970 Ypsilanti, MI. Nationals as I felt I didn’t have a chance against all those beautiful new boats.
As it turns out I still came in 4th. I was Region 5 High Point both years.
 

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SHERMAN R. POLHAMUS
228 ALTA AVE.
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060
831-429-9793

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