The Dawe Family: Dawe Craft Boats

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif Ernie Dawe: Dawe Craft Boats and Family....
<hr style="color:#000000; background-color:#000000" size="1"> Well, yesterday, Tammy Dawe ran 20 SS Hydro and Steven ran 45 SS at Copperopolis. Some 550 miles from Indio....

Today, five minutes ago, Pat Bowen saw Ernie Dawe heading NORTH around Fresno with four hydros on a trailer....(Two of Tammy's and two of Jeff Conant, aka AZOUTLAW!!!!)...

Seems that ERNIE DAWE and Family drove home last night, left off the 45, loaded up the four boat trailer and headed for Cluaby, Oregon for the Divisionals.....Mandy Smith and grand child (children) are on board, too!!!

Good luck to the Dawe and AZOutlaw in Oregon...Mike Mentor and Angie are heading up north also, but they didn't add 1,100 miles to their trip...

Not sure when the above happened but the Dawes have been boat racers for many years.

Here is the old picture I have of Ruben Dawe. Ruben was Jimmy, Ernie and Virginia Dawe's dad. Their mother's name was Helen.

[russhill]

More recently, like last weekend Tammy Dawe won the ASH Western Divisionals at Parker. Steve was in a two boat blow over--wrecked the boat but Steve was OK. His wife of less than a year was a little upset. Crashing wasn't noted in the boat racing contract she committed to.

The Dawe Family has consistantly supported boat racing for more than 50 years. They've won more than their share of important races and honors. I frequently think of Tammy and Steve's Grandparents. I really like Reuben--he was a hard guy not to like. I like the picture above. I think the good-looking other guy in th pic is me. I was younger then.

And Helen was a very bright capable lady. Ern and I used to play bridge against Helen and my late wife, Judy. We talked a better game than they did, but they generally beat us.

The Dawes are an assset to boat racing.

[Ron Hill]

I was in 6th grade in 1955-56, in those days if you were 12, you'd better be in 6th grade. But, because I had "Magically" become 12 in 5th grade, many wondered if I was 13 in 6th grade.

My teacher, Miss Conard, came to my boat races on TV. She thought I was a great dancer, as she taught us all square dancing. My mom made all the six graders sashes so we looked "COOL" when we danced.

I never thought much about my mom's sewing and she just sewed everything.

Christmas Vacation came along, and my teacher decided to take a "ROAD TRIP".

Miss Conard stopped at the Chevron gas station in Needles, which was owned by the Dawe Family. She saw race boats on a trailer. She talked to Ruben Dawe, who explained that Ronnie Hill, was a great boat racer.

Miss Conard sent me a post card from Needles telling me I was "FAMOUS" in Needles, that Ruben Dawe said so.

[Ron Hill]

Ruben Dawe probably loved boat racing more than anything in his life. Ruben had a problem with Jim Beam, and he struggled with it all his life.

Ruben was very likeable, when he was sober and when he'd had a few drinks.

How he and Helen ended up owning the Chevron gas station in Needles, I don' t know. This gas station was very profitable.

Ruben would often tell stories about owning that gas station.

Ruben's famous lines were, "Piss, water and information."

People would pull in to their station and ask, "How hot is it? How far is it to Los Angeles? Where do I get a drink of water?" Ruben wanted to sell gasoline, he didnt want to give out "Piss, water and information."

Ruben's famous line was, "You know what I mean?"

[russhill]

I really, truly liked Reuben, you know what I mean. He never had a bad word about anybody, you know what I mean.

[Ron Hill]

They found Tammy at 7:40 A.M. in her classroom, last Tuesday June 12, 2012. The coroner called Ernie about 8:00 A.M. At this time no one knows the cause of death except that it was natural causes. I have heard there is a funeral planned in Indio, next Friday, which will be June 22, 2012. This is all I know, when I hear more I will post it.

When I can collect my thoughts better than right now, I'll write more about Tammy.

For now, let me say that I'm so happy that Ernie, Tammy and I went to Culaby, Oregon a few years back. We enjoyed that four days together. I got to know Tammy better than I had really ever known here....like she told me, she had known me all her life but never really knew me, either.

Ernie had sold Tammy's A Hydro 2012 Divisional winning boat to Ross Wallach. I told Ernie I didn't like seeing her run a brand new boat at the Nationals. I'm not sure how this had worked, but I bought Tammy a new boat for the Nationals. Ernie and Tammy had high hopes for this year's Nationals, and I guess I was in the thick of it too!

[Ron Hill]

Cathy McConnell sent me this picture of Tammy.

[Ron Hill]

Ernie has two "A" Hydros to build: One for Ade in Colorado and one for Tim Herman in Phoenix. Ernie had picked up some wood and needed to get some epoxy. He stopped by Hill Marine. Ernie is in good spirits. He wishes some of you who used to call or email would continue to email him.

He went to Minden with Dave Hale and was happy to be at the races. He felt Dave did a fine job driving Tammy's old (new) 20 SS Hydro...

He is seriously considering getting a Sport C, now that he is old enough!

[Ron Hill]

Last Saturday, June 10th, 2017, Ernie and Mary Jo celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Their kids put on a great surprise party. Frank Zorkan, Jimbo McConnell and me..

[DeanFHobart]

Now, that is some Boat Racing history.

[Ron Hill]

Edward Hearn (https://www.facebook.com/edward.hearn.5) says, This was the letter I sent the Honors Squadron Committee in September of 2012:

Dear Honors Squadron Members:

I write to second the nomination by Ernie Dawe for that of Tamara Dawe for induction into the APBA Honors Squadron. I knew Tammy Dawe for nearly thirty (30) years. But Tammy knew powerboat racing all of her life. She grew up in Southern California attending races, as most of us do, with her family. Tammy grew up watching her father, Ernie, and uncle, Jimmy, compete in the Stock Outboard Classes. I met Tammy in the 1980's when I was just entering the larger classes of boat racing after having graduated from the Junior Classes. Over the next decade, the Hearn family became very close with the Dawe family. Our fathers were extremely active in APBA governance and this service to boat racing spread to both Tammy and myself. Tammy ran for and won election to the APBA Council in the mid 1990's. During that period, Tammy was very active on both the national and local levels. She was instrumental in running the 1996 Stock & Modified Nationals. During this period she also served in an official capacity for numerous local races in Region 12. She continued in that capacity. In the late 1990's, Tammy expanded her contributions to APBA by serving as a member of the Stock Outboard Racing Commission. There, Tammy served her Region well as a skillful politician and advocate for the interests of those whom she represented.

Tammy's contributions to the APBA on both the local and national level were very important to her region and to the sport in general. However, Tammy's contribution to the sport of powerboat racing differ from many others who also have made similar contributions. Tammy became a role model for girls and young women participating in powerboat racing. This was her greatest contribution to the sport. This role was not really one which she chose for herself but one in which she excelled. Tammy had a vocal personality and she was a winner. These two traits gave her the opportunity to make a lasting impact upon girls and other women in boat racing. Because she frequently took a podium position in racing and was a vocal advocate for the causes in which she believed, she was seen by other female competitors as someone who could enter a male-dominated sport, win, and stand up for herself. Many sports figures are vocal and competitive but do not serve as good or proper role models to younger people. In fact, they can have these traits and embarrass their sport. But not Tammy. She was a model sports figure who overcame the adversity of entering a sport dominated by men and overcame several boating injuries to serve as a model for what women who have a desire to compete on the water can do. She was admired by nearly all younger women who entered boat racing as well as her male competitors. Tammy took this role seriously by mentoring other girls and women who took their shot at boat racing. Tammy could frequently be seen at races taking time out of her own preparation to assist other females (and men, too), in their attempts at powerboat competition. Surely her training and experience as a teacher was responsible for this in part as those skills spilled over from her professional life into her life of boat racing. Likewise, as a national representative, Tammy would advocate on behalf of the positions of others which she believed worthy of her assistance. She encouraged others, particularly younger women, to consider powerboat racing and, after having done so, in their attempts at boat racing competition. Tammy was a worthy role model for girls and other women in the sport of powerboating and served a role for the APBA that few others could.

Many APBA members make contributions to the sport of powerboat racing such as the local and national contributions made by Tammy Dawe. But Tammy's contributions to the sport exceed those in her role as a model for girls and other women seeking to compete and advance in powerboat racing. Tammy was a well-spoken politician, a fierce competitor and mentor. Her untimely death not only saddens all of our hearts, but leaves a gaping hole in the American Power Boat Association for a role so important to our sport.

These were her greatest contributions to powerboat racing and worthy, indeed, of induction into the APBA Honors Squadron.

As a member of the APBA Honors Squadron, I respectfully submit for your consideration my friend, Tamara Dawe, for induction.

Respectfully,

Edward W. Hearn