Vintage Mini Boat pictures

[Miss BK]

I just thought I'd share some pictures of mini boats from the 1980's, my mini boat brothers and sisters of Region 12. I ran Mod-C on a Mirage Tom Cat at this time. We were all like family back then. Included are early SST45, Mod-C, and Sport C. There may be some C-Production shots here too.

This set of pictures were taken in Indio, CA in 1989, just before I moved to Texas.

1. Mod-C #210, Jason Campbell
Note the big exhaust holes in that 3cyl Yamaha. This 30hp motor most likely had 50hp carbs and special pistons to fit a bored-out 35ci, as well as a hand-made dry tuner. Lots of activity over at Sport C #22 pits --- is this the same #22 team from the Parker 300 we have today?

2. #201 was Rick Hoffman's "Gran Prix Boats" factory SST45 ride. Beside him is Gary Dostelek's Mod-C #85. Gary always brought his banjo to the races and entertained while we waited for our heats. That's Jason Campbell with no shirt on, just to drive the girls mad. ;)

3. This is John Beck from Ft. Mohave, AZ in his Mod-C Gran Prix. We only lived 45 miles apart, so I would "tag along" following his team to the races sometimes. (I so hated driving alone). We also tested together quite a bit. You can see part of his gear case and skeg -- these were also custom made. Rick Hoffman made most of them in region 12.
John got in a tangle with an SST 45 in Havasu one year (he spunout while in the lead and was speared by Johnny Travis' wood boat pickle fork). This was before breakaway pickles. It broke his leg badly at the top of the femur. It took him more than a year to get healthy again, and afterwards began racing Dwarf Cars. (He also married his phys. therapist- that wedding was fun!)

4. This is Ed Hubler (sp). Ed ran C Production. You could always count on a joke from Ed. He was tons of fun.
Ed is standing next to Jimmy Johnson's Mod-C. Jimmy, who worked for Ed Lane/Merit Marine at this time, built many of the Mod-C motors and was just flat unbeatable.

[Miss BK]

1. That's Rick Hoffman getting ready to run his SST45. Bruce Borquin (owner of Gran Prix Boats) is going to check things out. Rick used to build Gran Prix's with Bruce before he started Hoffman Boats. He's got on an "Arcadian" racing jacket. This most likely came from his friend Don Johnston.

2. This is a picture of Rick and his then-girlfriend Kristi. Kristi was my co-driver at several events, and we always had a blast. We only managed to beat Rick in Mod-C one time though. ;) But that was because his clamp bracket broke. But it still was one of Kristi's highlights.

[rilo22]

BK some of the parker 300 team were part of the old sport-c team. We always tried to look busy in the pits to try to convince our competition we knew what we were doing! Thanks for posting the pictures. Brings back great memories! Bill Reiter sr.

[Ron Hill]

I remember Kristi....(How could a man forget her???)...Is the guy in the red shirt, black pants, wet tennis shoes me??? Seems I liked being around Kristi...

Just an FYI:

Boat 22 (Rilo) and his son are both getting Fat C's..Bill bought William's back up 45 Hoffman and I'm picking up a Mirage, in Dallas, for them...Bill Curtis is building them motors, along with two for me, one of Zapf, two for Mickey Schwarzenbach..

Quiz Question: What "KILLED" Mini Boat Racing? And why will we build it bigger and better this time???

[Miss BK]

Sorry, Ron, The guy in the red shirt is Jimmy Johnson. I've got more pictures of Jimmy & his boat but they are in a trunk somewhere. I've got to wait til Brad comes home to tell me where it is. ;)

I think what killed mini boats is the same thing that killed Boy Scouts and Fastpitch softball....there are just too many other things to choose from these days. A few of the mini guys stepped up to bigger classes. But also, there were injuries: John Beck, Steve Alltizer and I got hurt and that ended our racing days.

My boys want to be in chess, soccer, golf club, ski club, band, baseball, summer camp, Magic tournaments as well as keep up with homework.
In their spare(?) time, they want to play videos, go to the go-cart track, water ski with friends, visit "children's museums", etc. I have to really fight to squeeze in a couple of boat races each summer. I imagine other families are feeling the same overload that we are.


PS Some friends of ours took us to the Supercross races last weekend. They are crazy about this sport. Did you know the show starts out with all the lights off, and the drivers are hidden around the dome somewhere?

Then they play some metal music and begin describing a particular driver...suddenly the spotlight hits him and the crowd roars! The first hour of the event was driver introductions as well as fireworks (yes, fireworks INSIDE the RCA Dome) and cannons that shoot T-shirts into the crowd.

The rest of the event was non stop "SHOW", fancy lighted billboards, brightly lit leader boards, jumbo trons with close-ups, and fist pumping music that makes your seats rumble. The music was so loud you couldn't hear the 4-stroke bikes at all - even when 30 of them were running. So I can see why they get so pumped up about these races. The riders are treated like they are "gladiators" and the event is a "sensory" show.

[Trailerpark_TJ]

Awesome pics BK, post more if you get a chance.

Definitely some good times during that period. This is when things used to be fun and not so serious.

Good times with Jimmy, Rick, the Wilsons, Reiters, etc.

-Jason

[Knuckle Head]

Awesome pics BK, post more if you get a chance.

Definitely some good times during that period. This is when things used to be fun and not so serious.

Good times with Jimmy, Rick, the Wilsons, Reiters, etc.

-Jason

Hey Jason
Nice to see you over here. I think you need to look into getting one of the Fat C and go racing again:p

[Trailerpark_TJ]

Hey Jason
Nice to see you over here. I think you need to look into getting one of the Fat C and go racing again:p

That's funny you should say that, I was just over at Bill and Ron's shop and Ron was saying the same thing.

I'm wanting to get another 45, so hopefully that happens within a few months.

Let me know when you'll be at the river, we'll have to hook up now that I'm part of the Stoker cult:D .

Jason

[Ron Hill]

You answered my question: "What Happened to Mini Boats"????? You hit on three areas....I'd like to address each, and not really argue, but expound...

1. What happened to Boy Scouts, Fast Pitch Softball??.....Boy Scouts, pre 911 were looked at as a little strange.....My old two older children had no interest in those type groups, my youngest is still considering a military college...

Fast Pitch Softball suffers from the same problems as kneeldown racers...Kneeldown change their rules to help the kneel down racers that are racing, not the new people, not the average Joe Cool off the street... Fast Pitch Softball should change their rules to match SLOW PITCH.....As the "FAST PITCH" pitchers kill all new players...like new drivers in kneel downs...10 per cent new every year, and 10 or 12 per cent quit each year...

Kneeldown Racers should change their names to "CLASSIC OUTBOARDS" with Antique Boat design......as kneeling is ANTIQUE racing. BOTTOM FINS ON RUNABOUTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED...A side rule height should be on runabouts... Reinforced cockpit should be required for hydos, pickle forks should be removable, like OPC....There should be no "DAGGERS" on the bow of a runabouts or on the pickel forks of hydos....

Add Boy Scouts: I believe they are holding their own, even though the ACLU wants girls in Boy Scouts...

Part 2:

INJURIES:

Fat C has addressed injuries...we have:

A. An honest weight of 750 pounds, boat, motor and driver
B. We have a 1 1/2 above the runner transom height.
C. We have reinforced cockpits. (Cockpit must be even with the ear and ten inches long....
D. If we manage to exceed 65 MPH, I, Ron Hill, will change the rules!!!

Injuries is why people qwuit boat racing..injuries, or FEAR of injuries...

Add to your list of John Beck, Steve Alltizer, BK, Rick Hoffman, Blake Esau.

If you remember, Blake had a trailer that brought 6 Sport C boats....After he blew his 45 over and broke both shoulders, he never raced again and he sold his six boat trailer...

In the "OTHER MINI BOAT ERA" MOD C's went 90, no capsules...

BOTTOM LINE WE CAN IMPROVE SAFETY...

Supercross....You do remember, Broc Glover, (Broc Hill is named after him)... The Golden Boy of MOTO CROSS??? Broc Glover drove Hill Marine's, boat #9, Sleek Craft, Mod VP. Supercross comes to Anaheim twice a year and sells out Anaheim Stadium....Out does baseball everytime...even though the newspapers act if if they ain't never heard of SUPERCROSS....

Now, IMAGINE, Lake Havasu City.....July 4th....500,000 people, 100,000 boats, party time....At Thompson Bay, near the London Bridge...a Small, 35 second course is set up....8:00 at night, you have Tunnel Boat racing at NIGHT...A shoot out with Super Stocks and one K Boat Final...How many people would be watching???

See, Supercross would suck if they only raced during the day, as during the day people work or play with their own motorcycle...IF, boatracing is to evey cross the line from a HOBBY, which at this time, I'm happy to be part of, boat racing will have to race at NIGHT. Greg Foster will light the lake anytime we want it...(He lights the freeway every night to install freeway bridges, signs ..Crane Rental... and such..)

Bottom Line, when the weather is good, I use MY BOAT DURING THE DAY....How many spectators would show up at Bay City if we raced at night??? How about St. Louis? St. Louis is so ot during the day a man could have a stroke standing in lne to buy a beer...

I'll bet you can't get 50 people to watch a race in Janesville's Trexler's Park..., Wisconsin, during the day...Race at night, the whole town would be their...

Can we save this sport?? damned if I know...But I'm trying....

[Ron Hill]

The lake looks as good as ever. Now all we need is some Mini Boats...

[Tuneafish]

They always kicked *** at all the magazine boat tests. Even with BIG GUYS on board.

[Ron Hill]

I've never seen those pictures before. If the motor is a 30 HP it is Division I, if it is a 40 HP it is Division IV!

How many of these boat do you have????

100% legal in the Mini Enduro!!!

[Tuneafish]

I designed and built them back in the 80's. I think I know where the molds are and they ran with stock 40's. No power trim so I built them with adjustable plates on each boat. Please point me towards the rules so that I may learn "what I can't do". Bye the way, how about "foot controled plates" on your red V-bottom ? I can make that stuff you know. Ron; Stanley Drake 928 6801795

[Ron Hill]

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11516


Foster doesn't think it needs plates, nor does Randy Pierson....Foot controlled plates makes sense to me!

I'll post that picture I have of Stan Drake tomorrow...