Dick O'Dea Gentleman Boat Racer

[Ron Hill]

My brother is writing the definition of a GENTLEMAN BOAT RACER, but for now, I will say that I know Dick O'Dea is one.

An example of why he's a GENTLEMAN. At the 1954 Stock Outboard Nationals in DePere, Wisconsin, Dick had my dad measure his "B" foot before the race. My dad passed the foot. Dick ran the foot in "B" and won his qualifying heat. His foot was protested because it had a bushing cone, not a needle bearing. Dick was disqualified, as a bushing cone had never come on a 20-H.

My dad felt bad. Dick said, I didn't ask Russ if the cone was legal, I asked about the foot's measurements. Dick and my dad were friends for many years after the DePere Nationals..

Just one example of Dick's Sportamanship and of being a Gentleman racer...

AB Swift Hydro, KG-7 Mercury...Won the Kiekhaefer Trophy in 1953-54 with this rig..

[Ron Hill]

Powered by a Konig A, UIM and APBA Kilo Record of 72.94, Norristown, PA, November 1961...

This is a CLASSIC O'DEA picture with the big steering wheel... I remember his D Stock Hydro, I think it had the same steering wheel..

He could drive. He could build engines...


Anyone have O'Dea's e-mail??

[Ron Hill]

Dick writes, "Sid-Craft cab over with Mark 75-H. Boat ran in the high 90's and threw prop blades. Broke 3 or 4 props in a few days testing in Florida. Boat would not turn. Won a couple of races in this boat, but it was a bear to drive."

He did not date the picture...

[wrath of cron]

After gaging on all the castrol I realized that Georga Andrews was missing from the list. I remember seeing the sid race on the lakes of Forked river in NJ in the 60s (wicked fast but didn't turn on those tight courses). I also remember seeing George race it against the garveys in Barnegat bay and take a very respectable 3rd.

[fred tyson]

DiCK O'DEA, WAS A TRUE GENTLEMAN, ALWAYS HAD A FINE BLONDE AT THE RACES AS WELL AS A BRAND NEW CADDY TO PULL HIS RIG, EXCELLENT MACHINIST, AND ONE HARD COMPETITOR, SOMETHING ALSO DIFFERENT ABOUT HIS SID CRAFTS WAS ALMOST ALL HAD THE WHEEL MOVED FORWARD A FEW INCHE TO ACCOMIDATE HIS SMALL SIZE

[Ron Hill]

John Schubert has been looking for a good picture of Dick O'Dea for the reunion...and he sent me these...I just had to post them...

Last picture is John Schubert and Dick...

[Ron Hill]

Hi Ron,
I'm one of your BRF followers and enjoy it very much. Thanks for all you're doing.
I was going through some of my pics from my stock outboard days (in the 50's) and the attached photo was among them. I'm not sure if was one of my photos or if it came from elsewhere but I think it was 1951 and I think it was at the Northeast Divisional Championships at Rochester,NY. I remember Edgar Rose was the inspector and many people found out just what the Rule Book meant!
Dick would occasionally come to Upstate NY in those days and he would run all the classes. I'm not sure he was even old enough to have driver's license !

Stew Sill............Sodus Point, NY

[J. Sherlock]

Dick O'Dea Mod U World Record....George, Dick, Bill, John

[MN1]

Was that boat owned by Bob Holloway before Dick O'Dea?
Mark

[J. Sherlock]

Was that boat owned by Bob Holloway before Dick O'Dea?
Mark

No,, Dick got it new. I can remember going over to his home and setting the seat to fit me.

John

[MN1]

Is this a Karlsen Hydro like Dick O'Dea's?

[J. Sherlock]

Is this a Karlson Hydro like Dick O'Dea's?Looks more like a drag boat,, maybe a Jones?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Here is a pic of Dick O'Dea and Bill McEvoy from the reunion at DePue.

[Peter Crowley]

I don't remember when Dick O'Dea stopped running stock outboard boats, or when he stopped racing "alkies"- it must have been some time in the 60's...maybe early 70's. It must have been at the Lowell, MA race site when I remember seeing him in his "awards jacket". As a kid, I looked up to many of those great racers who raced in Massachusetts- Larry Castagneto, Bill Giles, Ken Rosado..... Dick O'Dea was a great driver who occasionally drifted through our region. I was a young kid then, but Dick's jacket and what it represented left a lasting impression on me. His jacket, as I remember it, had the APBA "US" patches starting at the top of the sleeve (one below the other) and ran down to his wrist- on BOTH sleeves! You see, I would have done anything to win anything that was big! My realistic view of the world told me that I was destined to be one of the thousands of drivers over the years who would participate in outboard racing and never really accomplish anything. I wouldn't win even one of the items that Dick had so proudly displayed on his jacket!
Should I say DECADES later? Well eventually I was able to win a number of really special races and awards. I always remembered that jacket and all those patches.... then I made my own jacket! It was similar to Dicks jacket, only I have to admit not quite as "full" as Dick's jacket was. Isn't it funny how certian things in our childhood can continue to influence our thoughts when we get older? I have my jacket... and in practice I rarely wear it. It seems as though there is always something else to wear that is close at hand.

[sk66]

I was wondering if this is the same Dick O'Dea that was or neighbor on Greenwood Lake. I know that we had a Dick O'Dea about 7 houses down from us and that he too was a racer at the same time my dad was. My father knew him but I only met him twice. If so all our neighbors were in love with us!!!!! Between an SK boat and a race outboard we were far from quiet. Had to test the boats someplace right!!!!!!!!

[Ron Hill]

I thought someone would answer this...But an O'Dea from Jersey that played with boats....Seems it would be RKO, Richard K. O'Dea as in RKO Radio!...

Dick O'Dea kilo boat wasa Karleson, I think...The other boat in question is a Ron Jones ....http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18728&stc=1&d=1190759423

Pretty sure this is Bob Piper of Garden Grove, California... I saw this boat in the Strawberry Festival Parade many times in GG. I doubt that Bob Holloway ever kneeled in this boat...If I run arcoss Bob, I'll ask him...But this is Bob Piper for sure!

[Ron Hill]

Hi Ron,




I was thinking of you the other night while searching Google about old time unusual
boat racing sites. Maybe some of the readers would know about the 3 listed below.

1-A quarry of some type in PA where Hank Bowman and others ran night time boat races under lights. Alky hydros after WW2. I heard of this site, never saw it, Craig and Shannon may know about this?

2-Seekonk Speedway,MA . Speedway is bowl shaped (still is there), About 1950 speedway was flooded with 12ft. of water and stock outboard races were held there.
I went and watched 1 time, A driver by the name of Tommy Von Mello won some races as I remember. I also remember if you ran on the outer edge of the course you could knock your lower unit off on the track pavement.

3-Danbury Speedway, Danbury CONN. after WW2, built a moat around the race car track for boat racing. The speedway had a number of boats built using Crosley engines for very small inboard race boats. I never saw a boat race there, but heard from friend about the boat races. Also heard a midget race car ended up in the moat one evening?

Best,
Dick

[Mark75H]

Neshaminy Hydrodome ... near where the bowling alley is near Neshaminy Mall in PA, north of Philly. Was actually a gravel pit off the creek that they dug a trench in and flooded.

[Ron Hill]

http://www.dickodea.com/records.html