Rod "CAPNZEE" Zapf Family

[Ron Hill]

No way can I tell the Rod Zapf story...I'll get it strated saying he grew up in the Mississippi River in Iowa. He fell in love with boating, and race boats at a very early age. One of his first motors was a Mark 20-H...Got it new...GOLD in color....

I just grabbed my camera and too a few pictures, hoping that he'll figure out how to post and add more...

1995 and 1956 COBRA HIGH POINT CHAMPION...The Salt Springs Divisionals is Eric Von Zapf's for winning the Divisionals in "A"...Eric is a TOP GUN PILOT, on his second tour of duty in IRAQ... He flys an F 18 TomCAT, I think...We are all so proud of ERIC....and ROD and MARY......

Bottom pictures in Rod at San Diego driving his new Bill Boyes built 280 and I'm not sure which is Rod...Pretty sure Rod is on the outside.

[Ron Hill]

Top picture is Eric Von Zapf, in his ZORKAN "A" Runabout...He bought the engine from me, but it was John Castelli's....I gave Castelli a brand new one in the box, but he is still made at me for selling HIS motor to a KID!!!!!! (He may have gotten over it byu now, as it has been 20 years....).

Second picture, Rod and Mary at Bakerfield....

Third picture is Rod running his Sea Jay that I sold him...well, Dennis Hoag sold him...It was owned new by Carl Myers...The boat was new in 1965. This picture was taken at Needles, Rod was probably in SECOND behind me!

Bottom picture is a YOUNG ROD ZAPF...He may have still been in the Navy here...

[capnzee]

Hey Ron, I wondered what you were doing out in the garage--now I know! That last picture is a Speed liner "D"run a bout, when APBA boats were boats, 29" bottom and you don't see a wake in front of me! In those days you could start your own engine, take a friend, stop without sinking--who is responsible for those things they call boats today--I thought a boat was supposed to float! No wonder, yatta yatta yatta :rolleyes: Capnzee

[Skoontz]

I love these old stories of any kind. Reminds me of whwen I was a kid wrenching in dad's shop listening to all the guys come in and bench race.

For the record, an F-18 is a Hornet, an F-14 which was made obsolete about 10 years ago is the Tomcat. The Tomcat would out fly anything in the air, but it's range was limited to 1500 miles and could not carry bombs, so, they upgraded to the F-18.

[RichardKCMo]

Skoontz you're almost there, if you'd had been in Sd bay when President Regan was in Office , 70 something and seen a flight of those thing leave when the computers malfuntioned, and they said the russians were coming 'heard that now that was a sight, several rows of them, awsome.
I think that was about the time that chick went in upside down or side ways, any rate coundn't pull traps that day either.QUOTE=Skoontz;19956]I love these old stories of any kind. Reminds me of whwen I was a kid wrenching in dad's shop listening to all the guys come in and bench race.

For the record, an F-18 is a Hornet, an F-14 which was made obsolete about 10 years ago is the Tomcat. The Tomcat would out fly anything in the air, but it's range was limited to 1500 miles and could not carry bombs, so, they upgraded to the F-18.[/QUOTE]

[RichardKCMo]

This is great, and that's all i'm goin' to say 'bout that Lt. Dan
RichardKCMo.
Hey Ron, I wondered what you were doing out in the garage--now I know! That last picture is a Speed liner "D"run a bout, when APBA boats were boats, 29" bottom and you don't see a wake in front of me! In those days you could start your own engine, take a friend, stop without sinking--who is responsible for those things they call boats today--I thought a boat was supposed to float! No wonder, yatta yatta yatta :rolleyes: Capnzee

[Ron Hill]

Styles Unlimited





<HR style="COLOR: #000000" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->This was the old Miss Budweiser boat. Rod Zapf was the driver. This is Rod and his family on the boat.

[Ron Hill]

This is half of a 280. The three Jones hydros were all owned by Rod.

[Ron Hill]

1. Bill Boyes built 280 hydro, not sure where the cowling are.

2. Rod Zaph and Walt Knudsen (Walt owned an Unlimited and was Commodore of South El Monte Hydroplane Club.

3. Rod's John Gibbs 5 Liter.

4. X-L Hydros...Did you see this in the September 2007 Propeller Magazine??? Phil Mitchell has restored her to LIKE NEW condition.

5. Rod's C-D, 36 Runabout at Beloit, 1970...The kid is just a kid that wanted to drive a RACE BOAT...Kid's name was Sam Hemp, I think!

6. One of Rod's many CLASSIC OUTBOARDS...of which has has like 200...None of which are FOR SALE, so don't ask him! Rod BUYS, not SELLS...

[bill boyes]

Picture #5
Rod is that the boat I built in Manhatten Beach?

[Ron Hill]

Rod has too much time on his hands... Look at some of his "STUFF"....

The yellow boat is his old 36 runabout from Florida...The brown runabout is my 1977 National Championship DU...looks tired and old, like me!!!Mark 30-H, Mark 55-H, KG-7's...Rod has many, many more motors and boats...

[Ron Hill]

Not sure the year...

Finalists were:


Steve Reynolds
Thomas Kropfeld
Sandy Ray (Wray) (Married to Mark Tate, now)

Chip Hanauer
Brian Wickes
Rod Zapf


Winner; Capnzee, Rod Zapf