Dan Pigott

[Danny Pigott]

My father Dan Pigott raced stock an pro from 1948 to 1958 mostly in Southeastern Boating Asso. Deiter Konig said that SEBA was the toughest group he had ever run with. Dad had good sucess winning many races, championships an set some records. He was my engine builder an best friend during my racing years. He built many engines for OPC an Bass boat's around the country an some for people overseas.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny- I remember your Dad when John Slaughter and I visited him at your home about 60/61. Really didn't get together at the races. John ran SEBA and NOA when he was back in town. Being in the service (USAF) at the time, it all kept me in tune with racing.
Still haven't found your postings of D.F. Jenkins on S&F.

[Danny Pigott]

The early days

[Danny Pigott]

South Eastern boating Asso. Mid 50's Savannah GA Lake Haar

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Hi Danny:

If you have anymore, especially of any Ashburn runabout action, would love to see those.

I notice the name "Funderbrink" or something similar in the news clippings. From the way race announcers (except Ray Rodda) used to butcher my name, I can imagine this guy must have felt the same way when he had a good day.

[Danny Pigott]

News from SEBA

[Danny Pigott]

Ala. races there were a lot of racers an races in Ala.

[Danny Pigott]

This is dad working on a Merc he had just build. This boat belong to Champboat driver Rusty Campbell.

[David Weaver]

Charlotte, NC probably around 1983.

[Danny Pigott]

David that is not me in the pic. I don't know who it is. I was reading a 1978 propeller mag. today an saw a region 4 write up about the Maryland Boat Racing Club fall meeting. They ran an indoor regatta an the winners were, John Augustine, David Weaver, Scott Clafferty, Noel Paul and Keith Mc Mullen. How did this work sounds like fun. They said this was the hightlight of the evening.

[Danny Pigott]

Soddy Tn. inspection. Center Ray Mason left Dan Pigott right

[Danny Pigott]

Deiter Konig left Dan Pigott right. Deiter had been looking at our new C Konig before the race.My dad use to race with Konig when he came to the USA in the 50's.

[Danny Pigott]

From left Jerry Wienandt, Lyle Mason, Danny Pigott, Dan Pigott, Buddy Lewis Inspecter Soddy Tn. You will see Dad watching the inspecter close.

[Danny Pigott]

Von Fowler left, Dan Pigott right. Some time in the late 40's or early 50's.They did wear helmets when racing. This pic was taken at the Folly river Charleston SC.

[Ron Hill]

That Merc V-6 is one fo the first motors that Freddy Hauenstein had his hands on when he joined Mercury Racing 1978-79....I raced one like it at Parker 1979.......It was Fred's answer to EFI.....Later, everyone had EFI!!!

Great pictures!

[David Mason]

Dan,

Thanks, you sure brought a flood of memories.

We had some real good times racing in the south with y'all. I think we need to get together you and Dale, me and Dad for a duck hunting trip this year.

[Danny Pigott]

My son Dale, his first J race Dayton Oh. 1984. C Konig in shop after testing. If you look close you can see two 44 MOD Mercs an a B Looper.

[Popa Sam]

Danny, did Pop really have a cigarete in his mouth in the picture of him driving? He was the only person I ever saw that could carry a Dixie cup in his back pocket all day without breaking it. Didn't know he could smoke and drive a race boat at the time!!

[Danny Pigott]

Lyle Mason, one tough customer

[Danny Pigott]

The late Harry Brinkman, A man we will always remember.

[Danny Pigott]

I wish I had a caption for this pic. Looks like one of us is wrong an most of the time it was me. Dale is now driving CMH an DMH after many years in Kart racing.

[Danny Pigott]

Bill Van you remember this boat.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Is that Ken Park's boat??

[Danny Pigott]

Bill I don't know who's boat this is, the date on the back is 79. You sent this pic to me back then when I ask's you about buying one of your boat's. It was at Kingston Tn. I wish I had bought one now.

[Danny Pigott]

I am not sure if Dad loved Mom or The Harley's the most LOL. Top left, I'am waiting to be in the parade, I still remember riding in that side car. Bottom Mom look's beat, this was a trip to N.Y. in the 40's. He had three Harley's at this time, one was rigged to pull a boat trailer I have a pic of it some where. Right, back to boat's this is Dad an David Goldson an one of the many 75 stinger's he build.

[Danny Pigott]

1985 C Kong with only three races on it.

[Danny Pigott]

Left Dad comming in to pits. right B Hydro. Bottom my Grandfather Dan SR. pitting for Dad. The (S) on the boats was for Sav. boat club not Oh. Each club in SEBA had its own letter to repesent it.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks for the pics and info Danny. So just like Lone Star...there were probably many clubs back in those days that had so many local racers that they had their own local club letters. Do you know how many members and clubs there were at the peak? And do you have a list of all the clubs that competed in your region? Glad you are posting those old pics. You can enlarge them too if you play around with your scanner a little bit. Keep them coming.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Thanks for the pics and info Danny. So just like Lone Star...there were probably many clubs back in those days that had so many local racers that they had their own local club letters. Do you know how many members and clubs there were at the peak? And do you have a list of all the clubs that competed in your region? Glad you are posting those old pics. You can enlarge them too if you play around with your scanner a little bit. Keep them coming.

Wayne, must be what most clubs did with local races as we in northern NJ at Greenwood Lake used G as our letter. A Sid-Craft runabout that my grandfather bought for my brother & myself, pre-race boat Sid, carried the letter G when Hank Runne raced it with a KG7 at a race in Lake Hopatcong, NJ

[Danny Pigott]

Wayne, I will try to post some of the info. This is 1955 rule book. seba had there own records, points championship an Nat's championships. They had complete rules an motor/ boat spec.

[Danny Pigott]

This is 1958 I will put some info from inside. Ralph Donald is the only person I know who is still going that was a member of SEBA.

[Danny Pigott]

Boat clubs in SEBA

[Danny Pigott]

Here are some records, SEBA ran 16 boats in a heat, some time having three elim. heats to get in the race.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Great post Danny. And thanks for your input as well John. When I first posted stuff like this about the Lone Star Boat Racing Association, I figured that they must have taken the pattern from others, but until now it had not been clear. There are some good posts about a half dozen clubs, but nothing like SEBA. It looks like LSBRA was along the same format, but with not nearly as many clubs or members. John...could you get your hands on some old rule books from your roots on the east coast from those days? There must have been thousands of outboarders racing back then.:cool:

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

When I started in 1955 I belonged to the "Little Rock Boat Club" whose headquarter lake was at Scott, Ar. just down river from L.R. on what was called an "old river" lake. Horseshoe shaped lake that at one time had been part of the Arkansas River channel but then had been closed in by whatever cause. I think I remember that some of the races I first attended were sanctioned by NOA, (could be mistaken about that) but our boat numbers at the time were not prefixed by the regular region number, but by the letters "LR" which of course stood for Little Rock Boat Club. L was also the region prefix for Arkansas. It seems from what I am reading that was a common thread that ran thru the boat racing organizations active in the south after WWII. We raced in several lakes in Arkansas, on a backwater of the Mississippi at Memphis, some in northern La., and also on the Red River on the Texas side of Texarkana, Tx. I will never forget the Red River races, as you could almost spit across the river where we raced, and the water was so muddy it was like molasses almost. Mud in the pits was knee deep and it took a long time to get in and out of the water.

As mentioned before in another thread, I had the good fortune to see Dieter Konig on what was supposedly his first trip to the US, race on Old River at Scott in probably about '56 or '57, don't remember which. He was not familiar with clock starts but it did not matter, as he started up to a half a lap behind and was that far or more ahead after four laps in all the hydro classes he ran. He ran a A, B, and C with the proper size engines and then stepped up and ran D and the "free for all" with his C and left everyone way behind. I understand he went to Memphis on the Mississippi the next weekend and did the same thing, although I did not get to see that race.

Seems there was much more autonomy insofar as boat numbers with the sanctioning organizations back then than there is now. With the LR prefix, and the BT for Baytown, plus probably others that Danny has spoken of, perhaps that made the "home folks" a little more excited and added to the general good time to be had at a boat race, by being able to readily identify a local driver.

[Danny Pigott]

Letters of each club.

[Danny Pigott]

Note, Dub Parker as Inspector

[Danny Pigott]

Some of the same ads we see today.

[Danny Pigott]

Some ads we don't.

[Donald]

Not only am I the only one still racing, I am probably the only one still alive. except George Taylor, who showed up at a USTS race in Inverness, Fl. I had a three cylinder Koenig in 1957 at the SEBA championship in Scottsboro, Al. Dieter was there and set up the boat and told me to use his propeller, and I went out and set a record. After the races on Sat. the local club had a bar-bq in the pits and Dieter and I went through the line and sat down at a table to eat. Dieter ate a bite and got up from the table and left, without saying a word, to go down to the lake. We watched him and wondered what was wrong. He washed all of the bar-bq sauce off of the meat and came back and finished his meal. I first met Dieter in 1956 in Dallas, Ga. through Scott Smith, who had just become Dieter's USA dealer. I bought an A, B, and C Koenig from Scott in 1957 for a total of $1200. for all three. I had a Richard Simmons hydro, which I used for all three classes. Dieter Scott and I went to several races together that year. FOND MEMORIES!

[Popa Sam]

Danny, the St. Simons Boating and Fishing Club is still active. Of course it's all about fishing and cruising. Wonder how many more of the clubs listed are still active. Maybe we can start a list of them.

[Danny Pigott]

Pop Pigott Ocoee 84. Dads nick name was Pop he got that name in the early 70's when two young racers ask what to call him, Mr Dan or Mr Pigott. He said just call me Pop an the name stuck.

[Danny Pigott]

This may be better

[Danny Pigott]

This did not scan too good but it's only 55 yrs old. This was in Myrle Beach SC 1954. both boats are Swift A/B's

[Danny Pigott]

Conway / Bucksville S.C. 1982. Pop Pigott left ,Leo McDaniel right, This is Phil McDaniel's Dad. They are talking about old times when they raced back in the 50's.

[Danny Pigott]

Rock's Pond Campground S.C. sat night party night I think Pop's had a few Old Mil's. around 1982

[Danny Pigott]

My good friend Jim Robb Sr. Early 80's

[jimmy robb]

Danny,

That is not my dad it is me Jimmy Robb in 1984 I was 17yrs old than driving Bud Parkers Yale hydro in DMH. Mark Suter now has that boat on display at his place.

Are you and Dale going to come north this summer to any races. My son Jimmy is racing most of our stuff now. He runs 350ccMH 500ccMH 750ccMH and 850ccMH
Jim
7-M

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Jim and Danny- Great shot. Both of you should visit Mark Suter's AOMC meet in the fall. I do understand that there is a race in GA with may keep either of you away. Jim, how is your son doing? Is Tim building your engines?
All the best to young Jimmy this season.
Hopefully, I will be up for Mark's meet this year. Jim, mabe we can have that beer in memory of Uncle Bud.
Danny- it was great talking with you. I think you were in school when John Slaughter and I visited your Dad back about '60 or '61.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer Al :cool:

[Danny Pigott]

More SEBA

[Danny Pigott]

Old ad's

[Danny Pigott]

Baxley G.A. 1957 don't worry Dieter does better on the next page.

[Danny Pigott]

The rest of the classes.

[Danny Pigott]

SEBA High Points

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Your Dad was cleaning house Danny. I love those point sheets and newsletters with the stains. I can identify with that. Your earlier posts lead me to believe that Dieter must have spent the whole summer racing in the U.S. I'm not sure, but I think it was 1957 when he competed at the very cold NOA World Championships at Corpus Christi. Also I think Dieter and Flo got married that year. Maybe it was an extended Racing in America Honeymoon.:confused::cool: Keep sending us more stuff.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny- keep up with the SEBA rundowns. Is E.F. Hatton still alive? He had the first 6 Merc I had ever seen, at Beaufort,SC the day D.F. flipped and cut his foot.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer :cool:

[Danny Pigott]

Al,Sheriff Hatton died around the early 80's. His last boat was a Marchetti an 44 Looper. Bob Dunlap has the Looper maybe he will put it on the Ouincy site someday.Sheriff was driving this rig when he was in his 70's at one race Dad was jokeing an told him he would ride in the back an adj, the carb's Sheriff said that's not a bad idea. There were some colorful racer's in those day's.When you went to the race in Hazlehurst G.A. where Hatton lived the cop's would wave at you if you had a race boat I never saw this any where else. David Westbrook bought the Marchetti an Looper I'am fairly sure that is the boat he had at the Dayton World Champinship with a D konig an got hurt bad. Wayne you may know more about this ,but Tim Butts told me that Westbrook was driving a Marchetti I Have some more on Sheriff for later.

[Danny Pigott]

Ok, is that a Big D Swift or B/C ,This is Sheriff some time in the 50's

[Danny Pigott]

My son Danny testing our CMH monday afternoon after the Roanako Rapids N.C. race last sat & sun. Boat won all four heats of CMH with our friend Jimmy Warren driving. The PHP is for Pop's Horse Power,He never saw this motor, but my son Dale who build the motor, will not run anything without this on it in honor of his grandfather who he learned so much from.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny- Glad to see the family racing tradition is being carried on, and in a winning way.:D
Al the best in the season.
Ye Olde Desert Geezer Al :cool:

[Ronny W.]

Danny glade to Dale back in the drivers seat.Hope yall did well in Roanke wish we could have been there where shoting for Wilson next mounth hope to see yall there. here is a pic. of your dad in Dayton think it was 1983.

[Danny Pigott]

Ronnie, it's hard to belive but your dad an I still use those two cranking stand's today. We call them Horses in the South. Most people didn't know Bloise Williams ran Gaser's because he would hide up North an run them so his Pro friends would not fine out. Just kidding pal.

[Danny Pigott]

Getting ready to test for the pic's above. Note i'am looking at the boat not the girl.She is our friend an still caught fish while we tested. So race boat's don't hurt the fishing.

[Danny Pigott]

Danny left Dale right. Note Dale's mud motor at left these are very pop. down here.

[Danny Pigott]

Ready for the fun, but boat wanted to run too high in that calm water.

[Danny Pigott]

Rigging down.

[Danny Pigott]

Some time in the early 50's. This looks like salt water I would say it could be Brunswick G.A. there were a lot of races around there in those days.

[chip johnson]

hey danny havent talked in a long time.Chip Johnson

[Danny Pigott]

Conway S.C. 1982, Top Fred Tyson at rear of boat, this is his 350 Yamato an Pugh Hydro. Fred is a member here. Botton Not one of my better days in 44. Chip good to here from you come to Jesup in Oct.

[chip johnson]

danny ill be there if all possible my girls have gotten in to barrell racing horses if we do not have a race ill be there ,looking forward to seeing you.maybe i can get david to run i help him from time to time.

[Danny Pigott]

Around 1950 Charleston SC. Dad in the front, note these are stock fishing lower units.

[fred tyson]

Danny, that shot from Conway race sure dates back, reminds me of my"YOUNGER DAYS'"---That Pugh Hydro was 12'6 I believe and that Yamato gave it all it could handle sometimes, great boat --really stable most of the time, too bad you cannot get one like it anymore, that Gary could really throw some wood together. again thanks for the snapshot---Fred Tyson

[Danny Pigott]

I have no idea who this little boy is ,but looks like he is having fun. Around the early 80's.

[Danny Pigott]

More SEBA; note Ralph Donald an WJ (Dub) Parker. Bill Van we had name problems also, note Dads name spelled two ways an both wrong. George Taylor is a member of BRF.

[Danny Pigott]

1976 MOD. Nat's Kingston Tn. 11' 8" Byers Hydro this is the greatest boat I ever drove. Boat won DMH an EMH Nat's that year. I still have it.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That is a nice photo Danny. I love those old B&W photos. Look at the water coming off the bow. Looks like you have a stopwatch in the pocket of the Gentex. That racecourse looks inviting also.

[Popa Sam]

Danny, do you know if the Lake Haar mentioned in the Savannah article is now Lake Loraine? Do you know what year the article was written?

[Danny Pigott]

Wayne, Kingston Tn. was a great place to race,they held the Mod Nat's there from 75 to 79. The park area was build for boat racing in early 60' They had NOA races there for years. The site is almost right in town with lot's of fans an support. They have had some OPC races there an at least one USTS race,today I think they have Drag races. That is a stopwatch in the jacket I loved Gentex jackets hated to see them go. I had a lifeline that I did not like at all,then one day at Dayton OH. I was talking to Kay Harrison an he said to try his security, it was great I got out of the boat an said where do I get one.

[Danny Pigott]

Sam, lake Haar was in Ellabelle GA. just south of Savannah. I don"t know what it is called today, you may be right. Bloise should know I will ask him. The write up about that race would have been about 1955-56.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Never tried a Security Danny...they were after my time, but Kay would be the one to know. I loved my Gentex too, but I left it in Berlin with my helmet thinking I would be back. The Premier helmet was the best I ever had. Wish I had both of them to hang on my wall. My Dad bought several Lifelines for our guys to wear offshore. The lifejackets the offshore oil companies issued did not have the type of leg straps that would stand the drop of 100 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. The safety people never understood how fast you would enter the water if you jumped off a platform 100' above the seas in 200' of water. Fortunately none of our guys had to give them a try. I put one on, but it was way to bulky for me to race in so I stuck with the Gentex until I quit.

keep up with the posts. They are great.

[Danny Pigott]

This is Ralph Donald's 175 Hydro at Jesup this past weekend. They had one of tha best Local PRO races I have seen in a long time. PRO boats came from NY.- Mass. Conn. Wis. GA. FL. an Ohio.

[Allen J. Lang]

Wayne- When I ran stocks in the 60s, I had a Gentex which I did like. My helmet was a AF surplus jet fighter helmet. That fit me well. The problem with the Gentex was when I dumped in the salt water of Long Island NY, the collar was loaded with small jelly fish. Yes, they do sting somewhat.:mad:

Hi Danny- Look forward to your picture postings as I do with Wayne. I only got to meet Ralph Donald once after seeing him run in SEBA and NOA while I was stationed in Charleston. Pete Hellsten introduced us at Pete's last running at Constantine, MI. Heck, I hadn't seen Pete in almost 40 years since Long Island NY racing days. Glad I got to see him before he passed.
Al :cool:

[Danny Pigott]

AL, you should know this Pro driver from N.Y. Diane Murray 175 Hydro.

[Allen J. Lang]

Danny- Old friend Pete Voss did introduce me to Diane at a Constantine race.
When I lived in MI, I would try to attend the pre nationals Pro race. Would see the Long Islanders I used to race with and catch up on what happened from 1970, my last year racing and moving, to the present. Sure miss even those races for catch up time. Always enjoyed to listen to history from Art Pugh. He is one smart man. In '64, he asked Bill Fales why wasn't he running tuned stacks on his 460. Bill told him no one was able to come up with a set, so Art took a piece of paper and pencil and asked what he was going to run it at in rpms and drew out a diagram with dims. Several weeks later, Bill said he picked up about 3-4 mph with Art's design.
Just loved the old days. :)

[Danny Pigott]

Not a great pic. Mitch Mayer (sp) from NY 250 Hydro

[Danny Pigott]

Jimmy Warren ,Troy Noonan and Dale Pigott. Troy and Dale must be thinking Jimmy, what are you doing to the motor, It just won both heats of CMH.

[Danny Pigott]

Top Lakeland Fla. 1979. Bottom testing in snow.

[chip johnson]

danny, boy I regret not taking many pics when me and dickey and david were running but I am sure enjoying yours.The pics of pop were exactly like I rember him,boy we had some good times with pop.

[Danny Pigott]

This was Joe Burgess Duel engine Allison Guntersville Al .This was a NOA race. The boat caught fire when Joe started it at the ramp.

[Danny Pigott]

The guy in the hat is Dr Chuck Rutherford he owned this boat an i think the rest of the Big Orange boats that Joe drove. He told me that the bad thing about this, was that one engine was loaned to him. The good thing was that Joe was not hurt.

[Popa Sam]

Danny, that's Dr Chuck Rutherford. Very nice person. This is the first pictures I've seen of this. Joe abandoned ship too quick to get hurt. Do you know what year it was?

[Danny Pigott]

Sam, this was 1979 an you are right, Joe didn't waste any time getting out . The boat had a full load of gas an no one wanted to go near it. This class was hot at that time, people loved to see them run even if there were only a few running. What do you think would happen if they came out with twin engine Champboats. Very few people have ever seen the old twin engine stackers run. I read somewhere that Merc. Tested the Tiwster 1 with the stacker to show that the Twister was faster with little noise. After the test most of the fans went to look at the stacker an not the Twister. I guess this shows fans still like the noise even if it is not as fast.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Danny...you continue to pull some good stuff out of your archives. Thanks for the pics and the stories behind them.

[Ron Hill]

Tehy wrote a song about the Day the Music Died, but I was racing in Galvston, Texas the Day Outboard Racing Died!.

Galveston had twin 100's. The first 100 was for Single Engines and the second one was for Multi Engines. Jimbo won the single engine race while spectators pour suntan oil on their women. Guys took naps waiting for the MULTI ENGINES Race....

Jimbo came out of the water as Single Engine Winner and few took notice...as the MULTI's were lining up. The MULTI's had two or three engines, BIG, ****ING NOISY ENGINES. The spectators were worked up to see these MULTI's RACE...They got so excited they knocked the fence down between the spectators and the boats.

I finished a solid third or solid fourt, but JimmY Mertens witha triple Mercury cleaned our CLOCKS. Three MOTHER MERCS with stacks on the back of a 22 foot tunnel. As he lapped me, my heart stopped, as it was so spectatular.

That same day, Gary Garbrecht and Charlie Strang made deal at the HOT DOG STAND, to only run single engines....I never saw crowds at OUTBOARD RACES after Galveston.

Fans pay money to watch things THEY CAN'T do!!!! Any JACK *** can drive a single engine boat, but you need to be KING KONG to drive a triple engine boat....Mercury and OMC were run by engineers, not marketing people....

Do you know why a QUICKSILVER gearcase has a point????Not becasue it was faster than a round nose, it had a point because Carl K wanted it to have apoint...IT LOOKED FAST!!!!! Of course, Carl built Mercury Marine and at one time required his dealers to race a boat......

Thanks, Danny for the memories...Joe Burgess was a great person and a great driver...Chuck Ruthford, is and was a true gentleman.....

[Danny Pigott]

Floyd Hopkin's brown shirt at Kingston Tn 1978. I had never met Floyd until this day, but had run his prop's from about 1971. When I drove up to the pit he was standing there an said Danny, I came to this race to meet you, this made me really feel good. He spent the rest of the week with us, gave me some prop's to test an worked on some on the trailer hitch of my truck ,he an dad really hit it off, must have been the Old Mil. in the back of the trailer LOL. The guy in the orange shirt is Spot Kennedy our neighbor, when he was real young he lived in N.C. and raced some back in the 50's. He said he was alway's getting lapped. Then one day this guy walked up to him an said son why don't you let me help you, because right now you are just in the way and messing up the races. The guy that offered to help was Doug Creech. He said after that he did run a lot better but never knew if Doug helped him so he was out of his way, or to make him a better racer.

[Popa Sam]

I still miss Floyd. Surprised he didn't have a bucket of Kentucky Fried under his arm when he arrived. He loved KFC.

Funny story about Floyd: We were in Panama city for a race and staying in the same motel. The rooms were in individual 2 story buildings. I got up pretty early Sunday morning and went outside. Floyd was sitting on the porch of the adjoining building. I walked over and ask if he slept okay. He said no, in fact hardly slept at all. Said the people up stairs above him were making bump, bump, bump sounds all night. Said he thought at first "they were frigging, but it lasted way too long for that". After I got up off the ground we went for breakfast.

He built many winning V bottom props for me.

[Mark75H]

Danny, this is great. I don't comment on every picture and post, but I love them all. I am sure many more people are enjoying this as much as I am. There are almost 7,000 views of your thread!

Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts :)

[Danny Pigott]

Thank's Sam ,Glad you enjoy them . I hope other's do also. I am not very good with a computer or wording the post; but do the best I can. Most of what I post is what I remember I have no notes to go by. The pic's were just taken over the year's I never thought i would ever use them like this. I was fortunate to have raced in all four outboard divisons, some times all four in the same time period ,this gave me a lot of history about each one.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny- I really enjoy your postings. Our phone conversations are great with the information not posted and bringing back memories of SEBA and NOA. My wife said that our conversations are longer than any she has, and that says something as I tell her she has the phone glued to her ear. :cool:

[David Mason]

Dan,

Your stories and pics are priceless. It is the era I grew up in and most likley was at a lot of the races the pics are of, for the Mod stuff anyway. I can't remember a race in TN that you guys were not at back in the day. Kingston, Soddy Daisy, and a few others. Lots of memories there. One of my fondest is of Mrs. Picket and the catfish stew at Soddy. Dal, I and the normal kid crew were bothering you guys at the campsite about some catsish stew. Well, there were some I think home grown jalpenos hanging as well. We grabbed a couple of those and broke them up and put them in my cousins stew when he was not looking. I have to say, y'all know how to grow some hot jalapenos. I think he breathed fire all the way down to the lake. I sampled one after that and it was not long before I hit the lake. Ahh the days.

And thank you for keeping all these memories alive. Some day I will have to get Mom & Dad to sit down and go through the thousands of pictures we all took back in the day and see about posting them with some references.

[Y-62/Crews/ Lowrey]

The boat in the backround is a Lowrey 4-point. I spent many a Saturday in the boat shop with my Grandpa Andy Lowrey as he and my uncles built these boats. Boy would I like to see one of Grandpa's boats again!!

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Dennis:

Thanks for the posting of the photo. The boat in the foreground is one I built for Ken Parks in Oklahoma in the mid-70's.

Your grandad was very helpful to me when I built a few boats in that time frame.
Good luck on your promotion of boat racing again in Texas.

[Danny Pigott]

Dave, how about this, Lyle Mason back when he was a hippy. Lyle if you had cut some of that hair off you would have picked up a mph are two LOL.

[David Mason]

Sideburns and all !!!!! When dad gets back from the snowmobile trip i am gonna show him that ! I always thought it looked more like a fro !!!!!

[Danny Pigott]

Our CMH on the way to victory, Boat won 12 heats in a row last year. This was at local races. I a'm sure it won't last because a lot of people think it's runnning faster than it is.. But we all know going around the track is what wins races .

[Danny Pigott]

Moncks Corner SC Dale's dog (Jim) Beam, looks like he got more Buds than ducks , Bottom, Dale and friend.This is a famous old race site, it was a record course back in the early 50's. . David L 6, don't tell right away i know you know. Anybody know where it is.

[Danny Pigott]

Hint, its Ark, an has good duck hunting

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Lake Village, Arkansas??

[Danny Pigott]

You are right Bill. My son an friends go there every year duck hunting. I went that year with him around 2006. They know some guys from there, that take them hunting and hang around with them at the cabin, they cook an party at night, some great people. I knew that they had races there before, so i asked a guy that was from there about them. He knew all about the boat races an said the water all ways got so rough the drivers did not like it. he told me they held the races at the end of main st. in the middle of town, every time we went to town in my mind, i could just see Loopers and Koings running down the lake. The pic. is at the state park just down from town. They had a USTS race there in the mid 90's.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Danny:

There were a number of USTS races in Lake Village in the time frame you speak about, probably at least a half dozen, promoted by Don Nichols after he retired from driving himself.

The situation there was kind of sad in that the lake was ALWAYS rough when we were there. Long swells that were very hard to see when on the course, that ran from north to south, and south to north, and then met right in the middle of the race course area in front of the down town area. The problem was caused by pleasure boaters, fisherman with bass boats, etc. doing their thing above and below the race course and then the wakes and swells working their way up and down the lake to the race course. Adding to the problem is the fact the lake lies primarily in a North/South direction and the prevailing wind usually comes from either of those directions and you have a real problem trying to put on a good race for Boats that run at the speeds that PRO boats do.

The local organizers tried their best to control the boat traffic at either end of the course, but because of the way the lake lies, it is almost impossible to avoid rough water when boats are allowed to run at any speed north and south of the course, even a mile or more away. IMHO opinion the only way you would ever have a successful boat racing event there is have the ability to completely shut down all boat traffic the weekend of the race and I doubt the local folks would stand for that. OPC would probably do fine there, based on some video productions I have watched of the PROP Tour at places like Bay City, Mich. PRO boats, as you know, just can't run and put on a show in water like that at the speeds they travel today. The locals really worked hard to promote the races there and were very hospitable, but the rough water just never gave us an opportunity to really show what a good show USTS racing is.

We always had a good time there, but not because of the quality of the racing, at least that is the way I remember it. Boat racing has a long history there as some very good racers came from that area in the late 40's and into the 50's. One name that comes to mind is David Livingston, who won many championships in ALKY boats in that time frame. There was also at least one ALKY Championship held there during that time, maybe more.

[Danny Pigott]

Just a couple of the many motors dad built for well know drivers. I know this is all old stuff, but my son would be upset if i showed all the specs.This book is about 1 inch thick full of motor specs that he built for people over the years. There are even about 5, 75 hp omc motors he built to go to South America. These motors were blue printed to UIM specs. At that time the specs were in m.m. an had to be coverted to eng.They may still be. Bucky Morris's CCC was one Jenk's had just got, before he died. Rusty Campbell ran dads omc 75's for years . This V6 Merc was on a 16 foot Chitchfeld (sp) with full cowl an ran in VX in NOA. There are MOD 50 specs, OMC 235, Omc 50, OMC 25 stock, And MOD. 20H, 55H, Quincy A,B.C',D Looper ,Konig, Hot Rod, KG4,. KG7 Lighting. D Mod, E mod, FE (75 OMC). And this is just one book

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You continue to surprise me with all the stuff you post Danny. You must be sitting on a gold mine of information.:cool: Understand that some things you need to keep under wraps...but feed us what you can.:)

[Danny Pigott]

Some older OPC guys may remember Jay Cox

[Danny Pigott]

Dale, working on new CMH Tower. C MOD 302 on old tower waiting for ign. work. Winter Nat's At Rainbow City Al. not far off.

[Danny Pigott]

Top- lyle Mason's FEH, Dayton OH. mid 80's One of the fastest FEH's of all time. This Yale would run DMH,EMH and FEH. i think Grandpa Mason won the DMH Nat's, in it around 1978 at age 70 years old.
Bottom- Melvin Cooper, driving LW Battle's new DeSliva 500 Hydro at Hazelhurst GA. 1985. This was Sheriff E.l. Hatton land. Hatton, LW Battle and Melvin Cooper were all South Eastern Boating Asso. Drivers in the 50's and 60's. If you had a race boat behind your truck/car the cop's would wave at you, Sheriff Hatton had a lot of pull in this part of GA.

[Danny Pigott]

CMH almost ready to test.

[Danny Pigott]

Left Swift Big Bee. Right 73 BMH Byers I guess i need to get these cleaned up someday. A lot of good times with these boats.

[Danny Pigott]

Left top, Konig fly wheel wrench. Botton Merc KG fly wheel wrench. Dad made the KG wrench in the 1940's. He made most all of his Special Tools, I still have them today

[Danny Pigott]

My son Danny, building new pipe bracket for Yamato.

[Mark75H]

Sweet!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

....now we can see recorded history as it is taking place.:cool: Thanks much Danny for adding to the history that will later be much appreciated.

[Danny Pigott]

We got third over all in the Winter Nat's. Might could have done better but we had a kill switch problem, an dropped a cyl in first heat. came in second in second heat. This was a lot better than i thought we would do, this was our first try in CMH. On Sat. we changed tower an gear housing to try a new set up. We won the race, BUT boat was 2 pounds light we did not weigh the boat with new tower that was steel, an old tower was alm. I thought the steel one would be heaver than the alm one, but it was lighter. Still had a great time ,this is great race site.

[David Mason]

Tell Dale I said congrats, and howdy. Like 2 pounds would have mad any difference, but rules is rules. Dad had the same thing happen to him one year in 750CCMH, I think it was at Witney Point NY. It was a couple pounds light. I told him he should have skipped the morning routine ! In NBRA the weights are a little lighter, so he would have been heavy !

[Danny Pigott]

Fred Hauenstein at the winter Nat's. in Ala. Fred got second in DMH an third in DMR. in the Nat's. On Sat. he won DMH an DMR. A lot of people said he worked harder than anyone there. You don't see somebody run Hydro an Runabout much any more. Fred did it with one motor changing from boat to boat. I think his ASH got second with John Pomquest driving.

[Danny Pigott]

This was a proto type engine Dad built in 1980 few people ever saw it. I will not comment on it because he is not here to explain how it worked. you can not see all of the Mods in the pic.It would take care of the 90 Yam.'s at that time. I would say it was one of the fastest 75's of all time. The FE's of to day would not have easy picking's with it . I still have it This pic was taken just the other day.

[Danny Pigott]

Back from the Winter Nat's. I want to rest they want to go to the Kart races. Note tires an tire cutter, you need a boat load of tires. Dirt track racing, is a very tough type of racing. It takes $$$ just for the tire treatments Next week back to the SO/MOD race at Tabor City NC. Danny's good wife helping him, this is what it takes to be successful in any racing. He is very good at this, at one time he was making a living doing it. It does pay good money here. 2,500 to win at a lot of races.I know This is not boat racing ,but it is what we do between boat races, About all we do is race something.

[Danny Pigott]

A lot of races were held here for many years. Rocks pond is a Camp ground on lake Marion in Eutawville SC. People would start comming in on Wed. before the race on Sun.It was one big party up till the race, they had huge crowds. The end of the dock is where the starter dropped the flag for the Lemans start. Many a great driver looked at that dock for the flag to drop. Bill Seebold, Mike Seebold , Earl Bentz ,Ben Robertson, Reggie Fountion(sp), Aian Stinson, Joe Burgress, Duke Waldrop Joe Mc Caule, Bucky Morris,an many more that i don't remember or forgot. I took this pic last week it looks just like it did the last race held there. Don't let the word pond fool you, this was one of the roughest places there was to race. A driver i know called Seebold on monday after the race. to order new cowling, Billy told him, I told you to stay out of the pond. Lot of history at this place.

[Popa Sam]

Danny, have many of the pine trees re-grown? Hugo sure made it a different looking place. There were really some big pines before. You are right about some good racing being held there. Also some of the most unbelievable spectator sights I ever saw.

[Mark Poole]

I saw some great racing there! Lots of big wrecks too. Bruce told me the Geechee 2 was hanging in the pavillion and was destroyed in the storm. Not only was the "pond" very large, it was also shallow.

[Danny Pigott]

Sam the pines never grew back . They planted oaks that are only about 12 or so feet high an not many of them. It will never look the same as the pines did. Rut Conner who owned the Rocks plantation and Rocks pond. Told me he had some land down the road that he was going to build a private boat race lake. I think he is to old for that now an has sold Rocks Pond. That would have been great.

[Popa Sam]

I always enjoyed talking with him when we were there for a race. I think he was another one of us that had a hard time accepting the fact that boat racing would never be the same again. He didn't understand why we couldn't get the number of boats in the late eighty's and early ninety's that had always showed up in the 70's and early 80's. I have many fond memories of that place.

[Danny Pigott]

DMH at Tabor City NC Last weekend, May 15 2010. I think there were eight. This was a very good race, Tabor City is one of the best short course races there is.

[Danny Pigott]

My son pulled Dad's old Allison out of the woods today,it looks kind of bad. This is a 1970 15' boat. I heard the motor running a few min.ago so that is a start.

[Danny Pigott]

This is the last 75 OMC, Dad build for Rusty Campbell, before he went to MVP and Champ. This was his #1 motor but after the last up date, we kept it for his back up motor. It should be ok the birds carryed the straw under the cowl.

[Danny Pigott]

Looks better now. Note the old roll up runabout in the back ground, a 1970's A an B Mod National Champion.

[Ron Hill]

Thanks for posting all the great pictures and all that you have posted. This Allison, you said your dad build. Did he work for Allison or is it not an Allison? Would you consider donating it for a project boat?

In today's economy that is a boat I feel could be marketable.

[Danny Pigott]

This Allison, has a little history behind it. DF Jenkins drove it with a OMC on it in FJ, trying to beat the Mercs. I think it was around 71/72 Benny Robertson is suppose to have drove it in that time period with a Merc. Dad got it from DF in 74 an used it to break in the motors they built. Earl Bentz tested it with some OMC 135's. We even had a Super Strangler on it one time to prove a point to a bass boat. Later Dad just used it to break in 75's an play on sat and sun. He would take his Lab. Moe with him. When a bass boat wanted to run he would tell Moe to get in the back of the boat, an the dog would get as far back as he could. Very few boat's could beat a 75 on this even if if was a FJ boat because the river had so many bends in it, they could not get aired out. The saying around the boat shops was don't mess with the old man and the dog. It belongs to my son Dale now, so i can't say what he might do with it in the future. It would be nice to see it restored .

[Mark75H]

Danny, I like that story!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I agree with Sam Danny.....that is a good story. In my mind I could see Moe knowing exactly where to set. And Moe also knowing why!:cool::D

[Danny Pigott]

This is the start of a race at the same dock in pre. post

[Danny Pigott]

This is Winter Park ,This is a old race site from the 50's it is about 20 miles from rocks Pond in Eutawville SC. I remember going to races here when i was a kid. It not very big but they had some good racing here.I remember seeing my first 55H Merc here ,the rest were Mark 40's.Top left was the far trun and botton left was the first turn. This is the same way it looked as it did in the 50's

[Mark Poole]

Is this the place that I have heard Splash Dumas refer to as the "ditch"?

[Danny Pigott]

Mark, there were no OPC at Winter park it was before there time. The Ditch was at Hardeeville SC on the Savannah river. The river is not very wide here so it got the nick name the ditch. The town had there Catfish Fes. every year in sept.The boat race was a big part of it. Dumas put this race on it was a outlaw race so no fuel ,rule.V bottoms an Tunnels could run in the same class. They had good turn outs of boats an a lot of fun, the town loved it. The first race called the ditch was in Pamlico SC this place was not as wide as Hardeeville.

[Danny Pigott]

This is a good firend helping us load the boat,looks she is doing it all, we are takeing it for some mods to try an help it. need more firends like her. Second pic. i gress we are there, i see the cooler ready for action.

[TOPGUNRACING]

Mr. Piggot do you have pics of my pops or uncle from yrs. back? Thanks Dustin

[David Mason]

Danny,

Looks like friends know how to pack for somse testing down there ! Cooler is important in that heat ! Lots of water in there, and I hope some carbonated beverages as well !!! hehehe.

Hope the changes worked. Can't wait until we see y'all again.

[Danny Pigott]

Dustin, i dont have any pic's,but will tell you a story about i gress your uncle.My Grand dad was from the outer banks of NC as far as he was new he had the fastest boat around it was homemade with i gress a lighting or some Merc.. Him an dad were comming from NC back to Charleston SC , I think dad told him that a fellow name Guy Hamoton (sp)had won the Nat's that year i dont know what year it was. Grand dad said i am going to find him an give him a shot at out running me, Grand dad only river raced. Dad told me he drove arond i think New Bern NC for hours looking for Guy he said he like to never got him to go home. he was in his 70's but them old fellows were something

[Danny Pigott]

This is the carb that came on a 1975 OMC ( 75/75) . We consider this the best carb for the 3 cyl. OMC a lot other people do to. I trled all the later carbs, but none were better to me.What do you think,. how about the SST60 any better if so why

[TBuck2003]

This is the carb that came on a 1975 OMC ( 75/75) . We consider this the best carb for the 3 cyl. OMC a lot other people do to. I trled all the later carbs, but none were better to me.What do you think,. how about the SST60 any better if so why

Part # would love to know if this is what I have. Thx

Todd

[Danny Pigott]

Todd, if that is a original 75/75 an the carb looks like the one in the pic. it is the right carb. The later ones had a small tube running out of the dump tube. The 65 HP motor could look the same but have a small venture.

[TBuck2003]

10-4 that is the one I have thanks Danny I appreciate it.

Todd

[Danny Pigott]

I wonder what we found under there , Around 1976 Super Strangler, stippish Tunnel click to enlarge, an click center to enlarge more . i don't know why the pic's are not comming out larger

[Danny Pigott]

This is the same boat i drove in the Miami triple blow over . Now it has new style cowling. It was only three weeks old at the Miami race in 1975. It had almost no damage except the cowling . Dad fixed the rear an front cowl. Then Carl sent the low profile cowl for the back. This boat had some great workmanship in it .

[Danny Pigott]

Testing at Miami before the Miami triple blow over. This boat was three weeks old an build by Carl Stppish(sp) Carl build the Twistercraft boats for Merc. There is a story about this boat , Carl and Merc. i will tell some time.

[ezryder]

I was going through the early stages of your thread yesterday.
And I noted that you mentioned reading a SEBA Propeller story that was of interest to you.
I'm wondering, can you fill me in on how long SEBA continued running races.
As you know from earlier contacts with me, I moved on to APBA alky and then into retirement by my mother in '59, after my dad's death at Daytona, in Lake Lloyd.
I would have preferred to continue on with my boat racing, but had to switch to car and m/c racing.
I've always wondered how long SEBA continued doing races?

I've also just posted some musings on my thread that are related to your
early threads.
George (EZ)

[Danny Pigott]

George, as best i can tell it lasted untill about 62 i don't know what happened to it .i ran my first race in Sav. GA. about this time an it was outlaw, a lot of SEBA drivers were there the race was on the Ogeechee river where highway 17 goes over it. Al when you and John S were racing were there any SEBA races.

[Allen J. Lang]

Danny- I do know that SEBA was running in the late 50s/early 60s. Ralph Donald could probably fill in what years the organization covered. Wish I still had my rule book along with so many racing publications such as Roostertail, Propeller and magazines. Most lost in my moves.

[ezryder]

Danny- I do know that SEBA was running in the late 50s/early 60s. Ralph Donald could probably fill in what years the organization covered. Wish I still had my rule book along with so many racing publications such as Roostertail, Propeller and magazines. Most lost in my moves.

To Danny and Al,
Thanks for the comments. I'll see what Ralph has to say about it.
After I got factory support from Deter, I didn't do much SEBA racing any longer.
Deter wanted me racing APBA and NOA to enhance motor sales.
And thats what I did until my dad's untimely death at DIS in '59.
That changed my direction and I lost track of SEBA entirely.

Those were sure great days for me! I loved every minute of it!!
Geo

[Danny Pigott]

Miami 1975 Dad in red shirt

[Danny Pigott]

Knoxville Boat Club 1971 this was the home of Claude Fox an NOA, Many records were set here over the years, this Pic is of Charlie Tobias and his Byers Hydro This was a NOA AMPRO race (now MOD in APBA) AMPRO ment American Professional (no foreign motors) It was said that Charlie's dad owned a advertising company an Charlie would use company money to put on the races an hope he made enough back to cover it on monday i don't think his dad knew this, he put on a lot of races around the Knoxville. This was the Dowood Art's Festival Championship. Carl Perkins was at this race.

[Mark75H]

Sure. I'll probably do it tomorrow.

[ezryder]

It just totally blows my mind as to how little things had changed in boat design by 1970.
That Byers hydro looks very much like my Sid Craft hydro from '57!

I was already heavy into M/C racing in the seventies, but reading up on the history of boat racing tells me that a guy named Tim Butts built hydros that apparently were "state of the art" later in the 70's. Think they were called Butts' AeroWings.

I attended the Lake Alfred Worlds a few weeks ago. And was astounded as to the development of the European's hydros.
In my day, getting on a plane was a real chore as we "jacked" up the motor for more speed.

I spent some time looking at the bottom designs of those boats. And observed how FAST they could plane off and get up to speed!
Lots of advancement there!!!

Can anyone fill me in on why the US still uses the clock start rather than the "dead stop" start method?

To me, from my standpoint as a retired M/C racer, standing starts were the rule. And where you started depended on how fast you were in qualifying.

Seems to me that the European qualifying method should be used exclusively in the US in this modern day and age.
And I say that even though in my boat racing days, I was an excellent clock starter.
Just seems more fair to me. (unless your engine won't start -hehe)

Geo (EZ)

[Master Oil Racing Team]

With as many classes as run in a race, it would take forever to qualify George. I prefer the clock start, even though most of my career I was not a good clock starter ;):D. Before the hydraulic lifting you had to check the course out and compromise between speed and getting on a plane and out of there. This is just an observation because all I ever did was clock starts. But with the hydraulic lifts, you can get on a plane quickly with a high pitch prop, then lower your motor down for good high end racing. When I was at Lake Alfred two years ago, seems that most Americans didn't have the sophistication of the European boats in this regard. It adds to the cost of campaigning, and may lead to domination by a few teams. I prefer the chanciness on trying to work into the position you want while milling. It opens more options for some maybe not quite as fast, but can get the jump, and closes the door on some who may be the fastest, but gets caught in the wrong spot when the one minute canon fires. To me it is also more exciting for the crowds to watch the milling throng coalesce into a thundering pack headed for the starting line.

For more information about Tim Butts, there is a thread on him and his Butts Aerowings and how they revolutioned the kneelers. Go to search and type in Butts Aerowing..The Only Way to Fly, (which was the slogan painted on his trailer).

[Jeff Lytle]

Scan fixed!

[ezryder]

You make some very good points that I had not considered.

In my early years of racing bikes, when we went to Canada or Europe to race they still used the "push start" method. Stand next to your bike and when they dropped the green flag you took off pushing, then jumped on when you got the fire lit.
Like clock starting it was an art form to do properly. I never mastered the push start as I did it so rarely.

I missed the qualifying at Lake Alfred. Do they just send everyone out on the course and log in all laps as they do in m/c qualifying?
Geo

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

You make some very good points that I had not considered.

In my early years of racing bikes, when we went to Canada or Europe to race they still used the "push start" method. Stand next to your bike and when they dropped the green flag you took off pushing, then jumped on when you got the fire lit.
Like clock starting it was an art form to do properly. I never mastered the push start as I did it so rarely.

I missed the qualifying at Lake Alfred. Do they just send everyone out on the course and log in all laps as they do in m/c qualifying?
Geo

George,

They do one at a time, beach start when the flag drops out around the bend bouy & turn & complete the qualifying right at the flag stand. Fastest time gets the pole. Order of finish determines start position for next heat unlike Champ boat/F1 where they do qualifying times for dock position for 1st preliminary heat. They reverse the start from the first heat finish (1st place starts last). The points total determines start position for the 50 lap feature.

[ezryder]

That's interesting.
So they start from the beach with dead motors, around the back straight bouy and only back to the start finish line. Right? Less than one lap of the full course?

Quite a bit of difference from the alkys and the F1 start methods.
No wonder Wayne indicated not enough time to run the qualifying.
One boat at a time would take a lot of time.

With m/c's qualifying lasts a specific amount of time. And your fastest lap sets your starting position for the race. And also for the second day race if there is one.
There is a lot of strategy involved in m/c qualifying. Especially on very fast circuits like Daytona where you averaging 115 or better per lap.
At Daytona it's common for very good privateer riders to try and get the "draft" from one of the factory riders. And this can result to as much as a couple of seconds faster times.
Of course, part of the game for the "money" guys is to make it very difficult for anyone to get their draft.

It's quite a game to watch. And the best is at the MotoGP world championships qualifying rounds. There are lots of times where the
pole position leader will change 4 or 5 times just in the last 5 to 10 min of qualifying.

I used to love watching the F1 boat races. But damned if I see much of them on TV any more. I'm guessing it's probably because It's just gotten to costly to race at that level with no factory support -- or at least very little?

If it wasn't for factory support MotoGP would be history too. In fact they are currently in deep dodo due to depleted fields of bikes.
Their having to "bend" their rules just to survive. They rarely have more
than 18 bikes on the starting grid. Not near enough bikes!

This is the first year of a new championship class called MotoGP2 which consists of "specification" engines built by Honda, installed in any kind of frame you want.
Now this class is booming. This year every race they have held has the maximum number of starters allowed -- 40 bikes.
After the start the first turn is something to behold!!!!
Extremely competitive racing. In most cases the qualifying times of the
top 40 will be less than 2 seconds apart.
It truly is awesome racing to watch!

Regards,
Geo

[Danny Pigott]

650/ 700 merc carbs these have never been installed on an eng. i have no idea what we were going to use them for maybe a 3 hole omc.

[Danny Pigott]

Qunicy Life Jacket 1970. I don't know how many of these still exist this one is still in good shape i just found it in sone old stuff this week.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

As Gomer Pyle USMC would say..."GaauuhhhUULLllleeeee!" Good stuff....keep diggin'!:cool:

[Gene East]

Art Neadeack has a Quincy life jacket, but I don't know anyone else who does.

This jacket not only provided superior floatation, but it also provided rib and kidney protection with all the padding. I'm convinced it saved me some busted ribs in a water skiing mishap.

I think they sold for less than $40.00. A real bargain!

Check out what I'm wearing in my avatar.

[Danny Pigott]

Back in the late 70's early 80's there was a race on new years day in Scotts Hill NC. It was put on by WC Lanier he owned Scotts Hill Marina that was on the inland waterway This seems like a bad time to have a boat race but it was well attended and had a great award for the winner a 12 Pack of beer. This was just a fun race all classes ran together they had SE to SST 140 Tunnels. FE to Unlimited V bottoms in the race. The last time i was there a SE boat blew over and a SST 140 boat blew over an landed in the marsh the driver was not hurt bad. The wind was blowing pretty good and was very cold for the guys that went in the water.WC also had a OMC dealership and a Unlimited V bottom and a U tunnel. he calls me often an wants to have a little reunion of the drivers of that time we have not done it but might have it someday. This was just a little new years story i don't know how good the drivers felt on new years day but they still had fun.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That is about the most unheard of time for a race Danny. I can remember waking up to Tim Butts testing at my Dad's waterfront on New Year's Day.....but racing? That's why BRF is the go to site for boat racing history.:cool:

Convince Mr. Lanier to have the reunion and post some pics. Thanks for the uusual New Year's Day boat racing story Danny.

[ezryder]

Hey, you guys ever hear of the "citrus circuit" back in the "old days" ??

Races stared in Miami over the holidays and then moved on to almost every weekend until the end of April!

Upps, sorry -- got carried away with my "old farts" memorys! hehe :D

Geo

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Hey, you guys ever hear of the "citrus circuit" back in the "old days" ??

Races stared in Miami over the holidays and then moved on to almost every weekend until the end of April!

Upps, sorry -- got carried away with my "old farts" memorys! hehe :D

Geo

George,

Wasn't it called the Grapefruit Circuit?

[Ron Hill]

One year, Ernie Dawe and I tried to figure if we could get to Miami, with his C Hydro on top of his '57 Plymouth, and race and then get back before our parents knew we went.......At Christmas vacation....(We sobered up the next day and figured it wasn't possible....but we sure wished we could have raced "The Grapefruit Curcuit"...).

I agree with T.A.R.T here...which isn't often!!!

[Danny Pigott]

I have to go with Geo. Dad allways called it the Citus Circult i think this was in the 50's Later it was called the Grape fruit Circult

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

I have to go with Geo. Dad allways called it the Citus Circult i think this was in the 50's Later it was called the Grape fruit Circult

I believe that if you go to the Boat Sport magazine site & look at the 50's magazines & the articles headed "On the racing scene" and even other articles the Florida races were referred to as the Grapefruit Circuit.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Seems George and Danny are right John. I found an article that several times called it the "Citrus Circuit" including the title. I will try to post it later. Can't do it from here.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Seems George and Danny are right John. I found an article that several times called it the "Citrus Circuit" including the title. I will try to post it later. Can't do it from here.
I humbling accept the correction, but when I raced in Lakeland in the 60's it was one race on the Grapefruit circuit.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

I made the trip to Lakeland, and other locations for the late winter and spring races in Florida, from 1970 until they drained Lake Hollingworth in Lakeland and racing ceased there for several years, altogether some 30+ years of the ride from Missouri to Florida to either race myself or watch and get some sun, although there were many cold blow outs during that time in the months of Feb/March also. Because of Eileens job as a Flight Attendant, and the passes, we were able to go a lot even when we did not go to race ourselves.

We always felt if you got too disappointed if you didn't get to race, you should probably stay home, as it was always somewhat uncertain weather wise at that time of year. If you didn't get to race, at least it broke up the cold winter and you got to see your Florida friends for a while, before they made the trek north for the summer races in the Midwest and other places when it was too hot to race in Florida. When Phil and Jeanie Howard and Eileen and I were going together in the late 70's and 80's before he retired from driving, we usually tried to make two races on consecutive weekends, just in case of a "blowout" one place or another.

During all those years, I heard it called BOTH the Grapefruit and Citrus Circuit, and one just as much as another, so sounds like everybody is right on this one. Just like you had several different words or descriptions for that good engine when it went "blooey", there were several different names or titles for the series or circuits/races in Florida in the springtime.

We all had fun, whatever it was called. Too bad so many of the great race sites in Florida have been lost for various reasons.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Like John, I always heard it called the Grapfruit Circuit. It must have changed sometime in the early 60's. People such as Buddy Smith might have still referred to it as the Citrus Circuit, but until I saw that posted on this site I always thought it was the Grapefruit Circuit. One thing that always puzzled me though is why they call that "Salty Dog" fruit a grapefruit.:confused:;) Maybe Russ might have a clue. As long as he has worn those socks, he might have some insight back into that history.:D

Joe Rome and I share some historical moments among ourselves of our first trip to Lakeland via numerous airports there and back. I think it was 1970. It was the grapefruit circuit then. It was also when Tim Butts showed up with his second, and more daring picklefork hydro.

[ezryder]

Humm!! I "thought" I remembered correctly. But then I've had a "setback" over the last 10 years or so. It's called "CRAFT" disease!
So take your choice. Most likely, from all the comments, NONE of us old timers knew the correct name! hehe!!! :rolleyes:

As far as the "blowouts" comment --- well ---
You had a choice in most cases -- sit in the pits because you were a "pussy", or install your large "gonads" and go racing. What can I say! In my time there were very few cancelled events in the Citrus/Grapefruit Circuit series.
For me, being in my teens, I pulled out my "brassballs" and continued on. The prize money was way too tempting!

Oh MY, What GREAT memory's I have of those days!!

To enjoy eating grapefruit you have to understand how to eat it. First off, for me, you NEVER drink grapefruit juice! That is a HUGE NoNo!!
What you do is you only buy "pink" grapefruit. Then you cut them in half. Then you slice all the sections with a sharp knife.
Then you sprinkle sugar on top of the halves, dig out the sections and ENJOY!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
EZ

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

I was not trying to indicate in my post about the "blow outs" of the Citrus or Grapefruit Circuit races, that there was anything wrong with a drivers attitude about running in rough water. Exactly the opposite. The problem in driving that far was you ran the risk of sitting on the bank because of the race being blown out and NOBODY getting to run because of cancellation or postponement by the sponsor or officials that made a determination the water was too rough. There is also some difference in the time frame from the 50's to the 70's and beyond when speeds of the normal PRO category boats were regularly approaching and exceeding the 100 MPH mark with even an "A" (now 250CC) approaching 75-80 MPH in the early 70's. Lower speeds earlier (40's/50's) would make it a little easier to run in rough water, even though the boats were a little smaller. I raced some then (50's) also, so had that experience with a Big Bee Swift and a 20H and 30H.

The main point I was making was a 24 hour/1200 mile drive was a long way to go for one race weekend and put all your eggs in one basket, and if you got blown out, you had basically spent all that time and money for nothing. Going for a two race weekend made your odds a little better to get a boat ride, especially if you lived up north where you did not have the opportunity to test during the winter/early spring months.

Regards the "brass balls": as Ralph Donald says, the throttle works both ways, especially if the officials decide to go on with the race and not cancel it because of wind/rough water. The decision to run, and how hard to compete if rough, I always thought was a personal one, with a lot of factors entering into it. When you get a little older, and have made several trips to the hospital, and have trouble getting thru the metal detector at the airport, your perspective changes somewhat from when you are young, brave, and stupid.

[ezryder]

Hi Bill,
Please don't take my comments as being critical. They were not meant to be. All I was doing was expressing my memorys of my days racing the Citrus/Grapefruit Circuin. And those days were in the early 50's to the
late '50s.
As you pointed out, things were a LOT different as time progressed. But my "forced retirement" from the alky racing came to an end in 1959, after my dad's death at Daytona.
After that I only "sneaked" around doing B stock hydro races under an assumed name due to my mother's objection to my racing.

During my last racing for Deter Konig and Walt Blankenstein, we were up to over 80mph with Deter's new 500cc motor. And we were running it on a Sid Craft D hydro. And believe me! It was NOT enough boat!

Oh, by the way -- most of you know that I ended up roadracing motorcycles for most of my racing days. And let me tell you, when your riding the "walls" of Daytona at over 160mph, the wind plays a HUGE roll in how "brass" your balls actually are. And one of the things that "bike week" in March always produced was high winds! :D

EZ

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

but after reading it again several times I can see how my reply might be taken that way.

What I was trying to get across, and I know you understand, is sometimes you did not have any choice about "sitting in the pits' because you had no input into the decision to race or not. It was made for you by others if deemed too rough to carry on with the races. That's why I mentioned we always tried to go for two race weekends instead of one.

Hope to maybe see you at the Bike Museum during the shindig this year. I sure do want to get to the basement so I can see those outboards close up.

[Gene East]

Humm!! I "thought" I remembered correctly. But then I've had a "setback" over the last 10 years or so. It's called "CRAFT" disease!
So take your choice. Most likely, from all the comments, NONE of us old timers knew the correct name! hehe!!! :rolleyes:

As far as the "blowouts" comment --- well ---
You had a choice in most cases -- sit in the pits because you were a "pussy", or install your large "gonads" and go racing. What can I say! In my time there were very few cancelled events in the Citrus/Grapefruit Circuit series.
For me, being in my teens, I pulled out my "brassballs" and continued on. The prize money was way too tempting!

Oh MY, What GREAT memory's I have of those days!!

To enjoy eating grapefruit you have to understand how to eat it. First off, for me, you NEVER drink grapefruit juice! That is a HUGE NoNo!!
What you do is you only buy "pink" grapefruit. Then you cut them in half. Then you slice all the sections with a sharp knife.
Then you sprinkle sugar on top of the halves, dig out the sections and ENJOY!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
EZ

George,

The only grapefruits worth eating are TEXAS REDS. You don't need any sugar for those.

Oh I guess an Indian River pink is better than no grape fruit

[ezryder]

Oh MY, Gene!
You mean to tell me there were grapefruits grown in Texas!
Shows what I know :D
EZ

[ezryder]

I fully understand your position. A long trip for no racing really sucks.

I'm assuming that in later years, after my "forced retirement", that there were a lot more officially canceled races than in my era.
Back in my day there were a few canceled races, but not many.

At the Alky championships in 1958, we were all looking forward to setting records. But, alas, didn't happen. Both days were so rough that no records were set.
But I won the A Hydro championship anyway. At seventeen, my attitude was quite simple --- win or crash trying!

I most likely had that attitude way longer than I should have had it because during my motorcycle road racing days I did manage to do
a lot of damage to my body. Damage that I'm now paying a price for
every morning when I get out of bed:o

Would I have had it any other way? Nope! I got to "live" my dream
life and even got lucky and lived to write about it!:D
EZ

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

the Anacin or some other kind of pain reliever commercial. Not sure now just what it was and it doesn't make any difference.

Scene opens with an old guy crawling out of bed complaining about how stiff and sore he is. His wife says "why don't you try some of that Anacin or whatever, supposed to work wonders and relieve your problem".

The scene fades out and then fades back in again, and it is the next morning and the old fart bounces right out of bed, jumping around the bedroom, telling everybody that wants to listen how great he feels, all the while proclaiming " My morning stiffness is gone, I don't have it anymore, what a great product that is".

Eileen was reading the paper when this commercial came on, and when it was over she turned to me and very calmly said, "You take any of that, your'e dead and out of here".

True Story!

[Danny Pigott]

This little story goes back to WC Lanier. Julian Cocks drove for WC we were at a race in Columbia SC. At this time the promoters of these races were looking to make every dollar they could. They started to have radio stations send a truck to broad cast the race an play that loud music all day. They had other events also, one was a bikini contest after the race. At this race Julian had not done so good. He had a beautiful wife name Cheryl ,so after the race he is drinking beer with some friends when Cheryl comes up an says Julian i'am going to enter the bikini contest Julian said like blank you are. Cheryl says they are paying $200.00 to win. Julian said go get your bikini baby. She should have won but they gave it to a local girl. She came back with $150.00 for second place and said, I did pretty good for 30 minutes work how much did you win ? Julian said just get in the car an let's go home. They were some real nice people. They even gave us their house to stay in at a race in Wilmington NC. Unfortunately about three years ago Julian passed away at age 56.

[Danny Pigott]

Going to have a operation on my foot Thursday i may lose part of it i will not know until it's over.

[Mark75H]

Good Luck Danny!

[Ron Hill]

Read every word you write...keep us posted, we care!

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny, will keep you in my prayers. All the best.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

We'll pray for you to keep all of your foot and heal quickly Danny, knowing up front that that will happen.

[ezryder]

Hi Danny,
Sure hope everything went ok with your surgery today. Please let us know how your doing.
God Bless,
George

[Danny Pigott]

I am home from hospital and doing well although I did lose part of my foot .I will recover and be fine ..Thanks for your support

[Gene East]

Glad to hear you are so upbeat. Attitude is so important in these situations.

[Mark75H]

Glad to hear you are back home and recovering! :)

[ezryder]

Hi Danny,
That's great news to know your doing ok!
George

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Hope everything goes well for you, Danny.

I have had several recoveries from injuries over the years. If you want to talk about anything, PM me your phone number.

Bill

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny, glad to hear you are now home. Wishing you all the best on a speedy recovery.
Keep a stiff upper lip mate. :)

[Trident]

Oooh, just stumbled onto this thread. Surgery is scary stuff. Glad to hear the surgery went well. Mind the doctors orders on recovery. Hope you're up and around, all healed up soon.

Most of us seem to get a little hitch in our git along as we get older.

Glad you are OK.

Jerry

[Danny Pigott]

Well it's been 6 weeks an i am just now walking on crutches these stupid things don't work as good as they did 34 years ago, i even got back in the boat an drove it while still on them back then,now i have a hard time getting in the car. I just got weak laying down that long but i'am getting it back. Thanks for all the support.

[ezryder]

Hi Danny,
Glad to hear your starting to get it back together.
There's just something about leading an adventurous life that
causes old body parts to quit working correctly sooner rather
than later.
Every morning I have a burst of "failures" occurr! :eek:
Geo

[Ronny W.]

Danny glad to here you doing well hope yall can make it jesup:)

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Glad to hear you're getting around again Danny. Thirty four years ago? That was when Elvis died. When you're young and energetic, what's a couple of crutches to hold you back from getting in a boat. All you need is a good throttle hand, and a strong right shoulder to steer.;):D

[thornl01]

Glad to hear you're getting around again Danny. Thirty four years ago? That was when Elvis died. When you're young and energetic, what's a couple of crutches to hold you back from getting in a boat. All you need is a good throttle hand, and a strong right shoulder to steer.;):D


One more need would be one of "Pop's" 'OLD MILLS' to finish out the day.

Glad to se you are back on line.

LT

[ezryder]

how 'bout a couple shots of that 50's "old time" moonshine.
You know, the kind that had the viscosity of motor oil. And a couple
of shots put you down for 8 hours?
HeHe :D
EZ

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Danny, I just talked to an old friend who I haven't seen since 1983. He was the son of a racer in Corpus Christi who ran merc/quincy A/B hydros and the cousin of an old girlfriend whose Dad ran the same classes plus a McDonald Merc/Quincy F hydro.

He was in the marines 72-76 in North Carolina and said he helped some of the mod racers there. I asked if he knew you and he said he did. His name is Steve Wetherbee. We had a good talk today. He raced motorcycles locally, and go karts nationally. Do you remember Steve? I told him about BRF. He is somewhat of a packrat, and was bidding on a gas tank for a motorcycle he was restoring when I returned his call.

[Danny Pigott]

Wayne, i do remember him it's been so long ago i can't remember any details, I think he was station At Camp Lejune(sp) NC..This is a story that could apply to all of use old timers. At a race a few years ago an old friend came up to me an said, Danny you know most of the people here have no idea of all races and National Championships you won. They just see an old guy sitting in a chair or walking around in there way. I said well dad always told me, it's not what you did yesterday it's what you can do to day that people see' Here is another one, we were at a race in NC a few years ago with our CMH.. I was sitting by the trailer an this guy comes up an is looking at the motor, He ask what kind of motor is that ,he says i know its a Yamato but which one. I tell him it's a 302 an that when they first came to the USA they cost about $470.00. He says i know i had one.( I say to myself this guy knows about racing i thought he was a spectator) We talk a while an he says he use to build boats an is from Tex.. I ask him what his name is, he says Craig Lawrence i said i know who you are an remember Lawrence Hydro's. We have a good talk he works for Hendrick's Racing an would like to get back in boats if he could find someone to go with.Heres
's the old timer part, he had been there all day an i am sure no body there knew who Craig Lawrence was but me, and some how he stopped to look at our motor an ran in to probably the only person who had ever heard of him.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

A great reminder to us all Danny. Craig is a member here under the name of "Gearbox49M" or something like that. He doesn't come on often, but the first boat he rebuilt was one that I stuffed and he and Alan Registar removed all the broken pieces from the cockpit forward, studied how it was put together and rebuilt it with a wooden deck. It was originally a 10-6 Marchetti with a cloth deck. During that time, Nick Marchetti quit building cloth decks and went to thin plywood, and that's what they did. Craig and Alan lived near Denny Henderson who was the same age and they started hanging out. After Craig and Alan rebuilt that Marchetti, they started on another A/B hydro. I have to find my notes to get it right, but I believe Denny had bought a complete hydro kit from someone previously, but without plans had no idea how to proceed. Now that I think about it, I believe Denny was part of that rebuild. Craig called his boats "AArdvark". Denny just called his a "Henderson".

Craig has been in motorsports for a long time. He was a pit man in the Indy Champcar series a long while back, then was the head pit guy for Findley Racing in the top experimental cars of the Rolex Racing series of sports cars before they cashed in, then he went to Hendricks where his job has been outfitting three eighteen wheelers with every part concievably may be need prior to each race. While Craig was still racing, he was Bruce Nicholson's deck rider. He is a very modest character with a very funny and sarcastic streak and a lot of knowledge.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Steve lives in Corpus Christi now and has for awhile. I gave him the website, so I'm pretty sure he will become a member and hopefully share some stories.

About the old timers. Joe Rome knows everybody. When I went to Alexandria in 1993 with Debbie and our kids to show them what Pro racing was about, Tommy Christopher was there. He had been severly injured in a car accident in his prime just a few years before I started, but he was already very famous. I had never seen him in person that I knew, but Joe Rome had. We were in the covered section above the concession stand and bathrooms when Joe pointed him out. We went over to talk to him, and not only was I very glad to shake his hand and talk to him, but was very honored to know that he knew who I was. He had been coming to the races back when I was still in it, but I didn't know who he was, and he didn't make it known publicly. Joe knew he had been coming, but didn't think anything about it, as we tended to do in those days. So you never know who may be standing around watching.

[Danny Pigott]

I read this in Powerboat Mag. years ago, i don't remember if this was before Jimbo got hurt or not.Anyway Jimbo and his wife were going to watch the Parker race back in the day.Jimbo drives up to the VIP parking lot an tells the guy at the gate he would like to park there.The guy ask him if he has a VIP pass,he says no but i won this race 7 times, the guy says if you don't have a pass you have to park in the reg. parking lot.Jimbo drives off saying funny how fast people forget you. I may be off a little on this story it's been a long time from when i read it, but it does fit in the old timers deal.

[Danny Pigott]

This is another old timer story, back around the mid 70's i was at a OPC race in Miami at the marine stadiun, I can't remember what race it was but most of the factory boats were there. I was down at the botton of the bleachers with some friends when this older man walked by, i had seen him several times that day, an never dreamed who he was, he was most always by himself. My friend asked me if i knew who the older man was an i said no, he looks at me an says thats Carl Kiekhaefer i said you got to be kidding he has a Evinrude hat on. It was really him walking around by himself with a Evinrude hat , so you never know who is around at a boat race.

[Mark Poole]

I can believe that! Carl's non compete contract with Mercury ended in '70 or '71. That is when he started making the KAM engines that kicked Mercurys butt in offshore. So, perfect way for him to go unnoticed at a boat race...wearing an Evinrude hat!

[Danny Pigott]

Dad quit Pro racing sometime in 1958.Every year they held a SEBA race in Beaufort SC about 70 miles from him . Some of his friends would come by an try to get him to go to the Beaufort race with them, and he would never go. They would ask him, why he did not want to go to a boat race after all the racing he did . This was his reason for not going. He said me going to a boat race is like an alcoholic setting in a bar, i didn't want to quit racing i needed to. At that time the Konig was taking over an it would mean new motors an boats to keep up and he needed to put his family first. He did win his last B Hydro race by passing Deiter Kong with a Merc. at a race in Atlanta GA.. In 1962 we did go to Beaufort to a race, he got to talking to some of his old friends an Sh. Hatton tells him he is having a race in Sav. Ga. in three weeks, I think dad had a few beers an by then was ready to race, he tells Hatton he will bring two boats to the race. On the way home he says we don't even have two boats that will float. With a lot of work we were at the race in Sav. with two boats . That was my first race, it's still hard for me to believe but i won B Hydro against some very good drivers. This sent us back to boat racing an we are still going today.

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny, as I remember your Dad was a very interesting man to talk with. Enjoyed a visit with him with John back in the early 60s. You were probably in school at the time. :cool:

[ezryder]

Hi Danny,
Enjoyed your comments.
And I sure remember Sheriff Hatten!!

[Danny Pigott]

Sorry for no new post, but my wife Jane Has breast cancer an is having a hard time recovering from the operation on July 8 .We go to a Doc or Hosp. almost everyday , i pray things start going better for her.

[Allen J. Lang]

Dan, my thoughts and prayers are with you and Jane.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

We are praying for your wife and yourself Danny.

[ezryder]

Your are both in our prayers during this difficult time.
God bless!
George

[David Mason]

Danny,

Your whole family is in our prayers at this time. If you need ANYTHING you know our numbers.

Dave

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Danny:

Best wishes to you both in this difficult time. You are in our prayers.

Bill & Eileen

[Danny Pigott]

Thanks for the support, we are doing ok but a long time to go.

[Danny Pigott]

I don't know if anybody will remember Jack Youmans, maybe Ralph Donald or George Taylor or Al Lang. Jack raced SEBA in the 50's and was I guess what they called a beatnik, you have to be old to know what one was kind of like a hippy. He ran D Pro. and had a Swith hydro. The boat was painted purple with black stripes (not very popular In those days). To top it off he wore a purple helmet with a pink tassle about a foot long, blowing out of it . This was quite a site to see run. I was just a kid so I thought it was cool. Jack turned over so often he put the bow handle on the bottom of the boat, an also painted the numbers on the bottom ,he said he wanted people to know it was him. He did not run that good until a race at Lake Harr out of Sav Ga. He showed up with a D eng with saw dust, dirt and crud on it he said he just pulled it out from under the work bench, little did people know is it was a new D from Quincy. Thats when he started to run in the front. Another colorful racer from the past. Next Jack and the Sheriff.

[ezryder]

Oh yea, I remember Jack. He truly was a "character"!
And while I'm remembering guys from SEBA, another character, but can not recall his name, was a guy that painted "OH ****" in huge letters on the bottom of his boat.
He also tended to "tip over" quite regularly.
George

[crewman060]

thank u posting this.great seeing dads name[von ernst].told mom about it and will show it to her.many fond memories of the sheriff when he dad were partners.steve and i won many a race in the boats when they were parked in the backyard.hope all is well health wise.

[Danny Pigott]

I remember your dad well , he raced in SEBA in the 50's and 60's. I remember at a race in Sav. Ga. about 1963 he drove Sheriff Hatton's Cabover hydro with a 6 cyl. Merc on it. The 6 cyl. Merc had 6 stacks , that was something to see an hear. Von was a great driver i can remember dad talking about him .

[crewman060]

at 51 i still remember that boat.then it was the biggest everything i had ever seen.the sound of 6 stacks u cannot forget even at 4 yr old.used to seeing little 2 cylinder motors 10foot hydroplanes then that.the sound and roostertails when yall raced was great.to quote gary 2 stokes is boat racing 4 stokes not.same at motocross 4 strokes sound like a tractor pull lol.

[Danny Pigott]

This is a little story about Mrs Hatton. They had races at Hazelhurst Ga. from the early 60's this was the town that Sheriff Hatton lived in. After Sheriff died his wife and the ladys club continued to put the race on for years. About 84 i was at the race talking to mrs Hatton when she ask me what classes i was going to run, I said B and D Mod Hydro, and that i had a new Konig to run in C Pro. She looked at me kind of hard and said KOING ! she said Sheriff bought one of those once and it gave so much trouble I told him if he didn't get rid of it I would divorce him. I guess that is why he always ran Loopers. The last boat he had was a Marchetti and 44 Looper and drove it in to his 70's, he retired when he got to where he could not see well enough to race.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That's a good story Danny.

[ezryder]

Great story about Sheriff Hatton, Danny!
Thanks for posting.
Regards,
George

[Danny Pigott]

One more story, Some time in the 60's Sheriff and Melvin Cooper went to a race in Chicago, I don't know if this was a Nat's or not. Testing ,Sheriff's Looper stuck a piston. That night in the motel room Melvin put a new piston in it, when he was though Sheriff said we need to crank it to make sure it will run. Melvin asked how are we going to do that, Sheriff said just clamp it on the head of the bed ,so they did shot it with lacquer thinner an fired it up this was about 1:00 AM. the room was full of smoke , there was a knock on the door Melvin said he opened it and there stood the biggest woman he had ever seen. She though them out of the room and made Sheriff pay for the bed carpet and most everything in the room. Melvin told me Sheriff must have forgot he was in Chicago and not GA. I don't think he really cared where he was.

[crewman060]

heres another from mom,brother and i still in playpen mrs batemen scoring, mr,harold racing.donald about 8 or 10 so he stayed in our pits eating cookies.race over sherriff looks at donald bateman and ask ,son u hungry what u want.donald says steak and potatoes.go to eat sherriff hatten orders donald steak he eats all!sherriff pays for his,tells mr harold he neds to feed his youngun.

[ezryder]

That's a good one Danny!
As I recall Sheriff Hatten operated from another planet ;)
Geo
PS: I'm currently in DePue for the nationals to pick up more boats and
motors for my collection.

[crewman060]

keep em coming danny,this great.thought about going down to beaufort this weekend.my fishing hole is all over sc sportsman,but i got more.

[Danny Pigott]

I have a Wine glass that has Konig on the side of it , anybody ever seen one of these? I will try to post a pic soon, have had it for many years a friend brought it from Germany.

[Bob Dunlap]

Danny I just found this thread, I don't have the time to surf the internet like u. U could tell me about it at the races. I'm not racing as much this year and have a few minutes to look. I'll have to post some SEBA pictures from my scrapbook when my Dad raced in the early 50's. And pics of some of the old boats and motors I have collected. I pass the house Von Earnst lived in on Victory Drive nearly every day.

[crewman060]

join the club.found it a year ago.not to be a smart$#@ but it is Ernst.it is a pretty cool deal danny has done here and wayne baldwin also.thank Ron Hil

[Danny Pigott]

I have found some great stuff in an old locker that dad had. In it are about 50 South Eastern Boating Asso. Propeller Mag's from 1955 to 1957 Geo. Taylor will love them they tell how good he was. i will try to post some of the info. later. I also found some stuff on racing in SC hard to believe they had so many drivers and races then. In some stuff i had were a lot of NOA race cir. from 1971 a lot of races that year too bad it was the beginng of the end of NOA as we knew it at that time.

[ezryder]

I have found some great stuff in an old locker that dad had. In it are about 50 South Eastern Boating Asso. Propeller Mag's from 1955 to 1957 Geo. Taylor will love them they tell how good he was. i will try to post some of the info. later. I also found some stuff on racing in SC hard to believe they had so many drivers and races then. In some stuff i had were a lot of NOA race cir. from 1971 a lot of races that year too bad it was the beginng of the end of NOA as we knew it at that time.

That's great news Danny! I only have a few in my collection. I lost a lot of my boat race memorbilla in a fire quite a few years ago.
Geo

[Danny Pigott]

New years made me think of a race I had forgot about. W.C. Lanier owned Scott's Hill Marina just out of Wilmington NC. On new years day he held the Scott's Hill marathon, this was a run what you brung race they had boats from EP (75 V bottom) to SST 140 to unlimited V bottoms. This was a fun race all boats run together winner take all they always had a good turn out even for new years day hang overs . It must have been the great award the winner got, A 12 PACK OF BEER. The last one I went to two boats blew over a SE Tunnel and a SST Tunnel the water was cold and temp about 50 degrees . this was in the late 70's early 80's. It might have been a one of a kind race I don't know but people liked it.

[Danny Pigott]

Al Lang remember when you were in the AF in Charleston SC and would go test with John Slauter(sp) ? He tested at a placed called Bushy Park by the naval Weapon Station, I live only a few miles from there an go by it about three times a week Dad tested there first I have tested there in the past I am sure DF Jenkins an Ben Robertson did to. If you remember it was just a dirt landing they built a road across the river that just stopped with water on both sides one side was salt water . Now it has two nice boat landings and the road goes on to Moncks Corner other than that it looks the same as it did in the 50's looking out at the water, thanks to the Navy owning the land nothing has ever been built there. I will try and take a pic for you

[Allen J. Lang]

Hi Danny, Yes I remember the site. John did his testing there and I ean my boats there also. The only time I saw DF put a boat in was when we went Merc hunting. He had his Boston Whaler with a 75 Johnson which he had jacked sky high. We found the Merc dealer there who was out running DF's Johnson customer. After changing their set up, that Johnson cleaned house. A happy customer. Had some good times testing there. Would be glad to see pictures after about 40 or more years being there.

[crewman060]

I guess things go in circles.My cousin in savannah needed a part to get old OMC running,so he could tow the kids on the tube.His guy working on it told him ,only place I know to MAYBE find this,is this fellow.Cuz goes with fellow to get part and there is a Kneeler in shop.Tells fellow,my uncle raced those years ago.Guy with part ask,who was that ,cuz tells him.Turns out my cousin was buying his part from Bloise Williams.Figured he would be in Augusta this weekend.

[Allen J. Lang]

Yesterday afternoon I received an E mail from Danny Pigott stating he was to under go prostate removal surgery at 7:30 this morning. I ask everyone for prayers for a safe and great recovery. His wife has been battling cancer herself. They both need our support.
Danny's family is a great racing family. He was unhappy that he was going to miss a GA race this weekend.
Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Yesterday afternoon I received an E mail from Danny Pigott stating he was to under go prostate removal surgery at 7:30 this morning. I ask everyone for prayers for a safe and great recovery. His wife has been battling cancer herself. They both need our support.
Danny's family is a great racing family. He was unhappy that he was going to miss a GA race this weekend.
Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.




Hi Danny:

Best wishes on your surgery. I had prostrate surgery three years ago, (although not removal) and the first week or 10 days are kind of a pain in the rear, (no pun intended) with the catheter and such, but you should come thru fine. There is therapy and exercise to assist in recovery and usually things work out just fine.

If you think I could be helpful during your recovery with more info, send me a PM. Would be happy to hear from you.

Bill