1976 Mod 50 winner @OPC nats

[Roy Hodges]

This hydro ,with a merc 650 X won 1976 mod 50 at the dayton hydro bowl. Had a custom altered 3 blade quicky prop (Michigan) , made from 2 - two blade props . Tom Ireland was afraid that if the hydro got in the lead ,it would win . It DID. The power head chewed up quickies (D units) , so, they was changed after each heat. I think the #43 was Jeff Titus , in "odd job". a Sport E , one of the winningest -EVER. The other pic -A VanderVelden , with OMC V-6 , i think the most beautiful shape &lines on a tunnel- EVER. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..................................................
Notice the custom fabbed tower housing on the merc - looked like Stainless steel sheet metal rolled to the required shape ?

[Roy Hodges]

I just found these pics , lookin for "something ELSE" ; had not seen them in over 30 years .

[Danny Pigott]

I saw that race, Lee Sutter drove one he## of a race . The tunnel boats made the water as rough as they could. Hydro was A an H. There is another side to this story. OMC would have had a Hydro too if not for one problem the PRO. Nat's

[Roy Hodges]

O K , i'll bite . What did the PRO nats have to do with the O P C nats ? I'm not being critical, i am just curious . Because i never heard of O M C doing anything in the pro's. Maybe i'm just ignorant on that subject . But, my ears are wide open . Thanks

[Danny Pigott]

It really had nothing to do with OMC an the PRO Nat's.This is what happened when OMC found out that Mercury was going to have a Hydro at Dayton they were worried that in the calm water the Hydro would win. So they made plans to have a Hydro also. They called Tim Butts an wanted him to build a MOD 50 Hydro an come to Dayton an run it. The PRO. Nat's happen to be on the same date, Tim told me that there was no way he could miss the PRO. Nat's, that was his bread an butter where he sold the most boats. So if things had been differant we might have seen two Hydros in the front. I wanted to tell this on the Butts thread I will put it there also. Roy you could put this in history, it was a historical race the first an probably the only MOD 50 win on a Hydro.

[Mark75H]

Roy you could put this in history, it was a historical race the first an probably the only MOD 50 win on a Hydro.

Copied. It now exists both places

[Master Oil Racing Team]

There are a couple of interesting stories regarding OMC and Pro. One is not specifically Pro, but the bulk of the racers were Pro, and was organized by Pro racers. It was the 1978 UIM OE World Championships. OMC had UIM illegally change fuel rules in the middle of the game in order to bring down the speed and reliablility of the hydros. Then there was the time when OMC had Tim build a boat that turned out to be too fast. It was banned in an emergency meeting the night before the race. Even though it had 10 or more miles per hour on the other boats, Tim told me that it was dangerous. He never got a chance to correct the problems though, since the rule changes outlawed it. Some of this has been posted before. Some day I might post all the correspondence and history of OMC's highjacking the 1978 OE World, and the final results.

[Roy Hodges]

I'd bet that Mercury must have been jealous of OMC "highjacking" the OE worlds champ in 1978 ,I guess they (Merc) didn't think of it -or they didn't have a really competitive motor ?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

It was not so simple as that Roy. There was a lot of political intrigue. OMC pumped a lot of money into UIM in those days. Everyone knew. But all the focus was on ON and OZ. OE was very popular and much covered by the European circuit, but not here in the U.S. When the first ever UIM OE race came to America, OMC needed their "goodwill" to push for a rule change to affect the outcome of the race. Our UIM representative at that time was Gary Garbrecht. a Mercury guy. He voted for the rule change because he had no clue. To him, it was just a bunch of Mod 50 guys that wanted to make the fuel be gasoline. As that was the norm on motors from OE and above, he did not see the problem we had. I was in Berlin when we got the word, and Dieter told me I had to call the Pro VP immediately to get things changed. I have Dieter's handwritten note, the telegrams, the reply to Gary and his response, and then there were several months of correspondence to get UIM to abide by their own rules...but to no avail. Gary, BTW....when he understood our positiion....he stood with us all the way. That would be Mercury's response I suppose.:cool:

[Roy Hodges]

Well, easy or not- it sure seems that if Mercury had had a competitive motor , they would have jumped into the OE , after all we know that Merc has NEVER been shy about advertising their victories . Not that I blame them . And IF merc had a potent O E motor, on gasoline , another feather in their cap.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Michael Werner was one of the top UIM drivers in OE and he competed with a Merc.

[Lee Sutter]

Hi Guys!!!

I was involved in the the Mod-50 Hydro project. A few comments; I don't think the PRO and OPC Nationals were on the same weekend. And, I don't think OMC knew about the project. I say this as Jack Leek talked to me while standing next to the hydro on top of my car and thought it was one of our PRO boats.

Lee

[Glenn Coates]

If I remember correctly..................

Michael Werner's OE Mercury engine had Bosch fuel injection while the the Merc Mod 50 engines had carbs. This may have been part of the reason for Michael's success in OE/Mod 50.

In the same time period there were 2 Mod 50 Merc's being run here in Canada on hydro's by Ron and Steve Allison. Hydroplanes and tunnel hulls were run together in Canada for a few years and it made for some very interesting racing.

Glenn

[Lars Strom]

Hi again,

I was heavily involved in this class and know more or less everything that happen during 1975 and up in Europe...
The biggest conflict was in the OE World Sprint Championship
Brodenbach Germany 1977..

There is a story about that year 1977...
Thread... "Super Swede Lars Strom"
and my plan is to continue with the next 10 years of my racing..

click below

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6727&page=22

[Ron Hill]

Seems I went to Hinton, and sold my DeSilva runabout, so I had room on my trailer to bring home some antiques for my house... I was going from Hinton to Janesville, Wisconsin and Dayton was on the way. Seems to me, DePue was the first week of August like it has been for almost 50 years... Rained Monday thur about Wednesday....Then, they started racing at Dayton's Hydro Globe...

Those two FJJ were sight to see. Most were Allisons and with two big Merc 150's, I didn't want to be racing with those guys...

Seems, Lee Sutter didn't even show up til about Saturday morning in time for driver's meeting. As I recall he had a crew of NONE.....I helped him and I was helping John Rinker....Only boat racers there that I actually knew...

I kind of bitched at Lee the first heat, telling him he could REALLY hurt himself with that hydro out there with all those big boats...After he won that first heat...the clamps were lose..seems the pro was too...Lee did about 40 things, while I was trying to tighten the clamps...
The five minute gun fired, we were still pouring in gas....Lee was gone and I hadn't told him to becareful...Seems he might not have won the second heat, but he knew he had the points to win...


Realistically, Lee Sutter was one of the smartest boat racers of our era...

Seems this engine might have come from Ron Anderson, and even Mercury might not have know Lee was at Dayton...Lee never worked for Mercury...

I helped John Rinker, I got a third the first heat...I told him if he could beat those guys to the first turn he could win.....I said, "Just like Sutter did..." John blew over just at the first turn buoy and broke his back....

John told me the best thing about the blow over was he got out of Production at Rinker Boats and got in to development....and Rinker Boats began to grow...

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Pro Nationals in 1976 was at Winona. We had been having low water at DePue, and Bob and Judy Smith...et al, (a little lawyer lingo there) were doing a fantastic job with the Midwest Power Boat Association).

I was out of racing by then and didn't know about that race. It was great to read about it. Lee Sutter was at the top of the heap of outboard racers from those days. He is a good guy and knows his stuff. Lee was familiar with both styles of hulls, and he was shrewd in his tactics to win.:cool:

[Sutter's Gold Jr.]

Come on Lee/Dad...this is a great story. Tell us some the behind the scenes facts, about the testing, and about how much accelation it had before you had back off b/c it vibrated so much. I believe Lee won at two classes in Winona (250 hydro and runabout) and Ron Anderson won in 350 hydro at Winona then took Ron's hydro (blue A&H) over to Dayton the next weekend to run Mod 50 to try and beat OMC who was dominating the class at the time. Jimbo and Jeff Brown.

[Roy Hodges]

[QUOTE=Sutter's Gold Jr.;69692]Come on Lee/Dad...this is a great story. Tell us some the behind the scenes facts, about the testing, and about how much accelation it had before you had back off b/c it vibrated so much. I believe Lee won at two classes in Winona (250 hydro and runabout) and Ron Anderson won in 350 hydro at Winona then took Ron's hydro (blue A&H) over to Dayton the next weekend to run Mod 50 to try and beat OMC who was dominating the class at the time. Jimbo and Jeff Brown............................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ............Jeff might have lost , anyways, but a cracked magnet in his flywheel causing his mod 50 motor to miss as soon as it reached 6000 rpm , and not going over 6000made it a dead dog . Tom Ireland, the OWNER of Jeffs boat was beside himself. His Sport E also ran crappy (2 cylinders) at the OPC Nats. I was there , and talked a lot with Tom . I got there late Friday nite, No rooms available ( the NRA had their annual shooting championships the same weekend . I slept in the front seat of BOB LARSON's pickup.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I'm with you Chris. Your Dad was not only one of the great racers of his day, but was part of some historical events, not to mention a part also of historical figures. Some time back Lee and I traded e mails about him signing some pics for my autograph collection. He was more than happy to, but on my part, I haven't made the prints. My scanner is not doing well, and I wanted to send some good ones. Two I had in mind appeared in Powerboat when he won at Winona. I usually send an extra copy of the photos I want autographed. When I send them, I will include a set for you because you have been good at posting stuff here on BRF, and I enjoy your input. Both mine and your Dad's were good friends and we always had a good time in you're Dad's company. Lee has soooo much to tell. I hope you can convince him to let some of it out.

[E-tec1]

I was 15 yrs old at the time, lived next door to a designer from the race group, watched them test Hauenstiens bellcraft with the mod 50 kilo motor on it, Fred, Olaf AAen,Anderson, and otheres would be there, that got me into this, Terry Robinson was the guy, i went mod 50 racin with him a bunch in those years,whenever broken boats werent bein fixed, those sure were the days, I bought that bellcraft after Fred was done runnin it, should have put it away somewhere

[Ron Hill]

Sutter's Gold Jr. mention his dad's boat running "ROUGH"...Seems I recall this now...Lee's prop was WAy too small. He could "PUNCH" off the corners like Jack the Bear....but had to throttle it back as the engine would way over rev....

I do wish Lee would post a little more here. I'm betting, his first heat at Dayton was the first time this boat was wet with a Mod 50 set up...just a WILD GUESS...

Talking to Jimbo, not long ago. He said he ran OMC's BIG BOATS but ran his own MOD 50 at the local races. Tom Ireland's boat with Jeff Brown driving, would beat the fire out of Jimbo...(Jim Nerstrom might have been helping Tom and Jeff). Jimbo said he learned so much by racing "LOCALLY". He took the knowledge to the big boats and that is when he really started winning. He told me he took ever bolt and nut on his MOD 50 that wasn't really important and replaced it with aluminum nuts and bolts...10 pounds per foot off the corner was Jimbo's rule...Ever ten pounds you could save was one foot off the corner per lap...He also started fooling with his own props....


A and H Hydro...Anderson and Herring?????

I don't recall Jimbo even being at Dayton, 1976.

[E-tec1]

in EVERYTHING, guys would call him swiss cheese,

[Roy Hodges]

[QUOTE=Ron Hill;69730]Sutter's Gold Jr. mention his dad's boat running "ROUGH"...Seems I recall this now...Lee's prop was WAy too small. He could "PUNCH" off the corners like Jack the Bear....but had to throttle it back as the engine would way over rev....

I do wish Lee would post a little more here. I'm betting, his first heat at Dayton was the first time this boat was wet with a Mod 50 set up...just a WILD GUESS...

Talking to Jimbo, not long ago. He said he ran OMC's BIG BOATS but ran his own MOD 50 at the local races. Tom Ireland's boat with Jeff Brown driving, would beat the fire out of Jimbo...(Jim Nerstrom might have been helping Tom and Jeff). Jimbo said he learned so much by racing "LOCALLY". He took the knowledge to the big boats and that is when he really started winning. He told me he took ever bolt and nut on his MOD 50 that wasn't really important and replaced it with aluminum nuts and bolts...10 pounds per foot off the corner was Jimbo's rule...Ever ten pounds you could save was one foot off the corner per lap...He also started fooling with his own props....


A and H Hydro...Anderson and Herring?????

I don't recall Jimbo even being at Dayton, 1976.............................................. ................
.................................................. .................................................. ...............................
There's lots more intrigue happened there at Dayton. OMC won the 2 liter class , what ever they called it . A euro(?) omc 2 litre looper ! won over merc. Omc had a couple 2&1/2 liter cross flows entered as "Rabbits". I guess they weren't necessary ,as it turned out. What was surprising was that the OZ(?) class was won by Herring, i think, with a T2X! All the big V-6's conked out in that race . Merc was very embarrased, but put on a brave face , bragging how the T2X had won. Renato had given that boat to Hering and the Merc factory not happy about that .

[Sutter's Gold Jr.]

Thanks for the kind words about my dad. We both have so many fond memories of those years and you all. Wayne I would love to see those pictures and Lee told me that he had a great bond with your dad (Baldy) and you. He is traveling this week...still selling pot's and pan's. Still full of s%*t. But wanted me to respond. He wanted to talk to Ron Anderson about some details before having me post.

This was a merc project run by Garbrecht as he was pissed they couldn't beat OMC. M. Seebold and Curt Todd were getting beat by Jimbo and Jeff consistently.

Lee thinks it was not 1976, but 1975?

A&H was Anderson and Herring. Although this boat was mostly Ron although Bobby was very involved in project.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

It's been great to hear these stories from you and your Dad Chris. I feel so fortunate to have crossed paths with Lee and Ron Anderson, among many others during our racing days. I was also very fortunate that my Dad wasn't content just to race in our backyard. One of the local racers asked us why we went to Alexandria and Knoxville during our first year. My Dad told him that's the only way we could learn. We had to see what the others were doing. As I look back, less than a handful of drivers went west of the Rockies and Cascades during the time I raced. But it was you guys, Howard Anderson, and Ron Hill, Frank and Wanda Zorkan on the southern part that brought us out there. Plus there was some fast record setting water. We were lucky to be able to come home with a record in all our trips. But it was the people that always made the racing memorable. I look forward to more of you and your Dad's posts, and I hope Lee can get Ron to get on here too.

I had a computer guy fix some of the problems in the boat racing room on that computer. That's where the almost new scanner and printer have been for the past year and a half trying to find someone that could fix it. I'm waiting on a part, but I am going to see if I can get the computer to talk to the scanner again, and if I can, I will scan those pics tonight or Thursday.

[MarkD]

We had an old timer's night at the local boat racing club meeting a few weeks back - Seattle Outboard Assn. Lee was there, so were Craig Selvidge, Janis, Dennis and Ray Lee, Howard Anderson, Ralph Hildebrand, Mike Jones and many others. We had a great time - that is how I heard about this site.

I was asking Ron about some of the things you guys raised - he is in Italy this week at a race I think, but we can probably get him to answer some questions here. As is the case with many of you guys, boat racing is and was kind of a family thing for me - although they are not related except by marriage, Howard Anderson and Ron Anderson are both my brother's in law. I still do some work for and talk to Craig and Greg Selvidge pretty regularly, see Ron and Dewey Anderson and Howard Anderson at most family gatherings. I grew up down the street from Bill Rankin, my brother and I worked for Leonard Keller. Some great stories when we get together.

I remember you and your dad Wayne at the D-Lake kilos and at Lawrence Lake when you came out our way in the late 70's. Your dad was a hoot - I recall the very sudden rainy day at D-Lake when most of us got caught off guard without rain coats - undeterred, your dad poked a coupel of holes in a hefty garbage bag to stick his head and arms thru. Pretty soon, half the guys on the beach were doing the same thing. What a fashion trend setter he was.......

Mark

[Master Oil Racing Team]

That's right about the "raincoat" Mark.:) I'll dig up a photo somewhere. I would have loved to have been at that Seattle Outboard Association meeting. I would have known a bunch of people there.

Speaking of D Lake---I can never remember the last name of this guy, but he was in a patrol boat there. His first name was Tom and I think his last name may have started with a P. He had blonde hair. He and another friend came to see my Dad and I in the late 70's. Had one of my Dad's fabulous meals and spent the night. He was a jeweler, and he made me a 3 blade gold cleaver prop with a small diamond in the hub, that was a tie pin. He did after I sent him a carousel of slides to show at one of the meetings. Do you know who I am talking about? Sure would be good if he would come on board. The last I heard about him was in the mid 80's when he was fishing for marlin off of Acapulco. One of our oilfield customers was talking to him and they got on the subject of boat racing. When our customer got back, he told me all about meeting him.

[Lee Sutter]

Drew Thompson?

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Wayne:

I have a mental block right now and can't come up with the last name, but if it is the person I'm thinking about, he was a jeweler from Ca. Ron Hill and he were good friends and his daughter has posted a number of times about her memories of her childhood and her Dad's boat racing buddies. Bill Rucker drove for him for a while in the mid/late 80's I believe. He had one of the first big trailers pulled by a over the road tractor. Just as soon as I hit the submit button on this post I will probably remember his last name. Very nice person.
I remember he used to wear several pieces of jewelry like you described on a chain.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

The person I am thinking about is Tom Goldstone. He passed away several years ago.

[Ron Hill]

I thought Tom was in the printing business? Miss that guy...Actually he had been my brother friend from the 1950's....Being the little brother I was just "adopted" by Tom...He had a HUGE HEART!!!!

When someone says Region 10 and family, they ain't kidding.

Ron Anderson is a member of BRF and has e-mailed with me...Getting him to open up and write would be amazing...I don't see him doing it...Maybe, someone could interview him sometime and write about his racing years.

His engine building abilities have spanned almost 50 years...To quote Bobby Knight, "He's forgot more about basketball than you guys will ever know..." Ron Anderson has probably forgotten more about two strokes than we will ever know..."

Question:

Working for Keller??? Did he drink as much as legend has it????

[Master Oil Racing Team]

It wasn't Tom Gouldstone Bill Van. He is younger than me. I am guessing he would be in his midfifties by now. He was not racing when I first met him. Or at least not alky, but I think later on he was a very accomplished racer.

Lee...I remember his first name was Tom. He had blonde or light colored hair in the longish style of the mid 70's. He had been working the pickup boats at D Lake for a number of years. He told me he never saw anyone fly through the traps as high as I did without picking them up off the water. He actually started idling toward where he thought I would come down. So he had been around racing for awhile. Somewhere in the archives in a thread about boat racing jewelry, someone may have posted his name. Back then no one ever confirmed that that was him. I hoped for the time that someone from you area would remember Tom and we could track him down.

ADD: Ron...I figured Ron Anderson has too much stuff going to sit down to write about the past, so an interview would be way cool.

ADD: I went to the archives and found the name Tom Hindley. This is him I believe. Does anyone have a picture of Tom?

[F-12]

Ron..........What do you think about getting Wayne to call Ron and put an interview together? I think Ron Anderson would be at ease knowing he was talking with another icon of the sport and Wayne can come up with the right questions. Anybody else have any ideas? Would probably be a good idea to make a section of BRF for nothing but interviews. This would be a good start.

[Bill Van Steenwyk]

Wayne:

I think you are probably right, as I remember now that you have mentioned his name (Hindley) that he did make jewelry. I think he used to have an ad in Propellor magazine. In fact I believe Eileen has a piece of jewelry that he made similar to what you mentioned.

I remember him being at DePue for several years, beautiful and very good performing equipment. Ran 500 and 700 Hydro I believe. I think he had a racing partner that he used to come with and they both had beautiful equipment. Think he had Apel boats, built by Jim Apel or close copies of them.

Tom Gouldstone as you said, was older, probably about my age or maybe even a couple years ahead of that, but based on Ron's post, I always understood he was a jeweler.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Wayne:

I think you are probably right, as I remember now that you have mentioned his name (Hindley) that he did make jewelry. I think he used to have an ad in Propellor magazine. In fact I believe Eileen has a piece of jewelry that he made similar to what you mentioned.

I remember him being at DePue for several years, beautiful and very good performing equipment. Ran 500 and 700 Hydro I believe. I think he had a racing partner that he used to come with and they both had beautiful equipment. Think he had Apel boats, built by Jim Apel or close copies of them.

Tom Gouldstone as you said, was older, probably about my age or maybe even a couple years ahead of that, but based on Ron's post, I always understood he was a jeweler.

Bill,

Jim Apel actually moved from Florida to be closer to Tom while he was building the boats for him. Tom might even have had one of Jim's 4 points.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Thanks John. We're making some headway.

Hey Charley...thanks for your vote of confidence, but I'm not a real writer. I've only done a few interviews and I am not practiced at that sort of thing. My interview techniques sound kind of stilted.:o But Ron, being an english teacher, would be better at it. We're both friends of Ron Anderson, but since Ron Hill, the king size real deal icon, is already in contact with him, that's the way to go in my opinion. I do like your idea of an interview section though, or it could go into the encylopedia. Smitty The Welder and I discussed just such a thing a couple of years back, but neither one of us has pursued it any further....(Yet).

[Ron Hill]

And I'm the only one in the class that speaks English....So, I can talk to myself and no one cares...This is an APPLE...I am a TEACHER, not a T-Shirt.....Beginning III....LA 2 C is NOT how you say LETTUCE. A DUBLEE CHEESBURGER is Beginning I...My class eats DOUBLE cheeseburgers...My claim to fame as a teacher was that I told great boat race stories....and I was Nicole Simpson Brown's 6th grade PE teacher....I was a "JACK OF ALL TEACHER" "MASTER OF NONE"....Kids liked me and I liked them!!!!

My brother always talks DOWN running anything by forms...but I've often thought an electronic "FORM" that we could send out and get some facts and stuff would be great, not just for Ron Anderson but many out there if BRF land...

[Sutter's Gold Jr.]

Below is some additional info on the Mod-50 Hydro project after my conversation with Ron.

PEOPLE:
Ron Anderson, Bob Herring, Gary Garbrecht, Dick Snyder, Bob Hetzel, and R. Allen Smith, and Lee Sutter.

Boat, Engine & Props:
A&H Hydro, Asymmetrical , 12' long and 120 lbs "Sprint" Hull. Build similar to Lee's 350 Hydro. Terminal speed: 100MPH. Mercury Mod 50 Powerhead, fabricated tower housing, "D" lower unit. Ron made the center section
Michigan 2 blade prop converted to 3 blades. The sizes were 7X13 and 7x13 1/2. Bob made the props

Testing:
Kaukauna, WI. We tested prior to the Pro Nationals at Winona, MN and OPC Nationals in Dayton. Ron Anderson and Lee tested the following classes:
• 250CC Hydro (Nitro Engine) – 87MPH - Stuck Piston while out front
• 350CC Hydro - 94MPH – Won Nationals
• 250CC Runabout (Nitro Engine) - 74MPH
• 250CC Runabout – 71MPH – Won Nationals
• Mod-50 Hydro – 93 MPH - Small prop. too much punch – Won Nationals
• Mod-50 Hydro – 99MPH – Bigger prop. Good Combination

The Race:

I raced the SST-120 Class on Saturday and didn’t win.

We had the Hydro on top of the Chevy Station Wagon. It just looked like one of our PRO Hydro boats. Ron and Bob arrived late Sunday morning (race day) in Bob’s car with the engine and props in his trunk. We showed up, registered in Mod-50, and attended the drivers meeting all while the Hydro was still on top the car and the engine in the trunk. After the drivers meeting, they announced the time for testing. We unloaded the hydro and Bob back his car up to the boat and unloaded the engine. It took about 15 minutes to get it set up and onto the course. I ran 2 laps with the small prop just to get a feel and to time my starts and get the reference points established and then came back to the pits. I wanted the larger prop as the small one had way to much punch and was not working very well. Guess what, the prop sheared our special aircraft (Boeing) shear pins and the prop was stuck on the prop shaft, which we never were able to remove. TESTING OVER and we had to run the smaller prop which also over revved the engine. This changed everything as our original plan was to use the advantage on the top end…I lost my advantage!!!

The first heat was interesting as during the 5 minute gun lots of boats were milling around by the starting line which made it pretty rough. This really gave me an advantage as most of the OMC guys were making waves, and this allowed me to make a perfect “Drag” start on the inside with nobody contesting my position. Jimbo was on the outside as we ran to the first turn and he beat me to the entrance buoy by about a boat length. I was a little careful as I didn’t know how hard Jimbo was going to turn when he set his tunnel boat. My boat started to climb and then hooked the chine real hard and I came off the buoy about 10 boat lengths ahead and ran hard down the back straightaway and could see that I had plenty of performance. Now to get through to rough stuff at the stating line was the next challenge. To do this, I went wide and backed off a bit. Not a problem and fun!!! I never ran the boat hard after that as the motor was vibrating so bad that every thing was coming loose. Mainly the engine clamps. We won the first heat and headed to the pits. Everything was loose and the nails were coming out of the boat and the left sponsor was delaminating with all the screws and nails backing out. Not fun any more!!! The boat leaked and was falling apart. Ron Hill, Bobby and Ron A jumped in to help nail and screw the boat back together and tighten the clamps and everything we had time to secure. We actually had the boat on its side doing this. I went back out for the second heat and finished where I would win by points. During the last 2 laps the clamp had backed all the way out and the motor was about to jump off the boat, but didn’t. WE Won!!! That was the last time I ever saw or drove that boat as Mercury took it back and I heard that someone raced it in Wisconsin. In fact, I was told it was a lousy boat. I think they tried to run or tested for the Kilo record? To break the Mod-50 Kilo record held by Fred Hauenstein at 107MPH, we needed a Kilo boat and gears, props, time and money. And I didn’t want to drive it as I wanted to race my tunnel boats.

To beat OMC when they were on top of the world in Mod 50 was a lot of fun and it had to frustrating for Charlie and Jack. Jack Leek was a class guy during and after the race.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Wow! Thanks Chris...that was a great story. And thanks for the followup and the info you got from your Dad and Ron. That's the type of racing you never forget.

[Ron Hill]

I can see now why Lee "Set" the boat up at the last minute....I had forgotten all the SECRETS that went on in those days...

AN FYI:

Just got off the phone with Phil Wagner....He had dinner in Florida, last night with Ron Anderson, Billy Seebold and Ralph Donald...I can imagine the storyies going on at a St. Patrick's Pub.....

I had called Phil to ask if he was ther Phil Wegner that race the Winnebagoland Marathon...Said, "It wasn't him..."

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Chris...something wasn't jiving with me on the 1976 results because I couldn't remember racing either Lee or Ron. I won the 250 hydro nationals in 1976 and finished second behind Denny Henderson in 350 hydro. I didn't have the results of 1975 PRO nationals, but have have the info in my notes for the story. I didn't race in 1975 due to a neck injury, but I took a lot of pics. That's when Lee won the nationals, and that's what got me to thinking because I remember those pics in Powerboat. I was going to post some pics from that race never seen before by anyone except me. Unfortunately, in the envelope with all the negatives from a particular contact sheet were all the negatives except the strip I needed. I tried looking in other envelopes, but when something like that gets misfiled, I will probably only come across it by accident. I still have others from that race to post, but I have run out of time and have to get to the shop. In the meantime, I'll post a little section of that contact sheet.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Chris...something wasn't jiving with me on the 1976 results because I couldn't remember racing either Lee or Ron. I won the 250 hydro nationals in 1976 and finished second behind Denny Henderson in 350 hydro. I didn't have the results of 1975 PRO nationals, but have have the info in my notes for the story. I didn't race in 1975 due to a neck injury, but I took a lot of pics. That's when Lee won the nationals, and that's what got me to thinking because I remember those pics in Powerboat. I was going to post some pics from that race never seen before by anyone except me. Unfortunately, in the envelope with all the negatives from a particular contact sheet were all the negatives except the strip I needed. I tried looking in other envelopes, but when something like that gets misfiled, I will probably only come across it by accident. I still have others from that race to post, but I have run out of time and have to get to the shop. In the meantime, I'll post a little section of that contact sheet.

It was Winona, & I believe 1975 that Lee won 250 Runabout & 350 Hydro. I raced Trebor Billiter's "B", Pete Hellsten's "A" & Pete Cruzans modified 3 cylinder OMC "F" on Jim Gohery's Yale or Butts "C" Hydro. Ran 1st start to finish in the "B" elimination, but jumped. Was out front in Pete's "A" a Byers hydro with 2 laps to go & tank came loose & lost fuel & was in 3rd comforably in a position to qualify & hooked a sponson & speared a buoy. After not running hydros sinc2 1971 running Tunnels for OMC, this was a isaster for me. Billiters "B" was really fast, I had to lean forward over the steering wheel on the back stretch, but would never had beat Lee, although I would have enjoyed being in the final with him.

[Lee Sutter]

The picture is of Ron Anderson's 250 Hydro. The guys are Scooter Paulsen, Lee and Ron. The kids are Steve Sutter (4), Chris Sutter (6) and Scooters daughter.

Chris and Steve never raced boats, but they know more then you could ever believe!!! In fact, I remember racing SST-120 at St. Louis in 1976 and after I ran my qulifying run Chris was telling how to drive the thing. Apparently I was not driving up to his standards!!! Chris played Division 1 Baseball in college, graduated from Washington and is a VP for a large firm in NYC. He lives in Westport, Conn. Steve graduated from Iowa and works with me in the Housewares business in Seattle and is running the company.


Ron was way out front and stuck a piston - just like he did at the Worlds in Alexandria, LA. I never raced his "NITRO" engine, but it hauled the mail - until it broke. It would run faster then Kilo record with a long course set-up on the 250 Runabout, which was 80MPH at the time.

Tell me to stop... as I'm looking for my life jacket....

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

The picture is of Ron Anderson's 250 Hydro. The guys are Scooter Paulsen, Lee and Ron. The kids are Steve Sutter (4), Chris Sutter (6) and Scooters daughter.

Chris and Steve never raced boats, but they know more then you could ever believe!!! In fact, I remember racing SST-120 at St. Louis in 1976 and after I ran my qulifying run Chris was telling how to drive the thing. Apparently I was not driving up to his standards!!! Chris played Division 1 Baseball in college, graduated from Washington and is a VP for a large firm in NYC. He lives in Westport, Conn. Steve graduated from Iowa and works with me in the Housewares business in Seattle and is running the company.


Ron was way out front and stuck a piston - just like he did at the Worlds in Alexandria, LA. I never raced his "NITRO" engine, but it hauled the mail - until it broke. It would run faster then Kilo record with a long course set-up on the 250 Runabout, which was 80MPH at the time.

Tell me to stop... as I'm looking for my life jacket....

Lee,

Although not legal, I have a like new Gentex like we used back in the day. I would gladly let you use it to see you in a Hydro again.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

....Lee and John, so I can bring my cameras.

I cannot believe what I'm finding. First the missing negative strip from one contact sheet, then on a different contact sheet...the only missing negs were once again the pit shots of Lee and crew from Winona. These were from some of the group I intended to make prints for autographs. I cannot imagine where they are, but it must have been a plan. Unless...have you been by my house Chris???;):D There was one point leading up to the DePue Reunion I had stuff scattered everywhere going through photos for Ron Hill's plagues. I cannot imagine I wouldn't refile them in the proper sleeves though. It might be though that I was putting all my negatives together to make prints for my unfinished scrapbooks of photos that appeared in Powerboat. Whatever I did though was a dumb idea.:( There were four photos I took of you Lee that appeared in the November 1975 issue of Powerboat. Three appeared in the article I wrote about the Grain Belt Pro Nationals, and the 4th was one of you in your A runabout as one of the 1975 Hall of Champions inductees.

Here is a photo of Ron Anderson in that screaming A hydro, and a strip of contact sheets showing part of the missing negatives.

ADD: The Powerboat photo of Mark Demaray winning 125 hydro in 1976 is missing also.

[carl lewis]

Wayne,
Tom Hindley resides in Spokane Washington and still is in the jewelry business, I dont know if he has a web site or not. Tom tried unlimiteds a bit but crashed one quite well and that was pretty much the end to his racing.

Lee,
Kyle got his capsule training done last week so send me a message with your phone number and Ill call you when we get the 45 ready to hit the water.He is very excited to have you as a mentor in this journey.

Kyle is at Pineville La. this week for the winter nationals his first heat is 8:30 tomorrow morning sure drew a hard heat for elims, oh well best to race against the fast guys to see where were at.

regards, Carl

[Lee Sutter]

Please wish Kyle good luck for me and will you please post his progress?

[hydrodriver]

I am the very proud owner of that hydro. I've had it several years now. I did run a Merc 800 stacker/SuperSpeedmaster on it for two years, taking it out maybe 3 times a year for 5 minutes thrill rides. It would GPS over 85 without much trouble, fast enough for me.
Maybe it's the boat - but it was a real vibrator when running. I had cut an old 15" midsection down to 12", and after the welds broke for the 3rd. time I parted out the motor and said to hell with it.
The boat today resides on a rack in my garage, as there are signs of fatigue and age showing up in the bottom and sponsons.
Thanks to recent photos from the Internet and various websites, I plan on refinishing the boat back to the original blue paint and the #82, Moon fuel tank, reset the wheel back to the forward position, etc. The boat was retransomed at some point in time - I think when the Merten's ran a Mod 50 on it. I had photos of it run by Jim Jr. at Neenah but have not been able to locate these pictures.
Anyway, it is alive and well at 33 years old. I plan to display it at the AOMCI National Meet in Tomahawk WI this August - just the boat, no motor - yet.

[MarkD]

Seeing these old photos of A&H boats brings back many old memories. This may not be the best thread to post these shots in, but I tried one of Ron’s boats once in 25SSH – trying to test a few new things out. The new design items did not work that well on this boat on a pretty windy day at Green Lake in Seattle in the late 70's. But it gave me some ideas for what not to do on the next boat I built. I had to fix the deck for Ron on this one where I put my head through it.

Mark

I have the 8X10 glossys of this blow-over in sequence photos taken by Bob Carver, the great free lance boat racing photographer from Seattle. Bob always got the great shots - he could see a blow over coming long before the drivers ever did.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays014.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays015.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays016.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays017.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays018.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4/markdemaray/olddays019.jpg

[brichter]

I Can't believe I didn't see this before. I was at this Dayton race in 76' and the MOD 50 battle between Lee and Jimbo was the highlight of the day! It was basically a 2-boat race where Jimbo gained on Lee out of the turns and Lee had just enough top end to pull away on the straights and stay out front. Every one was watching in amazement, I never saw anything like that before or since.

I also remember seeing and admiring Ken Stevenson's boat. Just beautiful....... at that time just a work of art. Thanks for posting the pictures Roy!

[hydrodriver]

Email from Lee Sutter to his son Chris:
This boat was built to look like my 350 Hydro and Ron’s 250 Hydro? We didn’t want anyone (OMC) to know we were running a hydro at Dayton . The class was 100% tunnels. This was one of those projects that had a real purpose!!! OMC had a stronger engine then Mercury and Jimbo and Jeff Brown had factory Mod-50 tunnels that dominated the class. Mercury (Gary G) asked Ron Anderson, Bob Hering, and I if we could build a hydro to go beat the OMC’s at the Dayton Nationals. We agreed!

Ron and Bobby built the boat at Ron’s, put the Mod-50 power head on a Mercury “D” tower housing and used a “D” gear case. We built two props by cutting a blade off a 2 blade “D” Michigan prop and welding 2 blades back on the hub – bingo, the first 3 blade Michigan ever!!! No stock or Alky guys used 3 blade props at that time!!! Then, I sent the props to R. Allen Smith in Louisiana (my prop guy) who made to the specs we thought would work. 6/3/4” diameter x 12 ½” Pitch. Bob Hetzel at Mercury really helped with the props. In fact, he did all the tough stuff with the support of Dick Snyder at Mercury.

We tested it at Kaukauna , WI . along with all the alky equipment. We tested for two days 2 weeks before the Alky Nationals and the Dayton race was the week following. We tested the 250 runabout, 250 hydro, 350 hydro, and the Mod 50 project.

It went 93 MPH on the first pass and 95 MPH on the second. It vibrated really bad, had way too much acceleration. Funny thing is, it went the same speed as my 350 hydro.

You should have seen to look on Jack Leeks face when we unloaded the hydro off the trailer. As he thought it was one of our Alky boats.

WE Won!!! And, Mercury took all the equipment away from us the next week and tried to use it to run through the Kilos. Wrong boat, gear case, props, and wrong guys." Lee Sutter.