It's a bird!,It's a Plane!,No,It's a hydro?

[Tomtall]

Had to share this odd looking thing with you all. Listed on E-Bay,the seller says the following - 1950, 12ft. Air Marine Racing Mahogany Three-Point Hydroplane. Has removable/adjustable sponsons :eek: and has Kiehaefer steering. All original completely restored. I am selling this boat for a friend, if you have any questions call Bill @ (618)664-4460 View more pictures of this @ http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4544879937&category=31270

[David Weaver]

My uncle Bobby had a well known 2.5 litre stock inboard named the Lobster boat. He ran it very successfully during the late 80's thru mid 90's. This boat looks remarkably similar. The Lobster boar was almost unbeatable on good water, but not much in choppy to rough water.

[RichardKCMo]

Does anyone have pics of dragonfly Y inboard boat, letters are easier to remember than cu. in cu. in./ cu. cc.

[ferv888ipba]

Air Marine, sounds like a guy from Chicago that used to run an F hydro with a Mercury six on it. If same boat, his name was Joe Michelini(SP?), his shop was just of Midway Airport in Chicago. He used to come to DePue back in the days that Millie Harrison and the Maypoles were around every Labor Day weekend.

Ray

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Joe Michelini's F Hydro I think was bigger than that.

[ferv888ipba]

Wayne,
You may be right on that, it just fits the era and the name of Joe's company. Would be interested to hear the history on this. The boats that Joe drove were radical for the time frame with the cab-over design and the back cover on the cockpit and if I remember correctly he had a six Merc at first rather than the Looper so it could be a smaller boat would handle that.

Not to be racist, but Joe used to have a huge Afro American fellow that was in his pit crew that started Joe's Merc's. What a fine human specimen, would have done Gold's Gym proud on a poster. Big as some of the guys in WWE.

Ray

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Since that boat was from the 50's it could have been one Joe raced in another class, or when horsepower's weren't as high. That's my thinking. I didn't meet him until the Eastern Divisionals at Springfield in 77, although the previous photo was from DePue in 72. He was very interesting to talk to. Tim Butts spent some time with him not too long before he moved to Texas.

Joe had a pitot tube on his sponson at a predesignated height. If his gauge lost all the pressure he knew he was at a critical height off the water. I wish I had some good photos of him airing it out because it made for good photos.

[John Howe]

David Weaver, I do well indeed remember the "Lobster Boat", and your uncles Bobby and Tom. I remember thier earlier boats also. I did see Bobby very briefly in Hampton last year, but didn`t have a chance to really talk to him. How are your uncles?

I first saw the "Lobster Boat" in Dayton Ohio about a year before your uncle bought it. It was indeed quick then. I also well remember when your uncle brought it down to Miami for the `87 Nationals. Bobby was still new to the boat when he took it out Friday afternoon for a test run. A few of us were standing in the stadium watching him test. He started down the front chute and the sponsons lifted about a foot off the water and hung there for about a hundred yards, and we all new it was going over. Sure enough,.....SPLASH!!!

I believe Bobby sprained his shoulder and the boat got busted pretty good. The next time I saw the boat it was equipped with driver adjustable canards. You are right about it being fast. I saw your uncle win a lot of races in that crazy thing, and I believe he even set a 1 1/4 mile course record in St.Petersburg Florida in it. I also remember that your uncle had the whole boat painted like a big lobster! By the way, I really do miss the Raliegh race. Oh yeah, there is a picture of the "Lobster Boat" in the book "Prop Rider" that racing photographer Phil Kunz put out last year. :D

John Howe

[David Weaver]

Bobby did set tht the 1 1/4 mile record with the Lobster Boat. He did set the record on a Sunday at St. Pete. The night before he backed too close a wall and damaged the rudder. Emergency repairs were required the next morning that resulted in the rudder being moved from one side to the other. The result was that the boat ran better than ever for some reason and Bobby broke the competition record.

Other than the small pickle-forks, Bobby's boat had a very similar appearance and lines to the boat that started this thread.

Racing should be back in Raleigh this year, but with the US Title Series conducting a PRO race. This is a great venue and expect a super race in October.