Power Boat Racing Stories & Pictures

 

Upper left we're lifting the boat off the trailer for her first trial run in the Long Beach, Alamitos Bay, race course. Upper right, we're putting the finishing touches on the motor mounts. Middle left, the boat's in the water for the first time. Middle right, the trial run is successful! Lower left, my father-in -law, and excellent sign painter applies the racing numbers. Lower right--I'm ready for the first race.

I flipped this boat in every race I was ever in. Never behind, quite often in front, once in first place, flipping just before the finish line in front of the judges stand in Blythe Arizona on the Colorado River. My last race was at Hansen Dam in Los Angeles, where I flipped in the first turn, and four boats ran over the top of me and my boat. My helmut was torn from my head, my sweat shirt had chop holes in it and my boat had four chop holes running from the bow to the stern.

I was knocked unconcious, but didn't have a scratch on me. That was my last race, after my wife gave me a choice--the boat or the family.

So boating was on the back burner for about four years. Then, after purchasing and rebuilding a 32 foot fishing boat, and cruising for a couple of years, I became interested in sailing and racing sailboats. And that's another story on another page.

 

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