Daddy Cool

[BROWNIE]

You make some good points, Marco. The other side of the coin is the fact that if you did commit the considerable sum of money to win (buy?) the championship, you could go to places like Cyprus and race against hollowed out logs. I don't recall anyone failing to win the championship in the late sixties and early seventies after they committed to vie for it. It sure as hell wasn't like trying to win the final.

[Black Tornado]

Originally Posted by BROWNIE

You make some good points, Marco. The other side of the coin is the fact that if you did commit the considerable sum of money to win (buy?) the championship, you could go to places like Cyprus and race against hollowed out logs. I don't recall anyone failing to win the championship in the late sixties and early seventies after they committed to vie for it. It sure as hell wasn't like trying to win the final.

BROWNIE,In theory it had to be so, but in reality only one World Champion is benefitted of some desert competitions as Cyprus, South America or South Africa, to win him Title in the history.
Was the Brazilian Franz in 1975.
In reality to spend so much and to have two or three boats and so many motors and two throttlemen and time for the competitions didn't mean to win or to buy the World Title. Something, Balestrieri and Gentry for example know.
It was always matter of technical preparation and a little bit of fortune. As in the best tradition of all the motors sports.
When we passed to the single race for the World Title to win however they were always great Champions as Betty Cook, Cosentino, Meynard etc.
However in 1977, as he has said correct Phil, Michael Doxford had dominated the whole season and then when it was the moment to race the final to Key West it chose the new catamaran of Cassir and Beard instead of his trusted 35' mono. To Key West that day the sea was alone for mono.
To reverse him it happened to 1980 in the bay of Melbourne to Betty Cook and the others that convinced to find shaken waters, they were found to almost compete with the cat of Meynard on one flat lagoon....

Marco

[BROWNIE]

Marco, I was the furthest out checkboat in the 1977 Key West (Winner-take-all) championship race. Whoever won that sonofa***** deserved to be the champion. At middle ground, the seas were so large and close together, that our anchor pulled our 37' Magnum under the water to the windscreen. Ten or twelve feet high, Fifty feet apart.

[steeb]

Originally Posted by BROWNIE

Marco, I was the furthest out checkboat in the 1977 Key West (Winner-take-all) championship race. Whoever won that sonofa***** deserved to be the champion. At middle ground, the seas were so large and close together, that our anchor pulled our 37' Magnum under the water to the windscreen. Ten or twelve feet high, Fifty feet apart.

Did you bring a camera that day? :-)

[Black Tornado]

Originally Posted by BROWNIE

Marco, I was the furthest out checkboat in the 1977 Key West (Winner-take-all) championship race. Whoever won that sonofa***** deserved to be the champion. At middle ground, the seas were so large and close together, that our anchor pulled our 37' Magnum under the water to the windscreen. Ten or twelve feet high, Fifty feet apart.

Real Offshore race!
I remember that Cosentino left him leaps meat on the steering-wheel....Davey Wilson maybe remember that.

Anyone have movie of that race?!

[Deauville Trophy]

"Whoever won that sonofa***** deserved to be the champion"

And it was Betty Cook who in my opinion would have been World Champion under the old format if she had applied herself to it or/ and an the opportunity. No matter what, pure class often prevails...
Marco is right though, the true concept of Offshore Racing is history. That's why I have the utmost respect for the crews who raced in the conditions you described. Today's "offshore" racing is probably a skillfull art but it sure doesn't look it.

Phil.

[steeb]

Daddy COOL

[T2x]

Originally Posted by Black Tornado

I remember that Cosentino left him leaps meat on the steering-wheel.:rolleyes
Anyone have movie of that race?!

What is "Him Leaps meat"....... and how do you leave it on a steering wheel?

[Black Tornado]

Originally Posted by T2x

What is "Him Leaps meat"....... and how do you leave it on a steering wheel?

Sorry T2x,my bad English.
Lips not leaps. Cosentino in one of the numerous hard relapses of his CUV 38' in the rough water of Key West it strongly beat the mouth on the steering wheel leaving the signs of him teeth on the stuffing of the wheel.

[RumRunner]

Originally Posted by Smiklos

Sadly I must agree with T2X.
Steve

What the hell is wrong with the world when you two agree more and more???