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HORBA presents Don Aronow Memorial Race

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HORBA presents the Don Aronow Memorial Race June 20, 2008.
To benefit the Take Stock in Children charity.

I have started a new thread as the old one got off track.

HORBA has four objectives for this weekend:
1. To put on a real 100 mile open ocean race across the Gulf Stream and back, that will allow as many interested parties to compete as possible.
2. To put on a get together for old racers so that they might be honored for what they did as the pioneers in this sport.
3. To have a venue where the fans can meet the old racers and see the actual old race boats from those golden years.
4. To raise as much money as possible for a very worthwhile South Florida charity, that benefits children.

Somewhere along the way, number 1 was there, but the other areas were getting too much focus. In a conversation with Brownie the other day, he advised us to focus on the race. He said the old guys could get together in a tent in the pits if they had to.

So here is where we are with the race to date:

The race weekend will be run by HORBA Ocean Racing LLC

Minimum boat length 20 feet, Maximum boat length 55 feet.

Historic boats are 15 years or older.

Classes will be:
Historic and Modern

Historic
Open ......Twin engine, max cu in no more than 1,000
Production...Production, Modified & Sport run together, maximum cu in no more than 910 cu in combined.

Modern
Single...Single engine no more than 550 cu in.
Twin....No more than 1200 cu in combined.
Unlimited...."Run what you Brung"

Entry fee will be $1,000 per boat.

All the detailed information is being loaded on to the HORBA website and should be up by next week. A complete race package and rules format can be downloaded then.

www.historicraceboats.com

Points of information:

All racers will be required to wear a real racing life jacket and helmet. (We are looking into the possibility of some of these jackets being available for lease)

There will be no passengers allowed in back seats.

All boats will be of the closed deck style. ( No center consoles)

Race Numbers will be furnished with stick on vinyl panels for both sides of the hull and the deck.

The start will be a timed start rather than a group start.
From a milling area just outside Haulover Inlet, one boat at a time will make a running start down the beach in a Northerly direction until they reach a committee boat off Sunny Isles Beach (On the Miami / Fort Lauderdale line)
They will then turn seaward (East) and their official time will start as they pass the committee boat.

Boats will be flagged off from the milling area in approx 30 second intervals. There is no passing allowed until after the boats have passed the committee boat and are bound for Bimini.

The race is a non-stop event, from Sunny Isles Beach to Bimini and back. All boats should carry enough fuel to make the entire distance.

After a turn at the checkpoint in Bimini, all race boats will do a return run back to the committe boat, where the total elapsed time will determine the winners for each class.

Starting positions will be assigned based on entry form and check arrival at HORBA Ocean Racing LLC.

We are actively looking for sponsors. If anyone has any interest please PM me or Brad Schoenwald or Larry Goldman and we can give you the details of the various levels of sponsorship. Sponsorhsip levels go from $1.00 to $50,000.

Sponsors at this time:
Banana Boat Co. www.bananaboatco.com
Tres Martins Performance School www.tresmartinperformance.com
Extreme Performance www.xtremepowerboats.com

7xchamp

Hi Charlie: I have been talking with Larry Goldman about the Bimini run etc. Sounds fun, but still a little short on miles, as far as I`m concerned. I think it should be more like the old Bacardi race, up and down the coast a few times and over to Bimini and back 150 miles total. I`m not sure if you remember, but the last Miami Bimini race I can remember was the Apache Challenge out of ft. apache and Turnberry. Seas were 8` to 10` wind was NE 20 to 30 overcast nasty day. I was with Norman Gentry as driver and Tom as navigator, we ran the Miami NY boat 46` Scarab Gentry Eagle, triple 1,000 Gentry Turbos, we actually were first to the Cement ship, but had to wait for Kramer to arrive to see if the race would be black flagged, which it was. Kramer was declared the winner as open class, we won in Superboat, they gave Ben the overall as well, kind of stunk, long story, but very rough, there is a video which is great, shows how rough it really was, That is the video you should use to promote the race, just a suggestion, I like the patch idea, also make some nice goody bags like we used to get. I`m here for you.

Phil M

It was rough Richie - we among others filmed it - great photos - and video - not just circle racing like Hydros or those MINI boats - Some miles along the beach at first will definitely weed out any problem boats, then off to Bimini - would be a great race - all the things that used to make offshore racing - Navigation, Open Ocean - NOT JUST SPEED !

Good Luck to all -

PHIL
[email protected]

7xchamp

Hi my good friend: Now that`s what I`m talking about. I say if you are going to do it, make it real, and then you have some real bragging rights. Give me a 47` Apache triple 1200 Mercs and then sit back take bets and hope for 6` to 8` like the old days, no breaks in between, man against the Ocean, and whoever else gets in the way.

T2x

No no no....give you a 28 Memco with triple in line OB's and watch the aerobatics..........

Hey Phil........ This needs NNRT coverage.....

T2x

jeff1000man

Looks like fun. Will you guys let crazy cowboys from TX race?

Phil M

Hi Hear Ya Richie - just a sec- let me turn up my hearing aid - oh - ok - got ya now -

It sure would be fun - can you still speak well -? I know you can type still - but hows the voice ?

The only way I would film it, would be in High Def.- but I have one question Rich, can we edit with out the sound going ? I used to edit with the sound turned off - as it reminded me of being lectured in school - and I HATED SCHOOL ! haha -

Wish I had the equipment still - it would be more then fun !

Hi to both your Richie's - Tripple X and 7 X

PHIL

7xchamp

You can check me out and my voice on Youtube Punch in Silvio Sardi communications, scroll down to Youtube titled thunder man about Don Aronow. It`s from the documentary. my interview, then Bush Sr. let me know what you think. FYI I`m still one of the youngest Lake X survivors, I was 19 when I was assigned my first racing position as riding mech. for Gene Wagner in a 21` Seacraft named Milk shake, first race was 50 mile Guy Lombardo in St . Pete, next race was the Bahamas 500, 582 miles one stop for fuel close to 100 boats started 8 finished the first day, we were # 8 first outboard etc. all day no food one gallon of water for the two of us, a ball compass no one else around and just to top it off six foot seas. started from Lucaya in the dark finished that night at 1:00 in the Morning. They literally lifted us from the boat, stood us on the dock and we both fell over, took several hours to regain our equilibrium. Top speed on the boat with fuel, a very scary 54 mph. power was twin 110 hp merc`s. Merc 1100 they were. I ended up running three of the 500`s plus two of the 500 kilometer races in various equip. If you remember I won two of the shortened 500`s One with Bonomi, the other with Gentry, they were short and easy, only 300 + miles. Those were the days HUH GUYS. I have lots of stories and an excellent memory. 62 years young racing from 1967 to 1994 retiring after Key West crash, not because I wanted to, just put a value on life, and no one seemed to want to pay for a 7XCHAMP throttleman. It was an end to an era, when we used to make good money and make champions of our drivers. RIP

lucky strike

iTrader: (1)

Good thought Phil about running along the beach.
GPS takes some of the challenge out of it.
Good navigation always showed that speed was not the most important factor. Many races were won on smarts not speed.

Steve

Phil M

Well Said Richie - I got involved in or around 1969 or so - my brother and I were hired to build a Fragrance Factory in the Bahamas - Island Promises was the name - we assembled several 40 ft. Trailers filled with mixing and filling equipment in Miama, then had them shipped over to Freeport- while there - the Bahamas 500 was on - Doug Silvera in his outboard powered boat - won it - it might have been 1970 or so - Senior moments here at times - Saw Bill Wishnick in his Red BossNova -Eddie Lecareau in his 8 Ball - yellow Bertram IO, we were on a Yacht in the Lucya Marine - (Bill Carptenters 96 ft. Burger yacht) - he was a friend of the people that we were building the factory for. Anyway - it was something that caught my imagination - soon after was selling my new car to buy a 28 Bertram Baron - the rest is my history - but soon found it was too expensive and I could have just as much fun filming and being involved that way - Many people do not realize who I was or am - as I was behind the camera - most of the time Silent -(except when yelling at Triple X) - but I must say - it was the most rewarding and fun time of my life - meeting nice people - Can't belive you are 62 - no way - you always were just a young Pup - cant be - dont lie Riche - haha ! As for me - I wont disclose my age - you have to ask my twin brother Peter - but he lies too !

I get a kick out of going to race events now- seeing a compass on the boats and wonder why they waste their money - usually then can just turn right at the large condo, and turn again at the next Water tower - and bingo they are home - When you raced Richie - if you did not pay attention to your compass - you might end up in Bermuda ! not FREEPORT - anyway - good to hear your stories - am impressed - always was - a class act you and Bobby B. were - - Triple X too - many memories - much fun - Just sad to think of so many that are not with us now - specially thinking of this Past week - and others like Mike Poppa, Mark Lavin, Dave Albert - and Gillie , Tom Gentry - and so many others that were just fun to be around - Times have changed for sure -


PHIL