The First Real Offshore Boat ...

[THUNDERBOLT TS]

Hi
not sure if she is still around, the Med must have thousands of boats lurking in harbours and marina's some very famous I am sure..we know that ULTIMA DEA is now used as a fishing boat, apparently in Italy and the fishermen love Levi boats..
There is very good Italian site www.altomareblu.com
which has pages devoted to Levi, it has english translation of sorts!! maybe they may know...tell me are you a fan of Levi ?
I had dinner with him in Puket last new year he is absolutely fascinating to talk to...

Regards
Mike
THUNDERBOLT
1ST Winner Cowes Torquay 1961

[7xchamp]

Originally Posted by THUNDERBOLT TS

Hi
not sure if she is still around, the Med must have thousands of boats lurking in harbours and marina's some very famous I am sure..we know that ULTIMA DEA is now used as a fishing boat, apparently in Italy and the fishermen love Levi boats..
There is very good Italian site www.altomareblu.com
which has pages devoted to Levi, it has english translation of sorts!! maybe they may know...tell me are you a fan of Levi ?
I had dinner with him in Puket last new year he is absolutely fascinating to talk to...

Regards
Mike
THUNDERBOLT
1ST Winner Cowes Torquay 1961

Hi Mike: when I was racing with Carlo Bonomi in the early seventies, we used to headquarter in Cowes at the Groves and Gutteridge yard. That`s where I met Sonny Levi and his beautiful daughter. He was building his boats in the same building where I mantained the race boats, as you say he is a great guy, very personable and brilliant. I think it`s interesting this thread about first offshore boats. I think John Crouse pretty much covered it in the Searace book. I started in 1968 with mercury factory sponsored Seacraft 21` with twin 110hp outboards, I ran that boat in the original Bahamas 500 which was 548 statute miles with one stop for refuel. Out of 75 staters we finished 8th overall and first outboard to finish, over 13 hours .
Nice to hear from a Brit in the forums. I won Cowes Torquay Cowes 3 out of 5 times entered, It`s the Indy 500, and Lemans all in one. Best Regards Richie Powers 7XCHAMP

[spectras only]

Originally Posted by THUNDERBOLT TS

...tell me are you a fan of Levi ?


Regards
Mike
THUNDERBOLT
1ST Winner Cowes Torquay 1961

I'm a fan of Barbarina ,especially with her four Lamborghini engines ,hehe.
Friend of mine is a builder and he talked about Levi , that's how I got to know the name.
My friend's boat's designs were inspired by Italian naval architecture like Sonny' and Riva's .
Here's the link for my friend's boats and history www.kazulinboats.com .

Kazulin 24

[MikeyFIN]

I´d say the first real offshore boat would be the OHEKA II built in 1927.


although this one was built a year before and is lying at my garage...

[THUNDERBOLT TS]

Spectra

Your friends produce some very fine looking boats, what do you own?
Have you seen Sonny Levi's book Dhows to Delta's absolutely crammed full of his designs and history.

As you have seen had great reply from Richie Powers..it is amazing how the web breaks down distances..have you looked at our site recently is now back with new articles.

www.classicoffshore.com

[Mirage 36]

Originally Posted by wstultz

Elco PT patrol boat

x5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8tQP3s9DIQ

[wstultz]

Originally Posted by Mirage 36

x5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8tQP3s9DIQ

Sweet Video. I assume that is Mr. Sutphen SR.?

[mmccoy555]

Checkout this site. http://www.herreshoff.org/hmm/index.html
Can't find pics but I have been to the museum and seen them there. Offshore powerboats dating back in the 1800s

[mmccoy555]

Forgot to add that the designer, Herreshoff was blind and still built boats. Most of the designs he came up with are the basis of designs today.

[Mark75H]

Elco PT patrol boat

Would be smoked by a Huckins PT boat ... probably even a Huckins cruiser of the same era

OHEKA is a good suggestion, but I think the British Turbina goes back farther and was faster