Mike Bontoft

Allen(Brownie)Brown, Its been 25 years since I worked at Cougars, Do you remember me? I have been reading your posts, you have an excellent memory. I guess I must of spent a little too much time in the Rum Runner, Is it still there? I discovered this site while googleing model powerboats, thats what I have been racing for the past 10 years. I still have a love for the big stuff though. I guess you never get it out of your system. Well its back to work(lunch hour) I'ii post again and we'll bs about some of the goings on at Cougars
Cheers
Mike Bontoft

Semper Fi

ttt

Semper Fi

SWEET new logo Fred

BROWNIE

Hey, Mike! Great to hear from you! Where are you located these days? Last time I talked to you, you were in Hawaii. For all you evesdroppers, Mike was chief mechanic and engine builder for Ted Toleman, who was the major sackholder in Cougar in those days. Are you racing RC boats? My oldest Son, Ray, just represented the US in the World RC Pylon Air racing championships in France. Stay in touch. My best to you and yours.

Brownie

Mike Bontoft

Hi Brownie
Wondered where you'd got to. This site takes a ton of time to come up if you have dial up, I live in a location where high speed is not available.
Anyway after I finished with Gentry (I basically spent 2 years building the engine shop and building engines, I think we went to one race, pretty boring really) Both me and Bobby Beach got a bit tired of Hawai and Tom got a bit tired of us. I went back to Florida for a while to check things out, not much was happening, the DEA were really clamping down and scaring a lot of people off I think (But I did meet my wife there so it was'nt an entire waste). I got a job offer from an automotive restoration and mail order company in California and after a couple of years made a deal to buy him out, stayed there for about ten years then I moved the business to Washington state Where I currently reside.
The RC boats is something I got into as a kid with my father and about ten years ago got back into it, I also do model Straight away records and currently hold the record for the fastest gasoline powered boat in the 25cc class at 109.5 mph.
I have a friend who does the pylon racing and the speed of those planes is unbelievable, not much left when they crash, boats normally come back fixable although when you get them above a 100 thats not always the case.
So Brownie, Tell me a little about what happened at Cougars after I left, I was sorry to hear about Smitty.
Cheers
Mike

cougarman

Offshore history is always great to hear..............


Cougarman

BROWNIE

I'm still in Miami. I work at Stainless Marine as new products, technical and sales. Great little company. I work 3 or 4 days a week, and live in Islamorada the rest of the time. I have a 35' Sea Rover houseboat, in a private harbor, with a 25' Aqua Sport and an 18' pontoon boat alongside. It is 1 block (crawling distance) from the Lorelei Tiki Bar. Life is good......

Mike Bontoft

Its great to hear your doing well. A lot of the people I used to know back then are unfortunately no longer with us either due to boat racing accidents or excessive life style.
I am leaving in two weeks for England for a vacation so I am going to knock on Cougars door. Ever hear anything from any of them.
Mike

BROWNIE

Steven Curtis and Peter Currington have the company now. It is smaller than it was. Steven is kicking ass in the Offshore (intl) Circuit. Several times world champ. Still a load of fun. Peter Birkett and I still do a project together from time to time. He is back in England. Steve Ridgway is HMF at Virgin Airways. Everyone else faded away, kind of....

AB