Talk about bringing back memories.....I rode in that boat many, many times. Bobby Harris knew how to drive that boat too, but pretty soon the boat drove him so he had to sell it! By that I mean he had a pretty tall reputation to live up to with that boat and that meant he had to have BIG blowers with the BIGGEST mechanical roller cams he could get away with in that thing which it meant a TON of maintenance time he was personally putting into it. It broke a lot with those mechanical rollers---but that's what he felt he needed to stay on top---even though it was just a hi-perf pleasure boat. Finally, it all caught up with him and he threw in the towel. One day I had to drive it back from South Haven the first year Bobby owned it as he had one too many Long Island Ice Tea's at the Idler. That was back when Jeff Haylett had his 33' Fountain called "Just for the Rush" before he got into the racing circuit. Bobby stood by me and made me race Haylett ALL the way back to St. Joe. It's about a 20 mile trip one way and I remember it as being probably the shortest trip going south from South Haven to St. Joe I ever had. At that time Bobby only had 461" naturally aspirated engines with mechincal roller cams built by Bruce "Wolffie" Wolff. Bobby entered the boat in a race in Saugatuck and took first 1st or 2nd Place that year with Wolff's engines.

The shortest trip I ever had going north from St. Joe to South Haven was most likely on Jimmy Ariola's 38' Cougar "SAVAGE" when we were racing Carl Warren and his 41' Apache "WARHAWK"-----Jimmy spanked him good and the wave/water conditions were BIG and NASTY that day! Too many stories to tell I guess.

Anyway Heath, you got yourself a true runner there and that boat has got itself one heck of a reputation around these parts as you can see by the others chiming in. Believe me, people knew of, and feared that boat! Glad you are happy---HAVE FUN with it!

Kaama,

I wondered how long before you would see this thread.

You of all people should write a book on the local Offshore
history around these parts.

Did you get those bad boys dynoed yet.
Hope all is going well.

Cougarman

VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!! I need to add that to my wall in the "Man Room" (the only room in my house that I can call mine...the finished basement!! I let her keep her washer/dryer down there)

That is a beautiful, well kept boat!! You are selling the hull with no power......right? If so How much?

Heath the nextel # you gave me wont go through...call me at 616-403-4482 or at home after 3 at 616-786-3829
thanks
Don

I remember Runnin Hot. Used to see it in Saugatuck and Holland. Saw it go by a hot yellow cat called SHOWDOWN once and run with Offshore Horror and Home Wrecker. Can't remember what year but there was a dozen of us all waiting for the chain ferry (sound echoing off the seawalls was incredible) in Saugatuck and on the other side was Allegan Co. boys - they picked Runnin Hot for a decibel ck
Here is a chopper pic of her a buddy shot during 93???? Poker Run when they did a mass ticketing for interfearing with a sailboat regatta out of South Haven. Very sharp set-up!

Woogie, If I could only get that picture a little clearer That needs to be on my boat wall.

That pic there was before the interior was redone and the top of the boat is painted differently now. We just put it back up for sale. I really hate to sell it but would like to go bigger and a step hull.

That picture is an example of an all too familiar seen with Bobby and his boat---
He seemed to get stopped a lot by the Marine patrol guys----much of which he brought on himself---he was always terrorizing the sail boaters and pulling a lot of stunts that he shouldn't have.

I rode a lot on the boat called "Offshore Horror" (30' Scarab T/454's, 450hp with some mods we did) once owned by my friend Mike. We were always boating a lot with Bobby and Sue with their A/T. Another boat that hung around them a lot was a 31' black colored Sonic called "Thriller" owned by Bruce Chapman---a very close friend of Bob's. "Homewrecker" was a 30' Carrera with a big set of engines in it that was pretty quick as well. Bobby did a little bit of running around with "SAVAGE" (38' Cougar) as well---but Bobby couldn't beat SAVAGE. Every time Bobby would try Jimmy would spank him BAD!!!-----but Jimmy had HUGE supercharged power in the Cougar that was just almost unheard of back in that day. Jimmy was probably one of the very first guys to have supercharged engines in his boat on the Great Lakes that we know of back then. I think Marc from BAM Marine was one of the first as well in his 36' Cig. Those were some real good days I tell you! We had A LOT of fun runnin' up and down Michigans west shoreline and all the ports in between. Great memories.

Speaking of boat from that time frame what ever happened to the 41 Sonic with big power that alway ran with that group? Anybody know what he was running for motors and drives? Running hot is still looking sweet, gota love speedmasters!!

Steve,

That was Larry Hollenbeck, seems at one time they were
around 700 cubic inch if memory serves me.

He was docked up with Richard the one night and talked
to us for most of the night in South Haven.

They were carbureted engines with #6's and he said at
104mph she would start chine walking and he was working
on getting that corrected.

Last I heard he sold it and bought an Ocean Express.
Since heard that has sold also and he is into the circle
track cars Big time.

Take Care
Cougarman