It's interesting for folks like me to read and hear about these things. I was in college then, and since I was broke, I didn't really pay attention to boats. I was on silver beach playing volleyball (the poor man's hobby) and not really even looking out on the lake 1/2 the time.

I do remember Offshore Horror sitting for sale here on a local road. It sat for a long time, uncovered. I remember thinking, "who could own something like that and just let it rot on a street corner?" I think I heard that Kaama even tried to rescue it back in the day? I wasn't really into boats because I wanted one and could barely afford beer, so I only paid attention to certain things.

Thriller is now in TX and Bruce has a 45 Sonic, I think Bob Harris now has a cruiser???, so most of these boats are gone. I think dakota Kid is gone also, and that Fountain was around a long time. I DO recall seeing that boat out a lot around Silver Beach. Warhawk is still around, though. Doesn't get used much.

The "older" stories are interesting to read and hear about.

32Fever,

Mike always kept that boat covered up....if you saw it uncovered it was because Mike was working on it a lot in his driveway. We were always doing something to that hog----it was a sharp looking boat in it;s day the way Mike had it painted and running.

One year Frank Glass and his crew ran his boat (26' Scarab) up on the South Pier of St. Joe----1986 or so. I will never forget seeing it laying on the pier the following day. It was a year when the water level was very high making the piers difficult to see during the evening----that's when it happened. All were thankfully able to walk away with a few cuts, scrapes and bruises. I think Frank's ego was hurt more than anything.

This is back when Chris Merrill had just bought the wrecked tripple engine 38 foot Scarab (raised deck) that was originally owned by Jay VanAndel family that was originally kept in Holland until someone ripped it off and ran it into the pier there. Merrill bought the boat as a wreck and restored it during the winter of 1983. It had tripple KAAMA 454's in it with GIL offshore DRY exhausts, TRS drives with Merc external racing steering. Back then GIL exhaust manifolds were just becoming a HOT item and rarely seen on performance boats unless you had the money to afford them. Merrill had to rebuild the engines---they probably made about 450-475hp each------KAAMA claimed about 525hp but with what it had I don;t think so......Q-jet carbs, dual plane intakes, 8.8 comp ratio, hyd flat tappet cams of 236*/244* on 114*. I know about the cams because I worked on that boat a lot and a cam went flat on the port engine while we were taking it up to Saugatuck one day and got about as far as a few miles north of South Haven when she was given us trouble so we came about and headed for home port of St. Joe. Chris brought the boat back home to his shop and we had the engine pulled out that very day and pulled the cam out and I remember having called KAAMA out in CA for the specs. We just decided to put an Ultradyne cam in it that Merc used for their 440hp Cyclone engines. Chris put a paint job and a name on it called "Polterguiest" and that thing HOWELED!!! Back then Carl Warren (now owner of War Hawk 41' Apache) was just a young teenage kid and would come over to Chris's little marina on Empire with his buddies and just stare inside the engine compartment and comment how cool it was. Merrill had two slips at Pier 1000 back then and would put the Scarab in the water on the weekends to get it dialed in while staying on his 35' Magnum with tripple 454's and arneson drives on the same finger dock. That Scarab had points in the distributors then. That was an awesome boat in its day too!

More history I love it, Chris is a great guy I got to meet him this past winter. I had no idea he had Black Magic after it was stolen. I found out he also had Jet Set the jet powered 38 Cig also way back when, I mentoined seeing it at one of the grand haven races heading south at an unbelieveable pace. We had alot of cool boat around here back then, it's starting to get pertty good out of Grand Haven agian, and I will do my part to add a sweet ride to this town this spring again and I hope see to it a hot ride gets back on the water out of holland. Steve

This thread brings back old memories. I loved Runnin Hot. That was an incredibly loud boat. I remember following Thriller, No Limit and Runnin Hot to the launch ramp at Hammond back when the Milwaukee clipper was still there. You couldn't hear yourself think it was so loud. Everyone was hanging over the clipper to watch them dock. Fun Days. Bobby now has a Hatteras called Runnin Hot. Talk about a big change of pace.


A miss the boats you use to see around Chicago in the early 90's. The Beast, Bam, Dinosaur, Manta and Home Wrecker were all wicked boats. I heard we may get to see the Pink Panther aka Home Wrecker back on the water this season. You could see that rooster tail form miles away. It should be a fun summer.
Dan

Yep Dan, and you just might get to see ol' "KAAMA" out there too aka "BIG YELLA" or "The Screamin' Banana" I think I deserve to go boating this summer for once!

Steve/Nykamp, Do you still have your 36' Apache???

The Screamin' Banana!!!! I like it! I think you deserving to go boating is the biggest understatement of the year. You have lots of making up to do. Are you going to the Chicago boat show?
Dan

I think Kaama is a poser(boats from the dock)......he's sceerd of the water...swims like a cat(only if he has too!) sure builds some pretty motors though even if they are YELLA!!! Just yankin ya yella!!

Kaama I sold her last spring,the wife and I rode to muskegon last jan. or feb. in Parns 41 Saber and came home and decided to sell that night. Wow do the 41 run out nice in big water, we ran 80 plus in 6 plus foot waves the whole way to muskegon. I will be shopping for a new ride here soon. Steve

Steve,
You had one sweet looking 36'. You guys will look good in a 41'. Are you looking Apache or Saber?
Dan

Thanks Dan, I am trying to decide what route to go, 36 Cocept,or an other 36 or 28 Apache and a lot up north on an inlet to lake michigan, or a 41 APACHE. There are only 4 41 Sabers and only one for sale which is WICKED WON and I would have to sell both of our houses to buy and surport that bad boy. If thing keep going the way they are I may order a new 41 SABER someday. I am going to sell our house on lake delcarlia down in Lowell Ind. soon so then the shopping will go full swing. Hope all is well, Steve.