That man on the deck is nuts. :eek:
that had to be scary.

That`s what we used to have to do sometimes to get a boat on plane and keep it on plane with only one motor, once on plane those boats only ran maybe 30 to 35 MPH, sometime we used to put the entire crew on deck and lock the one throttle down till she got over then the driver would run back to keep her straight. All of us older guys have ridden like that at one time or another, nothing unusual for those days, remember we used to have to finish to place or win, and most of the time we were so far from land, we had to figure someway to make her plane so we could get home, races then were minimum of 220 miles, and in some races you maybe only saw land two or three times, Viarregio to Bastia France and back, all open ocean, and all navigated by a magnetic compass. 7XCHAMP

color pix were not invented yet? :evilb:




Mel Riggs has sure aged over the years !!! :eek: (sorry Mel):D

When you ask T2X you have gone to the source for info on that boat.

It is a Switzer Craft wing and they raced them in everything from the Gold Coast Marathon to the Salton Sea 500 miler and the Parker 9 hour endurance race.

Rich even has one of these monsters of his own....maybe he will grace us with some photos.

These boats were doing over 100 MPH while the rest of us were praying to hit 50 on a good day.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ight=Cigarette

:evilb:

7X you guys are awesome! Crazy, but awesome. What was it like out on the deck, wide open water etc.

Thanks

Sometimes i click on threads that are not woth reading.......Then again i see something that includes BROWNIE or 7XCHAMP AND THEY ARE WORTH EVERY MOMENT.........................Youy guys are the ones that give a young guy the drive to restore old race boats and bring them back to life.............

I just wish you would come up to michigan on a crappy windy day and take my mag out and really show me what it is all about...........

thanks again and please keep the old school stories coming, after all the stuff you guys talk about is what made me cut a hole in my garage and shrink wrap a inclosure to restore my mag ........






the pic shows the hill billy garage,,,,,,,Laugh but it worked and she is bad........................

I not only know that boat, I have a picture of it (restored at Clayton 3 years ago). That's me standing over it on the ramp..........

She ran 113 mph with twin 140 hp racing outboards in 1968.....driven by Ken Kitson...

It is owned today by Bob Valachovic from Schenectady, NY, who restored it and turned it over to Kitson for antique race boat events.

Here's mine...........Actually it belongs to my son, Darren.....

Richie...Here's a better shot for your collection.......

Hi Richie,
What is new? [email protected] Me I'm Just holding down the fort for Big Sea's Productons {ex NNRT library] Anybody wondering about DVD's should ask T2x ok......

See ya 7xchamp!:D

DARREN US1

Most of the great offshore racing film clips that can be seen on the HORBA website are courtesy of Big Sea's.....if anyone wants these added to their offshore library, give Darren a call and order yours today.

www.historicraceboats.com

Good lord! That´s quick.

Amen......... kinda makes all of the speed claims today look tame eh?

By the way there were others that got up to 120 or so during the same time period.

One of these older wooden versions got up to about 100....... with a pair of 80 hp engines.

T2x

How many of you guys got hurt due to steering related failures

Switzer wing
 

Crikey,fancy seeing the switzer wing 68 again. This boat was the catalyst for the cougar cats after James Beard visited the Parker 9hrs.

My dear friend Darren: Thank you for that picture, I have it in my memorabilia, hope you are well, I follow your racing endeavors, and they touch home with me. You are the best. We`re going to have to find a set of my old 1250 stackers to run on your boat some time, just for nostalgia. I have a lot of test time in the old wings while I was a kid test driver at Lake X. once they put me in they couldn`t get me out, I took everyones turn, it used to take me hours before I could hear again after a couple hour run with the stackers and quickies. Have fun with the toy, be careful, one day I want to see it run.
I am always here for you and your dad, be well. your friend
7XCHAMP

what an great thread, you guys have stones the size of grapefruits to hang it out like that...offshore will never again be like it was in the day!

no it will not. what a great thread. man, i wish i could have raced then

does anyone know if you can get plans or drawings of the switzer wing? with gas prices going up it would be cool to build a rocket that would fly with 140s

when men were men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

This fantastic detail of the legends of the historic racers are great.What great reading.Thanks to all!!!

Nice " goin vertical "" pix of Ghost Rider.......say Brownie, can I use the floor mounted D-12 compass from the bomber for the 08 Round Britian Race, that would be a nice touch to the memory of the Mighty Eighth Airforce or do I just keep England on my port side all the way round.......mine are still the original 1964 Constellations and a little worn. I do not know why the guys in the UK think of GR as a little boat for the 08 Race, guess they forgot GR weighs in at 7 tons dry and add 3500 lbs for fuel and 800lbs. with full ballast.......
And a major salute to Sam Griffith.......Big Sam to us !!!

better make that starboard side!

going to be a great event and some really interesting boats....

Seems to me I heard Bobby Moore tell a story about "a guy" who got off of a race boat during a fuel stop in the Bahamas.

And refused to get back on to finish the race.

....He may (or may not) be posting on this thread.

Cspray, you have me mixed up with Rocky Marciano. He was riding with Dick Genth, and refused to reboard. I jumped out the first time around the island, and forgot to slow down. That was my first and last "big time" race since I was beat up from the previous Miami-Nassau race, and just couldn't hold my head up well enough to protect my neck.

Clarification: The "guy" is not contributing to this thread.....:drink:

Keep up the good work, Brownie!