The Bahamas500 race
 

Anyone know what boats won the twin outboard class in the 1967, 1968 and 1969 Bamaha's 500 race? I'm trying to find info on the top 3 finishers in outboard and twin outboard class.

Interesting you inquire: Most all the boats were Mercury Lake X and Oshkosh era. in 1967 it was Gene Wagner and Richie Powers 21` Seacraft twin 110 hp Mercs. Best I can remember all the outboard boats were twin engine. Out of almost 75 starters we were 8th overall and first outboard. Race started at daybreak was 548 miles with one stop for fuel in Naussau which took less than 5 min. we finished around 1:30 in the morning, seas were rough, final leg of the race was so rough and dark we punched through couple rougue waves, got knocked back into the engine well, then after we tied ourselves into the boat and soldiered on. It was so rough the finish boat left station, so Kiekhaefer sent Billy Steale out in the middle of the night in a 28` formula with a revolving blue light, so that the remaining boats that were on their way would know where the finish line was, saved our lives. After we finished Red Chrise declared the race a two day race so anyone finishing the next day would be awarded a respective finish. When we finished it took us almost 2 hours before we could even stand up without falling over. This was my second race ever, I was 19 yrs old, the first race was a 50 miler in St Pete, guess that`s what made champions. Odell Lewis won it. One year Aronow won it in triple outboard 28` Magnum just behind Odell, maybe 1968, I think John Stenbach won it maybe 1969 ????????????? Cary 4 engine outboard, really not to sure, I`ll try and do some research to let you know. I have many long stories about all the 500`s. as I was with the Factory team for all of them. As well in the later years I won two shortened 500`s one with Carlo Bonomi ( Dry Martini ) and again with Tom Gentry ( American Eagle ). Great races, I am currently working on a revival with Jerry Jacoby in conjunction with the new Don Aronow Documentary. Thanks for your interest 7XCHAMP

King of Thunderboat Row says Don was 2nd overall in 1st running of the 500 in 67 driving a prototype 27 Mag with 3 Merc outboards and won the award for outstanding performance. Odell was 1st - only a few finished.

Heard from sources in LA that the doc is a crock based on Harris' Speed Kills, not a true doc, just an atempt to make some $ on old reputed BS stories and that the family will never allow a race to be run in Don's name that publicizes that doc.

In 1968 or 1969, Howard Weiler ran a 28' with a Merc, a Johnson, and Chrysler outboard, and finished 6th overall.

HI PJRIZ,
The information you have heard concerning the new documentary coming out on Don Arorow , called Thunderman , is an attempt to tell the real truth behind Don's murder . An exhaustive amount of information has been gathered to try and get the the real story concerning this, and not a lot of crock , as you put it .
Jerry Jacoby

Please hawkonefun:
You should no better. As LA knows and has known for yrs,- The truth - the truth according to who - what new info is there - is there a new eye witness to Don's life that has suddenly emerged.
Miami PD and the Miami DA closed that case yrs ago after spending yrs gathering miles of info - the doc and the attempted drug angle is what LA is calling "a crock." Let it go and live for today.
All the best,
PJ

Hey Jerry -
Do you remember me - Phil from NNRT -

I will never forget your wife - in the tape about you and the sport - it was a classic - still is -

Hope you are well -

PHIL

hellooooooooooooo jerry.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...LotImg9869.jpg

Thanks Guys . . . I've been trying to find sources to validate these wins for a dumb online argument I got suckered into . . .

7XCHAMP - That's a great story!! I'd love to hear more . . . I saw some of the Bahama's 500 footage from the Mercury Vintage DVD. I'm amazed that anyone raced in those conditions . . . let alone drive 500+ miles in a 21ft boat. You guys are a different breed . . . 99% of my generation is sitting on the couch in front of a TV (or typing on the internet). Glad to know that no one was seriously hurt or killed in that race.

Anyone know which year this race was?

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ft_Triples.jpg

wow what brass we have on this thread...jeeze its great to read all your thoughts, thank you...

Christian Del Collo
I am 27

I want too say, Richie awesome remembrance of the races you & Brownie and others do one heck of a job for all of us whom love the classic history of the sport of Offshore racing. Thank you both....:drink: :drink:

[QUOTE=speedo;2131708]Wow is that cool or what? Where did you ever get that?

That is off the back of a late 80's Cigarette Satin Jacket. I got one in my closet. It had red CIGARETTE down one sleve, white World Champion down the other and the cig logo on the left front chest. I wore that thing all through college along with my Kamikaze A-33 jacket.

[QUOTE=Tom A.;2132036]CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR......early 80s....Right Jerry?

cool, do you still have it?? [QUOTE=Tom A.;2132036]

Great picture: that would be me in the back, I used to deliver the motors to Carl Moesly the originator of Sea Craft, not Bill Potter Incidentally Carl Moesly is another non recognized legend who should be remembered for his contributions to the sport of Offshore. I used to bring the motors from Lake X to Miami, Rig them on the boat then co-drive with carl, Carl is the one who gave me my real start in Offshore after Gene Wagner. 1967 1968 This picture I believe was the Gateway Marathon, and we were returning from Bimini ????? racing against Magoon also in an outboard triple Magnum, our boat was triple 110 hp merc 25` Sea Craft. Carl got hurt and told me I had to take the wheel, so we switched positions, and I took off for Magoon, caught him just before the finish passed him and won. Carl wrote an incredible letter to Mr. K. about how good I did racing his boat and that he wanted me to continue racing his boat, as he had hurt his back and could no longer race. I raced the Sea Craft in several races, Doug Janisch was my co-driver in a couple races. I also built and raced a special 29` Formula simalar to one **** Genth won round long Island with. duplicate boats, his was I/O mine was triple outboard with Gene Wagner driving I was co-driver again,Boat name was Joan E. we built the boats entirely in the boathouse with Wayne Meyer in Oshkosh, I mean decks stringers etc. with Mr. K supervising the whole project. I could go on but not enough time and stories are to long. There is a picture of Wagner and me in the Searace book page 100 1967 we are the 505 boat, Brownie will remember, I think he was in the Broad Jumper if memory is working.
It`s great that there is interest in the outboard guys, as they were a really tough breed and many unsung superstars who need to be remembered. It is incredible to think back and how Carl Kiek. gave young kids a break to go Offshore racing. Many of us were just endurance test drivers either from Lake X, Sarasota, or Fond du lac and Oshkosh, Many had never even been in a boat in the ocean, much less a race boat, but off we went, I was youngest at 19 yrs old, the kid. Others were not much older. That is what the Merc. team was about, with mentors like Sirois, Backus, Ridgell, Riggs, Odell. etc.
Many of us started as boat guards at the races, then co-driver`s then drivers. Rest as they say is history, Carl Kiekhaefer was my Vince Lombardi and always will be.
all for now 7XCHAMP

As far as the Cig Jacket, I bought it at the 1988 NYC Boat Show. I was a sophmore in high school.

I still have the jacket, It is a little worn out (holes in elbows and I put a couple Merc racing patches over the worn spots on the pockets) and doesn't quite fit me now, however I am trying to get down to try and fit back in it.:rolleyes:

I will try to post some pics of it, the Kamikaze jacket, and some pics of the old race boat when I get a chance.

Bahamas 500 Results
 

The 1967 race in particular can be viewed on www.boatmad.com.Select Multimedia and look in Graham`s library.These results were taken from a British magazine in 1967.The 1968 only has basic results.These are race results from 1956 to present day I have compiled over the years.

Thank You Flying fish!!

"the Boys From Wisconsin"..
 

Hi Ritchie. John Crouse once told me "no one worked like the boys from wisconsin".the merc team. Spoke to Melinko this morning and he is still working.........m.m....one more thing....I have been doing bussiness with Melinko 30 great years...m.m...

I managed to find a few pictures from an old magazine from the 1967 Bahamas 500 to illustrate this thread.
Apologies about the poor quality.

Phil.

I had to deal with all those Kiekhaefer outboard guys throughtout my offshore career. I was the first class one guy beaten by an outboard (Atlantic City, 1967, John Stenback). Worse than that, the bastards ferried parts out to Aronow on the far side of the course. He had fried his motor, and my class one win would guarantee my US1 title if he didn't finish. He had won 600 points in races that I did not race in. Mr. K wasn't about to let the lone Holman Moody racer grab his title. Anyway, payback is a mother! In the 1968 Miami-Key West race, I was driving the 32' Alunimnun Maritime, Broad Jumper. Bill Wishinck had a business commitment, so 'Big Dirty" and I raced it alone. We led for a good ways. It was rough as a *****! We threw a blower belt on one of our Koopman's supercharged Fords. When the 100 HP Gilmer belt shredded, it wiped out the sparkplug wires, etc. By the time we fixed it, the race was lost. Just as we were wondering which way to turn, who came by, but Stenback, who was again leading the outboard contingent. We decided to f**k with Mr. Stenback. We were much faster, and larger. We ran along side John, and at every checkpoint, we stayed between him and the checkpoint. We blinded him from the checkpoint at the last seven checks. By the time we got to Key West, John had temporarily lost his sense of humor. I was glad to have Big Dirty as a shield. After a couple of beers, John finally gave me a hug.

That bunch of guys on the Merc team made up the best bunch of sonsa*****es I ever met.

merc team guy.

The Bahamas500 race
 

Actually I posted that picture on Boatracing facts, the picture was given to me by Carl Moesly, and had hand written on it "Frank Co-Drove this race"...

Frank G. Brown IV, son of Frank G. Brown III

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