Offshore reunion.
 

Just got off the phone with Mel Riggs. We are interested in having a reunion of what's left of the '60s offshore racers. Sam James, Butch Stokes, Richie Powers, Odell Lewis, etc. Charlie McCarthy could be our coordinator. If you have some ideas and/or participants, let's hear it.

Finally: Count me in. When I was thinking about an event, I made several contacts to invite, and most all said they would come. Bonomi, Shead, Magoon, Lanham, Wishnick, I always thought it would be great if some sponsors got invlolved ie: Mercury, Stainless Marine, Latham, Cigarette, Donzi, etc. etc. I`m sure we can all come up with a big list of people, or we can keep it more to a certain era??????? I would also like to start a Legends hall of fame at the same time, as well as make a special effort to remember the legends who have passed, we should remember and pay tribute to them and their families. Right on Brownie, whatever I can do. Richie

You guys should contact David Woods @ Pier 57. I bet he would be all over a deal like this.

I would be honored to meet you all as well!

Would be absolutely fantastic to say the least, great idea go 4-IT :circle::Score-101010::cheer::boat:-J

What due i have to due to just serve drinks to you guys and listen........Free labor and willing to travel.........

Mike, I'll Help You Pour!

would you gentlemen be interested or ok with the idea of videoing or taping of some sort? the stories would be pretty amazing i am sure

Brownie....I'll be in your neighborhood next week. If you have a moment or two, we can go over the details. Spoke to Bill Wishnick recently, I am sure he would love to come also.

I'm buying the drinks!!!!..........:drink:

I may even come out of "retirement" for that event!!

WOW! What an awesome idea! I am bringing my video camera and regular camera. Will there be a place to bring or park our boats? If there is I will bring the thunderbird along! I might even have it shipshape enough to let Mel and O'dell and whoever else wants to take her for a spin. Who else wants to take their boats from the 60's?

At any rate we should pick out a date, I asume it will be at Mel's marina or close to it. May I suggest the weekend before or the weekend after the EAA fly-in at Oshkosh, That would be last part of july or first part of august, Just a thought.

Any way lets do it! I will help anyway I can, just let me know!

I would love to meet these guys, and the thought of being able to meet them all at the same time is just unbelievable!

I wonder if speed channel or discovery channel would like to do a documentery or something, this will be a rare opportunity to document some very important offshore racing history. It would also help promote offshore racing. Maybe I'm going overboard but what do you guy's think?

Keep up the enthusiasm.....it is great !

While I was talking to Mel, he mentioned that Odell visited him a couple of months ago, and that it was the first time they had met in about 30 frickin' years! That shouln't be allowed to happen, after all the time and adventures that they shared in a cockpit. There is a whole fraternity of great guys and treasured friends that you don't get to read about in 'Searace' or whatever. The entire Mercury team, Bobby Moore, Gene Lanham, Jim Mander, Harry Schoell, Sam Sarra, all the California guys, Larry Smith, Peter Rothschild, the Ohio guys, Jim Armington, et al, Art Koopmans, etc. Let's face it guys, while I was writing this, most of the faces that flashed across my mind won't be at the party. Anyone who wants to help, and has ideas, sign on!

Brownie,
What an awesome idea! Probably on of my few regrets in life is not having raced in the 60's. What an awesome era.
If it is OK, I would like to be there @ the reunion to meet some of my childhood idols!
Being from the early 70's era, I can relate to the 60's.
Good luck w/ it,
Pepe @ Pantera.

Like you say the faces keep flashing up. Dick Genth, Stan Adrian, Barry Cohen, Eddie Lecaroux, Billy Martin, Rodger Munn, Roy Ridgell, Carl Moesley, Juan Fernandez. One of my favorites Willy Meyers. I saw that there were several inquiries about video. I always wanted to do a video roundtable with a really good monitor, someone who could ask great questions, and generate good response, of course a few cocktails would get the flow going as well. I like the guy who interviews the movie stars, the guy with the beard, really dry guy but great at what he does. Charlie may be the guy for that job. It sure would be nice while some of us are still around to have our stories and legacys recorded. I know my daughter would appreciate something like that, as she like many other young people really has no idea what we went through, 582 mile races with one stop for fuel etc. 220 mile long races in the open oceans of the world, in boats where you were half out and no windshields, as it slowed the boats down, in our minds. LETS DO THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL. I guess as racers we are also the best procrastinators, Maybe some of the young guys who want to remember should take on the project. 7XCHAMP

This might be a good way to get HORBA up and running. We could let them (us) run the thing, and maybe generate a little revenue for their good works. We could charge a nominal fee for the later guys. If I were a fan of today's racing, and had a chance to have dinner with Odell, Mel, Sammy, Willie, Richie and all those guys, and listen to their stories, I would pay a hefty sum. That would be like dining with Dimaggio, Mantle and Ruth for me. Come on guys, let's do it.......

i hope you would be able to get Mercury Racing to sponser, OR Charlies company or even the AMF Guys. your gang would need to string this along for about 3 or 4 eves to really get every neat o racer into the mix and be heard. I am sure the Aronow project that michael and charlie are working on would be into this as well as they have great artifacts and are true gentlemen to share their wounderful stories.

Charlie i may have a new red little boat you can put on a stand and letter and number up if you desire...

Christian Del Collo

That is a great idea,

How about having it during one of the upcoming local races down here?? Miami?? Fort lauderdale?? All the new guys will be in town, and Iam sure we would all be willing to pay a small fee to meet y'all. Maybe even do a Horba event in conjuction with the race???

I think the AMF guys would be all over it if it were done at a race site.

I have a scrapbook that looks like the dead sea scrolls. Jim Wynne's widow has offered to loan me his books, and I know that Sam James will bring his. We could set up a scanner on site, and scan and print pix out of everyones scrapbook. l will contact the English, and ask Richie to do the Italians.

Darren has a lot of Smitty's memorabilia...and don't forget Idoni out in Steamboat.

If you need a TV moderator...I might know a guy.:p

T2x

Perfect: I think we could all take that as a volunteer. And as far as I`m concerned yes!!!!
As far as having this event to coincide with an offshore race, I would say not, and sorry but I don`t think any offshore racing affiliation should be connected. For me after all the years I put in as a member of APBA, UIM, OPT, SBI. etc. etc. and all the team members I have brought to the clubs, sorry to say but I received nothing in return, not even VIP credentials to view races.The only thing I got was being allowed to race under their sanctions. Most all the DRIVERS I made world champions were inducted into halls of fame, UIM gold medals bestowed etc. As a seven time world champion T-man I only have my memories, no trophys, no medals etc. If you notice it is always the driver of record, in my day the T-man got paid to win and to shut up and get the equip. ready for the next race, See ya.
I would consider Bill Taylors group at Poker Runs, His group has always treated me like royalty, and it`s very much appreciated. They always recognize me at the dinners etc. and was one of the first times my 16 yr. old daughter had an opportunity to see people pay tribute, I was very touched, as was my daughter. Poker Runs recognizes the legends and the past, they have a cool Magazine, etc. I think we could hand the project to them and they would welcome the opportunity, probably could get it televised. So maybe Key West time at worlds, not associated with the race, as that`s where the Indy race for offshore is in most all our hearts, I will now get off my box, and open for discussion. 7XCHAMP

7xchamp (Ritchie) I really know that you guys will enjoy this and the fans like myself will always be there for support....... You guys are the true warriors of the sport and ran what I can call the real offshore racing (miami to bahamas and record attempts Miami to newyork) were it wasnt only the boat that took the beating the equipment and most of all put your bodies to the test, and just to think that you go to a race and not even a Vip credential????? come on thats rediculous hell if I would of been there I would of paid them to give you that maybe they would see how petty they are.......especially after I saw your smile (ear to ear) after you got off the outerlimits w/ your x-race partner (Daniel from back in the days) at the Keywest poker run, that just made me and my family smile to see how happy you were, goes to show that you have it in your blood. Keep this up guys I think you have a great idea.

P.S. Ritchie, I took the Motion to Brownie (Stainless Marine) on tuesday and I will have my pipes soon so rest that magic arm.... your gonna need it........

the offshore racers today with the exception of a few dont have respect. Keep it away from a race, you will have less stress less people in YOUR POCKET and less conflict. you provide a venue that is just history and the people that created it you will have only those that like it to view and participate. I strongly suggest giving Mr. Powers something maybe brownie can wrap a ribbon around one of those cast iron medels he makes with thunder row on it...

I agree......the more this event had to do with modern offshore racing.....the more likely it is that I won't want to come.

No offense but I have ZERO interest in offshore racing after about 1982.

24degrees, I Agree , I Haven't Been To An Offshore Race Since 83. No Interest In The Circle Jerk Races

OK Then,

sorry I mentioned it, just thought ya wanted it to be a big venue with people that look up to you.

:)

The same could be said about auto racing.......

If you can still see land...then you're not racing offshore!

This is why a dinner for the old real racers is so important......You guys need to be recodnized and appreciated.......I would be the first guy to roll out the red carpet........There is not a lot of young guys out there that even know what real offshore racing is, if they did i am sure they would appreciate it.......One of the more exciting days of my life was when Butch Ryan called me on the phone to shoot the breeze about his good old days, he did not have to due that but he did and man did i ever appreciate it, i was so excited when he told me who he was i had to pull over on the shoulder of the road and make my buddy drive just so i did not miss anything he was saying......He told me the last race he was at was the last race he ran.....With that being said i think a affiliation with the new races would take away from how important you guys are to us..........Now i will get off my soap box

See Butch, you are a legend too!
Maybe us, the not so old guys can dream of racing another day. How does " BUPE " Racing Team sound?
Later,
Pepe @ pantera.
PS, Been there, done that!

HORBA should be able to announce by this time next week, a place and date for the reunion.

We are working on something that will really be outstandng and tie together the past and the future in a great way.

We would also like to continue the concept of these reunions into the future....first the 60's and then the 70's and the 80's and 90's.....the racers can all get together and be seen again by their fans.

Charlie, you go, boy!

Brownie.........As usual, I am just following your lead....you and Mel of course.

It sounds like you all stay pretty well in touch with each other but if you need to contact Roger Munn I see him at least once a week I could pass anything you need on to him. He stays in touch with Billy Martin pretty regularly so that would be two of the names mentioned

John

Any hint of where the reunion will be? I imagine it will be in florida somewhere. Just trying to figure out if I will be able to bring my boat, it's a long way from colorado to florida. I sure would like Mell Riggs, Odell lewis,Billy Martens and maybe Jim Wynnes wife to see it again. I am sure there would be more people that would like to see it also.
Buy the way all offshore racers of today and yesterday deserve to be recognized and respected for there efforts, it seems to be a tuff sport to be competitive in. Any efforts to promote these races should be fully supported by all of us. These boats are the best of the best and to organize a race and promote it is quite an undertaking, I don't think I could do it, so my hat is off to all racing organizations. The racing boats today are very expensive and the people racing them have to be very dedicated. The testosterone runs pretty high at these races and I can understand some tunnel vision and not thinking about VIP's, but I think that as people and promoters start to think about things like that it will get better. Until then I would be willing and honored to buy their ticket and what ever they would like to eat or drink!:drink:

Yes I am volunteering...unless the group has some money I don't know about:D:D:D

T2x

What would be cool would be a vintage boating format like the Goodwood in England for the vintage cars. They have cars on display, cars that race, and celebrate the racers that raced the cars. The cars race by era.

The same format for boats would be terriffic. They could have offshore raceboats run from the 60's, then the 70's then the 80's. In the Goodwood, many of the wealty racecar owners often reunite the original drivers with thier cars. That would be cool to do with the boats too.

Vintage car racing is huge right now, hopefully vintage boat racing has enough fan support to take off too.

The best reunion in Goodwood was two years ago with two my Idols; Emerson Fittipaldi that drove his Lotus 72. :cool:

My Dad talked to Jim Armingtons cousin and informed him. He said he would forward his cousin the info if I send it to him.
Jr.

That would be awesome and I think it's the hope of HORBA too........unfortunately I don't think there is the following.

The Amelia Island Concours was supposed to be a possibility at one point.