Thanks T2x: We had some good times and I will always be beholding to you for the pictures and press time you gave us all. Betty Cook was a grandmother and kicked the Ch-- out of all of us, she earned more respect than any one I have known, she also went to Europe for UIM etc, funny how people don`t know or care to recall people like that, plus we tend to forget the past and the greats that were there, the ones who pioneered the sport. My same old gripe about no real recorded history except for the Searace book and what you guys did, that unfortunatly sits in waiting for the day someone or some group cares enough to continue where Crouse left off. Thanks as always for your support and friendship.

T-Man is an occupational specialty. Since day one, there has always been a T-man in every offshore boat. Short boats, big seas, no trimtabs, bronze props, and long courses required a level of throttling at least on a par with today's rockets. We couldn't trim if we wanted to.(except for the ballast tank) Driving, navigating and throttling were often done by the same guy.

I envy those that have done it & still do it. I admire the ones who are just regular folks out for the love of the sport.
The attraction to the sport as I know it really stems around seeing those that do it be so approachable & willing to just talk about boats.
When my finances allow, I'll be out there doing what I look at from the shore in Key West.
Thanks for sharing!

Very true, and we tend to forget that. When I started as you did we were riding mechanics/navigator/dummies. Most of the boats I started in were 21` seacrafts standing tandem, and the driver did everything, we were just along for the ride and the training. I remember the first Bahamas 500 standing behind Gene Wagner for 13 hours along for the ride, I changed the valves for fuel, and passed water forward, it was so rough I couldnt sleep, couldn`t get comfortable, just hang on. We finished 8 th overall and were the first outboard to finish. I remember when Odell asigned me my first race boat, and my role was reversed, and I was responsible for the equip. and trying to win, I`m sure you can relate, it`s a major undertaking and responsibility, but damn it was fun. I have had talks with JT, Curtis and others about todays racing and the courses, if we/they had there way we would run it like an unlimited hydro. put the foot throttle in, trim on the wheel and let her eat. Just an opinion everyone, don`t go nuts.

When we put a foot throttle in the very first Shadow Cat it was sometimes too rough to control the engines rapidly enough. We also got a LOT of flack for using seats in those boats...as you may remember. The thought at that time was you HAD to stand up or your back would be injured. We pretty well debunked that...at least in cats...and as I recall, you sat down in Apache Heritage.


Today is a whole different story. Given the quick reactions and communication involved, a throttleman might actually be a hindrance on a calm, tight course.....IF.....you have a driver who can handle trim on the wheel and a foot throttle...... Certainly, JT, Stevie and Imprescia can, as they have all had outboard tunnel boat experience. I know you can too.......;)

I was never allowed to use the communication hookup, as the rest of the crew couldn't stand the screaming.........

Reminds me of first intercoms we used, I was with Bonomi and Petroni in the boat, I think it may have been the cowes torquay, Cowes race, as we go to the milling area, I turned the intercom on and heard nothing but Italian so I turned it off. Bonomi finally lifted his visor and in english asked me why I turned it off, I told him I picked up an Italian station couldn`t understand so turned it off, we finally found an English station that worked.

Richie, I had the pleasure of meeting you in KW in 92 when you were running the Apache Heritage boat I'm sure to you I was just some ghostly white Canadian offshore groupie at the time.. You seemed awfully excited about running the boat then. We soon saw why. Wow that thing ran hard. I have an album somewhere at home with lots of pics from the 92 races. We were floating in the harbour across from athe annex watching the boats come in.

I remember thinking it was one weird looking offshore V hull then. Low freeboard, sit down boat. Who would have thought :)

PS, hey Tyrannasaurus 2X, you are very correct in calling 7x a gentleman. He was very polite and put up with my questions for about 15 minutes. Compared to the reception, or lack thereof I received from some of the other "big names" at the races that year, he was downright dazzling :)

Richie was always approachable.......

And for the record...I believe he is one year older than me.....:D

T2x

[QUOTE=T2x;2698205]Richie was always approachable.......

And for the record...I believe he is one year older than me.....:D

T2x[/QUOT

That would make you 38 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!