Keith hazell
 

Anybody got accomplishments, background, stories about Keith Hazell? Was he owner of Harbor 1 in Dania? Built Profile Performance One engines? Was he a victim of offshore racing...What's his story. Heard nothing but good things. Did he race Ajac Hwak along w/Saccenti, but at different times? Let's hear it!

I knew Keith well & he was a great friend.
He did own Harbor 1 in Dania
Profile Marine engines was his Company
He was not a victim of offshore racing
He did race with Ajack Hawk with Gerry & Bart
His accomplishments on & off the race coarse were many.
His talent with boats was second to none.
He would go out of his way to help you if he knew you or not.
He was one of the good guys for sure.

He was the guy you wanted in a fox hole with you.

Funny you should ask,my wife & I spent some time with his wife Marilyn & some old friends 3 weeks ago.

too cool. Who were some guys that worked with him still in biz today. I've heard Stotler and Jason Saris (Performance Marine, NY). Any others? Any old race pics w/Hazell and boats he's rigged. Anyone still running his old engines? I saw some in the "Jester" Apache 41. Any old ads of Harbor 1 and Performance Yacht Sales in Dania? Any ads for Profile Engines? Any type of pics? Let's see them! Thanks, love to hear about the old stuff!

Keith's Father worked for Bertram - his father was very gracious to me and helped me - along with Sammy James. Both great guys !

Phil

In the late 60's Keith was the service manager for HolmanMoody in Miami (on the Miami River). At the time, Holman Moody was the engine of choice in new Donzi's, replacing the 165 HP Interceptor for the most part. He was very helpful to me when I was racing an 18' Donzi, B-57 "That damn Donzi" in the former IPC class. This class of APBA raced sterndrives and v drives, primarily in Florida. Some who raced in "Funny boats" were George Auriemma,(his son of the IMCO offshore team) Bill Sirois (yes, that Bill Sirois), Harry and Gene Schoell (Harry the designer of many hulls, including the Seabird Scorpion, the quadraconic used on Trojan boats and others, The Harmon brothers (of Bilt Rite manufacturing, builders of the original Donzi interiors. Working with Keith was Bill Sundman and a host of highly talented mechanics. I was 15 when I first met him. Keith was always a gentleman, and at 15 years of age, he treated me like a colleague, not a kid.
Today, he would be a rarity.
Steve David
U-1 Oh Boy Oberto

Best friend to many. I miss him a lot. We always had a long lunch just before Christmas. Only the two of us, to reflect on the year, and life itself. He was one of the best.

I remember when Herb was working for Keith. We were both in the fire dept. at the time/ same station (Broward County 7).

Keith was an OPBRA regular. His wife, Marilyn helped organize the infamous MDA race in 81.

The one who would know the most about all of this is Bobby Sheer (wideawake)

Keith was also the throttleman for the Arneson Special in 1983 when Tony Garcia won the UIM World Championship in Key West.

Raced against him many times. He was always a gentleman.

At the Bahamas 200 he was throttling for Jacoby in AJAC HAWK and Willy Meyers was throttling for me, we made the turn at the Bimini checkpoint and we started for the finish line 50 miles away and we were rubrail to rubrail.....and stayed that way for the next 45 miles.

At one point I said to Willy.....let's go !!! He looked back and laughed and said, you do know that is Keith over there?

At 5 miles to go, one of my engines started to tighten up and lose power and we finished second by 30 seconds. They won and that was the very first win for the Cigarette model, later to be known as the TOP GUN model.

He was the very best and when you raced and beat him, you beat the best .....and that victory was worth a little more than against anyone else.

May he RIP, he was really one of the Good Guys for sure.

I only met him a handful of times, but he was by far one of the nicest gentlemen I have encountered in this industry where gentlemen are NOT all that common.

Tom Caruso
Total Marine

I had one of his tall deck that was left over from the Carrera warehouse and the Carrera racing days.
Engine is gone now but I still have the valve covers on my current engine.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/a...le-profile.jpg
Kinda my little tribute to the man.
Never met him but the old Carrera race crew have nothing but good things to say about him.

Kinda sounds like any trade in life. You deal w/some people that are so hard to deal with and lots of A-holes...It's nice to hear about a guy who is truly genuine especially in a business or lifelong hobby for some, performance boating! Never met him, but sounds like my kind of person, the good guy. Let's see some pics! Did he have any connection with Cougar? I remember some old boat ads of a Cougar 41 (I think?) called "Breathless" that he rigged...maybe Harbor 1 was a dealer? Also, didn't he race a 46 Cougar "Spirit of New Orleans"? Old pics of him racing...bring them out, sort of a tribute to GOOD GUYS!

By the way, love the valve covers! Where might one find an old set of these...anyone in S. Florida? Got a tall deck myself built by a great builder in SFLA. Mine will need a rebuild soon and would love for one of his apprentices to do a rebuild.

Keith was not only my best friend, he was my best man.
He had more common sense then anybody I have ever known.
He was honest and sincere.
I was like a sponge around Keith. His knowledge about boats was limitless.
My National Championship in '83 with Sheer Terror was due more to Keith Hazell than my ability with the sticks.
It is true. The good DO die young. RIP Keith

Send it to Jason Saris..... In Bolton Landing, NY.....

He was Keith's closest apprentice and builds incredible engines with a loyal following of customers that have been with him for decades.

Truly a class act.

T2x

Thanks Rich. Bobby can back me up on this, the only person who was as close to Keith as Bobby and Chris, was my dad, Jason Saris. Give him a call- 518-644-3080

Wasn't there an all black 39 Cougar cat called Sheer Delight? Maybe used to be a Systems/Swiftsure? I am guessing that was yours? Cool boat and great comments! I am not ready for my rebuild just yet, but in the near future. I think I'll give Performance Marine a call. I see T2X on here alot and heard he's a legend. I feel I can trust him. By the way, Rich, my old man loves your Switzer. He is a big fan of the Diablo-Kenny Kitson. He has a Powercat that he redid...takes it to Mount Dora once a year. Thanks guys for the info and great comments, let's hear more!

Sheer Delight was run by Edwin Sheer.

Keith Hazell
 

I worked at Holman Moody when Keith was Manager. He was fun to work for and a great guy overall. We had the big names come by to shoot the breeze almost every day. Life was good at HM. I worked with his Dad on the Bertram race boat My Moppie after Jim Manders left. Went on test rides in the production boats with Sammy James. Built engines every day for racers and production boats. Cried at his funeral. He was a Submariner in the Navy. Still miss him, and some of those lunches with him and Brownie and others.
RIP old friend, you are still remembered fondly.

I am curious and I hope I am not out of place asking how he died and how old he was? I remember last hearing about Profile Engines when they built some fancy engines for the 37 Aronow Gucci Edition. I guess this was around 1990. Was it not long after this that he passed? Sorry in advance if I offend anyone.

I think Keith passed in the very early 1990's, and I believe it was from lieukemia. He was truly one of the good ones. I remember sitting with him one day at Ocean Key House in Key West watching a race and just chatting about boats and racing. He was one of the least pretentious people you could ever meet.

I hope I don't offend anyone by posting this. My file of passed friends is getting too large. I miss them all.

No offense here, glad to hear the real story...thank you. I'm sorry I never had the opportunity to meet him, my kind of person. RIP.

what a man. I always hear stories of Mr Hazel from Ed Toth. I believe he was close to him as was Herb Stotler. Seems like all good people form a tight group.

Herb and My dad worked together :coolcowboy:

I worked in Harbor one for Keith in 1984-86, What a great guy and great memories, Along with Sylvester I was one of the forklift operators. We had some great boats there. I remember one sticking out The spirt of New Orleans. I remember the 54 cougar cats, 540's arnesen out drives. The Donzi's were great.
I have to say it was one of the best times of my life. Thank you Keith!

I remember him...... I found a photo I took of the boat just before leaving our Arneson shop in San Francisco headed to Florida.

Many times I was picking up Howard at San Francisco airport, returning from the races. He had to buy a second seat to accommodate the trophy !!
( Wow..... an old thread )

Those were good days.....https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c738702a54.jpg

Arneson Special

I just found this while bumping around the internet. I am Keith's cousin on his mother Mildreds side.
It makes me feel really good knowing he was known loved and respected by so many.
When I moved to FL in 1972 Keith gave me my first job at Apeco marine ( Hi lift) as a dockboy/ fueler.
Him and my other cousin Barry got me my first transportation...a 1971 Honda 100...even though they both knew they would face blowback from family.
He is also the one who bailed me out when I ( and the forklift operator Bob and other dock boy Marty P ) got busted for drag racing 😂

I always felt he was a great guy...and it hit me hard when he passed. Glad to know it wasn't just because he was so good to me.

Oh....and his father Keith Sr.....called the profile 1 engines
" Hazells hand grenades " 😂

I like that !! ( Lots'a horse power is good ! )

I liked when he throttled the US1 apache and stood it up on the tail a few times the driver and navigator disappeared. They won the race 1986.