besides, you ever see a 40 year old transom that didn't need some attention?

The Rascal was built out west. If Andy Bloom chimes in he knows the complete history of the boat. The Rascal was way ahead of her time as far as lines and structure. I tried to take pictures of the inside bow structure but they didnt come out very good. You could spend hours just looking at the inside structure. She was built so light for being so strong. I remember when I was young watching her race and she was way up in the air at high speed more then she was in the water and still kept the speed. You could see her four miles away just by the spray. Some cool things to look at are the 40 ft. 6 1/2 foot beem with such a massive V, reversed angle transom, bent formed bow stringers and bulk head stringers, pipe trussed bow supports and rivited aircraft grade bow deck. Fun to look at.

That is true.

Boat was built by Phil Caricoff in California back in 1973. Designer was a sail boat guy hence the angled transom. Was originally designed with shafts and a rudder (no race history). Swiched to #3 speedmaters mounted to the small bussel with morse chain boxes to get the drive closer together for better performance with 427 all aluminum Can Am engines with tunnel rams. Boat was raced as the Tripple "B" Special with this configuration until 1978.

In 1979 Frank found the boat sitting behind a gas station in Florida and purchased it. Frank ran the boat with the aluminum motors for a season or two. They were very tempermental. Later built class legal iron motor with kinsler fuel injection. Won quite a few races this way.

In about 1987 the boat was completely derigged. We flipper her over and straightened the bottom added reinforcements to the engine room. Brand new engines with the fuel injection for "D" class. Won GLOPRA and Central division championship 88-89, second in 1990. Ran the worlds in 1988, finished second overall in first race and clogged a fuel filter in race two finishing 4th of 12 entries. Were beating everyone both days, Agitator, Airborn, Cat Sass.

After the 1991 season we started all over again to run Modified class with new PSI blower motors and the canopy set up. All Franks design, first stand-up canopy in offshore racing. Ran "M" and "D" class with this set-up until 1998 when we cut the canopy off and put seats in the boat then lowered and welded the canopy back on. Frank was pretty sick at this point so the boat only went out a couple times a year.

His last race in the boat was the national racie in Cleveland 2001 when we bought a set of "B" class engines from Pro-Marine (Shockwave). (5) boats entered the race (2) finished, Rascal was on top again. Frank gave Dave White (step dad) and I the green light to do whatever we wanted with her after that.

2002 Dave and I race (2) races in GLSCS. Mentor 1st place and St. Claire 3rd place. Frank was proud papa those two races as he had never seen the boat run wthout him in it. 2003 we ran Mentor again broke a trans. and the rest is history.

I the photos of the wind deflector you can see where the port corner of the little wing on the front is bent. That is from Scott Smiths fat head. If you want to see great footage of the boat running, find a copy of the 1989 Trump Worlds. Frank, Scott and Dave ran the boat for all it was worth finishing 3rd.

There are many more stories but the best ones are yet to come when Ron gets her back on the water.

Thanks for the history lesson! Way cool boat. I am in western NY so maybe I will see her one day.

Only one ever built? Sure is a cool boat.

Man seems like yesterday, those Great lakes silver cup races were the sh**ts..Lake Erie used to churn up great water! miss those good times!
blast from the past,, was on race safety patrol on the fateful day :(

GLOPRA What a family of off shore racing. That was when racing was racing. You think you can read waves then try lake Erie. It's the only body of water that can create 4 to 6's with 2 foot speed bumps in between. The wind will switch 180 degrees in 1 minute or build 12 foot waves in ten minutes. " OFF SHORE SUPERCROSS "

That was not a fateful day. That was a day that a man had so much fun and pride on a boat that his heart could not take it. Boats are bad on heart, liver and marriage !

I couldn't agree more!