How this one.

Awesome h2oboater.....sure haven't seen that one. Thank You!

Great thread!

Increadible Pictures......... I remember most of them. Always loved to watch BANDIT before and after the 'ROLL' ............. Thanks for the memories guys', it was a little blurry back then :):):)

How many PUTT PUTT 's were there ??????? One thing was common Jay kept the same number [18].

the number 18. the ever smoking cigar and BIG in size. and what really boggles the mind, ive been in the secret lair of H2o and i dont know what corner all these pictures are comming from there must be a secret" under the attic floor boards" stash

H20boater........DAAAAAAMN! Never knew there was a Putt-Putt Donzi! Great pic thanks a ton! was that raced after the scarab or before? What year is that Donzi? Model?

Keep it up H20........ Headlines read "Man caught after breaking in a home stealing offshore racing pics" this might be me! :faint2:

Thanks Rob,, I forgot about looking under the floor boards. :lolhit:

youll never make it past the high level top secret security system , he never goes anywhere without his survelliance kit - he sleeps by day and lurks around in the bushes by night, almost like bluto from animal house, H2o invented the word stealth, counter surveilance , night vision , hell he is the orignal "man in black" before there was "men in black" just look at his many disguises :ghoul- crew chief- mechanic- racer - inspector- professor over-drive ...To underestimate his powers is fruitless and pointless a move on the secret lair of offshore history would only cause loss of life and limb

:lolhit: to Funny

Who me !!!

The 24' Donzi Spitfire that Jay had were built around 1975,76. It looks like this one was powered with twin Merc 280 Trs motors to race in the APBA P class.
I have in my collection of stuff a 24' Donzi Doral same hull different deck that also raced in that class back then. Not a bad boat for a 24' with 8' beam. Here a few pic's fron then & now.

is it true you can make a screw driver fly ??

YUP !!! :party-smiley-004:

Zieger raced Mariah (Cobra) after Climax (Magnum)

There is a picture somewhere of Jay refueling the Donzi from a 55 gallon drum lashed to the backseat Cigar smoldering away. May I add this was during the race under way.

O.K. Here we go.
 

Bob T's Golden Eagle out of Eastlake Ohio. True Racer

This thread is fantastic. Keep the pics and stories coming! And what hull was Golden Eagle?

Opening a new can of pictures
 

The two picture's of the boats sitting together are the Trash Can/Golden Eagle and the Rascal. Both boats are one off aluminum hulls owned by BoB Timmy and Frank Chicone out of the Chagrin River, Eastlake Ohio. Two great friends and two great boats.

Trash Can
 

I think Bob Timme's Trash Can was a 30-32 ft. maritme hull.

kinda looks like a 38 Bertram Comp

Was built in 1969 for Mr. Armington of Cleveland Crane to race the Bimini to Miami 500. 3 outboard 24 Maritime. WAs built in southern Ohio by Louis Machine Shop.

Then became a Big Block with a v Drive and rudder.

Then a single Big Block with a Dana Drive.

Then switched to a single Stern Power drive.

Then they added the Speed Master lower to the Stern Power .

Then the boat was stretched to 29.6 ft. with twin staggered Stern Power I/O's

Then Walters V drives with fixed surface drives through the transom 42in. with dual rudders. This was what sank the Trash Can in 28 ft. of water. The exstension for the rudder ran up to the top of the transom and when Bob stopped fast, the wake ran up the transom and into the boat.

Did Armington also own the THUMPER TOO Magnum in the early 70's ??

Is this the type of drive system that you are planning to use on the RASCAL ??

I thought about it! No I am going with XR drives with the factory stagger kit from mercruiser.

A couple more from 1979 cleveland Race.

Yes, I think Jim bought Thumper Too right after the Maritime early to mid 70's. Use to go in and out of the Lagoon's but I was still running around in a dingy. Hard to remember. I live right by the Armington property in Ashtabula. He use to bring big Uc's out to this big piece of property and built a huge lake on the property. He had a ramp put in to launch and test the engines. It is out in the country and the local's told me they use to here the engines roaring through the woods.

Tow Vehicals
 

Who had the best tow vehical?

Tow Vehicals
 

And more

Great pictures..please keep them coming.I would assume the APBA Divisional races back then ran the SPORT,MODIFIED and PRODUCTION classes...and some LOCAL or "CLUB" classes.That format was followed here in NJ with great success in the 70s and 80s by the BARNEGAT BAY POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION and later by the NATIONAL POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION.The focus was on weekend warrior type of racing.It was really neat.Once a year many of the local teams would step up to the local APBA National race...THE BENIHANA GRAND PRIX.I would love to see that type of racing make a comeback!

Classes: A, B, C. D, Production, Mod, Sport, RWYB (Local) , Powder Puff (Women Driver) and then they changed from there to over priced racing "NASCAR Boat Racing" or production classes, V,Super V's ect. and then to nothing. The little guy was gone. Prize money over pride, Volunteer's, Economy, Interest in the sport or just the change of time.

Couple more
 

1979 Lake Erie

You could race 25 or 30 APBA & club races around the country if you chose to. We ran all the APBA & most of the club races for years.
The fastest boats didn't always win.
You had to finish over a hundred miles in the ocean & navigation was key. No such thing as GPS.

would love also to see it come back and let the little guy in a 21 ft to 23ft run in a limited class.

In post #67, anyone know the original owner of Mariah? Also post #110 any info on that # 77 boat? All these pics are epic!! Thank You!

The #77 boat looks like a 24 Excaliber.

A few more. Most of these are vergins to OSO. They are a small link of many to the excitement that we enjoy today in power boat racing. Post your pictures even if they entered a race on the Great lakes or if it is a boat you raced or put together. The pictures show the hard work and passion that these Racers have and had for the sport. As most of you know Boat racing did'nt have the spectator's that most racing sports had. Pull the pictures out of the hiding places and let the rest of the Racers and Spectator's share the excitement.

Those were the Days.. Hard work Mon-Fri Play all weekend.
Real Grass roots sporting Event.

The #77 boat was named Black Magic from Ohio. It was a popular boat in the Club. Someone will probably chime in before I remember what the make was. P&D, Martini, Excalibur ect. I think a couple of them also made a 26.