Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

To give you an example of why I feel it is important that these old race boats be saved, here is the boat that I own with my son.

It is the 6th 35 footer out of the mold built by Cigarette.

It was built light and strong and was built with #4 as the racing number.

Now for those who know, that was Don Aronow's racing number and there were rumors that he was planning a comeback with this boat. Don always said that the best boat he ever designed was the 35 footer.

Don used the number 4 or some variation of it, like 16, throughout his career and he thought it was lucky for him.

For whatever reason, he decided to sell the boat and it had the following career:

It won it's first race, the Bushmills in '75.
It set a race record across the Gulfstream in the next race of 88 mph in the Bacardi race in '75
It won outright the '75 Bahamas 500 at a record speed of 83.4 mph.
It set a race record at the Stroh's race at 81.3 mph.
It won the San Francisco race overall.
It won the '75 Miami to Nassau race and set a race record of 76.7 mph, which still stands today, as that was the last Miami Nassau race run.
It won the Bushmills race again in '76 at a record of 77.5 mph.
It won the Bahamas 500 race again and then was moved to 2nd place after a protest.
It placed 2nd in the Hurricane Classic in St Petersburg in'76
It placed 2nd also in the Marina del Rey race in California.

So, it finished 1st in 5 of its first 6 races, won the Bahamas 500 twice, won Bushmills twice and Miami Nassau once, while setting 5 new race speed records.

I thought, maybe this boat should not end up in a boat yard as a rotting old hull and deck. This is the stuff the reputation of Cigarette was made from.

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

great idea !!! :drink:

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

Beep Beep was made into a pleasure boat. The last I knew, it's drives were stolen and the owner stripped the power out.
I saw it a couple years ago in Rockport, Mass.

Kurt

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

he's conspicuously absent...and not returning my calls...he must know what I am up to... :eek: :eek: :)

c'mon wes... i know yer lurking out there...

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

Hopefully you talk Kurt into bring Dry Martini back out. These shots are two years old.

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

What about the old Jesse James boat from the early 80's I heard it was kicking around Florida or somewhere not to long ago.

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

Here is one I found. A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were ridng our Harleys up to Cedar Key for lunch and we stopped by the Harley dealer in New Port Richey.

This boat is in a little boatyard one block west of the Harley dealer. It is on route 54 near the junction of 19.

This boat was made out of aluminum by Broward Marine for Jerry Jacoby who ran Ajac Hawk. Maybe because it is aluminum it hasn't weathered too badly. I'm sure it would be less costly than a wooden cat of the same vintage.

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

I'll pony up some $$$$ if you promise to let me drive !!! :D :evilb:

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

That point was never in question...me throttle, you steer :)

I've got some TRS drives and transom assemblies just begging for a new home... :)

Re: Save the Old Race Boats
 

Damn. Now they are going to become valuable like vintage race cars. I had been thinking it would be neat to get an old race boat on the cheap, now everyone will be looking for one.

Best of luck with the venture anyway ;)

-Greg