Jim Clark of Python Boats just passed away! R.I.P Jim
12-26-2021 | 11:38 AM
#41
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 17
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So sad to hear
12-15-2022 | 06:11 AM
#45
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,315
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From: Maryland
12-15-2022 | 09:26 AM
#46
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 345
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From: Lake St. Louis, MO / LOTO
Curious what ever came of Straightjacket's boat? He was building a 30' and I think his friends were finishing it after he passed...wonder if it's still around.
12-15-2022 | 04:01 PM
#47
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,341
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From: Frankfort, IL
Brian and his dad (also Brian) were very proud of that boat. After young Brian passed, TonyM and his dad did the majority of the work getting her rigged up…with some help from myself and a couple other guys from the Chicago crew. As the resident small guy, I got to be the one bolting the second engine to the mounts, lol.
I got to drive it on the maiden voyage…something I won’t soon forget, not only because of the significance of the moment, but also because it took Obnoxious actually climbing onto the bow for the boat to come on plane (#4 drives and borrowed props…and we were starting at ground zero).
Ol Brian retired a short time later, and moved down to Franklin, TN. He kept running the boat, trying to squeeze every mph out of her, gunning for the 100 mark. I believe the best he saw was 96…but then things went bad.
He was out by himself and doing a speed run when it started chine walking, then dug hard and hooked. He was thrown out, the boat rolled…it was ugly. Some fishermen saw it happen and scooped him out of the water relatively unscathed (although he had back issues later).
The boat was trashed. Split at the rub rail, fiberglass damage, tie bar bent, transom assembly moved…total loss. Brian ended up selling it for parts.
Later, gators.
Mike
12-15-2022 | 06:33 PM
#50
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,315
Likes: 1,557
From: Maryland
Hey all. Been some time since I’ve been around these parts!
Brian and his dad (also Brian) were very proud of that boat. After young Brian passed, TonyM and his dad did the majority of the work getting her rigged up…with some help from myself and a couple other guys from the Chicago crew. As the resident small guy, I got to be the one bolting the second engine to the mounts, lol.
I got to drive it on the maiden voyage…something I won’t soon forget, not only because of the significance of the moment, but also because it took Obnoxious actually climbing onto the bow for the boat to come on plane (#4 drives and borrowed props…and we were starting at ground zero).
Ol Brian retired a short time later, and moved down to Franklin, TN. He kept running the boat, trying to squeeze every mph out of her, gunning for the 100 mark. I believe the best he saw was 96…but then things went bad.
He was out by himself and doing a speed run when it started chine walking, then dug hard and hooked. He was thrown out, the boat rolled…it was ugly. Some fishermen saw it happen and scooped him out of the water relatively unscathed (although he had back issues later).
The boat was trashed. Split at the rub rail, fiberglass damage, tie bar bent, transom assembly moved…total loss. Brian ended up selling it for parts.
Later, gators.
Mike
Brian and his dad (also Brian) were very proud of that boat. After young Brian passed, TonyM and his dad did the majority of the work getting her rigged up…with some help from myself and a couple other guys from the Chicago crew. As the resident small guy, I got to be the one bolting the second engine to the mounts, lol.
I got to drive it on the maiden voyage…something I won’t soon forget, not only because of the significance of the moment, but also because it took Obnoxious actually climbing onto the bow for the boat to come on plane (#4 drives and borrowed props…and we were starting at ground zero).
Ol Brian retired a short time later, and moved down to Franklin, TN. He kept running the boat, trying to squeeze every mph out of her, gunning for the 100 mark. I believe the best he saw was 96…but then things went bad.
He was out by himself and doing a speed run when it started chine walking, then dug hard and hooked. He was thrown out, the boat rolled…it was ugly. Some fishermen saw it happen and scooped him out of the water relatively unscathed (although he had back issues later).
The boat was trashed. Split at the rub rail, fiberglass damage, tie bar bent, transom assembly moved…total loss. Brian ended up selling it for parts.
Later, gators.
Mike
