Prayers needed. OSO member HIGH LIFE killed
07-17-2011 | 11:31 AM
#33
Mod Squad Enforcer
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,968
Likes: 811
From: On the way to a PR near you
Sad. RIP.
07-17-2011 | 11:33 AM
#35
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,473
Likes: 2,110
From: Milton, Fla!
Great story!
Two years ago Mike invited me to go on a poker run with him up on Narragansett Bay. It was the first time I met his son as he was just a little guy when we raced back in the day. He joined us in the boat that day.
We showed up with Mike's 27 foot Magnum sedan with the twin 300 HP outboard Mercs. All the other boats came with their assortment of blowers and number 6 drives etc. Total boat count was close to 30. Mike's son said it looks like we are outclassed....Mike and I laughed and said let's see how we do at the end of the day.
First stop we were the 5th boat, second stop we were the 4th boat and the lunch stop we were the 3rd boat in, behind a 38 foot Cigarette with blower motors and a 32 foot Sutphen.
We explained to his son that the difference was navigation. We didn't follow the boat wakes of the other runners, but set our own course and followed as straight a line as possible. That was old school open ocean racing skills and we both still loved doing it.
I could see the pride come up in his son's eyes for his dad. What first appeared to be a day in an old out of date boat with outboards, proved to his son to be a day worth remembering....which I am sure he is doing right now.
We showed up with Mike's 27 foot Magnum sedan with the twin 300 HP outboard Mercs. All the other boats came with their assortment of blowers and number 6 drives etc. Total boat count was close to 30. Mike's son said it looks like we are outclassed....Mike and I laughed and said let's see how we do at the end of the day.
First stop we were the 5th boat, second stop we were the 4th boat and the lunch stop we were the 3rd boat in, behind a 38 foot Cigarette with blower motors and a 32 foot Sutphen.
We explained to his son that the difference was navigation. We didn't follow the boat wakes of the other runners, but set our own course and followed as straight a line as possible. That was old school open ocean racing skills and we both still loved doing it.
I could see the pride come up in his son's eyes for his dad. What first appeared to be a day in an old out of date boat with outboards, proved to his son to be a day worth remembering....which I am sure he is doing right now.
God Speed Mike! You will be missed.
Gary
07-17-2011 | 11:46 AM
#36
Registered
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
From: Clear Water Beach Florida
RIP, My prayers go out to all. This seems so real to me after hitting a 5' wake last weekend that i did not see. Testing a new prop on a high speed run and lost control. almost threw my passenger out and barrel rolled my boat. happens fast.
Godspeed Mike !
