Open class

Wow the last photo at the docks is in Miami at the Four Ambassador. That's awesome but sad; that dock now days is full of sailboats & cabin cruisers. Just to know what use to be held there. The bridge in the background is the entrance to Brickell Key.

Great thread

1979 Bacardi Trophy Race.
The roughest race I've ever been in!!!

Nice shot of Top Banana, the first boat off the cement walkway with the bow pointing toward Longshot.

We were so lucky to have lived and raced in that era.

these are awesome pics

I was in the cigarette chopper that day and will never forget as the open class group got into the gulfstream the Bertram pulled along side Bounty hunter , the Cigarette factory 39 foot boat with Billy Martin , the Bertram spun out Killing Smiley Johns which imprinted in my mind build a vee in sit down , Don and I never got to do it but we talked about it many times . Finally Richie Powers made it happen in 92.

I went to the banquet that night.

Bill Ellswick gave all his winnings $ money to Smilies wife!!

It was a sad day for offshore racing.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]525490[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]525491[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]525492[/ATTACH]Thanks MM for making this happen for me.

Steve

I remember watching races from this era on network TV. I was 10 or so and thought nothing could be cooler than racing those boats. The races were on pretty frequently. Wild world of sports? I thought those Cigarettes were the ultimate in machinery.