Ben Kramer to be released!?!?
10-13-2014 | 09:24 PM
#71
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From: Pearland, TX
Interesting read from the good ole days.
tommymonza seems to be the most familiar with the industry in that era.
Everybody knew their roles back then, Don, Ben, Sal, Willie, the other Willie, and so on. They didn't step on each others business like some believe. And really, I don't think Don was as dirty as most want to assume...it makes for good stories, but he wasn't stupid. Yes, he would build boats for whoever could buy one, the money was green, but we all know who REALLY catered to those who had special needs in a custom purpose specific boat.
Ben was THE money man who built the Apache name to icon status through serious cash, racing and being a bad-boy. McManus was the brains behind the Apache boat business that had Ben's huge cash infusions to make it successful in spite of anything and everything - and he did it well.
Ben was a very VERY smart individual, a little cocky, but smart - do you really think that boat building would be at the top of his list if he was ever released? Why would he return to a business that is next to impossible to make money? And unless he spent millions and millions of dollars building a new boat business, what would/could he offer today that hasn't been done? Those days are gone, things have changed, there's nothing he could do to gain that fame - again.
He would most likely be under a magnifying glass if ever released... but it is interesting to wonder if he would take that as the ultimate challenge and try to get back into "the biz" and outsmart them again, or come up with some new and improved way to make serious cash. He was always cocky like that.
Or, would he simply just want to be left alone and try to enjoy life and take time to "smell-the-roses"?
Breaking bad?
tommymonza seems to be the most familiar with the industry in that era.
Everybody knew their roles back then, Don, Ben, Sal, Willie, the other Willie, and so on. They didn't step on each others business like some believe. And really, I don't think Don was as dirty as most want to assume...it makes for good stories, but he wasn't stupid. Yes, he would build boats for whoever could buy one, the money was green, but we all know who REALLY catered to those who had special needs in a custom purpose specific boat.
Ben was THE money man who built the Apache name to icon status through serious cash, racing and being a bad-boy. McManus was the brains behind the Apache boat business that had Ben's huge cash infusions to make it successful in spite of anything and everything - and he did it well.
Ben was a very VERY smart individual, a little cocky, but smart - do you really think that boat building would be at the top of his list if he was ever released? Why would he return to a business that is next to impossible to make money? And unless he spent millions and millions of dollars building a new boat business, what would/could he offer today that hasn't been done? Those days are gone, things have changed, there's nothing he could do to gain that fame - again.
He would most likely be under a magnifying glass if ever released... but it is interesting to wonder if he would take that as the ultimate challenge and try to get back into "the biz" and outsmart them again, or come up with some new and improved way to make serious cash. He was always cocky like that.
Or, would he simply just want to be left alone and try to enjoy life and take time to "smell-the-roses"?
Breaking bad?
10-13-2014 | 09:45 PM
#72
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Posts: 4,788
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From: naples,florida
On Aronows murder as it relates to Kramer; the government had no proof what-so-ever that Ben was involved. None, All conjecture and circumstantial evidence. They did have the shooter (Bobby Young). Young testified that some Colombians ordered the hit. Kramer's 'no contest' plea was nothing more than a plea of convenience just so he could get into a 'normal' prison. It had no bearing on his future since he got another 19 year sentence which would be served at the same time (concurrently) and not added onto his life sentence he already had.
The bottom line is simple: No-one will ever know who was behind the Aronow hit. There is no proof that ties anyone to the hit. The guy who dropped the pin is long-since dead. I say the murder is moot and irrelevant and he should be shown the door.
The bottom line is simple: No-one will ever know who was behind the Aronow hit. There is no proof that ties anyone to the hit. The guy who dropped the pin is long-since dead. I say the murder is moot and irrelevant and he should be shown the door.
Ten months before Mel Kessler and Ben Kramer were indicted together in South Florida, Don Aronow, Miami's most famous powerboat builder and racer, was murdered, shot in the chest by an unknown man while sitting in his car near the Fort Apache Marina on Thunderboat Row. At the time, Aronow was engaged in a business dispute with Ben Kramer. Aronow's friends say he had gotten the better of Kramer on a deal. Kramer hated to lose.
In March, Robert Young, a 41-year-old soldier of fortune, was charged with first-degree murder in the Aronow case. Police
suspect that Kramer was behind the hit and Young ended up with the contract. As of yet, though, homicide detectives have not found the connection to Kramer.
Nearly two years before he was indicted for murder in South Florida, Robert Young was charged with cocaine conspiracy in Oklahoma.
His lawyer was Mel Kessler.
10-13-2014 | 09:58 PM
#73
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From: naples,florida
Although there were a few Purpose built Cig Haulers they where Not the Boat of Choice. Midnight Express sold 3-4 times as many haulers, The Outboard powered 37' was the boat of choice. That or Joe Debella's Quad I/O 40' SeaBird. Both could haul the freight (Both Loaded & Unloaded 
) I used to Paint Boats for "People" One day they wanted it yellow, Then a few days later they wanted it to be Blue, Then Red, etc.. I wonder why that was I worked for one guy who had several of each of those. Usually at least one of each in Bimini at any given time. I think it was to haul the "Clear Becks" Beer cause you couldn't buy that in the states.....
) I used to Paint Boats for "People" One day they wanted it yellow, Then a few days later they wanted it to be Blue, Then Red, etc.. I wonder why that was I worked for one guy who had several of each of those. Usually at least one of each in Bimini at any given time. I think it was to haul the "Clear Becks" Beer cause you couldn't buy that in the states.....The construction of the deck mold that the raised decks on a few that were obviously from the same manufacture looked like a 8th grader had built it, and than the hull side were so wavy you would get seasick looking at them.
However They were not Midnight Expresses but man you got to love that bold name for a Smuggling boat building company
What would blow me away was how much people were bidding on them I used to say that there has to be a load still hidden in the boat for what it was getting bidded up to.
10-13-2014 | 11:32 PM
#74
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From: anna maria island,fl
Love the 37 Midnight's standard 1000 gal fuel capacity ( saw some that held 1200 gal ). Back in the 90's , I found a 38 Bertram In a Hialeah , Fl warehouse complex . It had staggered SSM3's , some rigging , no power ,but two of the biggest bomar hatches on the deck and crappy gunmetal grey paint ( top , bottom , rubrail, everything !). Eng. compartment was bright red. I tried to find info on it for a couple weeks , but nobody knew anything about it. Always wondered where it ended up ?
10-14-2014 | 12:00 AM
#75
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From: naples,florida
I was poking around some old marina in i think Tampa about 25 years ago and saw a old late 60s pacemaker that had a big grey tarp hanging over it and the slip it was sitting in .
But what struck me as weird is it had 2 big brand new Arnesons and Rollas hanging off the stern that I could see visible in the murky water.
It was a crummy rainy day and i was alone and drinking beer and being nosy so I poked my head under the tarp and came face to face with 2 guys of Cuban descent working under the tarp on installing to large turbine engines.
I did a about face and hauled azz down the dock and left.
When you see a half million dollars of hardware hanging off a old ten thousand dollar boat it looks a ;little suspicious.
But what struck me as weird is it had 2 big brand new Arnesons and Rollas hanging off the stern that I could see visible in the murky water.
It was a crummy rainy day and i was alone and drinking beer and being nosy so I poked my head under the tarp and came face to face with 2 guys of Cuban descent working under the tarp on installing to large turbine engines.
I did a about face and hauled azz down the dock and left.
When you see a half million dollars of hardware hanging off a old ten thousand dollar boat it looks a ;little suspicious.
Last edited by tommymonza; 10-14-2014 at 12:02 AM.
10-14-2014 | 10:50 AM
#79
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From: Land O Lakes Fl
Thats what makes it a horse race. Regardless if someone knows or not, nobody is talking. The longer they hold, the more the story changes. Its like the old days of Cosa Nostra. They couldn't really prove that anyone did or ordered anything done. Thats why the government took the only path they could; tax evasion. That all changed around 1980 when the RICO statute was enacted.
10-14-2014 | 11:00 AM
#80
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 252
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From: Central Europe
You may not read this if you are a Liberal-Arts Mayor. Its about living ffast and breaks or break-outs or whatever, dunno:
http://xkcd.com/1428/
http://xkcd.com/1428/
