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The SCOPE HotShot of the week is an older race boat........... It was the former race boat known as Ohio Steel, and speed record holder!

CLICK HERE

Oh well.....

I have a 38 foot Larry Smith Scarab. The boat had all the candy so I plunked down...

Heres some info from an email sent to John Conner:

38' LARRY SMITH Scarab Ex-Raceboat, staggered fresh 540's, #3 speedmasters, Patterson marine headers, 3 man cockpit, no cabin, Kaama external steering. Hull ID #TSC101380379. All white.

After sending this email, I was washing the boat and on the starboard side fairing I saw some stencilled writing which was painted over but still visible. First I saw OO, then OOK and then

' DRIVER'???
BETTY COOK' !!

The port side has

' THROTTLES
JOHN CONNER'

I called John Conner back, and after explaining the lettering, etc. he confirmed the boat to be Betty Cook's second 38 Scarab. He said they won the worlds in Key West with that boat.

I spoke to Larry Smith and he agrees that this was Betty Cook's boat. The last three digits of the ID indicate March, 1979 manuf. date. The gentleman I purchased it from, Ed Medley, said it belonged to a man who had named it socksess and was in the garment business (socks). Larry Smith thinks Ron Hirshburg was his name, and that he had purchased the boat from Betty Cook.

I am collecting any Betty Cook or Kaama race boat stuff- I spoke to Mell Riggs, and he is sending some autographed pictures of the boat.

I am close to finishing a re-gelcoat of the deck, and will soon have new fuel tanks fabricated. This boat turned out to be the biggest suprise of my life, and I am going to restore her as accurately as possible.

Bulldog AKA Ronnie

Is it still all black, Ron Hershberg ran it at the Key West worlds in Superboat Class in 1985. I am pretty sure it was called Revenge then? I remember it stuffed really bad and was pretty torn up. I think it only raced on the west coast after that. I might have a old bad pic of it at the office somewhere.

Bulldog,
What a Kool story. I have pictures of your boat but don't have a scanner, maybe I can find the negatives and send you copies, send me your address.
Bob G.

Ryan-
From what I see, it was originally white gelcoat. Larry Smith made a new nose for it which was grafted on, and the gelcoat was blended. The deck and sides were later painted all white. I carefully stripped the deck, and it had no other color than white.

I can vaguely see where the race number rectangle was on the side- the light has to be just right to see it. The bottom is the original white gelcoat.

And I think I remember someone telling me it raced as Socksess and also possibly Revenge. Mr. Hirshburg? was hurt badly in that accident and possibly renamed it Revenge the second time around...

I was also told Betty Cook raced it for a time as the Michelobe Light- I have a poor Jpeg of an ad which appears to be the same boat. If that was in 1982, I think I saw it at the La. Superdome.


Robert- Thanks, I appreciate it- I need to try to go to Conner Marine with my scanner- Mr. Conner has loads of pictures I need.

If you could get your pictures scanned I will pay for it or if you could trust me with them I can do it and send them back.

My info:
Ronald E. Byrd
22351 Main Street
Abita Springs, La 70420
H 1-985-893-3831
W 1-228-688-3414

Thanks for the info
Bulldog AKA Ronnie

I remember that boat too.....KAAMA #89 became REVENGE #286...that black, white and orange paint scheme was cool.

heres a pic I took in 1985 I was 10 at the time.

I am currently rerigging the original 35ft Benihana Cigarette which started life as Hal Shalmans spirit boat. If any body has some old pics or some history on the boat, I'm all ears. James

check out the njppc library for some pics...

www.njppc.com

great boat!