Re: My first boat race
 

I stumbled across these pics while cleaning my parents basement. I have a couple more that i can post.Benihana is a 39' bertram.

Re: My first boat race
 

I thought Searace was the bible????

Re: My first boat race
 

The guy in Picture 2 is the late Joel Halpern, owner of Beep Beep.

Re: My first boat race
 

great stuff keep it coming love the classic pics.

Re: My first boat race
 

A little more history to go with those great pictures.

First set of pictures shows Rocky's two boats ready to go, depending on water conditions. The Bertram was made of Kevlar and the Cougar Cat next to it was made of wood. It was formerly called Yellowdrama when it raced in Europe.

Third picture in that group shows Erol Lanier on the wing of the cat. Ajac Hawk in the background was owned and driven by Jerry Jacoby. This boat was the first ever Top Gun. It was the old 35 mistress hull stretched two and half feet. It was called a 37.6. The first race for it was in Argentina the previous December 1978. He would not win with for another year, the 1980 race in the Bahamas.

The next picture shows Joel in his cat. I believe this is the boat he was killed in. He also ran a deep v Cobra 38. You can see the pleasure version of that boat next to the cat on the right.

Next picture is a mystery. A few clues help but don't give it away. The exhaust pipes go out the side of the boat....so it was probably a 36 Cigarette. The steering wheel is in the center, so it wasn't Betty's Cigarette as she drove from the right side. Red bolster and white deck????? Sorry doesn't ring a bell.

At the start of the race it was a drag race with Betty in the cat and Bill Elswick in his 39 Cigarette, Long Shot and Paul Clauser in his 35 Cigarette, Satisfaction. A lot of boats missed the first turn by runnng too wide to see the boat and they went past it before they realized it. By the time we got to the second turn it was a traffic jam.


Anymore pics would be greatly appreciated.

Re: My first boat race
 

love the history keep it coming

Re: My first boat race
 

I got this picture saved of Rocky's Bertram race boat from 1978.

Rocky Aoki ended up Sponsoring our Benihana Pro - Stock camaro I drove from 1987-1989.

JO - Pantera Boats

Re: My first boat race
 

The boat behind Benihana on the trailer looks like Sandy Satula's Kopper Kettle

Re: My first boat race
 

Here are a few more old Pantera race pics. from this same race in Freeport in 1979.

My Father was racing a 28' powered by tripe outboards.

Who says there was not alot of money $$ in boat racing. First place prize money from a Miami OPBRA race in February 1978.

JO - Pantera Boats

Re: My first boat race
 

Ugh! I spent alot of time in Freeport and my dad never took me to the races!
I'm gonna have to have a word with him! :mad: