I was tossed out at the Lake Winni Races. Some how I hung to to something and after hitting the side of the boat I landed in the engine well (30' superboat with outboards). Thank god for the strap ons as they are the only thing that kept me in the boat. The windsheild was bent out about 4 inches from my shoulder. I was litterally black and blue up the entire side of my body and good thing I had the helmet on because that had a little chunk out of it also.

Jon

Back in '92 I ejected 3 passengers out and I went threw the steering wheel of my 22 Velocity. Spent the night in the emergency room with some banged up ribs, passengers were all wet and scared but OK they swam back to the boat. Broke the windshield and I got a blackeye from the passengers knee that wacked me on his way over me.

Say What???

I got chucked from a Ski Nautique in the late 80's. A big azz bruise on my leg and another lost pair of Revo's.

Craig

June 7th 1990. We left for Toledo from Port Clinton approx 5:30 pm for the "Drunk by the Ditch Party" (party in the park). Beautiful calm night. Around midnight we had enough to drink and naturally emulating the image of the brave idiots we proclaimed to be climbed into my buddies 32 Baja Force and went up river and out to the lake. The winds had picked up signifianctly and spray was coming up over the sides of the boat in the mouth of the river. Too trashed to have common reason he had a full camper canvas and we put that up to stay dry. About 1/3 of the way on our 35 mile trip (best speed 20 mph) the waves all of a sudden were 8-10 footers. My girl friend was in one bolster and my buddy at the helm and I was standing between the bolsters. Dark, cold and chilling. Jim had the windshield and side panels tinted black and it was difficult to see. I kept walking back to look out to get a better view of what was going on. I came back up between the bolsters (we were all holding on and being tossed like rag dolls) and said Richard Dryfusses' famous line "I think we need a bigger boat".

All three of us looking out through the darkened windshield watching Jim's large bow flood light illuminating the huge waves with a slightly following sea. Suddenly a rogue wave came at us instead of breaking forward. At least 15 ft high. The wave ripped off the 1/2 camper top and busted the starboard windshield right out of the boat.

I was thown into he back seat and knocked out. Greatly disoriented I came to in about 1 minute and luckily did not get thrown out of the boat. They said the camper top came down on top of me and probably kept me inside. We were all soaking wet and shuttering from the cold. There were minnows flopping around the deck of the boat.

The boat was still running and there was 6-8 inches of water in the cockpit. Luckily the hatch to the cabin was closed and the swell did not fill the hull. The water was draining quickly into the bilge and cabin. The pumps were working hard. The boat was still running and we had to press on to keep control of the boat as to not take a wave over the side. Another 5-10 minutes went by and we changed clothes and feeling a little better. Suddenly another rogue wave came crashing over the bow. Now with no canvas and no windshield on one side we could clearly see what was coming. We all ducked just in time. Now soaking wet again but unscathed and standing in about 10 inches of water my girl firend said " This is the last time I am going boating with you macho MF'rs".

What would normally have been a 40 minute ride had taken us 3 hours.

I gained a lot of respect for Lake Erie that night.

Been thrown out of a 13' Whaler, a 15' Marlin, a 17' DynaTrak, and a 21' Wellcraft Nova. Most were speeds under 40, the Marlin was closer to 60.

Been thrown across (but not out) of a Correct Craft when hit a submerged log that bent the rudder.

Had my upper body out of the boat, toes curled under the dash trying to stay in the boat, face touching the rubrail, at over 80.

Stuffed a tunnel and broke a chunk of cowling out of it from body impact.


Had a friend who looped a Seebold tunnel at over 125 and almost exited through the floor of the cockpit butt-first. He broke thru up to his armpits with his knees in his face. Broke his back in a couple of places (he healed fine). He had to get the boat fired up and drive blindly to shore before it sank, cause he'd have drowned (he was testing alone). Cool thinking in the face of pain..

Uncle Al Hoffman...What a great guy...may he rest in peace!!

TOM

That was one bad-ass boat in its day! Small blocks sounded, and worked great.

Three of us went in the water on the FPBC Poker Run ,, Steering broke at 55MPH and ejected two over the side ,,, when the Port side went under water I swam for the bottom ,, the four boats following us went thru/over us and nobody got hit (lucky us) and good driving on the part of those Capt,s ... Stu left us in the water, got on a 2nd boat and left the scene. He is not my Hero!!!

RHC

Holy Chit!! Lucky you!! Not a big fan of Stu either....and I never met him!! Heard alot about him from others.

Washed off of the sunpad of a 31 Chris Craft Stinger on the Delaware bay.It was a low speed stuff into a 6 foot wall of water.