Re: back in the dayss
 

I don't know. Sounds about right.

Re: back in the dayss
 

Wow - thanks Ron - Dry Martini looks great!! As my dad mentioned earlier, we are doing the same thing to the Benihana/Spirit boat. The b&w pic. that I posted is the 36' but Dr. Bonomi raced both the 35 & 36 (you can see the difference in the engine hatches). Do you have any contact info. for Kurt? - I'd like to ask him a few questions. Also here's a couple of photos of Dry Martini at the Cigarette factory in '74 or '75...

I know that Ike is doing over the Mich. Light boat, there is this boat, and I think someone is restoring one of Betty Cook's old boats, and that Bertram that was in Powerboat a couple of months back(I think it's Preston Henn's old Natural Light)...wonder how many more of these restored boats are out there??

Re: back in the dayss
 

Check out this 32' Bertram Classic:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eb...category=26432

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a few.

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Very Interesting!!! I only live two towns south of Boynton - maybe I'll go take a look at her.

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The Maltese Magnum #4 in post 42 is being restored as an original raceboat by my friend in Seattle Washington. He hopes to have it done this year, I'm sure he'll post pics when its done.

Re: back in the dayss
 

Great! - would love to see more of these be restored like collector cars.

Here's a great Bertram for you to go along with your previous post about the one on Ebay - Bill Wishnick in "Boss O Nova" about 1970-71...

Re: back in the dayss
 

Bill has a huge model of that boat sitting on his desk. I remember seeing that boat sitting behind what is now Lightning Jacks in Brick for years. It had straight inboard shafts, no drives.

Re: back in the dayss
 

Here's a bunch from the 1978 Benihana. My parents got a bunch of good ones from the shore and helicopter as my dad was still awaiting his open class boat (Top Banana) to be built in '78 and had already sold his 24' Modified class boat which raced as Gone Bananas here...

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more Benihana '78

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more...

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and more...

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a few more...

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3 more

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Check out betty Cook literally driving all alone while Jon Connor is looking below into Navigator's slot. Where is the Navigator?

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last two...

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best thread in long time!

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Chatim,
Keep the pics coming!! Great thread!

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Hey Pepe Nunez

HAPPY BIRTHDAY :drink: ....look on post #98 there is a very young man driving a Pantera ....I wonder who it could be?

Was Jo even born then?

Amazing with the level of technology we had back then, any of us came back alive from some of those big water races.

CM

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2 more!!!!!!!!!

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Hey Charlie AKA Top Banana, Thank you, You are right, There were a lot of big water races, and I do not know if the boats suffer more in todays so so rough water than yesterday in the ocean, Today boats are faster and lighter and you have to be on your toes all the time specially w/ steps, since they do not like to turn at high rates of speed.
Back then, very seldom ever would you turn a check boat side by side w/ another 8-10 boats. Back then we would race the ocean now you race the boats, and honestly having raced in both eras, I think it is harder today!
Back in the old days, we would party all night, and jump in the boat and go race, today you need to be able to think in the boat before and during the race, times have definetely changed!!! I definetely had more fun in the 70's, I think WE all did,
I feel very fortunate to have been there and be able to still talk about it, there are not many of us left from that group. Thank you, for bringing such great memories.

It has been a long journey. Later, Pepe @ Pantera boats

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See what I mean, PEPE

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Here's the 38 Bertram from SOTW. Man, did we have a good time on that thing!!!

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Pepe I know the boats are going faster now.....but that is one big orange helmet you have on in post #108

29 Mirage...that is one beautiful restoration job on that Bertram.....this kind of thing is going to happen more just like in vintage cars...the old Porsches and Ferraris that were thrown away because they were non competitive have been restored and are now worth a mint.

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Charlie, How is this for Hi - Tech ?? PEPE

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Rocky Aoki's Bertram race boat.

Rocky Aoki ended up Sponsoring my Pro - Stock Camaro approximately 15 years later.

Jo - Pantera

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A few more pics. from the 70s.

JO

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A few more pics.

JO

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Here are a few more. Crowd at Key West in 1979 and the Start of the Bacardi race in 1979 going out Government Cut headed to Bimini. My Father is in M-24 and Slingshot was a 24' Pantera.

JO

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All that hard work going to Bimini in a 24' Pantera for this trophy and $ 50.00. :rolleyes:

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Post # 114 the old Four Ambassador's Hotel....a lot of racers slept there. Remember when they didn't have a dry pits and we had to keep our boats on the bridge leading over to the island?

Post #114 John Conner is looking over and saying...."It's okay Betty, Pepe is still running in the Modified class, we don't have to worry about him whipping our butts today."

Post #111 Just imagine what we could have done with real marine plywood?

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Charlie,

We still have all them trophy's hanging here in our office walls. Unique Trophy with the race helmet.

Charlie I go over that same bridge everyday on the way home.

JO

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1977 Plaque.

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Charlie,

1978 1st place trophy from Modified class at the Bushmills Grand Prix in Southern California.

JO

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Hey Jo great shots of your race car....I bet that was fun to do.

Pepe..I'll be down for the Miami show, I would love to stop by and see some of those old photos and trophies.....as you know I have the same Bushmills trophy for the Open Class win.

By the way.....I don't think that the Miami to Ny race is going to happen this year, I keep waiting for more info from the guy putting it on and nothing is forthcoming....maybe next year.

I would love to do some rough water running again over some distances.

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I would love to do some rough water running again over some distances.[/QUOTE]

Remember how this sport started.... some friends racing to Nassau "some in funny polka-dot shirts" perhaps it's time to start from scratch and have some fun again :D

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Stinger 312.....You are right on....maybe it is time to put the fun back into the racing....like Pepe said, we had a lot of fun at the parties the night before and then went out and raced for a couple of hundred miles in the open ocean.

I bet a lot of us would look good in polka dot shirts.

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Robert, "Killer" was a pink and white 28' Bertram Nautec and was owned by Sandy Black, her husband owned the famous 29' Mirage "L'iL Rhino".

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These guys are looking for backing to put on another Miami - NY run. There was a lot of interest last year when they announced it but the sponsorship money never came through. They are still looking. Nice web site.

http://www.miami-newyork2004.com/