Very sad. RIP

I was thinking maybe the fairhaven run might become a memorial run for him.

I couldnt sleep last night thinking about this happening, probably because from our conversations Mike always seemed like such a calculated and safe boater.

I know someone said they had a bunch of pics of his boat maybe someone could start a thread with pics of his ride or something or add them here.

I like air times suggestion of a ply to Boston run. Its something high life was personally involved in and its in his home waters. Regardless I'm 100% on board for whatever.
Mike

High Life History
 

I believe the High Life was repainted a dark color (black?).
Does anyone know any early history of the boat. The original color would help. I was around several Magnum Sedans from
the 1970s-1980s in the Boston area. Thanks. I have 3 pictures of High Life taken at Marina Bay on 8/29/10 near the fuel dock.
I am having trouble uploading them. Says I can't load to members boat pictures ! Any suggestions

know whats sad is the media and the people who dont get it, and some of the people who "saw it" (which in reality i dont think anyone but the couple boats running together saw it. everyone says racing and stuff.
but it wasnt that at all. im good friends with the other 2 boats that they people "saw" and they where not "racing" they where cruzing together which we do all the time!! a boat like mikes will cruz 50 mph easy with no issues, hell my boats best cruz speed is mid to high 40's.
people are looking to blame it on "racing" when infact it had nothing to do with it. the lucky thing was there was only 2 people on the boat because this was going to happen to the boat at some point, it may have been when he was cruzing back to port with 5 people, it may have been next weekend at the poker run who knows, but it was going to happen. the boat was a 1973 and had a lot of time and power behind it.
its just to bad all these people look to blame it on a race.

if a horse jockey got off a horse at the track, then went for a ride in the woods later that day and got hurt or killed it would be an accident, no one would say, well he was going to fast or racing another rider or he was drunk as a skunk. it would be an accident.
its just to bad. mike was a great man doing what he did best (enjoying life on his boat) and he had an accident. thats that.
it was lucky that the other boats where there if anything because they helped right away.

Fuk the media and general public. Even if he was having a friendly run at it with another boat that's his personal choice.
I've heard and understand that it wasn't a race.

Pisses me off because its a ' cigarette ' boat everyone catches a bad rap.

If it was a old man racing a sail boat cutting boats off through channels that had a tragic accident it would be an entirely different story.

" seasoned sailor tragically dies in regatta doing what he loved "
There wouldn't be any animosity directed towards anyone involved just for the fact that its a quiet, less flashy, sport.

Its sad to see all this negativity from outsiders. I too wish they understood the circumstances and gave respect where its due.

the funny part is that people call it a " cigarette" boat when ever some one calls it that you know they are not a boater
its like calling every truck on the road a chevy. it just not right.
unreal.
its very sad that this happened no matter how you look at it. some people just have nothing better to do then look for faults or stereo types for people or there hobbies.

very sad to hear, i believe he was at of the fun runs 2 years ago and I remember him and the boat, I will have to dig out my pics from the event, the man needs to be honored not disrespected

yes, mark he was there. he made the run over from hull to meet us.

Sad news. Was at that fun run / raft up too. Chatted with Mike for a few that day. Nice guy! Sad to hear this news. RIP Mike and hope for his passenger to recover quickly.

thoughts are with the family and everyone involved, this is a truly tragic event

yes, he was tied to you i think, or mark. it was the ob crew and io crew. lol

here are a few pics from the noyzee fun run.


mike is on the right, with the hat on about half way down table sitting across from me. i have blue shirt and a hat on also.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/DSC00431.jpg

his boat is the last one in line, High Life

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/DSC00437.jpg

his boat is right off my bow.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/DSC00474.jpg

this one is funny because he had to take a piss and we where stopped so i told my girl to snap a pic of the boat all alone.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/DSC00509.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/DSC00437.jpg

thats mike, with his infamis glass's

Thanks for sharing the pics guys.

Slightly OT, but I keep thinking of his boat (especially after seeing these latest pics) trying to figure out why the public and the media kept labeling it a 'Cigarette' boat. What about his boat looked like or even sounded like a 'Cigarette'??? What were the other boats he was running with at the time of the accident?

there was a baja and a pantera, one of the other boats that was there was a cig but im not sure who he was or where he came from.

I was thinking the same thing scot!

Mike had one of those boats that was the hull of a performance boat, but the heart of a cruiser. It was a very utilitarian boat, useful for much more than just going fast.

It leaned just as far towards a sport cruiser as a performance boat.

you have to wonder if that heavy deck wasnt a part if the problem.

Memories of Mike
 

Hey guys,

I'm writing a piece about Mike Spirito for the Patriot Ledger newspaper and would love to talk to anyone who new him, either in real life or through this forum. Feel free to call me at 617-786-7006 or email me at [email protected]. Thanks for your help.

- Neal Simpson

Reporter, The Patriot Ledger

post up those pics if you can!

Hopefully someone reaches out to Neal and gives him the real facts not the BS the other media outlets are reporting!!

I sent him an email basically telling him what has been said here, that Mike was a great guy, a respectful boater and he wasnt running an over Powered Testosterone rocket, but a good solid boat known for its safety in rough water. Also that he was the type of boater who cared about others within the boating community.

Hopefully others will get in touch with him as well.

My thoughts and prayers are with both Mike and his family. May
God bless all. We are both about the same age and both have
kids about the same age too.

high life history
 

i think mike's boat was the boat i had in the late 80's it was a yellow hull twin ford/volvo set up will look for some pics. i should be able to get more info on the boat like were we got it and who we sold it to. MIKE WAS A GREAT GUY AND WILL BE MISSED

Hey all, this is Nick, Mike's son checking in. I can't tell you how much all the positive support means to us right now. The pictures and stories are great, my sister Lisa and I really appreciate everything. We know he loved being on the water but it's really great to see how much of an ambassador of the culture he was.

The wake will be Friday 4-8 in Pyne Kehoane Funeral Home in Hingham, and the funeral mass is Saturday at St. Paul's Church in Hingham at 10:30.

Please keep us posted regarding any memorial runs you may be doing, and feel free to pass along any pictures and stories, my email is [email protected].

Nick (and Lisa),

I just did a huge double take when I saw the user name!!! :eek:

Your father was not only a very active member of our boating community, but he was also a very respected member as well. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but I certainly read more than one of his helpful and enlightening posts and learned a thing or two from him as well.

He will be dearly missed, please accept our condolences for such a tragic loss...

i was just going to post this info up, my girlfriend spoke to you early today (sandra)
im going to get together with some of the boys once this all slows down and figure out something to do for his honor. i already have some good ideas.
your dad will be missed by all.

Nick I met you when you were at the SeaPort Inn run and I believe in Fall River also. Your dad was a great guy and like everyone has said will be missed. I was looking foward to seeing him again this weekend for the run. He always had a spot for some one on the boat no matter what. He always said "come on with me ill have a spot for you and if not I'll make one"
-Mike

Hi,
If we're taking about the same boat it was a 1973 yellow Magnum sedan that had a factory custom low cut windshield with a gold anodized frame, white and yellow striped upholstery and some special touches that didn't show. For one,the boat was layed up with the optional race boat construction which was lighter and stronger!!!!?? And supposedly vinyl ester resin which was rare in 1973. This race construction was normally used on Magnum Sport models that were set up for racing. The boat was originally powered with high compression 350 cu in Chevy LTI Flagship engines ( then Freeport, LI NY, now in Florida ) and Flagship sourced Volvo speedmaster style outdrives from Chris Craft. The engines and drives were shipped to Magnum while the boat was being built. Magnum sourced the props ( bronze) which were always an issue. When built the boat was probably the fastest Sedan non race boat that Magnum delivered. Don Aronow, who was building Cigarettes at the time went for a predelivery test run and supposedly was very impressed.
The boat would clean house on later Merc TRS powered Magnums and Cigarettes. Many modifications were made in the 10 years that the original owner( not me) had the boat. The boat was sold to Mark Rodgers(?) in 1983. Shortly after Rodgers(?) bought the boat we ran across him while out in a 33' Sutphen which had 400 HP 454 TRS with add on Gil manifolds and dry exhaust pipes ,an ex Herb Chambers personal boat. A little race ensued and the Yellow Magnum went right by the Sutphen. We flagged over the Magnum to talk and the owner said he hadn't put on the good props because he was still getting used to the boat! I lost contact with the boat in 1983.
If this boat became the High Life then I am really spooked because I did 10 years of cruising and some racing and the hull was never an issue! A very sad ending to the owner and a classic boat.

im pretty sure from what i gather from mike he got the boat with twin merc out boards on it. i want to say 225 but not 100%. thn he did the 300's with i think regular 300's before these

Thats how I understood it too , it had merc outboards and he added the bracket and the 300x's
What it was originally I have no Idea or even when he got it. Maybe Nick can fill us in when he gets a chance, I emailed back and forth with him yesterday and he plans to stay involved with the boating community and he seems like a really great person.

im working on a piece right now for us who knew mike to have him roll with us everyplace. keep us safe.
im thinking that im going to try to sell them at my cost plus maybe like $2 and donate the extra to the charity of mikes kids choice.
i have a great idea and im working on it. im hoping it comes out great.
my other buddy mike helped come up with the idea and i love it

high life
 

i think this is a pic of mikes boat back in the mid 80'sAttachment 453051

Very nice of OSO to create a new Header in memory of High Life

;)

Really cool! Nice work Heather (if that was your handiwork)!!! :cool:

It was my doing.... Just thought it would be nice to have a memorial for a few days, took me a while to track down some photos...

Very, very nicely done.

Very thoughtful!

One classy chick no doubt!


nice pic of him running the boat too.