Over the history of the sport, there has never been enough glory given to the guys who put the boats together in the first place..... and then ran them in the races.


From the glass guys to the riggers to the mechanics and engine builders and finally to the throttlemen and navigators.

There are two parts to every equation, the owners who paid the bills and the guys who made it happen...one half couldn't do it without the other, but let's hear it for the teams of people (plural) that made the Champions ...just that Champions.

Bobby Moore, Brownie, Pop Meekins, Richie Powers, Bobby Beich, Jack Stuteville, Bobby Saccenti, Wayne Vickers, Cap't Leo, Bary Cordingley, Knocky House....keep it going guys.........

Jack Stuteville and Nicolai, Davey Wilson and Nicolai/Consentino, Smitty and Ted Toleman, Errol Lanier, Cook and Connor, De Angelis, Bonomi, Rigante, Mondadori, Regazzi, Statua ...........

come on Marco - give us more Italian names!!

Thank you Charlie: I think we need to start looking into an offshore racing hall of fame, with special attention to the legends, past and present, each year we should have a special induction for legends past and present. I could see a large banquet, around the room would be tables with victory reeths and pictures with stories of past legends. I would like to see inductee`s receive a custom made ring and some type of blazer only for legends inducted. I`m sure we could find sponsors, Hint: Merc, Bud, Bacardi, Fountain etc. The shame in Offshore today is that we have no recorded history, the only motor sport, and one with the highest mortality rate sports, richest history world wide, and few people know or appreciate how it all came about and the personalities behind it. I think The performance guys of today honestly believe they started it all, with the 165mph cats and V`s, all of that technology came from the guys who rigged and raced for years, guys who worked in engineering with Merc. KAM, Deanabelle, Eickert etc, etc.. I rest my case with additional names: Stuteville, Riggs, O.Lewis, Vickers, Steinbeck, Ramsey, Sirois brothers, Bob Davis,Smitty, Gilmore, and the list goes on.7XCHAMP and proud.

I agree Richie - the sport does need a Hall of Fame or at least a reunion at certain intervals. Lets add Sammy James, Willy Meyers, Tony Azzera, Keith Hazel, even some of todays people - You of course, Kurt Berger, Joe Imprescia - As far as no recorded history - um..... well - I did my part - with out sponsorship, or guarantee - NNRT recorded many many races, here and abroad - Thanks to the likes of Tom Gentry, Walter Ragazzi, Mercury, Charlie McCarthy, and countless others like John Rebhan, and so many that i cant remember - they belived in my product - there IS a record of many events still. Some people might call what I did a job, to me it was just fun - where else could you go - and have fun, be paid, and watch a powerboat race with a huge fan over you in hot weather ?

Well Let's start right here, right now.....The HORBA HALL OF FAME

Let's break it up into the decades...50's 60's 70's etc as the names will be extensive if we lump it all together.

Toss some ideas into the hat and we will see how this thing can grow....

I was hoping to have a get together of the old race boats in Florida at the end of April..

The weekend of April 28th and 29th, 2007. We could have a nice and simple get together at a waterfront restaurant, so people could see and hear them again and meet some of the legends of the sport.

Then just a little run maybe halfway to Bimini and back, just to get clear of that awful landscape known as the shorline.

That might be a good time to have a nice dinner that evening and start inducting some of these people into the HORBA HALL OF FAME.

All sounds good. Phil: I never meant to imply no one had done anything about the history, thank goodness for you guys and the John Crouse book. I guess what I`m saying is I don`t believe you could walk into a Barnes and Noble and read a book or see some condensed era on video tape that is world wide like you could with automobiles, motorcycles and any other motorized sport. I could only hope that with some financial support ie: museum grant or something to properly document the sport we will always have the private archives, that unless you know specifically what you want will be just that. wouldn`t it be great to compile a movie "run sunward" or endless summer. It`s all about the benjamins. Remember Eddie Rhodes who shot all the super 8 etc. I bumped into him a year ago and invited me to view some of the old stuff, mid 70`s circa I think he formed a little co. called Coastal. Also Merc Marine has tons of stuff in the archives from day one, it would be great to archive that stuff. Like I say there are a lot of private collections out there, and probably will be until someone compiles it all, Lifetime job, any takers.

Charlie, your dedication, power, and spirit is amazing to be apart of and read. And you make old school very very cool.

thank you
Christian Del Collo
Toasty 579
Bad Boy Powerboats

Charlie, that´s a fantastic idea. The HORBA HALL OF FAME could finally provide what the sport needs. Let´s face it, Offshore is and always will be completely different to auto racing. For whatever reason it´s just never achieved the status it could have. Recognition of such legends as Richie is WAY overdue!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, people like Keith Hazel, who built the the boats and engines, and only gave up as a throttleman because his doctors told him further competition would paralyze him deserve their due.

I Will Sponsor That Trophy And Wall