Any Thing Challenger

[fast fun 2]

Dont feel bad...im 16 n cant read it lol

[vnemous]

Very cool! Any chance you can make the spec page larger? Can't read it...I know, I know, gettin' old....

No the pixels are too low. If I blow it up it just gets blurry.

Johnny if you stayed in grammer school instead of racing your seatless Challenger you would know how to read

[twocents]

I can't absolutely confirm this, but I think I was the first person to officially test a 21 Challenger for a publication (I used to be the editor at Powerboat Mag). Don't hold me to this, but as I recall, our test team evaluated the Challenger (dark red hull with a V-6 Johnson 200) at Cypress Gardens (East Coast Performance Trials) in October 1976. George Linder towed the boat to the test site himself. It was the most impressive boat of that test session.

[vnemous]

Than this should be you Article is post 128

[twocents]

That's the issue -- Bob Nordskog driving and Dick DeBartolo riding in the aft seat. Got the shot using Cypress Gardens' "Cover Girl" photo barge as the wake-maker/launch pad. Jerry Imber of the Cypress Gardens photo staff took the picture. World champion, Ricky McCormick, was our designated "ski-tester" for the evaluations.

[vnemous]

[T2x]

That's the issue -- Bob Nordskog driving and Dick DeBartolo riding in the aft seat. Got the shot using Cypress Gardens' "Cover Girl" photo barge as the wake-maker/launch pad. Jerry Imber of the Cypress Gardens photo staff took the picture. World champion, Ricky McCormick, was our designated "ski-tester" for the evaluations.

So....... if Bob Nordskog passed away (May God rest his soul), a gentleman I had the privelege of serving with on the Joint APBA, CBF, MBF, North American Championship Commission, and Dick De Bartolo is a long time acquaintance back here in NY/NJ........ which one are you?

T2x

[fast fun 2]

No the pixels are too low. If I blow it up it just gets blurry.

Johnny if you stayed in grammer school instead of racing your seatless Challenger you would know how to read

Ill remember that

[twocents]

I was "boy" editor for the magazine back then (1973-1979). Bob N. drove the test boats for top end, slalom course, wake jumps and photos. My job was acceleration, fuel consumption and ski test driver. Norm Teague was our dryland inspector and Rob Hixson (from the Competition Center) attached all our test gear. After it was all over, I got to write all the reports for publication.

[T2x]

I was "boy" editor for the magazine back then (1973-1979). Bob N. drove the test boats for top end, slalom course, wake jumps and photos. My job was acceleration, fuel consumption and ski test driver. Norm Teague was our dryland inspector and Rob Hixson (from the Competition Center) attached all our test gear. After it was all over, I got to write all the reports for publication.

Mark Spencer?

[twocents]

Almost correct, Rich, but not quite. I hired Mark to work for me part-time at Powerboat while he was attending Pepperdine University as a journalism student. When he graduated, he went full-time with the magazine and then became editor May 1, 1979 when I left to start my own business. I was well acquainted with Mark and his dad Craig well before that since we all raced together in POPBRA offshore events on the west coast. Last time I saw Mark was at Tom Newby's memorial service. Also don't know if you heard but Lisa Nordskog passed away just recently. Very sad.
-- Good to get caught up -- Bob Brown

[T2x]

Almost correct, Rich, but not quite. I hired Mark to work for me part-time at Powerboat while he was attending Pepperdine University as a journalism student. When he graduated, he went full-time with the magazine and then became editor May 1, 1979 when I left to start my own business. I was well acquainted with Mark and his dad Craig well before that since we all raced together in POPBRA offshore events on the west coast. Last time I saw Mark was at Tom Newby's memorial service. Also don't know if you heard but Lisa Nordskog passed away just recently. Very sad.
-- Good to get caught up -- Bob Brown

Hi Bob:

Welcome to S&F....... For those who don't know, Bob has been one of the most prolific writer/editors in the performance boating scene. Another worthy addition to the site.

Very sorry to hear about Lisa......... May she rest in peace.

T2x

[M75]

Very cool! Any chance you can make the spec page larger? Can't read it...I know, I know, gettin' old....

Sorry about the read-ability of the flyer. It was too large at 15in X 13in to scan so I photographed it instead. Mike's earlier posts have most of the same info and those can be read. I have a lot of other documentation, but most of the printed material just does not reproduce and upload well enough to be readable. I still thought it would worth sharing at least for the pictures. I am riding shotgun with and George Linder III (GL's late son) is at the wheel and was probably about 12 years old in that picture. That boat was my (hull number 2). the same boat that was used for all the initial photography because it was the first production single engine boat . Rich Marriotti took hull number one after it was decked with a production deck and rigged it with the twin 150's with speedmasters. Henry M75

[M75]

I can't absolutely confirm this, but I think I was the first person to officially test a 21 Challenger for a publication (I used to be the editor at Powerboat Mag). Don't hold me to this, but as I recall, our test team evaluated the Challenger (dark red hull with a V-6 Johnson 200) at Cypress Gardens (East Coast Performance Trials) in October 1976. George Linder towed the boat to the test site himself. It was the most impressive boat of that test session.

Hi Bob, Actually I drove/delivered the boat to Cypress Gardebs. You see I was George's "number two". In fact that was a boat we had sold to Doug Mashke at Snug harbor marine in Sarasota Florida. I then delivered it to his shop where we rigged it and then I brought it up to the gardens for the photo shoot and testing. George was there, but I was the "get it done guy" for George. That it was a most impressive boat, I concur. Henry (Hank) Cole M75

[M75]

Greetings, Here are some more vintage Challenger pictures:
"Challenger Test Flight"
This is Hull number one with wood deck testing at Merc test
center in Oshkosh, WI. This was arguably the lightest
challenger ever built due to it's temporary 3/16 in thick and
no interior. That is why it is riding so high, up and out of
the calm water in the canal behind the test center...no
swells there...just FLYING...

Rich Marriotti's boat, #1 Hull with it's production deck and
twin 150's with speed masters. Rich is at the wheel, the Late
George Linder III in the "right seat"

Here are two pictures of your IRS tax dollars at work. The
IRS funded building two clam poaching interdiction boats to
retaliate for all the profits that the poachers were not
reporting...They were standard Challenger 21s with twin
150's. The first picture is with the "suits" on their
demonstration ride the second was "on the job" Mike, I though
you would like these in particular...


Enjoy...M75