User Tag List

Results 1 to 10 of 10
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    history on a hydro?

    my uncle just purchased the hydro from a family who said their father was friends with Ron Messenger of florida who raced this boat as a black number 23. they didn't know classes, just said it raced in several up to a 25hp class. I'm not familiar with Hydro racing classes, but I'm learning a bit trying to research this. from the little I've learned so far it appears to be an early to mid 70's Craig Craft?? could anyone give me some more information?? classes, what motor it would have run, if anyone knew Ron (the family said He passed several years ago?)

    thanks for the help!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 48299.jpeg.f533270b931d84184e8c05e08b144d68.jpeg   48300.jpeg.a20b229071c456d1f09884869f617fcb.jpeg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    couple more pictures
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 48640.jpeg   48639.jpeg  

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Annapolis, MD ragboat capital of the world
    Posts
    11,463
    Thanks (Given)
    591
    Thanks (Received)
    164
    Likes (Given)
    2428
    Likes (Received)
    445
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    3 Thread(s)
    APBA classes have a letter that tells where the owner lived ... if it just has a number and no letter, its likely it was raced in Texas where the local races weren't APBA sanctioned and when they did go to an APBA race, it was obvious they were 'outlaw' Texans on a single day membership.

    There are a ton of 15-25 hp classes ... "B Stock Hydro" "B Modified Hydro" "15 Super Stock Hydro" "20 Super Stock Hydro" C Stock hydro, C Mod hydro, OSY400

    The motors run from the old Hot Rod 15 cubic inch, 20 cubic inch, Merc Mark20H, "Yamato 80", Yamato 102, 202, etc

    Exactly what motor would be best depends on the overall length and the width of the bottom between the sponsons

    hydroracer.net may have people who knew Ron and remember the exact boat. The name is vaguely familiar, but I don't think I ever met him
    The

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark75H View Post
    APBA classes have a letter that tells where the owner lived ... if it just has a number and no letter, its likely it was raced in Texas where the local races weren't APBA sanctioned and when they did go to an APBA race, it was obvious they were 'outlaw' Texans on a single day membership.

    There are a ton of 15-25 hp classes ... "B Stock Hydro" "B Modified Hydro" "15 Super Stock Hydro" "20 Super Stock Hydro" C Stock hydro, C Mod hydro, OSY400

    The motors run from the old Hot Rod 15 cubic inch, 20 cubic inch, Merc Mark20H, "Yamato 80", Yamato 102, 202, etc

    Exactly what motor would be best depends on the overall length and the width of the bottom between the sponsons

    hydroracer.net may have people who knew Ron and remember the exact boat. The name is vaguely familiar, but I don't think I ever met him
    The
    Thanks.. Ron was from Florida from what I read and I have seen pictures of his other boats with an F on them so I am guessing this one will be F23. My uncle is still trying to get pieces that were taken off the boat like the side number plate. I registered at hydroracer.net a few days ago and haven't gotten approval yet... anyone know an admin over there?

    It's 9ft long is the only dimension I have at the moment

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Annapolis, MD ragboat capital of the world
    Posts
    11,463
    Thanks (Given)
    591
    Thanks (Received)
    164
    Likes (Given)
    2428
    Likes (Received)
    445
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    3 Thread(s)
    9 ft puts it more like a J or A class boat than a C ... 6 to 15 hp

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark75H View Post
    9 ft puts it more like a J or A class boat than a C ... 6 to 15 hp
    Steve Defeo won both ASH heats in the 1974 Dayton nationals in a Craig craft hydro very similar to this one. Not sure what other classes they ran.

  7. Likes Mark75H liked this post
  8. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Cardington Ohio
    Posts
    19,662
    Mentioned
    7 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Looks like a Craig Craft to me. Probably A Stock which was a 15 cu in 15 hp Merc from the'50's. As in KG-4 or MK-15's.
    I raced that class for many yrs and had plans to build one of those until loaning them out and never getting them back.
    They were built by Craig Selvege (sp?) and I think a brother of his.

    A giveaway is the "vented transom". They showed me this at the races in Dayton one yr. The theory was that the top of the transom created drag, sticking up in the air so they drilled holes in the top, made the motor board hollow and released the captured air out the back of the transom on the bottom. You can see it in the pictures.

    Only other ones Ive ever seen that way were the ones I added to the boats I built.

    In the mid/late '70's the Craig Crafts owned A Stock hydro. Some guys ran Hot Rods on them in Modified Hydro too.

    Hope this helps.

    Gary
    Last edited by Instigator; 06-13-2017 at 07:11 PM.
    I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.


    I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.


    Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
    Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
    Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
    Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
    Glastron Carlson CVX 20 w/XP 2.6
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
    19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
    Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
    Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II

  9. Thanks Mark75H thanked for this post
    Likes Mark75H liked this post
  10. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by OLEGATOR View Post
    ron raced with tommy hooten. mostly alky stuff. in later years, he may have had a child that raced.
    So is this something he may have run or something you think his kid may have?

  11. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by OLEGATOR View Post
    i cant say much about his later years as i was busy in opc racing.
    what time period did you race with him??

  12. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    new england
    Posts
    7
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    1
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by OLEGATOR View Post
    70's
    according MarkD (the other half of craig from craig craft who built these boats) unless this was a plans boat... they only built them up until 78 or so. this boat would have probably been in the 72-75 time frame from the pictures I have seen. if he had a child who was racing then maybe it would have been a little later boat but some people have said that the APBA outlawed the vented transom at some point?? this boat still has it.

Similar Threads

  1. History on my Pugh Hydro
    By Hoss Marine Propellers in forum General Boating Discussion
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 09-17-2013, 09:49 AM
  2. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 06-28-2013, 09:26 PM
  3. History of Outboards on history channel tonight
    By jrpromax in forum General Boating Discussion
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 02-03-2002, 09:45 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Chris Carson's Marine