Kitson Miles Master?

[LakeRacer99]

What's a Kitson Miles Master look like? How many were made?Anybody have a pic of one of these? I was snooping around the old S&F message board and saw a thread mentioning one.
Thanks,

[T2x]

The early, full tunnel models were identical to a Zonker Craft, or a Scorpion, if you have ever seen either of these. These ran much better in SJ than in the SST and Unlimited classes (snap flips).

The later, picklefork versions, looked only like a Miles.....nothing else was styled like them.

Having driven both versions of the Miles I can add:.... they were no match for a Molinari, but had very unique styling.

T2x

[Jeff Ettinger]

This is a Zonkercraft.Picture was taken at Miami Marine Stadium in'72 running "u" class with a T1. The Zonker was wood, the Kitson was glass. The Zonker was narrower at the combings(strongbacks/transom) with a slightly different sponson angles. The first Kitson was a copy of a cut down(to 16ft) Glastron Molinari. Second was the Miles copy (like the Zonker). Third was a strange looking full-deck boat (2nd generation Miles). Fourth was the picklefork Miles copy. This one had long afterplanes. Looking for more pictures now.
Jeff

[brianT2]

isn't that chick gagen in the #125 zonkercraft. helmetguru had this milesmaster in the OPC trivia thread a while back.

[Jeff Ettinger]

Correct,Brian
That's Chick Gagen.Glad to say, still have a long association with Mr. Gagen. Saw him 2 years ago, he's doing fine.
I believe that is a Miles (5th generation) but something is different about the front cowling & air dams on the pickleforks. Am continuing to look for pictures. Please help, look for Powerboat issue May '74 regarding Miami Winter Championship. Look for the picture of Ken Stevenson. He's driving a Kitson (4th gen. Miles). Also good shot of Doug Pearl with his SJ Scorpion. Thanks to you, T2X, Helmetguru, & Bridgesboats ( where I found the Zonker picture ). A lot of good memories from then.

[LakeRacer99]

Thank for the pics guys, I was thinking it was more ski, less race. Jeff I am positive I have that issue. I will try to dig it out tonight.

[Jeff Ettinger]

You're welcome.
There were some stories about Kenny making ski boat, but doubt there true because they won't be fast enough for Kenny to approve. With the exception of Jim Merten, I never saw anyone get a Switzer around a turn faster than Mr. Kitson. Just my opinion. I saw the name "Kenny Kitson" on a posting around here not that long ago. Is he still with us?
Jeff

[T2x]

Jeff:

As you may recall I raced a picklefork Miles/T2x one year in Canada (blue and white). While it looked something like the #5 Embassy boat pictured, the front cowl and pickle forks were decidedly different. It also had afterplanes and lateral fins aft with cute little "winglets" spanning from the fins to the transom. Ken Miles was definitely English..............and went to the "bolt something, somewhere" school of engineering.

Kenny Kitson is indeed alive and well and posts occasionally on the Fiberglassics website. One of his 18' "El Diablo" wings was just sold to the guy, I bought my 20 footer from, Jeff Buckley.

T2x

[Mark75H]

Here's one of them:

[ken kitson]

good to see some still remember the old has beens.the story on the kitsoncraft/milesmaster is fred miles in england made the wood boats and I built the fiberglas in troy,Il about 5 miles from where I now live.I started in 1970 and once we got started we was building 4 to6 boats a week thanks to mercury marine if someone was looking for a boat to race ours was one they gave to contact about buying.serveral copies was made from it and one was doug pearls boats.doug's dad ordered some aND SAID THEY were to heavy and had someone in southern fla to copy it.it was one of the better boat's I built.it was really good in SJ and UJ.later we built a 14'tunnel,16' tunnel,17',18',and a 21'.The first boat I built,the 16'I set a n.o.a.record 106.XXX in unlt.1and 109.XXXinunlt.3 in knoxville Tenn.I'm now retired living in Collinsville,IL and loving the water as I always do I have a home in Missouri on a 500 acre private lake and a home in panama city'Fla where I love to take my grandkid's jet sking and deep sea fishing.my home no.is618-345-0250 and Fla.850-871-5795.I'm heading for Fla around Mar.1st.should have been there already but couldn't and get away from this cold.will add more to this one day as there is more to this story.I'd like to say hello to all my racing friends and[If any]fans,racing was part of my life and it was good to me.makes my day to see my name come up once in awhile and appreciate it very much.EVERYONE HAVE A NICE DAY.THE OLD HAS BEEN, ken kitson

[ken kitson]

good to see some still remember the old has beens.the story on the kitsoncraft/milesmaster is fred miles in england made the wood boats and I built the fiberglas in troy,Il about 5 miles from where I now live.I started in 1970 and once we got started we was building 4 to6 boats a week thanks to mercury marine if someone was looking for a boat to race ours was one they gave to contact about buying.serveral copies was made from it and one was doug pearls boats.doug's dad ordered some aND SAID THEY were to heavy and had someone in southern fla to copy it.it was one of the better boat's I built.it was really good in SJ and UJ.later we built a 14'tunnel,16' tunnel,17',18',and a 21'.The first boat I built,the 16'I set a n.o.a.record 106.XXX in unlt.1and 109.XXXinunlt.3 in knoxville Tenn.I'm now retired living in Collinsville,IL and loving the water as I always do I have a home in Missouri on a 500 acre private lake and a home in panama city'Fla where I love to take my grandkid's jet sking and deep sea fishing.my home no.is618-345-0250 and Fla.850-871-5795.I'm heading for Fla around Mar.1st.should have been there already but couldn't and get away from this cold.will add more to this one day as there is more to this story.I'd like to say hello to all my racing friends and[If any]fans,racing was part of my life and it was good to me.makes my day to see my name come up once in awhile and appreciate it very much.EVERYONE HAVE A NICE DAY.THE OLD HAS BEEN, ken kitson

[T2x]

Hey Kenny:

Thanks for the memories.................

T2x

[helmetguru]

how cool is that to have kenny kitson post on here!