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View Full Version : Jim Pollard - Gene Flynt - Gordon Cooper - Tunnel Boat Racing in Texas 60's & 70's


jedward
02-17-2016, 04:49 PM
My name is James Flynt.

My father, Gene Flynt, and grandfather, Jim Pollard and his brother Bill Pollard of Bacliff, Texas, used to race tunnel boats in the late 60's and early 70's.

I've been searching and searching for articles, pictures, programs, and anything else I can find.

My grandfather worked on and built boats in Bacliff, and my uncle Bill Pollard owned Competition Marine in League City.

They used to race with several astronauts back in the day, including Gordon Cooper, and my grandfather built one of Cooper's boats (boat #145).

Does anyone have any old stuff from those races or remember any of my family from those days?

I can be reached at jeflynt @ yahoo . com

Thanks!
FUJIMO
02-17-2016, 05:25 PM
http://www.hydrodyners.com/forum/data/attachments/3/3164-b99440e4dfe9791558f0be8c8794d4af.jpgGus Grissom & Gordon Cooper
FUJIMO
02-17-2016, 05:27 PM
http://www.hydrodyners.com/forum/data/attachments/3/3165-1df87c151b80193fdc5bd7a3bbe9cec4.jpg
jedward
02-17-2016, 05:39 PM
Thank you!!


http://www.hydrodyners.com/forum/data/attachments/3/3164-b99440e4dfe9791558f0be8c8794d4af.jpgGus Grissom & Gordon Cooper
SCT
02-17-2016, 07:55 PM
Not to be ignorant but why two steering wheels? Was it a demo type boat?
Bob V
02-17-2016, 08:48 PM
Not to be ignorant but why two steering wheels? Was it a demo type boat?

My guess would be that if one of the drivers got thrown out, the other still has control. Gordon Cooper & Gus Grissom = astronauts = REDUNDANCY....
2us70
02-18-2016, 11:39 AM
When FS class was started an Evinrude dealer in South Miami by the name of Ed Mead rigged a Hydrostream with dual controls. He named it " Drivers Ed". Tommy Chandler wound up with that boat without the second set of controls.
Powercat
02-22-2016, 12:31 PM
For many of the longer marathon races dual controls allowed either driver to take over with out getting up to change positions. I know that was
the reasoning behind this set-up for the Mississippi River race when my dad ran.
GENE LANHAM
02-22-2016, 04:41 PM
http://www.hydrodyners.com/forum/data/attachments/3/3164-b99440e4dfe9791558f0be8c8794d4af.jpgGus Grissom & Gordon Cooper

Gus and Gordon were both pilots!!

Nearly every airplane I have flown has dual controls

Gus and Gordon---Rest In Peace--