Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

Amazing how many " blast from the past"racers turn up on scream and fly, Alex De Boom and his dad Arie drove most of the big races in Europe together, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam and Chasewater etc, he also had a drop dead gorgeous sister that every race driver the world over tried to date.
Carlo Rasini's minder was "Gigi" a gentle giant that brooked no nonsense, his friend was "Levio", the guy in charge of loading the cranes at all major races-------he had a whistle that he just blew on to hear the noise, again you would want him on your side in a bundle.
Boat racing has always been full of "Characters"--------paupers and millionaires-----celebs and royalty-----dukes and duchesses------shopkeepers and villains , I've met folk from all walks of life with one common denominator,"BOAT RACING".
Met some great ladies who were boat racers, Fiona, countess of Arron, Molly Ballou, Pat Ainge, Fiona Brothers, Shelley Jorie, and many more who's names I forget at the minute.

It chucked it down all day so I had no choice but stay in the shop, made a couple of oak straight six Mercs with pipes and gear cases for the walnut wing-----am doing the tie bar for the motors and a flip up canopy plus fuel tank fillers, it's looking the "Bizz" at the moment, cut out a four by three solid oak mount, it sits nicely, but is far too heavy to export------it would be an arm and a leg to FedEx . Busy day tomorrow, but see if I can post a progress piccy.


Turns out the lad who is in hospital and still "Critical" is the fifteen year old grandson of the boat owner. Marine Accident Investigation have been called in, it's going to be a million pound claim so you know the insurance company will be wriggling like a slippery eel on this one.

Not a lot of "Tricks" today-----see what tomorrow brings, sleep tight peeps !MYGGWY.J.

One lady racer I forgot was Kay Marshall from Australia, she ran the Fonda series for a number of years!
Friday again and June is just around the corner, the forecast is for sunshine and showers, summer needs to get a wriggle on anytime soon and drive the wind and rain back where it belongs.
Need to buy a new awning for the back patio, a five by two metre should suffice, the old one I had repaired with duct tape, leaked like a sieve and was four years old, cost $29.99, so it doesn't owe us anything!
Got a guy coming to give me a hand for a couple of hours on Saturday morning to help put the lid on the lean to, Jilly insists I don't get up on the steps reaching to nail it down, that's all very well but he's on $17:50 an hour which is a damn sight more than I make doing "Concepts"-------told you before, next time around I'm coming back as a Vet, dentist, lawyer or a pufter sportsman.!
Still have to finish "KARCHERING" the pool area, it's all a bit grotty after a damp old winter.
Have to tackle the wood pile sometime this weekend, dislike having it just dumped on the drive for longer than is absolutely necessary .
I think Gary told me there was a race this weekend in Cocoa Beach, they never went to Sarasota , sounds political to me-----bloody politics ruin everything!

Me done for this morning, if any of you out there got ramblings you want to share, do feel free to put 'em here-----you'll feel better anyway, so give it a try.! J.

I'm yet to meet Kay but I know she has popped up at some events in Malaysia ( 2 groups trying to be the owner of racing up there so I hear??)
Once I have an event in Singapore. I'll be sure to chase her up

Is Anthony Tan still around ? Bugger still owes me for a Rolla three blade from '85, was $500 back in the day------with eastern interest rates ? 30 years compounded interest on 500 =, an awful lot!,bloody nose, black-eye or a straight swop for a beach house, whadya think Pilgrim?

Sounds about right, maybe just a one bed apartment in Singapore, thats a million Sing these days, well it was 6 months ago
Tell me some more and I will find him?

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Originally Posted by powerabout

Sounds about right, maybe just a one bed apartment in Singapore, thats a million Sing these days, well it was 6 months ago
Tell me some more and I will find him?

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Think he he could have had something to do with the Malaysian or Asian powerboat association out of Penang, Fonda raced there a few times, we were always treated well, the rescue team was made up of naval divers and worked well with our own OSPREY team.

I used to go on ahead and try to drum up sponsors, you could always do a deal with the shopkeepers out of " Change Alley" Abbas always sponsored Mark we couldn't get any more names on the boats top sides so I sold him the underside in exchange for monkey suits and blazers for the whole crew!

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As promised, in progress shots of the walnut wing with oak decking and motors, only got time to do one motor with pipes and the tie bar, just roughs of the cockpit covers, some nice wood in there good figuring on deck and motors, will try and finish it next week.
Got a guy to help me construct the lean to, coming at seven AM Saturday morning for two hours, should have it done and dusted by then.
finished KARCHERING the pool area and garden paths, Jeeze but that does make my back and arse ache, still the pools up and running, down side is its bloody cold (50f) , still when it's that cold it don't swallow the chlorine so fast!
Wonder if Donmac has started to get his place ready for INVATION .
Saw somewhere on this site that "Benny" Benson has just put a lid on Nick Springates Barbie, stayed up there with Nick in Port Moody B. C. A couple of years ago when they had an old farts meeting. Benny would fit right in with with our own old farts, plus he's not bad at remembering back in the day.
Right now my limbs need big ZEEZZZZZZZZZZS--sleep tight and MYGGWY.J.

Attachment 319880That's where the lean to's going, show you lunch time how we progressed.

An older person, trying to show a younger person he can do just as much achieves absolutely nothing except aching bones and a back that not even a London bus can straighten, my for free advice is---do not go Down that road. I may need two hours kip this afternoon.

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

An older person, trying to show a younger person he can do just as much achieves absolutely nothing except aching bones and a back that not even a London bus can straighten, my for free advice is---do not go Down that road. I may need two hours kip this afternoon.

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Blimey Jackie, I suppose a guided trip around the red light district of your parish is right out the question then!

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Jilly and me in full regalia, make the most of it, this does not often happen !

Attended a charity function next door, about 100 guests turned up, full dress uniform, no exceptions, raised over £2,000.
Steve does a better than average "Elvis" impersonation, not a bad evening.

Got the lean to up and running, took a while longer than anticipated,,post a piccy tomorrow.
https://www.facebook.com/electricmar...06622517780664 a charity

Should finish the lean to this morning, nice bright, sunshiny day
Pool reminds me of Anchorage, it's already got a shed load of crud in in it, but with a temperature of 14 C I'm not really bursting with the cleaning enthusiasm!
Oh well, another day, another dollar as they say.

Does anyone else out there have a wife or girl friend , partner or whatever that can come up with, " ?sayings"! She asks you to do a job, you do the task in good faith, then she comes up with the saying ,,, AND WHILE YOUR AT IT----- ?? I am not at it, I was doing a one off favour, but there is no way out of this, her who shall be obeyed has spoken ! It is now carved in stone.

Everyone's gone to the moon ?

Nice easy quiet sort of day, her indoors wanted a nice climbing frame for her prize sweet peas about three metres long and two high, made it on the drive outside the shop, far too big to construct in the workshop, this was the "While your at it" thing she wanted doing KODAK on charge so no piccies.
put shelving and hooks in the lean to, and a big wide potting shelf , have seven 74litre bags of compost to shift but my body is telling me "Don't do it boy"
Had the vacuum pump running all day, got a see through sparkling pool, free from flotsam and bugs but nobody in their right mind and a wetsuit with an honorary degree in Massochism would consider taking a dip.

See what tomorrow throws at me, have a good nights rest, MYGGWY.J.

Monday, Monday, it's here again, before you know it Thursday will be on us and June is bustin out all over, still, isn't it great that every day is different, new seasons, new challenges, "God gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell "-----an iPad with some buttons, and an index finger as well, !
Not bad for Monday morning, (if you think you can do better, let's hear from you!
Had me a swift cursory glance at the racing in Cocoa Beach, it looked a tad bumpy, Geico was laying second after three laps the the transmission (as in broadcast) died! Will talk to Gary later in the week, thought the jockeys made a right pigs ear of the beach turn?
Feel free to comment.

Looks black as Newgate's Knocker out there, finish off my "cuppa" then put the rear in gear..