Plaisant to read all stories ..... Awesome pics.... Go again.... Thank's for sharing.. JP Love
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Plaisant to read all stories ..... Awesome pics.... Go again.... Thank's for sharing.. JP Love
Kid - Actually, I very much appreciate it. Well done.
By the way, I thought the world of your Dad.
Thank You - Steve Sirois
Attachment 262660
Steve, Thanks for the kind words about our Dad.
Now I would like to add some comments regarding the past at Lake X.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> Offshore building:
I do not think I would be remiss to accurately surmise that the foundation for the Offshore building reflects historically the (late 60s, early 70s) evolving transition to increase transom power. Accommodating the industry advent to larger/longer offshore boats and heavier pleasure boats.
Motel:
This is the sleeping residence of visiting executives and dignitaries. I was informed that Mr. K stayed in room #1, when on the property. Albeit even during the 1960s Freddy Kiekhaefer spent many nights there too. One hurricane day around 1963 our family spent a night in the motel, due to safety reasons. That stormy evening the agitated lake's white-caps were splashing up onto the concrete patio deck, which was an amazing sight for youthful eyes. :)
Olegator,
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Hey, Jim,
I have to disagree. You are a dignitary to anyone who knows you. Haven't seen you since Smith's Bend, but I am sure Daphne wouldn't have hopped in the boat with anything less than a dignitary:). You are one of the nicest guys I have ever met, and all the Melon Bellies think the world of you. Hope you are doing well.
Attachment 270322
Roy A. Ridgell
James F. Lueck &
William E. Marshall receive 10 year employment award at Mercury Lake X.
Ted Collins
The first time I was there was around 1959. I remember the building called the Wood Shop. We weren't allowed in there. Someone told me Entrops hydro was in there. What ever happened to that building? I also remember the boat burn pile..What a sad sight to see..
The red arrow is showing the old wood shop......Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Thanks John,
It looks like something was built in front of the original one.It wasn't that big when I first was there..progress, you can't stop it..
Can someone inform me as to the names of the other gentlemen,
on each side of Mr. K.
Albeit Roy Ridgell took this party fishing, being he's an unofficial fishing guide for Lake X dignitaries. They probably went fishing on the pontoon boat in the background, given their age and leisure style.
Roy taught all his four kids how to fish on Lake X, and the surrounding ponds on the property's dirt road.
Attachment 270398
You can tell the new part from the old by the rust LOL....
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilabner
My office was at the end of this building. I was the last man still standing on this end of Lake XQuote:
Originally Posted by Lake X Kid
Butch - If you move from the wood shop toward the lake, you will see a narrow grey strip. That was the parts room. Continuing to move toward the lake, the last section was the "Vault". That was where one each of Kiekhaefer's engines were stored in crates. When the Offshore building was built, we uncrated them and placed them in the "Museum/Meeting" room on the second floor. - Steve SiroisQuote:
Originally Posted by lilabner
Hi John - Good to see you on here. Gotta go now, but hope to be on later or tomorrow. - Steve
That is one of the Ted Jones Cats that we ran on endurance. It was a sweet ride. I will repeat a story about it soon. - SteveQuote:
Originally Posted by Lake X Kid
The Jones Cats were really sweet. One of them was the Pace Boat for the Six Hour race at the Lake. It was all I could do to keep up with in in my Raveau, and I was near the front at the start. I remember Bill riding on the deck of George Thompsons in a couple races..Glad he wasn't on this one..
John - Say Hi to Jack McDougall for me - SteveQuote:
Originally Posted by J. Sherlock
I will say Hi for you. We have a ride coming up, https://www.facebook.com/events/427756737295392/Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Attachment 270740The first time i ever raced in Europe was the 1969 French international powerboat race i think the place was Rabadanze it was in the French countryside seemed miles from any town. We had many drivers over from the UK for this race and good support from French and German drivers all of the entries had to be V hulls most were Mercury SBP powered.This was the first time i met Roy Ridgell`i can remember just before the race the 5 minute gun went off and everyone jumped in their boats and drove off except me` my engine didnt fire it was gassed up i tried it in neutral and it still didnt start i new Roy was not very far away so i gave him a shout he jumped in the boat dragged the covers off and shouted try it now and away we went`i just made the start line.Well we got a good result and managed to win the race`we celebrated that night and we all enjoyed Roys company told us many stories about back at Lake X.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lake X Kid
See that trophy you are holding Steve-----It sits on the top shelf in my garage collecting dust and has done for the last 40 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by STEVERINO
Collie Coulson won it in 1970 and i won it in '71----As far as i know--They never ran that race again.
Enjoyed the story, it's vintage Roy Ridgell. :thumbsup: He was good at that kind of stuff. Some kind of a mayday would pop up and out of nowhere he'd throw a fix at it that almost always worked!Quote:
Originally Posted by STEVERINO
My first trip to Lake X was to work on the leaking BP lower units. I walked into the shop that morning and almost immediately heard a voice say something like "Mercy Lord, I hope this isn't supposed to be the savior for our lower unit problems". I looked around and saw this slender guy with a big ass-smile on his face. His jeans were a tad short and he was wearing penny loafers with white socks. Turned out to be a Roy Ridgell trademark, he was always easy to pick out of a crowd. He walked over and introduced himself. He took me around to get familar with the place and set up a work area. He introduced me to all in the area and even coached me about the whens and whats for lunch. I liked him right off the bat, enjoyed working (and playing :cheers:) with him over the years and always considered him my friend.
Here is a shot of Roy looking at the camera while talking with Dr. Ted Morgan at Havasu in 1971. You can't see what he is wearing, but I'll guarantee he is as described above .... jeans a tad short, white socks and penny loafers. :cool:
Hey William---you forgot the matchstick !!!!!!!!!! musta been a bloody hard stick---he chewed on it all the years i knew him, he could roll it from one side of his mouth to the other without ever touching it. He was also 100 years old when he was conceived ----even today i 'ain't got the wrinkles he had,Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
That sure sounds like the Roy I knew---Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
http://i48.tinypic.com/28lfjhu.jpg
Red Bird, that picture is absolutely perfect! :thumbsup: They say a picture is worth a thousand words and that picture certainly proves that statement is true. There he is, co-driving Jan Schoonover's Dutchman Wing at Parker. He's not a spectator just walking the beach, he's driving the damn boat and still wears the trademark outfit! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM
did people not have shorts back then????????????????
"His jeans were a tad short and he was wearing penny loafers with white socks."
Mr. Willabe - you are correct on all accounts except the pants. Dad did not wear jeans nor did he allow us to wear jeans. He told our mom, that jeans were all they could afford when he was growing up and no boy of his was wearing jeans. I think Dad associated jeans with being poor. I didn't get my first pair of jeans till I joined the Navy.
As for the "shorts" comment, if Dad wasn't skiing or swimming, he was in long pants.
Thank you all for the great stories and photos, miss him all the time. Life at Lake X was great but I would have to say, best years with dad were in Italy, I used to love working on the Twister I and II with him. It sure beat him traveling back and forth between Europe and Florida.
Remember you all lived in that massive great house next to the factory in Torriggia with a huge great balcony that jutted out into lake Como.
Roy and the kids and your mum who used to have gallons of coca cola shipped in with the parts truck.
Remember brother Bobby being over there---but i don't know in what capacity he was there.
Wyrabeck [Becky] lived in an apartment on the other side of the road.
We used to go to JOHN'S for breakfast-----i had to show him how to do eggs "over easy", after a coupla weeks he managed to get the hang of it.
My kids used to think it was utopia playing with real live american kids who talked "funny" and had gum and coke !!!!!
Wasn't all harmony though, remember my middle daughter aged about 10 getting into a rumble with one of Bobby's boys and Angelo grabbing them both and shaking them down in his best Italian/English.
[QUOTE=GrewuponLakeX;2424208]"His jeans were a tad short and he was wearing penny loafers with white socks."
As for the "shorts" comment, if Dad wasn't skiing or swimming, he was in long pants.
Grewupon - I just spent the last hour searching my computer for a photo of you Dad and Jim Harkins leaning against a pickup truck. I might even have posted it somewhere on this thread....Bottom line...Your dad was wearing shorts :) - Steve Sirois
[QUOTE=jackie wilson;2424266]
Remember brother Bobby being over there---but i don't know in what capacity he was there.
And here they just a FEW years later
Bobby & Jackie
http://i45.tinypic.com/qpkt1u.jpg
Kid & Grewup - Not only was your Dad a great person, engine expert, outstanding racer, and many other things, he was also a great instructor. I took these photos in Curtis Johnson's shop two or three years ago. As you can see in one photo, the other is prominently posted on the wall next to his Master Mechanic plaque. Curtis was very proud to have been trained by your Dad. Unfortunately, Curtis passed away last year.
- Steve Sirois
http://i48.tinypic.com/1589jbs.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2nu7ul0.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by GENE LANHAM
Speaking of Roy here is an link to an interesting artical with picture of Roy - http://www.powerboatarchive.co.uk/Ma...oat%20base.pdf
In the first picture----looking very dapper in his yellow Merc jacket is "WILLABEE"Quote:
Originally Posted by Old fiberglass
Outside on the lake is Carlo Bodiga [Mr. Black and Decker we always called him] always had the best boat and engine but would always bottle out in a tight corner.
Great archive material. !!!!!!
Pictures aren't that sharp but folks can get the idea. Even saw Jackies name in the there...Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/...psaa8c69a7.jpg
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/...psb2b1b9a5.jpg
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0fb8fa79.jpg
Looks like the boat at the bottom is waiting for two more motors to be installed.
Mark N
The Torriggia factory was originally the home of the Torriggia tunnel boats made by Jeremiah Cetti-----I bought a 16' V bottom------a 15' Tunnel and the 18' 1964 Paris boat. Put the Big cat on the roof of our Commer Campervan and Jeremiah welded supports on to the trailer, then piggy backed the other two boats. This was January and thick snow from Sussex to Como and all points in between. Nightmare journey , but no damage to anything. That was the very first tunnel hull to come to the UK.
John Merryfield had raced a Powles power cat with a pair of 35hp mercs in the boatbuilders trials earlier on in 1964 ?????? i think.
This is where the archive material the RYA in it's wisdom chucked on the bonfire would have come in handy.
Unless I've got this totally screwed up, that article is 1971 and the boat you are referring to is one that Renato had built for himself to run in special events as a dual or triple. It was being rigged to run in Paris as a single!Quote:
Originally Posted by MN4V
There's a little more info about it and the race on Hot Singles, page 7.
There was a wonderful race in Italy called 'THE RIVER PO RACE'-----you run what you brung.rules were simple-----there weren't any --no biting,spitting or gauging, if it floats-------you could run. The Italians and Swiss used to bring the most exotic machinery in the world to take part.Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
Renato used to run some very strange equipment indeed in this event, am pretty sure willabee would have been involved somewhere along the line.
Doesn't ring any bells at all, don't even remeber hearing the name. :nonod:Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
That's the race that Offshore builder Fabio Buzzi competed in annually. He ran a bunch of different hulls including a few inboard hydros. I believe Fabio holds the record.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
Find it hard to believe that you did not help Renato sort out one of his legendary raceboats.Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
After the 1970 Berlin race i hotfooted it down to Como and put the hydro that he had run in the river po race----strapped it on the top of the Ford station i had at the time with the idea of running up at Windermere , but sadly ran out of time, Mercury even sent one of their hot engines for the attempt.
The average speed for this event is over 100 mph and has been for many years.