Obviously that was not you speed attempting to get to the race :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
I'll go back to sleep now.
Printable View
Obviously that was not you speed attempting to get to the race :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
I'll go back to sleep now.
Funnily enough Stavros you hit the nail on the head !!!!!! 'twas me again that failed in the attempt to get the boat to the line in time.BUT THERE WERE ----'MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES' INVOLVED YET AGAIN.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Flew out of Berlin Monday and got back to Sussex late afternoon, drove the1200 miles to Como arriving late tuesday evening. Put the hydro on top of the station wagon, [which had a 2 litre BDF 200+ hp engine stitched in front-----120+on a good day ,downhill, with a tail wind].
Left Wednesday midday----like all things boating, nothing ever went as fast as you wanted it to. 1300 miles to Poole to SWMF where Dennis Stacey and Ron Masterman installed the motor. It's now 21-00 hrs Thursday and 350 miles to Windermere and i have not put my head down since Sunday--------for the first time in my life i felt "TIRED", something i never did. So i slept for 6 hours and took off for Windermere at 3 am. Got as far as Nottingham when i was stopped by a policecar-----it was raining datsun cogs and this copper stuck his face in the window and yelled YOU JACKIE WILSON????? i said COURSE I AM !!!!!! he then uttered those unforgettable words i shall remember for the rest of my life---------------------You can turn round and go home-------WINDERMERE'S BEEN CALLED OFF DUE TO STORMS !!!!!!!!
Don't remember ever feeling more miserable in my life------------all that effort by so many people pulling together to get a result and it all turned to worms.
Renato lending me the rig-------Mercury providing the motor-------SWMF for dropping everything to get the rig prepared------doubt if it could happen again !!!!!!
Anyway there you have it "THE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES"
Well MY Funny Talking Friend, once again you have given me the best laugh I have had in a few days. Seems like "Mitigating Circumstances" have a way of popping into the hum drum of life more often for some than others. :cool: - Old Seeroy
When I wrote this, I meant your story was hilarious. How the heck did that cop get sent out to find you? And then, how did he find you? I'm trying to visualize him standing there with water pouring off of his hat? All the time you thinking, "What the hell did I do know, when the lights came on behind you.
great story Jackie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
That house was the best, having lived in a company trailer for the first twelve years of my life, it was a castle. My little sister and I accompanied our parents to Italy in March of ’71. Dad could not get me into the American Community School of Milan or some boy’s boarding school in Switzerland, so I was sent back to St. Cloud to finish the seventh grade. I remember when mom came back to get all of us in June after school ended, she told us about you and your family staying with them. Terri Ann picked up you alls accent, and I remember eating these tins of meat and potatoes from England. Thanks for tapping my memories.
This reminds me of Mr K having the Florida Turnpike tool booth officer turn the Lake X guys back from a race in S Florida because he got pissed at the race director. Don't know if its a true story, but from the little contact I had with him, I don't doubt it.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Charlie - That sounds vaguely familiar and certainly within the realm of possibility. - Steve
don't remember it being in '71 but I did witness Renato building a boat to handle triples for Roger Hanks -The owner of The Blonde Offshore Racing Team. To test it, they rigged it with two engines and Mr. Rassini ran it in the River Po Race. Dad had some pictures of the start and he loved showing them off. All the boats puttered around about 200 yards from the starting line. You could tell in the pictures when the gun went off because all the hydros' rooster tails fly up. Mr. Rassini was behind all of them by the time they crossed the starting line, Mr. Rassini was in front. Unfortunately the Po river dumps into the Adriatic Sea just south of Venice. The water rough up that Mr. Rassini flipped. He was ok and Renato was very happy that his boat did so well.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
I am going to look for those pictures - hopefully mom got them.
Hey Willa the infallible ??? Seems KINDA weird don't you think, that it takes Ridgells boy to tell us that the boat you are standing in front of, that you knew was for two or maybe 3 motors and was actually run in the River Po race by Carlo Rassini----------------and YOU DON'T REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by GrewuponLakeX
Jesus wept------there's hope for the Democrats yet--------McDonalds may stop putting dill pickle and iceberg lettuce in a Big Mac-----and french fries will be called freedom fries for real one day----------and eating with just a fork could be banned world wide---- V8 engines outlawed--------Starbucks paying taxes-------and the NFL changed to FIFA---------these are MINOR encumbrances of piddling importance compared to the devastating news that his right royal majesty "WILLABEE" the great,----- did not know about the RIVER PO RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ho, Ho HO, and a bottle of rum------thank you willa----thank you-------for not being INFALLIBLE --------as Sinatra said to the mike----YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG------YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE SPRING HAS SPRUNG ETC: ETC: ETC: Have a great day Y'all.
I can remember this race well i was now driving with Bill Shakepeares team running OMC power and for this race he built and entered 2 19ft cats`he did this because we ran 2 15ft shakespeare cats the year before and they couldn`t handle the rough conditions and we had Pruitt over telling jokes and looking these large cats over and he said he had the same idea and had entered a very large Molinari cat we looked it over must have been 20ft but that was the year they held the barge traffic back`another thing i remember this was the race that Georgio Molinari ran that special small displacment engine based on 1000SBP with silo i believe someone said Roy Ridgell had built it.I do think this would be the same engine Jackie used at Windemere on his 16ft sprint Molinari?Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
Stop the music, spring has not sprung yet! :nonod:Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie wilson
I still don't recall anthing about the River Po race, but I can tell you that the boat in the picture is not the Rodger Hanks boat. The boat that Grewupon is talking about is a completely different animal. It was much bigger than the one in the photo, about 27' I think. Renato tried to run in in an offshore race, but it wasn't enough boat for big water. I believe Garbrecht was involved in that project and I think he was also behind having it brought to Hi Performance in Oshkosh to have it converted into a KT for Hanks. Turned out it was too big to be competitive in KT so it became a big flower pot somewhere in Texas.
Now lets crank that sterio (think Sonny & Cher) :cool: .....
They say I'm old and I don't know
What happened back then is comin' to me slow .....
da, Da, DA
But I got you Babe :D
Attachment 271182
<!>
As a youth in the 1960s, I was summoned over to the Lake X shop. The family skipper told me to commence washing boat# B-300. This was not something I relished, but performed my duty as required. I did enjoy identifying with the camaraderie of the other drivers & mechanics, in the shop, setting-up their raceboats.
If memory serves me right, Dad race this boat at the Miami Marine Stadium.
Attachment 271184
1967 Mercury Ad of firsts...
100 HP production engine = 100 mph.
Ah yes, the #1 boat, 21' Ted Jones Cat. You would not believe how many hours I had in that boat going round, and round, and round ad infinitum. But it was a sweet ride :-). - Steve Sirois
:iagree: Don't know about Jackie running the 1000 Silo, but you have all the rest correct. We put a C6 on the tail of the big boat thinking it just might get the job done in that rough water. Even with the holding of the barge traffic, that rig still could have finished in the top three or five if some rookie hadn't ground the coil mounting bracket so thin that it broke and fell from the ignition panel, promptly shutting the engine down! Oh well, that's another story. :oQuote:
Originally Posted by STEVERINO
That was the race where "Shakey" copped his clogs-------I was 10 meters to his right and his boat looked to be in good shape --------it simply just went under------no flip----no big drama----one minute it was there---the next gone---just like that !!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by willabee
He was not found until many years later.
My heart just was not on that race----yes i did have a great engine "twas a 1000 BP for all i knew----but it could outrun the 1250's
Garbrecht took the boat and the motor back to the states and i never raced for Mercury again.
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]
Mr. Sirois,
I can't believe you have ruined my childhood with the above quote. Didn't you know that 'history' is nothing more then "His Story" and now you have rained on my parade. My wife tells me, I have selective memory. I sit corrected concerning my dad and his shorts. I wonder what else I need to be corrected on.......
Oh Mr. Willabee is correct the boat built for Mr Hanks was not in the picture because in 1971 my older brother (LakeX Kid) was helping my dad - no room for twelve year old second son. But after Steven goes back to the good ol' USA in early '72. To fill the void Older sister and I get to help. My sister was taught how to rebuild speedmaster lower units and I enjoyed rebuilding C2s. Renato even allowed me to watch his two carpenter build the boats. Fun Times Had By All.....
Grewup - Well that's twice this week I have had a good belly laugh. Believe it or not, the other one was from the amazing Jackie Wilson. I realize that you and I might get a lot of flak over this...but, I have to put you up on the throne with Jackie..at least for now. :rolleyes::D:rolleyes: - Steve Sirois
By the way, I'm still looking for that picture.
Mr. Sirois,Quote:
Originally Posted by GrewuponLakeX
I can't believe you have ruined my childhood with the above quote. Didn't you know that 'history' is nothing more then "His Story" and now you have rained on my parade. My wife tells me, I have selective memory. I sit corrected concerning my dad and his shorts. I wonder what else I need to be corrected on.......
Oh Mr. Willabee is correct the boat built for Mr Hanks was not in the picture because in 1971 my older brother (LakeX Kid) was helping my dad - no room for twelve year old second son. But after Steven goes back to the good ol' USA in early '72. To fill the void Older sister and I get to help. My sister was taught how to rebuild speedmaster lower units and I enjoyed rebuilding C2s. Renato even allowed me to watch his two carpenter build the boats. Fun Times Had By All.....[/QUOTE]
Hey "GREW UP KID"---l will tell you one thing you may not realise--------Your dad ----ROY RIDGELL--- was the greatest ambassador that Mercury ever employed.
The whole world of boating loved and admired him and were very happy to call him a friend. I mean every country he ever visited , he was given a welcome fit for the MD of ANY company, let alone Mercury. I knew him for over 25 years as a friend, mechanic, mediator,---he was the only person in the world that could work with Renato----------Nobody ever lasted long with Renato-----not even 40 years later has there ever been anyone that close to him. Just be proud you had a great guy for a father.
Hey "GREW UP KID"---l will tell you one thing you may not realise--------Your dad ----ROY RIDGELL--- was the greatest ambassador that Mercury ever employed.
The whole world of boating loved and admired him and were very happy to call him a friend. I mean every country he ever visited , he was given a welcome fit for the MD of ANY company, let alone Mercury. I knew him for over 25 years as a friend, mechanic, mediator,---he was the only person in the world that could work with Renato----------Nobody ever lasted long with Renato-----not even 40 years later has there ever been anyone that close to him. Just be proud you had a great guy for a father.[/QUOTE]
Mr. Wilson,
First let me apologize for taking so long to reply. Thank you for the kind words concerning my dad.http://www.screamandfly.com/images/icons/icon7.png He was my hero, because of him and his love for Mercury, I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He got my brother two different jobs with two different dealerships. All for naught. When I asked for help, he told me the marine business was too cyclic, try something else. I joined the navy just to figure out what I wanted to do (Dad had been in the Navy - 51 to 53). Only I made a career out of it. When we would talk, I told dad that I would have my 20 in the navy in 1997 and he would be 65. We would both retire and I would open a Mercury Dealership and he would be my Master Mercury Man. God had different plans. Still missing him after all these years.
Thank you again.
Mr. Wilson,Quote:
Originally Posted by GrewuponLakeX
First let me apologize for taking so long to reply. Thank you for the kind words concerning my dad.http://www.screamandfly.com/images/icons/icon7.png He was my hero, because of him and his love for Mercury, I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He got my brother two different jobs with two different dealerships. All for naught. When I asked for help, he told me the marine business was too cyclic, try something else. I joined the navy just to figure out what I wanted to do (Dad had been in the Navy - 51 to 53). Only I made a career out of it. When we would talk, I told dad that I would have my 20 in the navy in 1997 and he would be 65. We would both retire and I would open a Mercury Dealership and he would be my Master Mercury Man. God had different plans. Still missing him after all these years.
Thank you again.[/QUOTE]
I would be very happy for you to call me Jackie. I have only been "MR. To people I didn't like and the taxman (IRS) to you.
What a wise old sage Roy turned out to be, he was absolutely bang on the button when he told you to join the navy and forget the marine business-----who's motto is---if you want to make a million, start of with two!!!!!!!
Hope one day my kids will miss me as much as you miss your dad, by the way WHICH KID ARE YOU? And does your mum still drink a gallon of coke-a-cola a day? She used to have it crated over to Como in the Mercury parts truck.
Jackie,
If Dad was still alive, I would have to have a 'Mr.' in front of 'Jackie', he always said you may be older but your never to old to be corrected.
Of Roy and Ann's, I am number 3 of 4 children, 2 of 2 male side. Even though I am second son always considered myself the best looking:icon_bs:. Racing season 1971, My brother Steven traveled the circuit with Dad. I only got to go to races that were during the summer. When you and yours stayed with mom and dad in the spring of 71, there was only my little sister and my cousin, Biff. Biff is my Uncle Bobby's oldest. (Like me Uncle Bobby was number 3 and second son - we have a lot in common).
As for mom, it's a gallon of diet :iagree: coke-a-cola.
Hope all is well in Southern France.
Left the south of France 18 months ago and came back to the south of England to live out the rest of my life.Quote:
Originally Posted by GrewuponLakeX
Well remember one of my girls getting onto a bundle with Biff, and blood and snot flying, but they made it up and enjoyed the time in Como.
Say hi to mom and wish her all the best from me. "Mister Jackie".
one bankrupt country with good food to a bankrupt country with bad food and bad weather...
Must be the beer
cheers
you got that arse about face,backwards and upside down.Quote:
Originally Posted by powerabout
how long is it since you ate in France or the UK ?
What once was, is no longer!!!!!!
you have to admit, we were very good at making the colonials self sufficient, ie, Singapore and Hong Kong.
any food you got in Malasia, I guarantee we have in the UK.
Bad weather? ----- we don't have monsoons every day and mossies the size of crows.
If we weren't so busy looking after everyone else instead of minding our own business, we may make it.
whilst 'TIGER ' ain't a bad beer, it can't hold a candle to TETLEYS. Cheers also.
Hi Jackie
I sure dont miss the fly's from down under and I love the non dom tax regime in the UK
I see in the news the Health Minister has finally said that the NHS, the International Health Service is to be renamed the National Health Service
its a start.
Cheers
(10 years in London myself)
so come clean "powerabout" who are you really ?
Trying to think of an AUSSIE who had a bit of the knowledge.
There weren't many !!!!!!!!
Did The Aussie bit around the time of Warby ( mad as a coot}.
Knew a lot of the drivers and crews.
Paul Jorgenson had a newspaper in Surfers'
Kay Marshall did the FONDA series a couple of times
Craig Bailey, Won a fonda race in Chalon Sur Saone .
Kevin West was the gofor for every OZ team there ever was, {great little ****}
Will take a lot more than a name change to get the NHS back on track, A good start would be to fire all the admin who milk the system dry and put their salaries into R&D and medicine, nobody listens though.
I'm from Melbourne
They are all from up north
My ex business partner ran Jorgensens marina for a while way back
Scribed!
Steve, I think this is navigator Ray Dowling who is also co-piloting with driver Roy Ridgell. To much sunlight for Roy would turn his face dark red, so eventually he started wearing the Noxzema cream as sun-block. I would have to think Ray too was fair skin and applied the cream for protection.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
I know my Mom used the cream at night, so I have to assume that this is where Dad's solution for sun protection came from. When you see 1960's photos or videos of the White Face Noxzema boys then, now you know who they are. I hope I am correct in that this is Ray Dowling with Roy Ridgell, if not please correct my recollection.
Also looking at the perpendicular splash distance from the boat's hull, in the photo, this does not seem to be a joy ride.
Attachment 288040
Upon blow up, the small wording next to vent says "Formula". I am not familiar with that particular boat nor the race. In those days we ran in a lot of very rough water. At that age, we thought we were bullet proof and invisible. It is not inconceivable that this is a European race. They look like clowns with the white faces. Definitely looks like your Dad driving. Quite possible that it is Ray Dowling riding. Ray was a great guy and a bit plump. Before he came to Lake X he was a prison guard. Once, while chasing escaped prisoners, they managed to turn the tables on him. Prisoners caught Ray, beat the crap out of him and left him tied to a tree in the woods. Best Regards - Steve Sirois
Wow. Page 83/83 and thirsty for more! Happy New Year to all and thank you all for an unimaginably clear window on not only Lake X but powerboat racing, racers and their families. Reading these posts puts one right in the cockpit, and having it written by the folks that were there and made it happen...couldn't ask for better. So thanks for what's been written and hopefully all that still will be, it's been a gas watching y'all crazy b*stards "Scream and Fly!"
Dig the Lake X pics & stories. Thanks!
It's too bad about the shuttered up facilities round here. But they had alibis. The one in Placida got nailed purty good by Hurricane Charley in '04 & was basically abandoned.
Re Siesta Key: When the pass closes in front of you it's time to relocate ...
All is not lost however. Merc testing remains to this day on Manasota Key. But it ain't nearly as exciting. Yeah they lay a buncha cowls'n gearcases'n such out in the elements & watch em for signs of rot. (WooHoo!)
Did spy this pair hidden at Stump Pass Marina not too long ago. Note the rather ominous instructions on the motors ...
Kinda like that shock mounted seat in the one?
Attachment 292501Attachment 292502Attachment 292503
Roy Ridgell on 1963 brochure cover.
Attachment 294311Attachment 294312Attachment 294313
I am impressed with all the gauges behind Mr. Bakos. How often can a boat racer look at all the individual dial readings, while concentrating on racing and jumping waves?
I took these screenshot images from the Vimeo video:
1968 Bahama 500 Classic Offshore Race featuring Mercury ...
you just orientate them so when they all point up things are normal, then your eye can see a needle not pointing in the right directionQuote:
Originally Posted by Lake X Kid
Attachment 298966
I do not want to misname some of the other guys in the photo, so I will leave that to others more qualified, to hopefully identify the rest of the gentlemen.
Left to Right - Jim Harkins, Ray Dowling, Odell Lewis, Chet Strickland, ???, Ed Leslie, ???, Roy Ridgell (Your Dad)Quote:
Originally Posted by Lake X Kid
Mr. Steve, thanks for the clarification regarding the correct names (and spelling). I remembered the names of Ray and Chet, but I forgot Jim Harkins name. The three gentlemen standing between Chet Strickland and Roy Ridgell, I do not recognize.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy
Ed Leslie came to Mercury from Pratt and Whitney: Always rode in the Turbine boat.Quote:
Originally Posted by seeroy