Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

Heard from Bill Baker yesterday--------tee times are booked for the golf tourney------other bit of news is they can't do food after the match. That's not a worry, he's found a brilliant restaurant, right on Lake
Dora that can take about twenty without a problem, I've been there once before myself and can thoroughly recommend it.
That way, everyone can order from the menu---------even those that don't play golf, can join us for an evening meal ?
Golf with a cart comes out at $25 a head--------food should come out around the same------prizes galore and I'll put up half a dozen concepts for auction, just to spice up the evening.
Near as I can tell, we have twenty of us trundling round the course, up to now there's nobody with a handicap of less than eighteen--------Sneaky-Seebold hasn't declared his secret weapon yet-------suspect he's seconded Sutter------no worries-----I've got it covered.

Been a hectic sort of week-----difficult to get back in the groove----Just a year since Jill's boy Ivan was taken with that bastard disease!
There was a memorial golf event held yesterday at a very swish golf and country club called Essonden.
Ivans sister Catherine and me along with two really nice people Mike and Malcolm played together, we played four ball, best two scores on each hole to count, we shot a very respectable 95 points! Didn't win, but came in second or third. Think there was a little sandbagging along the line------five and a half points a hole should win any tournament------sei la vie !
Took a while for me to get back in the saddle------dropped a couple of clangers------screwed up the NGK boat-------messed up the "Triple Trouble" and had to head off into boon docks. With a bit of luck and a tail wind, I should get everything sorted for Tavares.
Very strange and emotional time-------don't ask me why, it just is.
Catherine asked me if it ever gets any easier---------I told her no, but you learn how to live with it !
I finally got a coat of gold on the NGK boat------maybe it'll start to come together.
Need to get some semblance of order into the shop-------I'm rapidly running out of time.

Bob, I have to tell you------even I am beginning to think NGK might just make the number one slot of all the "Concepts" I've ever done--------made the mount while I was stripping the rubbishy paint off'n it.
Will pack it in the suitcase heading for Tavares--------stick it in the auction along with a "REDBIRD" and "little red" ------a couple of TX's -------5-6-8-10-12. It'll be bloody interesting anyway!

Results of the " Ivan .purdie Memorial Golf Tournament "just came in --------raised over £23,000------Ivan would have expected nothin less-------Go For It was his motto, I can imagine him, legs spread, hands on hips, laughing, saying "WHAT A FECKIN RESULT,"--- that boy always did walk tall!

Went to a 1920/s party last night in the local village hall to celebrate the collective birthdays of a couple who live down the lane--------150 years between them.
I went as Machine gun Kelly, Jilly was Moll Daisy. -----she looked drop dead gorgeous!
Got a couple of hours in the shop------NGK is beginning to look the biz, if I don't screw it up again, I will maybe post a piccie or three.
Sister Ange came to lunch -----was great to spend some time with her.
Big eye test tomorrow------no driving or using machines afterwards-------the bits need more maintenance these days--------blasted legs keep seizing up-----still, just getting into shape for Tavares .

Monday, Monday, -----just love that day ! Kicks off another week, more challenges and adventures, and wonder of wonders------I'm still here, kicking up a storm, celebrating and partaking, a few aches and pains, still fairly upright, no stoop yet and no stick. Aim is to reach ninety before I slow down to a canter.
As I said before-------eye test today, don't really need it, I can still read a book without optics if the Suns shining, see to infinity no problem, drive very well indeed, better than most in fact.
Still, I suppose like an old jalopy, I need more maintenance than a newer model.
in any race I was ever in, I can't remember who I passed, but I can remember those that passed me! And I just left the gate open didn't I?
Foresters are coming to trim all the trees and hedges today-------three men with chain saws ,hedge cutters, shredder-------takes em all day------drinking cups of tea Jilly makes em. Have a good day folks.

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Ngk is coming together nicely--------purists look away now--------it's a "Concept"-----it's what I do!
Eye test went fine____Jilly had to drive back from the eye clinic-------I was still suffering hallucinations, bright lights and dancing girls------actually went back to bed for a couple of hours------had a thousand miles per hour aspirin, worked like magic, lousy feeling all gone when I woke up. Even had a couple of hours in the shop.
Bloody Triple is giving me grief-------the bitch is fighting me all the way-------just like Pruett-------nothing but trouble, but the end justifies it ( l hope).

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This is something I cobbled together for Marks desk-------I think it's very apt--------was a blacksmith banging away on a wheel------on an anvil. I swopped the wheel for a big old prop.
Did some background red and green shading ------then polished the highlights. It's all solid brass castings, so it burnished up quite well.
Done hundreds of pieces, but never did Mark anything before-------I just rectified that!

Mark and I were discussing the tragic events of last weeks terrible accident as I'm sure many of you did . Craig said that twelve people had died this year and four were still hospitalised and critical. Now that's bound to cause concern and everyone will suddenly be an expert on what should be done, that's human nature!
Mark was explaining how it's possible to pick up a ten /fifteen year old 28/32 foot tunnel offshore for no real money------lets just say it was originally designed to run 100/110 mph. Now let's take out the power units and install a pair of 1500 HP units-----------we now have a boat that will run over 150 mph.
Whilst the owner will throw a ton of money at a custom paint job and not bat an eyelid, I'll bet a pound to a pincha, none of those guys ever put a straight edge on the bottom, or did any stress checks.
Simple fact is ten/twenty year old boats that have had a hard life, that were designed to run around 100 mph don't take kindly to being pushed to 150/190 mph in one hit.
Its a very grey area here------these boats are not racing, so they do not have to confirm to any APBA rules--------maybe some local coast guard rules, but that's about it.
No, I do not know the answer----------too many rules kill the pleasure, not enough is highly dangerous.
Anyway------rules are meant to be stretched to the limit.
Again-----just who should make the rules?
If you ask the worlds fastest man on water (KEN WARBY) and the fight he has had with the UIM and the APBA, he will tell you, they are incompetent !

What the hell is an Englishman doing even commenting on boating accidents in the USA ? Trying to make sense out of a very tragic series of accidents, see if they can be avoided in future, that's all!

As an aside-------miss GIECO is twenty years old, will probably run 200 mph on a good day, but it's been a very slow gradual process over the years, speeds have been increased and hull design modified slowly to suit the increase in power, slowly, slowly, you all know what I mean!


Dont know whether to post this or not, not very comfortable with it, most of my friends and family are boat racers, I mean no offence to the bereaved families--------but having read some of the posts, I felt the need to comment

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Originally Posted by jackiewilson

Mark and I were discussing the tragic events of last weeks terrible accident as I'm sure many of you did . Craig said that twelve people had died this year and four were still hospitalised and critical. Now that's bound to cause concern and everyone will suddenly be an expert on what should be done, that's human nature!
Mark was explaining how it's possible to pick up a ten /fifteen year old 28/32 foot tunnel offshore for no real money------lets just say it was originally designed to run 100/110 mph. Now let's take out the power units and install a pair of 1500 HP units-----------we now have a boat that will run over 150 mph.
Whilst the owner will throw a ton of money at a custom paint job and not bat an eyelid, I'll bet a pound to a pincha, none of those guys ever put a straight edge on the bottom, or did any stress checks.
Simple fact is ten/twenty year old boats that have had a hard life, that were designed to run around 100 mph don't take kindly to being pushed to 150/190 mph in one hit.
Its a very grey area here------these boats are not racing, so they do not have to confirm to any APBA rules--------maybe some local coast guard rules, but that's about it.
No, I do not know the answer----------too many rules kill the pleasure, not enough is highly dangerous.
Anyway------rules are meant to be stretched to the limit.
Again-----just who should make the rules?
If you ask the worlds fastest man on water (KEN WARBY) and the fight he has had with the UIM and the APBA, he will tell you, they are incompetent !

What the hell is an Englishman doing even commenting on boating accidents in the USA ? Trying to make sense out of a very tragic series of accidents, see if they can be avoided in future, that's all!

As an aside-------miss GIECO is twenty years old, will probably run 200 mph on a good day, but it's been a very slow gradual process over the years, speeds have been increased and hull design modified slowly to suit the increase in power, slowly, slowly, you all know what I mean!


Dont know whether to post this or not, not very comfortable with it, most of my friends and family are boat racers, I mean no offence to the bereaved families--------but having read some of the posts, I felt the need to comment

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...Thank-you Jackie. :thumbsup: Now go to bed...

I'm not a lover of "SHOOTOUTS" either-------pontoon boats running over 100 don't seem quite right to me.
im a peculiar sort of old cove------I love the sport but hate " the hurt "-----I've lost good friends and know of many more with permanent injuries. Top priority by any organisation should be safety to the contestants, trouble there is -----any rules can hide behind the "SAFETY" factor!

got to discussing Reggie' s "Kat Killer" with Mark------he said Reggie was meticulous with his preparation and never did things by half, the build up to a vee bottom running over 170 was a long and tedious task-----boat ran on rails and was totally honest because of the work done on the hull.
It didn't turn worth a sh-t, but it never was meant to bo anything but run fast and straight.
Craig drove the boat a couple of times and said it was beautiful to drive with no bad habits.
point I'm trying to make is "HORSES FOR COURSES"
Thats it, I'm done,enough spouting for two days.

T2x rules on boats would have saved all those people

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Originally Posted by powerabout

T2x rules on boats would have saved all those people

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Enlighten me Pilgrim------I'm all ears!

Problem I had with the triple was getting the motors all lined up to fit in three different places-------one on each sponson, then the centre motor. After two weeks of trial and error, I finally nailed it.
Wasnt happy with the paperwork on "Lil Red"------numbers weren't big enough, so I stripped 'em all off and did a revamp. Now it looks up to muster-----job done, ready for the suitcase!

Another thought on the tunnel boat tragedies---------the insurance claims will be astronomical. Result can only be, no insurance company will touch a high powered tunnel------at any price ?

Seebold tells me Hetzel, Shuenke and Butler will all be at Tavares -------gonna be one hell of a party, all the more reason for the" Concepts" to be about right.

Pilgrim went to sleep-------interested in seeing a set of rules that would have saved twelve lives--------will certainly listen to what Rich has to say on the matter when we meet in Tavares .
Four weeks today and I'm Florida bound--------in the meantime I have a reunion of the London Motor Boat Racing Club to attend this weekend---------have a few bridges to rebuild.
Was my first and preferred club until the day our commodore Len Britnell sold out to Jack Leek and OMC-------I had a blazing row and threw my dollies out of the pram-------quit the club and never joined again. But, that's a tale for Tavares -------I used to be a bit volatile in those days, always seemed to be a tad opinionated --------not like the gentle agreeable soul you see before you today!

T2x posted a scale of speed and when to have a canopy.
Coming from him, it was well worth following.
This poker run stuff is like lets see how fast we can go before we get thrown out just for fun.
Its would be like Nascar in convertables without seat belts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by powerabout

T2x posted a scale of speed and when to have a canopy.
Coming from him, it was well worth following.
This poker run stuff is like lets see how fast we can go before we get thrown out just for fun.
Its would be like Nascar in convertables without seat belts.

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Pilgrim------I have to tell you, people have been killed in canopies or safety cells since they were first installed-----------they are a safety aid at high speeds--------not a magic lifeline.
I can relate to pilots getting fatally injured in the early days when fifty miles per hour was the max.
I will go along with a graduated speed before and when a cell should be required, but it's still not the complete answer.
I don't know what is-----------there are hundreds of boat owners who love "Poker Runs" -------I would not like to see them shut down, but I would like to see some form of safety controls "suggested" at least.
We are treading very dangerous waters here, have to be careful the heavy hand of legislation and rule makers don't take over the whole of the pleasure boat industry. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing--------so is a bull in a china shop.