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  1. #3466
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2us70 View Post
    I seem to remember the original ScatCrafts being built by someone named Fisher? The same guy built a D class boat for a kid from West Palm Beach who's name escapes me now. That little D boat was the lightest OPC boat I ever saw.
    The first Sandy Shoes Race I ran, I was beat by Bill Fisher, who worked for or with Frank Brown from WPB. Bill built a hydro with an 800 Speedmaster on it. On the north run he just smoked me. I never even knew the boat was in the race till I got to the beach in Ft Pierce. I was running the #16 Raveau with 800 Speedmaster. On the return we were side by side most of the way, having fun. His boat was fast. I don't even remember who won and am too tired to go through the stack of stuff. Could be the same Fisher. Very nice guy.

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  3. #3467
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    The little D class boat I remembered had a fiberglass v-bottom, just about no sides and a wood deck. At the time there were no weight restrictions in OPC. Several guys were trying to run super light boats. A lot of them were very difficult to drive. About the best driver I ever saw in those pre weight rule boats was Herman Tatum from Pensacola.

  4. #3468
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    Saw this picture on the 'Tricks" thread and it has me puzzled .....

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	#998 Seebold.JPG 
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    I'm guessing this is a St Louis race. The hull is a Seebold, which I think they started building in 1975. It has V6 power which was first introduced in late 1974. The driver standing in front of the boat wearing a Gentex looks like it might be Cees van der Velden. Why is the boat carrying the number 998?

    We all know that number belonged to Bill Sirois and he had retired from OPC racing after winning the Dayton 225 in 1972. Anyone know the story behind the picture?

  5. #3469
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    Cees Vander Velden racing in front of his home crowd.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Cees in front of an audience of his countrymen. I believe this to be Amsterdam in 1973, and Cees at the time is leading the race, until …

  6. #3470
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    Steven Ridgell watches Roy Ridgell hog-tie Lake X alligator.

    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Now that's having a good eye, you found all three of the 16'ers!

    We did our testing for the 225 at Lake X. Renato blew over and I didn't think he made this race. Obviously that thought is wrong, he must have repaired his damage and made the trip. Apparently it didn't run all that great, I definitely don't remember him being a factor.

    If a blowover can ever be considered humorous, his certainly was! After the splash, a small section of the nose was protruding from the water. He ended up squatting on it as he performed very intent 360º surveillance hoping Wally Gator was not in the area. I recall that he was never too keen about the idea of testing in water that contained such creatures. Chick Gagen started the rumor that this was the first flip he had ever witnessed where the driver never got wet!

    The 16' Molinari sprints at Lake X .....





    Attachment 372601
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    Here are some photos of a Lake X Gator, that Renato Molinari was worried about after he flipped his boat in Lake X.
    Roy Ridgell is hog-tying the gator after he was hauled onto the back of the pickup. The gator was actually captured on A-500, the paved road which is the entry road off Highway 441, that heads toward the Lake X entry gate.

    Dad took the gator to Lake X, to impress some of the guys from Wisconsin, and then released the gator into Lake X. So I guess Renato was justified in being a little worried.

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  8. #3471
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    Ridgell & Gators ....

    Quote Originally Posted by Lake X Kid View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Roy & Roy has Alligator by the tail..jpg 
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ID:	382199Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Roy & Steven hog-tie Alligator..jpg 
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    Here are some photos of a Lake X Gator, that Renato Molinari was worried about after he flipped his boat in Lake X.
    Roy Ridgell is hog-tying the gator after he was hauled onto the back of the pickup. The gator was actually captured on A-500, the paved road which is the entry road off Highway 441, that heads toward the Lake X entry gate.

    Dad took the gator to Lake X, to impress some of the guys from Wisconsin, and then released the gator into Lake X. So I guess Renato was justified in being a little worried.
    I remember being given a 'Roy Ridgell Treat' while at the Lake testing for a Miami 225. I was on a golf cart with Boob Hetzel parked down by the timing tower. We were recording the test info on the last boat to run the course. When that boat headed for the offshore building, Boob and I spent a few minutes looking over the data for all of our boats. Satisfied we were done, I drove us back to the offshore building.

    All of the drivers and race team members were in the building (as expected) and it didn't register that they were all just standing there side by side watching Boob and I pull in. I stopped the cart and started to make some notes on my clipboard. I didn't even notice that Boob had quietly slipped out of the seat beside me. The next thing I was aware of was some kind of hissing sound. I looked up, didn't see anything and continued with my notes until I heard that sound again. I looked around for the source and .... there it was, sitting on the carts bench seat right next to me!

    Turns out that while we were wrapping up the testing, that damn Ridgell had been busy gator hunting. He brought one back and showed it to all in the offshore building. Obviously, the group agreed with Roy that it would be funny to take five years off of my life by putting that little surprise next to me on the golf cart. It worked ..... with the lone exception being me, everyone else was laughing hysterically ..... I'm not one bit ashamed to admit that the little gator scared the living sh-t out of me!

    Looking at those pictures I guess I got off pretty easy after all - the gator on my seat could have been a lot bigger!
    Last edited by willabee; 08-01-2017 at 08:30 AM.

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  10. #3472
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    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Saw this picture on the 'Tricks" thread and it has me puzzled .....

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	#998 Seebold.JPG 
Views:	600 
Size:	245.2 KB 
ID:	381561


    I'm guessing this is a St Louis race. The hull is a Seebold, which I think they started building in 1975. It has V6 power which was first introduced in late 1974. The driver standing in front of the boat wearing a Gentex looks like it might be Cees van der Velden. Why is the boat carrying the number 998?

    We all know that number belonged to Bill Sirois and he had retired from OPC racing after winning the Dayton 225 in 1972. Anyone know the story behind the picture?
    Sending this back a second time to see if anyone can tell the story behind this interesting picture. I'm really curious about why that number is on that boat. ..... thanks
    Last edited by willabee; 09-12-2017 at 09:54 AM.

  11. #3473
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    Not sure about why that number is being used but I am certain that boat is 1977 or newer. Before that they were using the camel back cowls on the boats. I am sure Velden was racing for OMC by then. Maybe there was an extra driver at that race and the number was assigned to him.
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  12. #3474
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    When OPC switched from class designation numbers to all numerals I was assigned number 24. In 1972 I did not renew my APBA card until late in the year. I lost my number 24 and wound up with 255. That was still better than the old system. I recall at the 68 Nationals one boat had the number" FJJ-2US" down the side in regulation 12in letters.

  13. #3475
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2us70 View Post
    When OPC switched from class designation numbers to all numerals I was assigned number 24. In 1972 I did not renew my APBA card until late in the year. I lost my number 24 and wound up with 255. That was still better than the old system. I recall at the 68 Nationals one boat had the number" FJJ-2US" down the side in regulation 12in letters.
    Surprised they gave away your number so quick. As far as I knew, they saved the number for one membership year if someone didn't renew or was tardy.
    Looks like Art Kennedy stole your number.

  14. #3476
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    The numbers on the boats don't jive with the above comments but here's a picture I got from Mark Rotharmel in a Seebold and next to him is Art Kennedy. I do not know the year.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	boat racing _0005.jpeg 
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ID:	386813
    Last edited by RogerH; 09-17-2017 at 07:43 AM.

  15. #3477
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    Johnson hood colors =1978 -th

  16. #3478
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    Quote Originally Posted by RogerH View Post
    The numbers on the boats don't jive with the above comments but here's a picture I got from Mark Rotharmel in a Seebold and next to him is Art Kennedy. I do not know the year.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	boat racing _0005.jpeg 
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ID:	386813
    Hamilton, Ontario - CANADA. August 1979.
    Ken Stevenson, Oley Berkis, Art Kennedy & Mark Rotharmel.
    Art Kennedy's Molinari had brakes, and he won that day.
    Mark's Seebold was Bill Seebold's 1978 boat.

    WILLABEE - your 998 picture IMO is from 1978. But why the Bill Sirois #998 I would like to know as well !!!!

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  18. #3479
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    #24

    Quote Originally Posted by 2us70 View Post
    When OPC switched from class designation numbers to all numerals I was assigned number 24. In 1972 I did not renew my APBA card until late in the year. I lost my number 24 and wound up with 255.
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  19. #3480
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    the 998 picture .....

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Poole ModVP View Post
    Not sure about why that number is being used but I am certain that boat is 1977 or newer. Before that they were using the camel back cowls on the boats. I am sure Velden was racing for OMC by then. Maybe there was an extra driver at that race and the number was assigned to him.
    All good stuff folks, thanks .....

    Looks like you are right about the year of the picture. Based on the info submitted in the last few posts, it does appear that the photo is from 1978. I asked Seebold what he remembered about it and he doesn't remember it at all, said he has never seen that particular picture. He confirmed that it was Cees in the Gentex getting ready to drive it, but that was all he had to offer. He didn't comment about what year it was taken, he suggested I contact Stickle to see if he remembers. Last time I asked Stickle for info about a picture he said "I don't remember being at that race, but I must have been cause that's me in the picture"! I'm not figuring on much help from Tom on this one either.

    I don't recall what year Cees started sitting in front of a racing outboard motor that wasn't painted black, but I bet Lars Strom could tell us.

    I also think there was a one year hold for a previously assigned number, but I would have thought that Merc would have made some arrangement to permanently have the #998. I just don't see them using it because they decided to bring Cees (or anybody else) over for a race. I think that when you win the Outboard World Championship two years in a row, Mercury makes sure your number is retired .... period!

    I'm going to keep digging, the answer is out there someplace.
    Last edited by willabee; 09-18-2017 at 09:33 AM.

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