"Letters from Heaven" Miami 1960's

[velox]

[ Now I'm going to need help...George Grilly(sp) and Jim Sewares ( I think) were riding together, George driving and it was really rough on the south side. Jim bouncing around the boat broke an arm and was asking George to slow down and let him jump over. The rules said if you start with two people you must finish with two. The story goes that one time when Jim got close that George put his foot on him and they made the finish line that way with Jim still under George's foot.
That's the way I remember it....Help...I know it can be written better than this.....How did it really happen???

Bobby[/QUOTE]

Bobby, you are talking about 3 of my very best friends back then.
I am sure you saw Richie Baiz more than once as he was at every race from the early to mid sixties.
I doubt Jimmie would have really jumped. He and I took a big black wood cat that belonged to Griley, to Greenville Mississippi for a river marathon. He decided that we both would start the race with him driving and then after an hour he would let me drive and he would jump overboard. When it came time for him to jump he took one look at the water going by and said hell no! He rode the rest of the way sitting on the gunnel. Richie and George are both gone and I really miss them both. I talk to Jimmie a couple of times a year.
We really need to get a group of SF OPC guys together.

[BobbyR]

Who all was at the party??? Yes I know it was at my place and yes I know i was in on putting it together. told you my memoryis bad. (excuse #1 -) i think I got bombed and don't remember guest list.

Thanks,
Bobby

[BobbyR]

Well this maybe my last post for a while. Ike is bearing down on the area as I type.
My only hope is that Ike will delopy his forces elsewhere...
Watch the TV I may have my 15 minutes of fame yet….
I live on San Antonio Bay at 28o23'38"N – 96o42'84"W that's center of the place. This is the forecast:
"FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL 10/0900Z 23.5N 84.9W 75 KT
12HR VT 10/1800Z 24.0N 86.0W 80 KT
24HR VT 11/0600Z 24.7N 87.7W 90 KT
36HR VT 11/1800Z 25.2N 89.7W 100 KT
48HR VT 12/0600Z 25.8N 92.0W 105 KT
72HR VT 13/0600Z 27.5N 96.5W 105 KT....landfall hmmmmmmmmm
96HR VT 14/0600Z 31.5N 98.0W 40 KT...INLAND
120HR VT 15/0600Z 34.5N 97.0W 25 KT...EXTRATROPICAL

will post when i can......packing ole racing picts.......will scan later....

BobbyR

[velox]

As one that went through the eyes of 3 major hurricanes in 3 weeks,
I hope you are OK.
Put all of your valuable stuff in big black plastic garbage bags. The major damage is from the water. I completely stripped my house and put everything into bags and had no losses of that stuff. Of course the aftermath was really bad.
Let us know how you make out

[BobbyR]

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm at Carl and Jeanne's... Sorry it took so long to get back on line.... I will be in Fla for the next two weeks or so. Call if you get this or send a post.. phone no 281-222-2828....
BobbyR

[velox]

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm at Carl and Jeanne's... Sorry it took so long to get back on line.... I will be in Fla for the next two weeks or so. Call if you get this or send a post.. phone no 281-222-2828....
BobbyR

Glad you are OK!
We are back in Florida until ski season starts real good in Utah.
I flew over to River Ranch a couple of weeks ago and watched the drags. Man the new stuff is exciting!
I even gave them a little show with the plane. I would have done more, but did not want to piss anyone off.
We live in Stuart, so if you get this way give me a call.
772 708 7021

[BobbyR]

Hey!! Charlie, Thanks for the e-mail....Talked with Odell and he is headed down in Feb... I spoke with Carl & Jeanne about doing something then.. We were going to talk with Brownie and send out some E-mails as soon as we have confirmation...
i have to return to Texas soon... but t looks as if i will have a lot more time next year...

BobbyR

[velox]

Well, Next year came around and we finally got together, Bobby!
The OFF (IE the gathering of old racing farts) was held and Miami/South Florida was well represented. A ton of Lake X guys attended as well.
The Lake X guys spent so much time in Miami we considered them Miamians.
A long time ago I promised some photos from some of the Miami races so here you go
This is a photo of a OPC D class.
While they weren't fast by todays standard , all of the races were this close
Both of thse shots were taken at the Miami outboard club in 1962



These are 3 Raveaus They were the most popular boat in Miami OPC.
They were dominant in every class from D to H, OPC during the early to mid 60's

[Mark75H]

Here's another

[velox]

This is a picture of Carl K. Taken at the 1963 OPC 6 Hour Grand National Championships.
The Race was held at the Pelican Harbor Yacht Club in Miami Florida.
If you had asked me to describe Mr K I would have said he was a very heavy set and a little fat. I guess the young guys were all so skinny back then we thought a normal middle aged guy was fat!
In this shot Carl was watching George Grilley and I fueling up during a pit stop.

[velox]

Here is a pic of the Glastron George Grilley, Richard Baiz and I drove in the 1965 Orange Bowl 9 Hour. The Miami Marine Stadium is in the background.
I have never endured so much pain! I drove the first 3 hours. It was so rough I could not even see! I had to pick out a point on the horizon and aim for it. The Vee Bottom would walk from side to side so bad I thought my helmet weighed about 100 pounds.
We were the first non factory outboard boat, averaging about 52 MPH.

[willabee]

Here is a pic of the Glastron George Grilley, Richard Baiz and I drove in the 1965 Orange Bowl 9 Hour. The Miami Marine Stadium is in the background.

Where did the course for the 9 Hour go from there? Did you run around the island and back in or did it take you somewhere else?

[velox]

I don't remember it going around any island. It seems like we just went out into the bay a mile or so and simply looped back to the stadium If I remember correctly it was about a 4 mile loop.
We ran this race just one week after winning the twin engine unlimited class in the OPC 6 hour.
The only thing we did, was to take the cowlings off and check everything for tightness. We found the distributor cap screws loose on one engine. Other than that, 15 hours straight!
In the 9 hour we each drove 3 straight hours got fuel and drove 3 hours. Just like clock work!

[seeroy]

Charlie - I remember the course being something like this. - Steve

[T2x]

Charlie - I remember the course being something like this. - Steve

I remember the outside portion being longer than the portion in the stadium....

I ran a twin 17 Glastron in '66 in JJ with Ken Kalibat and the chop in the bay was brutal, but the stadium was smooth as silk. Maybe that's why it seemed shorter.......

T2x