Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[Bob V]

I am with Gene....No apology necessary. I go around confused 24 hours a day. The more confused I am, the more confused I become. So, you don't have anything on me...!!

By the way...18 will get you 87...

[jackiewilson]

Gene—— here we are trying to stay 86 as long as possible—— and there’s BobbyVee rushing headlong towards 87 !
Dont know about you, but I just take it in my stride——- good thing about it is—— it’s a full year before my next birthday.

Boats appertaining to Doc Magoon !

So—— 24 foot magnum.—— A pair of Straight sixes.
2———28 foot magnums—— Three straight sixes.
1———32 foot Cary ( cigarette) Three straight sixes
1——— big assed “Citicorp” Cigarette with four V sixes.

Where does US1 with a pair of mercruisers come into it Gene ?

So, we have six different boats —- yes !
A few of which made it back to England and raced under different names and colours.?

[GENE LANHAM]

Gene—— here we are trying to stay 86 as long as possible—— and there’s BobbyVee rushing headlong towards 87 !
Dont know about you, but I just take it in my stride——- good thing about it is—— it’s a full year before my next birthday.

Boats appertaining to Doc Magoon !

So—— 24 foot magnum.—— A pair of Straight sixes.
2———28 foot magnums—— Three straight sixes.
1———32 foot Cary ( cigarette) Three straight sixes
1——— big assed “Citicorp” Cigarette with four V sixes.

Where does US1 with a pair of mercruisers come into it Gene ?

So, we have six different boats —- yes !
A few of which made it back to England and raced under different names and colours.?

We are not even close to being finished yet Jackie!!

I will be at least 88 before the story is completed

This boat alone will take weeks!

Story involves--GG--Magoon-- half dozen 2.4's Marty--et-al

The plug built by Nicky was so big--Aronof used it as a storage shed!! (A scaled up 32' Cigarette)

[jackiewilson]

Sounds like we’re about to have ball Gene——you keep sending the info—— I can always pull another plank —— I got plenty of hardwood !

I was boogying along nicely and we suddenly got into your boats——- ah well, it’ll be fun !

[jackiewilson]

Afraid I have to confess I’ve gotten into it again with Lassie——- this time Over the Caldwell affair !
ALl I did was ask how they had fared in the Middle East? SEVERAL TIMES——— but as is usual with that outfit, there was no reply of any description!
So then our old friend the Rude Ambassador comes into bat for Caldwell——-
Well, I guess you all know me by now——— can’t keep my mouth closed for five minutes at a time—- I have an enquiring mind !
Finally Caldwell replied to my question——— not with an answer—— but with a tirade of YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF THE EXPENSE——- “TIME OR ENGINEERING “ that has gone into this project —— plus being called a moron for not understanding the way the Caldwell site was set up, (apparently it had nothing to do with them, was set up by the administrators?
If you want to read my reply, go to “ discussion forums —— racers hangout—— Caldwell engineering’”
Lassie has taken up the cudgel on Caldwell’s behalf——- loads of pictures and a video at the duck pond
AGAIN ,
Caldwell replied with OUT OF TOWN at the moment——— sounds more like a high profile lawyer than an engine company!
I still don’t think I was out of order asking how the motor had performed——- or for a parts and price list—- nothing underhand or sinister——— with over 500hp on tap—— I could be forgiven for asking a simple —— HOW DID YOU GET ON ?

[jackiewilson]

Enjoyed Sunday morning in the shop——— fernagled and spokeshaved ( I just love using an old English wooden one)” ARONOWS SHED”——- the Citicorp Express !
It stands at 23” at the moment——- as do all the blanks——— I can reduce them to any size I want!
But when you get a concept that size, it’s hard to ignore——- It’s a good starting out point !

[jackiewilson]

First blank is beginning to look a lot like the. “Citicorp Traveler “——— Been sprottling between the America’s Cup Boat——- and the twin mercruiser engined 25’ Donzi/Magnum/Cigarette! Then back to the CITICORP. Bloody Hooray—- three at once is a bit much—— even for me.
Funny how a hull can come to life when you use a few old English wooden spokeshaves——-
Shape seems to come as if by magic——— I just think about a particular boat in my head—— the hands and the spokeshave bring it to fruition!
Had the sort of Sunday I like——- Lizzie came for an hour this lunchtime—-and tonight Sam called in——- back from a months vacation in Australia!
Balls are beginning to click into place again——- my little world is getting back on an even keel again!

Gor a clean bill of health from the Quack——- cut down on the steroids yet again—— even lost a bit of weight !
Mathew Caldwell wants me to call him———— sat on it all day today—— not right to call folk on a Sunday———and he did say he was out of town !——— getting out of my comfort zone talking to clever people ! Especially Lawyers !
Still, I owe him that much—— I’ve probed and pestered for answers (which I still don’t have) so I will call him tomorrow!

[jackiewilson]

Monday morning—— start of another week with temperatures topping 45 degrees——- ridiculous for mid January. Cold snap has to come before long———- we’ve been lucky so far—— think we only had a couple of frosty windscreens——- but that’s about the full extent of our winter thus far!
Must Try and get the America’s Cup Concept out of the way today——— Problem is , I have a butterfly brain—— flits from one project to another——— but if I get an idea of an improvement on something, I have to wade in regardless! Before I forget ! Not the best way to go through life——- and then of course there’s the mouth——— never could keep it shut——- got me into all sorts of trouble during my life—— but I’ll never die of frustration!
Stilll waiting for that list of “Magoon boats” Gene——- I have plenty to be going on with, so there’s no hurry.
On the sail boat front—- I’ve cobbled an F1 Type front wing ( multi layered) that fits round the mast, that’s the beauty of artists licence. Well, they are bloody nearly “ FLYING BOATS” these days with the vertical foils AND HYDROFOIL LEGS——— why not have a set of front wings !
Theres probably an odd set of rules that says you can’t actually do that ——— C’est La Vie !

[jackiewilson]

One down——- a dozen to go——- Just put the finishing touches to the “ America’s Cup “ boat—— don’t look three bad at all !!!!!
Do you a quick pickie if I get time.
gave the Little Magnum a coat of clear varnish——— seals all the pores———— ready for the filler/primer———- looks really good in old oak, but it’s niether one thing or ‘tother——- has to be authentic colours of some boat or other !
Itl’ll come to me as I Middle on through!

[jackiewilson]

Cut out the four Vee sixes ——— finished the shaping and got the first six coats of filler on her—— chugging along nicely.
Tomorrow is another day !

[jackiewilson]

Thats it—— The America’s Cup Concept—— it’s as near done as it’ll ever be !

[jackiewilson]

I

six coats of primer/filler for the Citicorp .

[GENE LANHAM]

We are not even close to being finished yet Jackie!!

I will be at least 88 before the story is completed

This boat alone will take weeks!

Story involves--GG--Magoon-- half dozen 2.4's Marty--et-al

The plug built by Nicky was so big--Aronof used it as a storage shed!! (A scaled up 32' Cigarette)

Jackie--Please don't get overwhelmed!!

We rigged the New York Record boat in my shop---I am sure we made it seem too easy

1974--in less than three months we had the boat in the water--July 2 we departed for NY--we arrived 23 hours later--there was no money--no Sponsors-- no publicity---and practically no problems for 1250 miles

Mercury had certainly participated with 'Memo Billed' items--but the entire project had been done on a shoe string

Aronuf had supplied the bare hull

Immediately the next project was being discussed;

CROSS THE ATLANTIC WITH A CIGARETTE POWERED BY THE NEW V-6 ENGINE!

[peterse90]

Jackie--Please don't get overwhelmed!!

We rigged the New York Record boat in my shop---I am sure we made it seem too easy

1974--in less than three months we had the boat in the water--July 2 we departed for NY--we arrived 23 hours later--there was no money--no Sponsors-- no publicity---and practically no problems for 1250 miles

Mercury had certainly participated with 'Memo Billed' items--but the entire project had been done on a shoe string

Aronuf had supplied the bare hull

Immediately the next project was being discussed;

CROSS THE ATLANTIC WITH A CIGARETTE POWERED BY THE NEW V-6 ENGINE!

Gene, for goodness sake please write a book OR make a movie...I'm sure it will be better than SPEED KILLS from what I hear !!

[jackiewilson]

What an adventure Gene——- looks like you did it almost the same way I did——- dream it up —- impossible—— so let’s do it———- how you going to finance it——— we’ll worry about that later!
Sound familiar ?
Seeing the boat from this angle———makes me realise I’ve got it all wrong!
Could do with any piccies you may have of the Citicorp———— was it really only 36’——- looks a whole lot bigger than that!