Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

Another good day in the shop—— two of the rollers are ready for the upholsterer who is currently swanning around the Bahamas.
Should have the third up with the other two by close of play Tomorrow!

[jackiewilson]

OK. If all goes as planned, I’ll post a couple of piccies of the three ROLLS ROYCE SILVER GHOSTS.
I generally get a good cross section of opinions——- there’s some that think the concepts are rubbish—- and some actually do buy one occasionally!

[jackiewilson]

Hell fire was I ever scary in the seventies —— I couldn’t even look in a mirror in case I thumped me !

[powerabout]

where you beating dough in those days?

[jackiewilson]

Finished “Kneading” dough in the late 50/s—— went hod carrying on the building—- earned twice as much hodding”as I did in the baking——even though I was a master baker—- with city and guilds to prove it. —— then went selling ladies “twin sets” for a year——— but that’s a whole different story
...."...!
Damn near finished the three Rolls Royce’s——- Just finding all the last fiddly bits I’ve overlooked—- .and there’s quite a few.
Definitely will post piccies before the weekend—- and yes , they will be done in time for Tavares!

Borrowing a boat and a change of driver really did not work for team Geico—- OK So they did put on a show, but third out of three did not make for exiting biting .!
Its time for a brand new boat methinks——- Geico is over twenty years old and a battle weary veteran,
i know Gary Stray has a nice new fifty footer on the drawing board— time to make it happen Ratbag!!

[FUJIMO]

...I think we all looked like that in the 70's Jackie...

[2us70]

Jackie. I was showing my littlest grandson pictures in a book titled " A Century of Outboard Racing". I turned to page142 and there you were. A good close up picture of you and a competitor running what looks like 44in motors. The author however misidentified the motors as 800s. I was given this book several years ago at Christmas and it got put on a shelf and forgotten. My grandson pulled it off the shelf so I finally started to read it.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie. I was showing my littlest grandson pictures in a book titled " A Century of Outboard Racing". I turned to page142 and there you were. A good close up picture of you and a competitor running what looks like 44in motors. The author however misidentified the motors as 800s. I was given this book several years ago at Christmas and it got put on a shelf and forgotten. My grandson pulled it off the shelf so I finally started to read it.

One of the few factual books on outboards ever written
Think that book was written by Kevin Desmond—- he was curator of the French Motonautique Maritime Museum for many years before the French pulled the plug on it!
He used to call all the race drivers to check what he had written was correct !
Saw him at The LMBRC reunion a couple of years ago. He lived in France for many years and speaks French fluently.
Lost my copy of the book years ago so I can’t recall the photo you’re referring to!

[jackiewilson]

...I think we all looked like that in the 70's Jackie...

That’s a fact——- flares , Raceboat T shirt—-and a Rolex Submariner—— what more could a man ask for?

[2us70]

Here it is.

[jackiewilson]

Here it is.

Wow—- that is a long time ago—me and Lucky England racing a 13’ Bluefin( built by Ron Wolbold” “OO THE ELL IZEE” with a 500 Merc on its bum—— passing Les Goodhall in a Fabricated plastics “Derry” boat- Bitta L” built by John Iddon And John Derrington powered by a 350 Merc.

[jackiewilson]

In spite of all the drivers help, Kevin did somehow manage to make several monumental cock- ups.

John Merryfield did race a 14’ Prout Twin hull with a pair of 350 Mercs on it in the Boatbuilders trials.
It was the same speed as a 13’ Blue fin with a 500 Merc ——- about 45 mph Max ! didn’t finish unfortunately—— that was the very first Twin Hull I ever saw raced—— long before the advent of the Molinari’s ?

[jackiewilson]

Still got the leatherwork work to do, ButSam reckons itsapiece of cake ?

[Watermark]

Jackie, I'm missing something on that Molinari Sprint that you cobbled (your word) for me a few years ago; your signature. Artists sign their work, so I'd ask that you create a miniature metal plaque of sorts, large enough to fit your etched signature & the year carved. It can be easily attached to a flat area on the boat, perhaps the big bottom of the tunnel, or the cockpit area of an offshore hull. Thinking there are others out there who would like you to do the same. No shipping required, just bring them to Tavares in your pocket!

[jackiewilson]

Gary Ormand asked me to do the same thing a few years back—— can’t ever remember anyone asking me for my signature—— but I’ll gladly sign anything I’ve ever done Mark .
And I will be in Tavares on the Friday—— but I’m off to Englewood to see the Geico run on Sunday!
Little signed plaques did make me smile Mark—— give it twenty years and they’ll probably be worth more than the originals.