A Switzer Wing and Powercat

[Scream And Fly]

You always say nice things, Bob!!

The twin Chrysler is driven by Steve Malone or his Dad—Bill

by the letters I can tell it is one of the Gold Coast Marathon—but held at Pelican Harbor Yacht Club. 1968?

I bet you have some priceless stories from that boat!

[Scream And Fly]

Thank you so much for the info and incredible photos everybody. Were the Powercat (and similar designs) and Wing fairly evenly matched as the photos might give the impression of? Also about the Wing, was it necessary to balance the hull with ballast because of the cockpit being on the sponson? Such as, fuel tank, battery, etc. in one sponson and the driver in the other?

[Powercat]

Thank you so much for the info and incredible photos everybody. Were the Powercat (and similar designs) and Wing fairly evenly matched as the photos might give the impression of? Also about the Wing, was it necessary to balance the hull with ballast because of the cockpit being on the sponson? Such as, fuel tank, battery, etc. in one sponson and the driver in the other?

No, the Powercat and similar conventional catamaran designs were no match for the Switzer Wings. The Switzer Wings were easily 10-15 mph faster with the same power than any conventional cat. The racers who still competed with conventional catamarans were able to do so because the races being run during those years were for the most part marathons. This kept endurance in as a major factor of the outcome, which meant anybody could win if they could survive, not just the fastest boat.

[GENE LANHAM]

I bet you have some priceless stories from that boat!

Greg---

I think every one that has ever driven a WING, whether it was 50 years ago, or at the current vintage events, have similar feeling and fascination for the design.

Rich Luhrs--Ted Boyd--Roger Hinsdale---and others are doing an awesome job of keeping the history and the boats themselves alive.

Over the years I have been fortunate to be associated with lots of different boats

A few years ago, Marco Bertini asked me what was my favorite boat

I sent him this collage--saying 'they were all Red'

Guess which one is on top?

[Bob V]

Greg---

I think every one that has ever ran a WING, whether it was 50 years ago, or at the current vintage events, have similar feeling and fascination for the design.

Rich Luhrs--Ted Boyd--Roger Hinsdale---and others are doing an awesome job of keeping the history and the boats themselves alive.

Over the years I have been fortunate to be associated with lots of different boats

A few years ago, Marco Bertini asked me what was my favorite boat

I sent him this collage--saying 'they were all Red'

Guess which one is on top?

It does not have to be a boat to be "unmistakably" Gene Lanham, it just has to be RED ...

[Powercat]

No, the Powercat and similar conventional catamaran designs were no match for the Switzer Wings. The Switzer Wings were easily 10-15 mph faster with the same power than any conventional cat. The racers who still competed with conventional catamarans were able to do so because the races being run during those years were for the most part marathons. This kept endurance in as a major factor of the outcome, which meant anybody could win if they could survive, not just the fastest boat.

1961 6 hour marathon at Lake X Florida, Switzer wing led for 5 of the 6 hours until they hit something in the water and did not finish. Chuck Mersereau went on to win the event in his Powercat. Both Mersereau and the Switzer were running Merc 800's, the largest outboard available at that time. Think about that, this was 1961, a year before the Merc 100's came out, 7 years before the first 99 cu in Merc's were made. Of course it would only be a few years before the first tunnel hulls (Molinari, and others) would come in to play, and eventually eclipse the conventional catamaran, the wing boats, v-hulls, flat bottoms, and assorted hydroplane style boats of the era in marathon racing.

[lilabner]

1961 6 hour marathon at Lake X Florida, Switzer wing led for 5 of the 6 hours until they hit something in the water and did not finish. Chuck Mersereau went on to win the event in his Powercat. Both Mersereau and the Switzer were running Merc 800's, the largest outboard available at that time. Think about that, this was 1961, a year before the Merc 100's came out, 7 years before the first 99 cu in Merc's were made. Of course it would only be a few years before the first tunnel hulls (Molinari, and others) would come in to play, and eventually eclipse the conventional catamaran, the wing boats, v-hulls, flat bottoms, and assorted hydroplane style boats of the era in marathon racing.

If they were so fast then why am I ahead of the Switzer in G-600..That's Booger Red next to me, he's ahead too. LOL

[FUJIMO]

[GENE LANHAM]

If they were so fast then why am I ahead of the Switzer in G-600..That's Booger Red next to me, he's ahead too. LOL

Dave Switzer was probably lapping you for the umpteenth time, Butch!! LOL

[lilabner]

Dave Switzer was probably lapping you for the umpteenth time, Butch!! LOL

Well, Booger and I both finished and won our class. So did Richie and Fred. Where was that fancy boat? On the trailer I'll bet..besides, we were running a special lower unit oil..

[lilabner]

Well Gene,
The So Fla boys did pretty good in the Kneel down boats. We won Class D; Herbie, Class E; Booger, Class G; Me and Treasure, Class H; Richie and Fred Click, and Art Des Rocher was second overall in a sit down Cat..not too bad for the SFOMC.. Our buddy Chuck won overall.

[GENE LANHAM]

Dave Switzer was probably lapping you for the umpteenth time, Butch!! LOL

Butch--the first race for the new wing was the PHYC 4.1 mile Course--I had driven about a jillion miles on that course--with a 44" E Class

I could pass boats!!

I could lap boats!!

It was fun!!

I won!!

[lilabner]

Butch--the first race for the new wing was the PHYC 4.1 mile Course--I had driven about a jillion miles on that course--with a 44" E Class

I could pass boats!!

I could lap boats!!

It was fun!!

I won!

I was gone then. To keep America safe from whatever. Last time I ran that course was in U503 in the nine hour race, 1963. The Wet Noodle, a cut down 4 point SeaCraft/American Marc Cat. To me it was a dream to drive. At the two hour mark I was third overall right behind the two leading inboards. Thats when the swivel pin broke. I pulled up to the ramp and Roy R. and George T. And EC wanted to know why I wasn’t refueling. I was so mad, because this wasn’t the first time it happened. I think I was pretty rude to them. Got in my car and left.. The next week was the six hour race at Miami Outboard Club. Mr K had a new special swivel pin sent down and I changed it one night at Sea Craft. I was Carl Moeslys co driver for the two races. He was hurt pretty bad two weeks earlier at Lake X when he and everyone else got thrown out testing. At this point I was the only virgin. Carl wanted to start the race and i would relieve him and drive as long as I could.. Carl got us way behind at the start, and when i took over i had to play catch up with my best buddy Richie Baiz, Driving the Moon Demon with Charlie Dunn.It was a lot of fun and the boat ran great, until I came in for fuel and Carl got in.. He couldn’t get it on a plane and made a lap like that. We were still in second place about 9 laps ahead of the third boat. He came in and i got back in.. The engines were shot, reeds were gone and the batteries were about dead. I had to pull start them, run to the front and work the throttles and try to plane off. Back and forth with the hand cranking. Finally I couldn’t make it back to the front in time, one engine quit and the boat made a U-turn on the course. I heard the announcement that I was disqualified. By my friend in race control. The boat was in about two feet of water and off the course, next to the parking lot where my car was, so spoiled brat me got out and waded ashore, got in my car and left. There was only 20 minutes to go and we were still in second. Needless to say I was pissed off. There is more to the story leading up to the race, but my PTSD is kicking in and I’v relived enough. That is me in the picture driving, can’t tell which race but I think the Six Hour..

[2us70]

loved that race course. It was the best endurance race course I ever drove on. Ran it in several boats never got old.

Butch--the first race for the new wing was the PHYC 4.1 mile Course--I had driven about a jillion miles on that course--with a 44" E Class

I could pass boats!!

I could lap boats!!

It was fun!!

I won!!

[GENE LANHAM]

loved that race course. It was the best endurance race course I ever drove on. Ran it in several boats never got old.

The Miami Marine Stadium opened in December, 1963

PHYC struggled to survive after that--

The City of Miami controlled both--

Guess what happened?