Don Aronow exit was a surprise to most

[Redbirdman]

Howard built some nice boats out of plywood---Won the Gold Coast Marathon in one of his own boat

Had his own shop on NW 10th Avenue and 143rd

Had a bright young neighbor--

[Instigator]

Very cool shot!

Is that Aronow on the bow?

Back when men were men and risk was understood and accepted!

Howard built some nice boats out of plywood---Won the Gold Coast Marathon in one of his own boat

Had his own shop on NW 10th Avenue and 143rd

Had a bright young neighbor--

[FUJIMO]

Very cool shot!

Is that Aronow on the bow?

Back when men were men and risk was understood and accepted!

...yes...

[Instigator]

So we can talk all the crap about him we want but part of the attraction is….., he was one of us and he was a man’s man.

As I always thought and accepted.

...yes...

[FUJIMO]

...my last conversation with him was about a newer product at the time, (that i actually had been already using for about three years), called coremat, made & first introduced by west point-pepperell. telling him what its advantages are in the lamination schedule, its costs, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm thicknesses, etc. i left him & another famous individuals office, that i was talking with & started walking down the short hallway & overheard don complimenting me by name & my exceptional knowledge. it put a rather big smile on my face considering who it came from & who he was saying this to. he was dead very shortly thereafter...

[powerabout]

...my last conversation with him was about a newer product at the time, (that i actually had been already using for about three years), called coremat, made & first introduced by west point-pepperell. telling him what its advantages are in the lamination schedule, its costs, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm thicknesses, etc. i left him & another famous individuals office, that i was talking with & started walking down the short hallway & overheard don complimenting me by name & my exceptional knowledge. it put a rather big smile on my face considering who it came from & who he was saying this to. he was dead very shortly thereafter...

Would you put coremat anywhere besides the hatch covers and lockers?

[FUJIMO]

...been used in many different manufacturers decks & hullsides as a print barrier & panel stiffener since 1984...

[powerabout]

...been used in many different manufacturers decks & hullsides as a print barrier & panel stiffener since 1984...

"heavy stuff dude"

[Instigator]

Yep.

We used quite bit of it when I was building boats in Sebastian.

Cool stuff.

Have also seen it in many boats I’ve worked on.

I think maybe it’s biggest feature was the elimination of print through, which always mystified me.

...been used in many different manufacturers decks & hullsides as a print barrier & panel stiffener since 1984...

[Greg G]

Very cool shot!

Is that Aronow on the bow?

Back when men were men and risk was understood and accepted!

Copter is right in there. If you look close there are two men on the bow and yes one of them is Don A.

[Instigator]

Yep.

Noticed both.

Remember the story of him almost hitting a chopper after launching off a wave in rough race.

Also, note the driver at the transom.
Leg up on the gunnel like they’re out on a lunch run!

Wussy’s not apply!

Copter is right in there. If you look close there are two men on the bow and yes one of them is Don A.

[Lake X Kid]

Yep.

Noticed both.

Remember the story of him almost hitting a chopper after launching off a wave in rough race.

My dad raced offshore in the 1960s in Florida (like Don A.).
And I remember him telling me, there were times when he thought he could just reach up and touch one of the helicopters.

Which to this day, I think it was the Copter pilot making a statement to the Offshore racers, that I got skills too.
See how close I can get to you racers.

Because photographers do not need to be 12 feet from the boat's cockpit.

[Amberjack1234]

Yes, Don Z was an old scoundrel from New Jersey and had a lot of connections with Genovese and Gambino. Came to Florida for his health and to spend money.

[Amberjack1234]

You bet your Bippy that’s a donzi himself. Abi built boats.

[Amberjack1234]

Just discovered this discussion. I grew up as a kid in Miami Speed boat Row was a special place with all the activity going on to a kid growing up. In 1965 and 66 we lived in a development called old Cutler Bay. Don Arronow lived in a development call Gables Estates across the canal from us. He lived on a peninsula at the end of the cul-de-sac and shared the property with the Miller family who owned Lennar construction. They had 1/2 of the peninsula and Don had the other right across from Matheson hammock. My father had a big interest in the race tracks, and Don used to come and sit in his box at Hialeah and Calder some days. Gulfstream racetrack also which was owned by the exotic gardens flower people. His son, Michael got into race horses quite a bit. I think I remember that he was crippled after a car accident and was in a wheelchair. funny, but true story when Don with customs to sell them the blue thunder cats he was demonstrating them to then VP Bush, and they were taking a ride out haul over and into some pretty snotty weather. Don demonstrated a hard turn and one of the customs guys wasn’t holding on right properly ended up with a broken arm or leg I don’t remember which. Another urban rumor was that when the finished product blue thunder cats were delivered to customs some of the builders in the factory, they shall remain nameless, altered the balance of the modes by moving all the weight forward a couple of feet, so that the Boats ran bow, heavy, and did not go over about 60 miles an hour. Having been chased by one, I can attest to that fact.