Life at Lake X in the '60s

[AwesomeBullet]

Steve, I got your email....I'll give you a shout over this weekend...

[seeroy]

Awhile back I posted some info about the Siesta Key Test Station and the fact that Midnight Pass had closed up some years back. Now I understand that there is a move afoot to reopen Midnight Pass in order to improve water quality of the bay. -Steve Sirois

Here is site about reopening Midnight Pass>

http://www.midnightpass-reopening.org/

[SEANARMSTRONG]

Does Anyone Have Video Or Pics Of The Black Duck Race Team And Or Boats

[Sheldon Tobey]

steve sheldon tobey again wayne meyer had the old man ship me to fond du lac to get me away from nancy I flew with you and the old man. keeping me away didnt work. Nancy came up and we met at the old dartmor where i was staying. the next morning i was supposed to take a truck and boat back to lake x. well i didnt make it and the old man had the hiway patrol all the way to fla looking for me was still in fond du lac lol

[T2x]

Does Anyone Have Video Or Pics Of The Black Duck Race Team And Or Boats

I do...but you can pick up the DVD's "Cats Conquer Offshore"...and "Linder/Luhrs The Partnership that changed the Game"...from Big Seas Productions.

http://www.historicraceboats.com/

T2x

[seeroy]

1960 PowerCat, The Motors Merc never made?





<HR style="COLOR: #72a5d8" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->We knew almost immediatly (2 years ago) that the 700's didn't have the beans, SSM's are a pain in the A$$ ( I'm not going to fight (bidding wars) or guess about props) so a buddy in Fon Du Lac contacted me about a pair of (then) Super Secret 62 Merc 1000 XS's that never made it to Winabago or Havasu. (they were in locked away in a vault at Lake X He said they were solid mounts, Low water pickup, (Jacking them up to the moon was no problem, so we did) and spun a hot new prop that was to come out years later called a "Chopper"This whole thing was sounding like "Back to the Future" Period correct is important (they have to have points and condensers), so all of that fits the bill.. After ALLOT of negotiating and hard work we got them shipped in, cleaned up, and mounted.. They run like the wind and the boat is a total handfull, I love it.. We still need to get the boat to calm down when I Mash the throttles but we'll get it sorted out..I think they look Awesome..So here they are, the long lost 1962 Merc 1000 XS's..
A Million Thanks goes out to my Buddy Dick Davis for all of his help and support. Without his help, this never would have happened..
Now this was a fun project.. Sanding SUCKS!!

Jeff - I guess its time for a new Avatar ..

Holy Crap - I had forgotten about "THE VAULT"! Sometime back I wrote about setting up the Museum on the second floor of the new building at Lake X. "THE VAULT" was adjacent to the parts room which was across from the old shop. The "one each" motors that we moved into the Museum came from "THE VAULT". "THE VAULT" was one of those Kiekhaefer mystical places that absolutely did exist, and I absolutely had the magical experience of having been in it. I don't remember if I wrote about setting up the Museum in this thread or in Barron Cooly's "Mercury Dealership Treasures" thread. ANYWAY, reading through some of the threads at S&F and OSO bring some of the old grey matter back to life. Thank You Jeff and Best Regards - Steve Sirois

[T2x]

1960 PowerCat, The Motors Merc never made?
Holy Crap - I had forgotten about "THE VAULT"! Sometime back I wrote about setting up the Museum on the second floor of the new building at Lake X. "THE VAULT" was adjacent to the parts room which was across from the old shop. The "one each" motors that we moved into the Museum came from "THE VAULT". "THE VAULT" was one of those Kiekhaefer mystical places that absolutely did exist, and I absolutely had the magical experience of having been in it. I don't remember if I wrote about setting up the Museum in this thread or in Barron Cooly's "Mercury Dealership Treasures" thread. ANYWAY, reading through some of the threads at S&F and OSO bring some of the old grey matter back to life. Thank You Jeff and Best Regards - Steve Sirois

Somewhere on here I also wrote about the Vault at Lake X. When we were setting up the boat pictured below for Offshore Modified class, the rules clearly stated that one engine had to be capable of forward and reverse operation......So......... Schwebbie sent us up to break into the vault and "borrow" (steal) a DR starter motor from a Merc 800 that was one of the dozens of vintage motors upstairs in the museum. Mark Baier, worked a trick switch that reversed the computerized ignition on one of the Champ motors, but the only starter on earth that would run both ways needed a DR bendix drive.

Sadly, the engine caught fire in its 3rd race in New Orleans, after a well known T-man (not me) started the engine backwards while planing, and kept throttling harder when the boat seemed "sluggish"...... while scores of us screamed from shore. Bottom line everything on that motor was torched and the cowl melted to create a perfectly form fitted "glove".

P.S. STeve you probably recognize Linwood Lupo in the picture inside the Lake X shop. That's me in the black hat....... I had great legs in my youth

T2x

[seeroy]

Rich - I did see the post and pictures you refer to. Not too sure about those legs of yours though . The "vault" that you refer too upstairs was actually the museum. Although it may have been known as the vault in later years. However, the original vault was across from the original shop and adjacent to the old parts room. Also, in the area of the original vault was an old conference table where we watched 16mm movies that Mabry Edwards took of the entire Bahamas 5oo course. During prep for the 1st 500, anyone could go over there and run those movies to familiarize themselves with the course. Also, several of the top racers got to take a yacht cruise around the course prior to the race. Some of the movies were made from the air and some of them were made from the yacht cruise. The preparation that was provided by Mr Kiekhaefer was phenomenol for those days. I'm looking forward to Aronow race next month. I am arriving on Thursday and leaving Saturday AM. Hope to get a chance to talk to you. Best Regards - Steve

[bill marschall]

From the past -Sarasota High 1959 -Siesta Key 1959-1960 -Lake X 1960 -1990 - Placida 2002 Total 43 years with Mercury Marine Still on the green side Steve. Talked to O"Dell Lewis two weeks ago. Keep in touch Best Reguards - Bill Marschall

[seeroy]

Bill - What a great surprise to see you here. I am at my 1st boat race in many many years in Miami. Phil Schenk is with me here, and tomorrow we are going out on a Rampage 45' with Jim Hauser to act as a turn boat for the Don Aronow Memorial race. Odell is supposed to be here for an old farts get together tomorrow after the race. Also Mel Riggs and John Bakos might be here. Best Regards - Steve

[seeroy]

All - Today in Miami was magnificant. Don Aronow Memorial race and Old Farts party at Jimbos. Alot of faces I had not seen in 40+ years, alot of faces to place with names that I had heard of for years but never actually met, and alot of new names and faces. Charlie McCarthy, Brownie, and many others deserve a huge round of applause. I am humble in the presence of giants. I have some ammo for new stories and much clarification for stories previously told. It may take a little while, but new stories will come. Too tired to write......Good Night and Best Regards - Steve Sirois

[Mark75H]

Excellent, Steve! We'll be looking forward to that stuff!

[velox]

All - Today in Miami was magnificant. Don Aronow Memorial race and Old Farts party at Jimbos. Alot of faces I had not seen in 40+ years, alot of faces to place with names that I had heard of for years but never actually met, and alot of new names and faces. Charlie McCarthy, Brownie, and many others deserve a huge round of applause. I am humble in the presence of giants. I have some ammo for new stories and much clarification for stories previously told. It may take a little while, but new stories will come. Too tired to write......Good Night and Best Regards - Steve Sirois

It was great to see you there along with all the others.
Most were offshore guys and I only did a little of that compared to the OPC stuff. All the Lake X guys got to do both.
PS, don't tell anyone about the show the girls from the Sea Ray put on!

[T2x]

It was a great time and a fitting tribute to Dave Gilmore and all the others who have gone on to the bigger race course in the sky....

Steve it was great to meet you and see all of the other old friends who really made it happen...Odell Lewis, Brownie, Richie Powers, Bobby Moore, Tom Akoury, Bobby Saccenti, Keith Sparks, Butch Stokes, Gene Lanham, and a plethora of others......

And let me add on a personal note....... Dave Craig....wow!!!!!!!

T2x

[seeroy]

Rich - Let me add a few more names that were at Jimbos on Friday, although far from a complete list....You (Rich Luhrs), Charlie and Mary Pat and Charlie Jr McCarthy, Charlie and David Wolff, Sammy and Patty James, Carl and Jeanne and Carla Moesly, Gordon and Vida Houser, Phil Schenk, John Conner, Dale Thayer and Son, Doug Janisch and Son, Willie Meyer, George Peroni and Wife (sorry I didn't catch her name, but she herself once won Cowes Torquay), Gale Jacoby, Bill Rosensteel, John and Bobbye Kenyon, Dale Irwin, Jim Bolger, Butch and Treasure Stokes, Fred Darwick, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY....Michael Aronow. I was honored to spend the day Friday aboard the #1 turn boat, 45' Rampage, with Sunpower Marine Owner Jay Davis (Father of a brand new 6 week old girl), Sunpower Yachts President Chuck Pickover, and former owner of Sunpower Yachts Jim Hauser along with Gail hauser. As Always, Best Regards - Steve Sirois