Info on a Ron Jones 3 point hydro

**mr fun** · 01-21-2013, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by LakeTrash

I asked Ron Jones Sr. about this and here is his answer.

"I am not certain which boat it may be that is in Florida, and I did build a number of aluminum honeycomb 7 Litres, and am not certain where they all ended up. It may be a boat originally built as a stock 7 Litre, for an unblown big block, built for a local man here in Washington who was a test pilot for the Boeing Company, by the name of Randy Austin. He raced it successfully for a couple of years, but I believe Boeing didn't like him driving a race boat, and he sold it . The man who bought it was from Florida, but I can't recall his name. Anyway, he had it sent to us and we made it a bit larger to fit into the class that Jerry Schoenith was trying to promote, which was an auto engine class, single or dual, about 26 to 28 feet long, which he hoped would eliminate the turbine boats. That class did not survive one season, and disappeared and the boat sat out near a freeway in Florida for a long time. Within the past couple of weeks, another man bought the boat, and he lives in the Bahamas, and is a retired Air force Colonel. That is the only boat I am familiar with that ended up in Florida, and perhaps the man that wants to buy it now is trying to but it from the Colonel, but it doesn't somehow add up. For me to properly identify the boat, I would have to know more about it, than the info your friend gave you. A picture, or a name, or some dimensions all would help. A number of people have called me saying they all have just purchased the boat I have talked about, so some of them are phony."

History from the man.

LT

you are so fortunate to be able to exchange with such a great man.

holy stuff, I'd give anything to exchange thoughts over a brief time as I would most cerntally boar him eventually, probably sooner than later, thank you so much for the contact with a true "LEGEND" fun out

**rkmirage** · 01-21-2013, 08:27 PM

This boat is in South Carolina, my friend lives in Florida. The boat was splintered by Andy Miller, if that helps.

**rkmirage** · 01-21-2013, 08:28 PM

Laketrash, thank you!!! Guys like you are what make this site so awesome!

**rkmirage** · 01-22-2013, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by afr

oh and you can get a hold of the Jones their on my facebook if you want to know what it is your friend is looking at

Thanks Scott, ill send you a friend request.

**Phil's other half...Sue.** · 01-25-2013, 12:11 AM

Pretty Cool LT! Ron Jones Sr. and Jr. are both legends in the boat building business. I had the pleasure of sitting at Ron Jones Sr.'s table with Dave Villwock at the 1997 Gold Cup ceremony in San Diego where I also met Ron Jones Jr. At the time Phil was buying a new race hull and wanted to have Ron Jones build it but it would NOT be done in time for the race season so he went with Bergeron and turned out to be a nightmare, they didn't resin the boat right and as he took a turn in a race the deck lifted...at 2:04 min. into the video you'll see Ron Jones Sr.

**Instigator** · 01-25-2013, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by Phil's other half...Sue.

Pretty Cool LT! Ron Jones Sr. and Jr. are both legends in the boat building business. I had the pleasure of sitting at Ron Jones Sr.'s table with Dave Villwock at the 1997 Gold Cup ceremony in San Diego where I also met Ron Jones Jr.

Now thats cool

LT has a potential project involving Sr. thats off the hook but unlike me, he chooses not to blab about all his projects ; )
LT is one one of the last gurus that hasn't been run off by the punks on this site. Ask him about his visit w/Mr Arneson in the passenger seat of Howards twin turbine Skater and spraying the Golden Gate with it .

**Phil's other half...Sue.** · 01-25-2013, 08:51 AM

I would LOVE to read about it!!! it's great to look back on those days, actually I do believe it was 1996, Steven David was president of APBA. He now drives the Unlimited Boat OBERTO and has taken the high points championship and is heading for the hall of fame, again! I love Steven, he is truly one of the good guys! It is also great to have been able to watch the careers of drivers like Mike Webster and Jimmy Shane whom I have known since they were little kids and now they are driving Unlimited Race Boats! I truly have been blessed to have been able to take this journey with Phil, he showed me the world!

Originally Posted by Instigator

Now thats cool

LT has a potential project involving Sr. thats off the hook but unlike me, he chooses not to blab about all his projects ; )
LT is one one of the last gurus that hasn't been run off by the punks on this site. Ask him about his visit w/Mr Arneson in the passenger seat of Howards twin turbine Skater and spraying the Golden Gate with it .

**LakeTrash** · 01-25-2013, 09:59 AM

Great information Sue - thanks.

Howard Arneson - Ken Warby - Wayne Taylor - Galen Burten and I know there are a bunch more.

Those guys are - were gurus - not me. I just take thier ideas and run.

Those guys think ahead of the box and never let an idea get by without thinking it through.

In one conversation with Ron he mentioned he built 3 33' offshore tunnel boats in 1965. He sent me the pic.

Does anybody besides me see features that were copied in later years?

I asked if he knew where one might be located and he said the all have been lost but he had the original plans which he would be glad to send me. I have never built a boat from scratch in my life let alone a 33'er. Now he has decided I should build but not that boat because he has a bunch of new ideas. The new boat will be 31'. He sent me the 1" = 1' drawings last week and he is working on the 3" = 1' set. After that he will draw up full scale frames.

He has me convinced this will be easy. Yea, right.

LT

**Phil's other half...Sue.** · 01-25-2013, 11:29 AM

Very Very Cool!!!

Originally Posted by LakeTrash

Great information Sue - thanks.

Howard Arneson - Ken Warby - Wayne Taylor - Galen Burten and I know there are a bunch more.

Those guys are - were gurus - not me. I just take thier ideas and run.

Those guys think ahead of the box and never let an idea get by without thinking it through.

In one conversation with Ron he mentioned he built 3 33' offshore tunnel boats in 1965. He sent me the pic.

Does anybody besides me see features that were copied in later years?

I asked if he knew where one might be located and he said the all have been lost but he had the original plans which he would be glad to send me. I have never built a boat from scratch in my life let alone a 33'er. Now he has decided I should build but not that boat because he has a bunch of new ideas. The new boat will be 31'. He sent me the 1" = 1' drawings last week and he is working on the 3" = 1' set. After that he will draw up full scale frames.

He has me convinced this will be easy. Yea, right.

LT

**afr** · 01-25-2013, 11:47 AM

LT it is fairly easy and with his help it would be cake with the full size drawing it is as simple as trace and cut
i am sure he will also give you the drawings for the jigs to hold it all to
i been wanting to do a skater type my self but in the 25 ft range

**Instigator** · 01-25-2013, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by LakeTrash

Does anybody besides me see features that were copied in later years?
LT

Yep. Sure looks like a Skater to me. Or should I say a Skater sure looks like......, ah I won't even say it. Probably get letter bombs from the holly crowd

**jphii** · 01-25-2013, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Instigator

Yep. Sure looks like a Skater to me. Or should I say a Skater sure looks like......, ah I won't even say it. Probably get letter bombs from the holly crowd

Yea, you better put your fire suit on....