Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

That blasted white stuff decided to put in an appearance this morning, why the hell it don't just stay in Aspen, whistler, Davos or Mirabeau I'll never know.
Made good time to Hertfordshire with Jill doing all the driving, only here for the one night and then back home.
Thats January been and gone, six more weeks and I can drive again

Gary and Lou flew in to see the Southampton V Crystal Palace soccer match , came from Ft Lauderdale to Gatwick for next to nothing on Norwegian Air Lines.
You Should see the new jam jar GARY bought------Lamborghini Supperlegera,two seats and F1 horsepower, 211 mph, rectum twitching performance.
Thanks to one and all for the birthday greetings, even Willabee joined in, will never get round to thanking each of you but want you all to know how much I appreciate your kindness.

Finished all the stuff I was working on-------got a completely open mind-----want to find a really different project, but don't have a clue as to what it'll be-----got six weeks to do it in. Have a stack of timber and reams of stainless-----something will leap out and light my candle

Have enough finished stuff to sink a battleship------need a bigger shed to put it in -----must have two dozen HEYLANGO'S ( Scandinavian trolls)------not doing any more of those damn things

Nobody took any notice of the hints I dropped re a new all singing and dancing IPad----it all fell on stony ground . But if anyone wants a couple or three bits of nonsense in exchange, I could be well interested.

[jackiewilson]

Had a whole afternoon and evening to cogitate on the next project.
Three favourite articles are Cars and Boats and Planes and things, old and new, take a little of each and see what comes up " A PLANCABOARTY". Putetre?

Should take up to a month to do something really special, decided to do an online auction of this----
got an opening gambit of $500 --------I never even heard of anyone , anywhere selling a piece that's still in the think box-------we will fight over the postage though, off the cuff, to Colonialville? guess is $150.

What I will do is give you the cash back if your not satisfied! But I'm confident you'll like it!

Will use, Stainless, Alloy, granite, and search through the old hardwood pile for a nice chunk to start the ball rolling. If you don't want to be seen to be bidding on "Tricks" send it on the PM on S&F.

THE TIME HAS COME, THE WALRUS SAID, TO SPEAK OF MANY THINGS, me myself it's sleep, MYGGWY,J

[jackiewilson]

Got all of a quiver last night as the concept of the next piece took shape in the knowledge box.
Funny, how from nothing, something wildly exciting emerges, just a bit of lateral thinking and the possibilities are endless. Now I just want to hit the road and get back in the shop ! Was awake before five-----deep thinking, wish I was smart enough to draw what was in my mind, but my doodlings are those of a backward four year old---I'm afraid it's a brain to fingers sort of deal, with the R/R deal I at least had a picture. With this next one its imagination and tool management with cock--ups at a minimum, I hope.

Just came across a really nice Sony SLR digital, with a couple of interesting lenses, it's been used, second time out on ebay----put in an unkind offer and the guy accepted it.
Made the mistake of keeping my present picture taker in the shop, got dust in the shutter and it sticks. Both ways.

Still dark outside, no noise from the kids but BATEMAN, the black lab has parked hisself full length across my feet, weighs a sodding ton. No good, I gotta pee anyway, might as well rise and shine and greet the new day.

[jackiewilson]

Not a peep out of anyone all weekend, did get a host of well wishers on Friday, but nobody wanted to even disagree with me at the weekend, then it dawned on me--------ITS THE BLOODY SUPERBOWL, America switches off this weekend. Neighbours visit each other, throat lubrication in Budweiser form is consumed in vast quantities. Businesses actually close, THE USA RELAXES.

No point in pounding the keyboard ' cos no buggers gonna even switch the devices on , let alone read the "Tricks" so enjoy the game-----I'll talk to you tomorrow----MYGGWY.J.

[jackiewilson]

First time ive ever seen this picture---Paris in the 70/s.
You do not want to know what happened!!

[jackiewilson]

Sounds to me like the SUPERBOWL was a cracker!
Far too late for me to stay awake and enjoy ! Get back to you later in the day.

[jackiewilson]

what kind of motor on that thing? by the way happy belated birthday. is that an early twister?

Mark tells me the year was '77---would have been the latest Merc model.maybe a silo.
Adam LASZCZAR was the owner of the rig, Hodges/Merc, he has been one of my closest friends for 60 years Jim, When the Germans invaded Poland, he walked from Warsaw to Ceylon-----he was just seven years old. It took over two years, he lived off'n his slingshot ( catapult).

[jackiewilson]

A layer of that blasted white stuff this morning.
Haircut and beard trim this morning then a full day in the shop.
Spent yesterday marking out and sorting materials, Started the mock up for the body, the power plant and tail plane started to come together well.
Good to have a stay at home week.
Amazing how much more timber the stove goes through when it snows!
Murphy's dancing all over me, time to get up and greet the new day

[STEVERINO]

Mark tells me the year was '77---would have been the latest Merc model.maybe a silo.
Adam LASZCZAR was the owner of the rig, Hodges/Merc, he has been one of my closest friends for 60 years Jim, When the Germans invaded Poland, he walked from Warsaw to Ceylon-----he was just seven years old. It took over two years, he lived off'n his slingshot ( catapult).

Hi Jackie you raced that yellow Hodges boat at Chaseswater in 1976 it had a Mercury 2.0 V6 Carb engine and it was the first time i saw you race a Mercury outboard since the end of 1971 you were well into inboards by this time.

[jackiewilson]

Hi Jackie you raced that yellow Hodges boat at Chaseswater in 1976 it had a Mercury 2.0 V6 Carb engine and it was the first time i saw you race a Mercury outboard since the end of 1971 you were well into inboards by this time.

Adam was having difficulty getting to grips with the Hodges, it was a problem boat from the start, to turn , it was all or nothing, you had to drop it in hard before the turn, it simply floated on 'till it bit.
It was a top five boat if you wrung its neck, but it would bite you given half a chance, give it a smidgen too much trim and it would float a foot above the water for a hundred yards.
That boat was like a yo-yo, back and forth to Hodges trying to sort it.
He was another that never made two boats alike, he was of the ope that he could always improve on the last one.
my last four boats were Hodges, often wondered if I'd have run Seebolds would the outcome have been different.
Last boat was a case of 150 mph motor in a 125 mph hull.

[jackiewilson]

We have a big old half dead ACACIA tree right outside our bedroom window-------the birds love that tree. But, only as a recreational place-------we have both the green and spotted woodpecker, get woken by their hammerings most morning.
This morning the Buzzard is lording it out there, the Resident Kestrel decided discretion was the better part of valour. Magpies, Crows, Pigeons and blackbirds have been and gone, nothing ever nests in it, but the foliage is sparse, so a nest would be vulnerable.
Telling you this so I don't have to crack a joke.
Heavy frost this morning but no snow, same sort of weather forecast for the next ten days, long johns and three Cashmeres with a fleece on top, the workshop is cold as charity and won't get much better till the end of March.
Traditionally, easter was when we had the first race at Iver Heath, that's if there was no ice on the lake.Have raced in blizzards many a time, not even gales stopped us.
Got bogged down with the tail plane and spent the whole day modifying a new one------decided this one will be an experiment prototype and not the finished article. Did it in allumnium----the final one will be all stainless.
The second one will come together quite quickly, roll on Mac duff, let battle commence!

[jackiewilson]

Had meself a quiet chuckle today, accidentally logged on to an early Bahamas 500 race.
Clip that I loved was Of the first boat into Nassau after a four and a half hour stint at the wheel and an enthusiastiic Mr. K. Leaping on to the boat and Odell Lewis yelling at the old man "Get off'n MY boat", before taking a drink and heading back for another four and a half hours slamming.

Thats when men were men and " Offshore" meant just that! Wonder how many of today's jockeys would stand up for nine hours. That was the winners time, Richie Powers finished some six hours behind and Ridgell is credited in there as well.
It's a far cry from The hydraulic, ten thousand Dollar shock absorbing all singing and dancing super sprung armchair, inside a fifty thousand dollar "Capsule" inside a million dollar state of the art hull with a couple of million dollar, thousand horse power motors or a turbine of unknown thrust.

Point I'm making is, it was the pioneers like Odell and Bakos that made Todays "Offshore" events possible.
Don't think the modern concept is even comparable to the original version.
three, fifteen minute heats (if it's not too rough and windy) hardly compares to a 500 miler?
Looking at some of the crews today, they are nowhere near the fitness levels of yesterday's jockeys.
Im off to my sleeping pit before sh-t hits the fan MYGGWY,J.

[Rotary John]

For those of you who haven't heard; Ziggy Bottle past away last night. While Ziggy work for and supported OMC for many years, most people in boat racing know him or of him. May he rest in Pease. My condolences to Janet and the rest of his family.

[jackiewilson]

For those of you who haven't heard; Ziggy Bottle past away last night. While Ziggy work for and supported OMC for many years, most people in boat racing know him or of him. May he rest in Pease. My condolences to Janet and the rest of his family.

Sorry to hear the sad news Johnno .
Ziggy was always there, part of the racing scene, from as far back as I can remember.
I never got to know him well, or his family. RIP Ziggy.

[powerabout]

I only ever heard nice remarks about Ziggy
I never met him
RIP