Hot Singles ! - Pictures

[2us70]

I think the original Scat Craft hulls were made by a guy named Fisher from the Palm Beach area? Also I do not recall the 100 in OMC motors being competitive in the J classes. If Jeff couldn't make it work it wasn't likely anybody else could.

[FUJIMO]

Man o man, I wish Mark Hauptner could come to Scream & Fly & post photo's of anything he could share. Was one of my favorites back then. His race boats that he built, his Mercury rigging, his races...all was very admired when I was young. I hung out as much as I could at Brown & Hauptner Marine, next to the PGA bridge, without being a pest.

[willabee]

This is a notable photo because it shows Bobby Soles out front in the cat that would become the Scat Craft. This story too was detailed earlier...

Pretty sure it was Jim Hunt that said "Bobby Soles had the 'runinest' Chrysler I ever came up against".

'Runinest' - great word ..... no idea how it might be spelled, probably doesn't matter. If you had the runinest machine in the race, you probably won!

Note: Speaking of Jim Hunt, rumor says he just had a birthday ..... Happy B-Day Olegator!

[2us70]

Part of Bobby's success with those motors was probably his ability to craft great propellers. I had a couple of his props and won a lot of races with them. As I recall he named his race boats " Prop Job".

[lars strom]

Roger Jenkins #35 UIM OE class Burgess/Volvo Penta-König. 1976/77.

[FUJIMO]

Part of Bobby's success with those motors was probably his ability to craft great propellers. I had a couple of his props and won a lot of races with them. As I recall he named his race boats " Prop Job".

Bobby Soles, down by the water in Riviera Beach, on a road that came off of Broadway(US1). There was a popular seafood restaurant at the corner called Capt. Alex's... or am I off a bit?

[jackiewilson]

Pretty sure it was Jim Hunt that said "Bobby Soles had the 'runinest' Chrysler I ever came up against".

'Runinest' - great word ..... no idea how it might be spelled, probably doesn't matter. If you had the runinest machine in the race, you probably won!

Er yes Willabee—- we still have birthdays every year—- Even OLIGATOR!!!

Note: Speaking of Jim Hunt, rumor says he just had a birthday ..... Happy B-Day Olegator!

—-

Yup Jim Hunt is OLIGATOR !!!! Wheel man of Florida

[jackiewilson]

Pretty sure it was Jim Hunt that said "Bobby Soles had the 'runinest' Chrysler I ever came up against".

'Runinest' - great word ..... no idea how it might be spelled, probably doesn't matter. If you had the runinest machine in the race, you probably won!

Er yes Willabee—- we still have birthdays every year—- Even OLIGATOR!!!

Note: Speaking of Jim Hunt, rumor says he just had a birthday ..... Happy B-Day Olegator!

—-

Yup Jim Hunt is OLIGATOR !!!! Wheel man of Florida

[jackiewilson]

Another of Key west anomalies!

[2us70]

I acquired my Bobby Soles props when I bought my E production boat from the prior owner. I don't recall ever having a conversation with Bobby. The only successful propeller work I ever did was to one of my Soles props. This consisted of fabricating an exhaust tube for one of my props. I had it welded up at "Alloy Welding" in Ft. Lauderdale. That same prop had blades so thin I had to examine them every time I ran it. When it showed cracks I took it back to the same shop and then spent some quality time with my Dremel tool. I Took a gamble in 1974 and ran that prop for an hour at Key West. Paid off with a one hour record. Only time I ever ran that prop more than a heat of closed course racing without checking it.

Bobby Soles, down by the water in Riviera Beach, on a road that came off of Broadway(US1). There was a popular seafood restaurant at the corner called Capt. Alexander's... or am I off a bit?

[Lake X Kid]

Did Mercury ever benefit from any ex OMC employees? There seems to be a one-way talent door, from Mercury to OMC.

Charlie Strang heads OMC. Engineer Ron Anderson an addition for OMC. Gary Garbrecht becomes OMC race manager (not unlike former Green Bay Packer coach Mike McCarthy leaves to become coach of the Dallas Cowboys).

And all the former Mercury factory team drivers, who later ended their race careers with OMC. Similar to another Wisconsin team, the Packers, which draft Aaron Rogers whom eventually replaces Brett Favre, which Brett later joins a rival team.

Now the Packers 1^st round draft in 2020 is Jordan Love, heir apparent to quarterback Aaron Rogers. Liken to how Gary G recruits Billy Seebold and Cees vander Veldon to replace Renato Molinari as Mercury’s F1 boat builders of choice.


Clockwise: Ron, Renato, Cees, Charlie, Hering, Gary, Downard, Spalding, Percival and Bentz.

[FUJIMO]

...don't get any ideas on this one Raymond...

[Rotary John]

I recall Bill Mayer, Fred Halinstein. Dale Tipala went OMC to Merc. Hell, they even tried to hire me at one time.

[SCT]

Willabee, on average how much would a Mercury “Team Driver” be paid back in the day? Did they have any other duties? Were they a Mercury employee or contractor?

Thanks-

[Lake X Kid]

I recall Bill Mayer, Fred Halinstein. Dale Tipala went OMC to Merc. Hell, they even tried to hire me at one time.

Rotary John was Mercury interested in you, before or after OMC introduced the rotary outboard?
If it was after the rotary project, would that imply Merc was interested in developing their own rotary engine? And wanted your expertise.