Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

What with the Cowes/Torquay coming up — was thinking of my old friend EDDIE CHATER who i used to race with in the early sixties . Was a dental surgeon fresh out of Guys. Had the most evil smelling pipe in the world . Used to race a 16 foot Levi with a “tower of power” called VOODOO> He is getting on a bit these days so did him a trophy that can be raced for annually … main reason is so he just doesnt get forgotten.

[OLEGATOR]

Jim , think i am still capable of doing a fairly solid version of A “RAVEAU” ,I KNOW BOTH YOU AND BUTCH HAVE ONE OF MY CONCEPTS SOMEWHERE.
Wasn’t there a “TREASURE” somewhere — always thought that she was a “FORMIDABLE” female. Just need for old racers to get something for them to remember racing by !!!!!!!!!!

yes jackie, treasure was very formidable. i am proud to say she and butch are a couple of the finest people i've had the pleasure to call my friends for a long time. the reveau you made for me sits rite in front of my tv. it is seen by everyone in my living room. a very proud possession.

[jackiewilson]

Just made a rough outline of Treasures RAVEAU—- i know you knew MARCEL. —- this is just to help me make something really good . Didnt i make both Butch and you a concept ??
Did get my knickers in a bit of a twist —- but i still have ambition Jim !!!!!!!!

[Lake X Kid]

The art, skill, tech, and the weight disadvantage of filming race footage in the 1960s &70s.

Before Go-Pro and Cell Phones.

A couple years ago I saw a guy mount a Go-Pro camera on his SK race boat's deck in Long Beach. And the little camera stayed attached to the little mount. Technical progress.

[jackiewilson]

Was at the LMBRC in IVER Uxbridge where the BBC decided to film a race —- They stuck a tripod and a very expensive Panasonic camera onto the deck of the TORRIGIA tunnel boat . RICHARD DIMBLEBY did the commentary.
Unfortunately at the second top buoy i turned hard left—— the camera didn't and flew overboard —— that was the first and last time i ever had a camera on my boat.

[jackiewilson]

Well on the way with“TREASURES —RAVEAU “. —Done the mount [one of my better concoctions]
Fabricated the Merc 700 — you just have to wait until I’ve cobbled it all together .
Made a big decision today——- there will be no COSWORTH concept.
Been sweating over it since i first conceived the idea ——-decided it cannot be done !!!!!

From what little i know of COSWORTH ENGINEERING , [which is only minute when one thinks of the magnitude of the firm]
there is no way i could get the four main protagonists into one concept.
So i decided it had to be THE DUCKWORTH !!!!!!!!!! It is going to be a monumental task—- needs to be the best thing i have ever done—- Keith was a man of many talents . Brilliant engineer and designer——- water skier——helicopter Pilot—— could sink a pint of bitter with the best.—- and pull a bird faster than any of us !!!!!!
Think i have more than enough to work with . He will never be forgotten anyway — but i still have to make a full blown concept of the KEITH DUCKWORTH that i knew .


I once got Hodges to Build a junior cat for my daughter Kim—- he saw it and said could i Get Chris to build one for his boy ROGER. !!!!!!!!!! He was 10 and had just started junior racing with CLIVE____Colin Chapmans boy .
Keith put it all together and thought he would show his lad how it should be done——-somehow he never quite achieved the finer points of junior racing and wound up very wet indeed .
Needless to say i will not be depicting this on the concept.

[FUJIMO]

[OLEGATOR]

Just made a rough outline of Treasures RAVEAU—- i know you knew MARCEL. —- this is just to help me make something really good . Didnt i make both Butch and you a concept ??
Did get my knickers in a bit of a twist —- but i still have ambition Jim !!!!!!!!

yes jackie, you did, and presented them to us at tavares. he may have a picture to help you out.
he goes by lilabner.

[jackiewilson]

yes jackie, you did, and presented them to us at tavares. he may have a picture to help you out.
he goes by lilabner.

OK Jim— i do remember seeing a full picture of Treasure in a single seater RAVEAU that looked more like a RIVA than a HAL KELLY design.
Seems like the RAVEAU could take the big motors and really handle the power, i have seen a really great version at Tavares at one of the OFF meetings , Damned if i can find it anywhere .
SO____LILABNER. if you are out there and ever read the tricks column—— i could do with a half decent phoggie of “TREASURE AND HER RAVEAU RACEBOAT WITH THE 700 MERCURY”

[jackiewilson]

But but not the best medium for creating anything other than shins in the isthmus centuryAttachment 520718

Started out as the “TREASURE” prototype ——— RAVEAU was always in wood , so i did the same .
Only chunk of wood was a half inch slab of English oak —- hardwood

[jackiewilson]

Looks like i well and truly fecked up the last post —-apologies — at least you have the general idea

[OLEGATOR]

OK Jim— i do remember seeing a full picture of Treasure in a single seater RAVEAU that looked more like a RIVA than a HAL KELLY design.
Seems like the RAVEAU could take the big motors and really handle the power, i have seen a really great version at Tavares at one of the OFF meetings , Damned if i can find it anywhere .
SO____LILABNER. if you are out there and ever read the tricks column—— i could do with a half decent phoggie of “TREASURE AND HER RAVEAU RACEBOAT WITH THE 700 MERCURY”

jackie, just to enlighten you, all the single engine raveaus were flat bottom and driven on your knees. only single seaters were the raveau cats with twin engines and one 20' twin engine flat bottom. the raveau you saw a tavares was the more modern version raveau vee bottom built by bobby walwork who worked for years with marcel, before marcel moved back to france. i staid in touch with marcel when he moved back to france and got to have a nice visit with him while i was in the army and attended the 1967 paris 6hr. he was camped out across the street from the pits.

[2us70]

When I was starting out in racing my dream race boat was a 16 Raveau with a Merc 1000 for I class. I did manage to pick up an E class Raveau to fit my budget but it was pretty used up. I tested it but never got to race it.
My younger Son's father in-law grew up on Long Island and he was well acquainted with Marcel Raveau. He raced a little Raveau when he was a kid in Stock Outboard. He has a few stories about Marcel from those days in New York before he moved to Florida.

[jackiewilson]

jackie, just to enlighten you, all the single engine raveaus were flat bottom and driven on your knees. only single seaters were the raveau cats with twin engines and one 20' twin engine flat bottom. the raveau you saw a tavares was the more modern version raveau vee bottom built by bobby walwork who worked for years with marcel, before marcel moved back to france. i staid in touch with marcel when he moved back to france and got to have a nice visit with him while i was in the army and attended the 1967 paris 6hr. he was camped out across the street from the pits.

I was racing in Paris in 1967 with don ross in the “ROSSINARI”—- how daft is that ????
I have done Treasure a concept of sorts —-flattie made out of oak —— did not even put a gear case and prop on it. Turned out very fair actually !!!!!!!!
found a piece of Burmese teak to make the real one with. Afraid it will have to be put on the back burner for a while ——- i am working like the demented Gippetto to cram in all the things i still have to do.

[jackiewilson]

Bill Brown was once a really good friend of mine—- but that was early on in my life .
We would meet up in Soho on a friday night at ANIMOS in Greek Street or LA CUCKARACHA the Mexican eatery.
Would be the early hours of Saturday morning before we were thrown out, Parking was in the street at that time .
All the people that worked on our boats would be there—PATRICK CASTELL AND CLARE——BILL BROWN and EILEEN——- CHAS SHOOTER and SANDRA——— Tony ??? Bills mad Irish sister-in-law .
We used to take over the place and the music and dancing always went on into the early hours .
Life was simple and there for the taking in those crazy days.
Over the years things changed —- halcyon is only there for a short while —but hells teeth did we ever live for a while .
Bad news is Bill Brown has reached the end of the line —-weeks at the most——he has lived in Thailand for the last twenty odd years with his wife and daughter, still dabbling in design and inventions . Still hoping to find something that would make a fortune.
As well as being great, life can be a stone bitch at times —-today ,life proved just what a bitch she can be.!!!!!!!!!