Spike, It's great to see you finally got your website up and running. I was getting dizzy watching the Stevens logo spin around for soooo long, if you know what I mean! haha Are you planning on getting some of your many Stevens archive pics up there now? Here's a link to some good youtube videos of Bass Lake2009. There's 4 or 5 of them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WG1B...eature=related
thx for posting the utube links, leadsledmerc... that '64 miller "no name" featured in the segment #4 video is an absolute work of art- the trailer is sits on (license plate "fltkool") is really kool!
If you like vintage race boats, and you live in New England, there will be a three day regatta, with hot laps on the bay, in Wolfeboro, NH September 17-19, 2009. Everything from unlimited hydros to those beautiful mahogany V8-60 powered inboards. Admission is free, you can wander around the docks and view them and have a good line of sight, with binnoculars, to the laps out on the bay. Last time they had one here, you could sign up for rides on a couple of boats.
Thanks for the heads up, I hadn't heard about this. That's up by Laconia isn't it? I might have to try to make that.
A good friend of mine belongs to classic v-drive club located in central California . There web site is worth checking out ,, also vintage hydro web site www.vintagehydroplanes.com www.v-driveboats.com
19 foot Sanger jet boat, 600 HP 427 BBC race gas only, I love to trade, If anybody's interested in owning this boat PM me, Trade for something cool, or see it at the Iola old car show in WI this friday or saturday.
I may be wrong about this, but I don't know if any of the boat manufacturers make flatbottoms, hydros, or any of the performance boats that we're talking about on this site, for the general public's pleasure use like they used to.Probably less than you can count on one hand still do. It used to be, that there were a lot of hot inboard boat companies. I think Lawyers, lawsuits, insurance companies, and the usual garden variety idiots ruined things to the point that the makers quit building 'em. There are those who have purchased the molds for various makes of flat and hydro, and can lay up a new hull, and build a complete turn-key boat if you want. I don't personally know who is building the hulls for any of the for-real drag boats competeing today in 2009, but SOMEONE is..... It is likely that the hulls you might see today at the races are RACE ONLY HULLS, not something you'd even want to try to make a ski boat out of. The shop foreman at Schiada Boats told me once that they won't sell anyone anything other than a complete boat. No bare hulls. No stage 1, or stage 2. Evidently, when someone rigs a boat themselves these days, and gets hurt in it, the lawyers come after the manufacturers, even if a part failed that the manufacturer didn't make, install, or sell to the customer, the boat has a builder's name on it and people today don't take responsibility for their own mistakes, they sue.......everybody they can. It's sad. Today, you've got to search out those few, like Giroux Boats, or DeFir who builds Rayson-Crafts new. OR, you can do like we all did back then...buy an old hull (they were new then) that you like, and build your own hot inboard. Just like building a hot rod, you find a body(hull) in as best shape you can, straighten it, paint it, dump a big engine in it,(you build the engine), throw chrome and upholstery in the mix. It's not limited to just the fibreglass hulls either. There are those guys (John Miller Boats, brother Jim at Miller Boats, Harlan Orrin, Clayton John) that can build you a new wood hull or wood deck. I know there are many others whom I'm not aware of, or forgetting. But "They", (Sanger), I don't think,.... are still making "bubbledecks". Spike
I think another reason why you do not see new 18'ish ppeprformance boats is because of market saturation. They were made for so long and so many were made that the used market really effected it. there are still a million used jet boats out there and pleny of flat bottoms too. It was the same thing that happened to musclecars by the early 70s(though few admit it). By the early 80s, after 2 gas crisis and market saturation to the hilt, the new market went away ( in general) for the average person. there were so many brands and companies making and selling these things the bottom fell out. the ones with the bucks started buying bigger performance boats. The other problem is these kinds of boats are not for everyone. The advent of jet skis enabled someone with no mechanical skills ( or interest) go out and have fun. Other types of boats fit into this too. The kinds of boats are this thread are for hot rodders, gear heads, etc. The average Joe would find it 'hard' to keep it running, perform maintenence, tuing etc. Most people today just do not care. They just want to turn a key and go. I am not one of them by the way....... the part of the new hot boat market that does thrive are the wealthy who buy the 24' and larger boats and can play in rough water like Havasu, etc. they like to go fast and they do! they also like much more int room and think the bigger boats impress the girlies too. Our 'little' hot boats have become specialty items just like the cars we like. I do not think lawyers had much to do with the way the boat market has become. It just evolved. Steve
How I missed this thread I'll never know! I was directed here from my thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=377877 I can't begin to congratulate you on all the very cool boats you have shown but you should all be proud. I also see that many of you have been a part of the Hot Boat forums when it existed properly, the Performance Boat forums and many others devoted to these money pits! I was a member of Hot Boat way back when it was a pay only site. I'm sure I'll come a cross some of you at those places. My current boat doesn't quite have the nostalgic qualities that most of those in this thread have but it is a classic in it's own right. Schiada have a great name and produce a first class product and have done for many years, they are synonymous with water ski racing and turn out some absolutely spectacular craft. Mine is a '76 RC, definitely a restoration project and yes, I will be keeping the color scheme including the wood grain... I hope this thread continues for a long time.
Applekrate.... The big bucks guys with the ocean boats? More dollars than sense. If I had that money, I'd still work on my own boat, I'm a gearhead, it's who I am, and Steve, you're right, It's why we have what we have.
Hey 296V8, I was doing a little tabletop engine mocking-up myself the other day. This is the top of my ski boat's 406 Ford, back from the polisher's.
maybe someone on this thread can help me out with this ???? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=381270
R.Allan, Glenwood Marine Equipment is still in business, in Gardena , California. Their phone number is: (323) 757-3141 FAX (323) 779-8728 You can e-mail them at: www.glenwoodmarine.com I've dealt with them for years, and nicer people, more knowlegeable people you won't find. Try asking for Robert Dean, he's kinda semi-retired, and isn't in every day, but he's been there a while, and could probably tell you by looking at a picture, as to what those wet logs fit. I forget the woman's name who answers the phone there, but she's sharp too, and may help. I have an old Glenwood catalog (1969), that shows that square style of exhaust, but not that exact flange pattern. My guess is that the manifolds might fit an engine more commonly used in a classic mahogany boat. If all else fails you, you might try the internet for one of those boat clubs. Hope this helps.
I went to High School with Mike and Jamie Brendel whose parents owned Hondo Boats. I knew Mike a little better, nice guy. I think he set a world record in boats before he had his drivers license. If I remember right, their parents split and their Mom got Hondo and their Dad started Brendella boats. I like my boats slow and my cars fast! Kurt O.
Irv Brendel started Brendella Boats after he and his wife Peggy split in the mid 70's. Their could have been another Brendella Boat co earlier on? I raced a Hondo flatbotom in the mid-late 70's with help from Peggy and Mike. I'll try to find a pic.
I have an article from the November/December 1998 issue of Hot Boat Magazine, called, "The History of the California Hot Boat", written by Kevin Spaise. I have the history up to 1975. Here's what Kevin chronicled, "1958...Brendella Boats...Irv Brendell creates the Brendella flatbottom, which later becomes Hondo in the sixties, named after a favorite dog. He resuscitates the Brendella name in the late 1970s, when a divorce leaves Hondo in the hands of his wife. After Irv retires, the Brendella moniker comes back again. In the mid-1980s, Irv's son, Mike, christens his tournament ski boat line with the famed California custom name." The article also shows a picture of a 1958 Brendella outboard. Interesting, as well, I have an early hot rodding book that shows Peggy and Irv with their hot rod roadster, street racing in the fifties. They were hot rodders prior to getting into boats.
Hmmmm,.....I've been watching the site for the last two days in anticipation of some suprised comments about Hondo's beginnings. No entrys? Did my post kill the topic? I surely never knew prior to Kevin Spaise's story, that Brendella started in '58 . Lets hear from any Hondo owners out there.
Interesting stuff. Attached is a picture from my latest book of Irv Brendell's neat '34 coupe. He was into hot rods in the early 1950s. In fact he was in our club - Glendale Coupe And Roadster Club (GCRC). Later he went on to build Hondo boats. The yellow ski boat is our Miller boat that we use now. At the Santa Maria Bent Axles rod run last week we stopped in to visit with Jim Miller at Miller Custom Boats to say hello. He still has the molds for the ski style hulls and would make one if someone wanted one. Don montgomeryhotrodbooks.com
"Ted" Philips,1931-2009 Ted Philips passed on Friday, July 17, 2009. I've come to know Ted and Terry Philips for about the last five years now, and I'm honored to say we were friends. "Ted" was on the Board of Directors, and Race Program Staff for the NDBA from it's early years (starting around 1963-4, through at least 1967). "Ted" first started racing in '57, with an 80 mph flatbottom called "Wicked Witch" In 1964, "Ted" held the Blown Gas record in his D&H step hull at 117.95 mph. In 1965, "Ted" pushed the record to 130.52 as a Blown Gas Hydro. "Ted" built his own engines, taking his Mickey Thompson equipped 392's out to 450 cu.in. His boat, "Mixed Emotions" was a very rare (only 7 built) D&H Sled, and "Ted" was sole owner, engine builder, and driver. The exception to being the only driver came when "Ted"'s first wife Vi, drove the boat to become the first woman to break 100 mph in a drag boat at 102.83. I attended a Memorial for him last week in Long Beach, along with family, friends. Many of his friends were also drag racers and record holders from the sixties, to his honor, they were there too. People like "Ted" are why I got hooked on fast boats in the first place. What a great guy. Our heartfelt sympathy and support goes to wife Terry, and family. Here's to you buddy......
Hey Chris, didn't that link I sent you help to post the pics larger? If you want, email them to me and I'd be glad to post them for you...I'm dyin to see them larger! leadsledmerc@comcast.net Keith
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