Tunnel Boat Racing in the 1970s

1969 Havasu Outboard World Championships - Day 1

We have been working on the 1969 World Outboard Championship of Outboard Racing - Day 2! Footage from our buddy Tracy Chapman (Backfire) in Arizona. We have some new footage from the 1968 World Outboard Championships!

This month ( Nov. 2009) is the 40th Anniversary of the 1969 Havasu World outboard Championships. This video was produced from footage shot by Tracy Coleman who was scoring for # 3 John Taylor who entered a red 20 ft. Switzer wing with dual Mercury 125 BP's & was knocked out early on Day 1. 

1969 was an important year in that OMC finally won the World Outboard World Championships with Cesare Scotti (Molinari-dual Evinrudes) winning, Johnny Sanders (Glastron/Molinari-dual Johnsons) 2nd, and Jimbo McConnell 1st single (6th Molinari-Evinrude) showing once  and for all that OMC was a force to be reckoned with that continues to this day.

This video of Day 1 is the 1st of the Trilogy (3 videos) of the 1969 Championships. The stacker audio was from Dale Littlejohn from near Chicago & the Official Program & Powerboat Magazine article were supplied by Joe Fielder from Texas.

The research & narration were produce by Mark Benson & the computer editing & mixing was done by Nick Springate- Manager Gosee.tv. Mark & Nick live near Vancouver in beautiful British Columbia- Canada. In Feb. 2010 the Winter Olympics will be taking place in this area.

Future projects are the 1976 Parker 7 hour Enduro & an OMC Promotional video from the 1972 Havasu Outboard World championships. The Parker footage was sent to us by Bernie from Fond de Lac, Wisconsin & the OMC Promotional footage was sent to us by Scot Keller of Tacoma, Washington.

This 1st video in the trilogy is Day 1- 4 hours of racing against over 100 other single, dual, & triple engine boats on a  4 mile boomerang shaped course. 4 hours Saturday & 4 hours Sunday.

   Cesare Scotti of Italy won the world's biggest, richest outboard powerboat race from a fine field as an American archrival, Don Pruett, crashed.

   Not yet six years old, Lake Havasu city is one of the youngest communities in Arisona and the United States. It is a go-getting sort of place. With a touching glance back to the past, it has purchased London Bridge, whose 1,005 foot span will be reassembled with "dignity and respect" to link the town and its airport ( and its a damn lie, say Lake Havasuvians, that they thought all along they were getting the Tower Bridge and its more picturesque structure). It is also the site of the world's biggest and richest race for outboard powerboats- an activity more in keeping with the town's up-to-the-minute way of life.

   This Outboard World Championship, which was run for the sixth time last weekend on Lake Havasu, was in essence a shoot-out among the leading engine (Mercury-OMC) and boat manufacturers. Win Havasu, the feeling goes, and the aura of victory will trickle down to the public that has something a little less special in mind than flat-out racing- like fishing, water-skiing, or just noodling around on the water.

   That spirit of competition attracted 114 boats from five counties (USA,Canada, Italy, England, & Austria) for a four- hour endurance run on Saturday and another on Sunday- and for the first time nearly all the leading contenders rode so-called "tunnel" hulls. This is a new wrinkle in boating, a hull with twin sponsons forming a tunnel between them. The hull is partly supported by a cushion of air developing in the tunnel, and as a consequence speeds have risen to all time highs- better than 100 mph for the fastest boats.

   Although he was not to taste the fruits of victory, the fastest man at Lake Havasu was a Texas- born Californian named Don Pruett. Pruett is not completely at home with Chamber of Commerce notions like dignity and respect. After winning the Elsinore 500 on Lake Elisinore, California this year he bit the cork out of a bottle of celebratory champagne and tossed it without a pause. He's as fast with his fists as he is with the bubbly. "I saw Don in a real battle in Galveston I think it was," said Racing Promoter Mel Sikes. "When the bar stools started flying, I just leaned back against the wall and watched. It was beautiful the way Don handled himself."

   "Wild" was the way Mrs. Pruett saw it on Saturday as she observed Don's technique on the one right-hand turn of Havasu's four-mile, boomerang-shaped course. Vagrant gusts of wind disturbed the boats' air cushions, and the shore was ominously close, but Pruett cupped his head in his left hand as he took the turn with the other hand on the wheel.

   For two days brusque winds had lashed the confined waters of Lake Havasu. The redoubtable Italian driver Renato Molinari had flipped his boat during a practice run. Pruett's pal Joe Habay blew- over during Saturday's race and broke his leg. Needless to say, Pruett with three big Mercury stacker engines making healthy sounds on his Ted Jones- designed hull, paid no attention to such trifles and went for the lead. After two hours his "Triple Trouble" made her only pit stop for fuel. At the end of the second hour Pruett still led. But soon he encountered trouble with the lower units of his engine rig and mechanics worked furiously to repair the damage. They did so and Pruett resumed the race. At the end of Day 1 he lay sixth, while up ahead was a three-way tie between Italy's # 33 Cesare Scotti, Texas'  # 90 Johnnie Sanders, and Colorado's # 5 Robert George.

   Scotti, driving a 21-foot Molinari with a pair of Evinrude X-115's, is an extremely experienced man; he was voted the Outstanding Outboarder of 1968 for winning the Florida Gold Coast Marathon and placing second in the Paris Six Hour Race during a consistently fine year. He and other Europeans are noted for steady, disiplined approach to racing. But at Havasu a rare mental lapse cost him a clear-cut lead. Experiencing engine difficulties just before the finishing flare was fired, he stopped a few yards short of the finish line and turned into the pits instead of completing the lap. Had he done so, he would have been credited with 70 laps rather than 69- the number completed by Sanders and George.

   On Sunday, Scotti kept his wits about him at all times and defeated Sanders by a lap to take the $15,000.00 first place at a record average speed (for the 2 days) of 72 1/2 mph. The veteran Bill Sirois of Miami, Florida ended up in third place. Pruett? Poor devil, in his haste to catch the leader he collided with another boat and nearly sank.

The next video will be Day 2 (1st 2 hrs) then the 3rd video will be Day 2 (last 2 hrs.) Top 10- Conclusion. Stay tuned for our next video of 1969 Havasu Day 2- now in production.

World Championship of Outboard Racing 1969 - Title & $50,000.00 in cash draws 114-boat field to Lake Havasu

   When the, "ear-splitting roar", subsided, at Lake Havasu City, AR., on Nov. 30th 1969, the World Outboard Championship, belonged to Cesare Scotti, of Nesso, Italy!# 33 Scotti, driving a 21' wooden Molinari, powered by a pair of Evinrude X-115's, won the $15,000.00 1st place money for finishing 4 miles (1 lap) ahead of 2nd place finisher,  # 90 Johnnie Sanders, from Abilene, Texas, pilot of a twin Johnson GT-115 powered, 21' Glastron-Molinari!

   # 30 Jimbo McConnell, of Victoriaville, California, came in 6th overall, with his 18' Glastron-Molinari Evinrude X115 combination, to lead all drivers of single-engine equipment. The 8 hour (over 2 days) Havasu event, thus became the, "greatest racing victory in the recent history of the Outboard Marine Corporation"; manufacturers of Evinrude & Johnson motors. OMC's rival, Kiekhaefer Mercury, was represented by a larger portion of the entry list & boats powered by their Mercury motors, won 20 of the cash awards compared with ten, that went to Evinrudes & Johnsons. But, drivers with OMC power, accounted for the precious top spots & thus won the "lion's share", of the $50,000.00 purse.

   Lest anyone be dubious or, even worse, confused: (1) Lake Havasu is an impoundment of the Colorado River, behind the Parker Dam. (2) Lake Havasu City is a controlled real estate development ,sponsored by the McCulloch Outboard interests. Situated on the east side of the Colorado, some 120 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, it is, perhaps, best known for the transplanted London Bridge. (3) The race, sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA) & the Union of International Motorboating (UIM), was open to anything that could be called an outboard, provided it was between 16' & 24', in length. Engines must have been manufactured as production outboards, but could be modified! Singles, duals & triples, all raced together, against each other. (4) The course, of boomerang shape, was 4 miles in length. The race ran 4 hours on Sat. Nov. 29th & 4 hours on Sun. Nov. 30th. The boat that completed the most laps during those 8 hours, was named the winner! (5) A $50,000.00 purse was divided among the 1st 30, to finish!

   During the last few minutes, before 11AM on Sat. Nov. 29th, each driver sat in his cockpit along the pit area shore line, while his crew, waist deep in chilly water, held his craft, heading towards the course. All engines had to be silent during the final 15 minutes before the start, on pain of disqualification. As the final seconds ticked away, 114 boats roared off in what must have been the," noisiest marine maneuver, since the evacuation of Dunkirk!"

   Missing from the starting pack were two entries that had been rated as," heavy pre-race favorites!" While testing, on the day before the race,# 68 Renato Molinari from Italy, barrel-rolled  his twin Mercury 1250 BP powered wood Molinari! When it was found that Renato's hull had been damaged beyond hope of repair in time for the race, there was a noticable feeling of relief, in the OMC camp! Then, shortly before the start, Bob Nordskog's twin Johnson powered Switser Wing, was struck by a wake & sank in the pits. When the combined efforts of the OMC High-performance team, failed to restart Nordskog's motors, the Mercury adherents had one less source of serious concern!

   The huge fleet quickly spread out along the 4 mile course, that was being whipped into a considerable chop, by the brisk winds. During the 1st hour, there were occasional crashes & break-downs, but not as many as one might expect, in such heavy traffic! At the end of the 1st 60 minutes, the lead was held by Don Pruett, driving a 22' Ron Jones hull with three Mercury 1250 BP Stackers. Pruett had covered more than 72 miles, during the initial hour. In 3rd spot was eventual winner, Cesare Scotti.

   Don continued at a steady 72 mph pace through the 2nd hour with Scotti, now close on his transom. But, during the 3rd hour, Don, had to endure a 16 minute pit stop, while his crew performed a lower unit change.# 170 Bill Petty, also driving a triple Mercury 1250 BP Stacker powered Ron Jones 22', jumped into the lead, at the 3 hour mark; with a 3 minute-20 second advantage over 2nd place Scotti. Most of the competitors had made at least one pit stop during the 1st 180 minutes, with the logical result that the leaders average speed was down to 69 1/2 mph.

   During the final hour on Day 1, it was Bill Petty's time to run into serious trouble, that dropped him back to 10th spot at the finish, 4 laps off the pace. Top honors for the day went to Cesare Scotti, although he was tied at 69 laps with # 90 Johnnie Sanders (Johnson) & # 5 Robert George (Mercury). Two minutes before the 3PM shut-off gun, Scotti had been one lap ahead of Sanders & George, when he apparently ran out of fuel on one motor. Cesare turned into the pits without finishing the lap he was on, while his two persuers roared ahead, to be scored for their final lap of the day! The winning average speed on Day 1 of 69 mph, was ten miles per hour above that of the opening day of 1968! Seventy-five of the original 114 starters, were still running, when the cannon fired, at 3PM!

   At the drivers meeting, before 93 boats started at 11AM Sunday, for Day 2 of racing, contestants were told that the "right-of-way rules", would be strictly enforced & that officials would counterance no such "bumping", that was rumoured to have occured, on the 1st day of racing! This caution did not seem to slow the pace, as the leaders took advantage of ideal water conditions & stuck to a 76 mph average, during the initial 20 minutes.

   At the end of 5 1/2 hours of racing, Cesare Scotti (Evinrude) was 55 seconds ahead of Johnnie Sanders (Johnson), but each was credited with the accumulation of 77 laps. Robert George (Mercury), who had been tied with them on laps at the start of the second day, had spent a costly 6 1/2 minutes in the pits, shortly after the start & was now two laps behind. Shortly thereafter, early race leader, Don Pruett, lost three more laps, in a pit stop.

   Meanwhile, # 99 Bill Sirois, who had driven his twin Mercury 1250 BP Stacker powered 20' wooden Molinari to 5th place, on the 1st day, was ridinh high & more daringly than the others & was slowly working his way through the traffic. He was 4th at the end of the 5th hour of competition, only one lap behind the leading Scotti!

   But, Scotti, was not to be budged from the lead & came on to win at an average speed of , over 8 hours (2 days) of 73 mph, a full 9 mph faster than # 119 Kenny Kitson's winning pace, the previous year (1968). In fact, the first 16 finishers, of the 44 that were still running at the conclusion of the race, bettered the 1968 record!

   Among the personal injuries, all suffered on Day 1 of racing were - one fractured ankle, one compound knee fracture, one concussion and assorted burns/lacerations!

Record Breakers

   These are the Record Breakers- Doc Jones, former racing driver. Coordinator of a team seeking a new world speed record, for outboards. Hugh Entrop, designer of the boat, that will make the assault. Entrop shares responsability, with Jones. Gerry Wallin, driver of the hydroplane, that seeks the record. The 27 year old Wallin, is a top ranked competitor, in the Great Pacific Northwest.

 

   This is the approach to the border between Arisona & California, some 175 miles from Pheonix & 300 miles from Los Angeles. The record attempt will take place on Lake Havasu, a 40 mile stretch of water, along the Colorado River. The lake is formed by Parker Dam, one of a series of concrete barriers, that control the flow of the mighty Colorado.

   Doc Jones, tells why the site was chosen. "We like to run in a secluded spot, because there are lots of people boating all over the US, today. We have to have calm water, for this kind of a boat & this type of a record. It takes a body of water that is approx. 5 miles long, so we have ample accelleration &  deaccellerration room & we don't want people mad & we like to get as far back & out of peoples way, which gives us an opportunity to work, without interference.

   The boat, Starflite Four, is backed into the pit area. It is a 17 foot hydroplane, custom built by Wilbur McDonald. It was designed, for this mission alone. A World Record for Unlimited Class Outboard Boats.

   Writers & officials are witness, to the event. Among them- Mel Crook, Yaughting Mag. Columnist- Bill McKeon. Observer- Charlie Strang. Engine Specialist- Jack Leek, covers strategy, with Entrop. Technician, Harold Wake, shares his knowledge of the engine, with the youthful driver. Wallin's power plant is a basic Evinrude 100-S. Don Heinrich, an expert on propellers, conferes with Wallin, before the launch.

   Wallin, says Jones, was designated driver for several reasons. "Gerry was chosen, for more reasons than one. First of all, he was a driver that had experience, at least in boats that go 80-90 MPH. He presently holds the B Hydro Record at 90+ MPH. Secondly, to hold down the frontal area, I'm speaking of aerodynamics now, we had to put him inside this canopy. The canopy has to, 1st of all, be as wide as the engine, certainly, & as wide as the driver. He's a small boy & he's about the same width, as our motor. So, this way we could get a perfect "stream-lining", thru this cowling area.

   Wallin works the 2 levers, that manouver the boat. The levers replace the conventional steering wheel. With boat & driver perfectly matched, Jones tells what is needed for world recognition of an Outboard Speed Record. "You must obtain a santion from the American Power Boat Association, which is the official sanctioning body for the Union of International Motor Boating, When this record is completed, if we make this record, it is then submitted to the UIM, for approval. It is then an Official World Water Speed Record!

   The launch culminates months of intense preparation. Each member of the team is assigned a specific task. Debris is cleared from the course, to ensure a safe run. The boat is carefully floated, from its trailer. Coast Guard Patrols, block off the course. The boat carries just enough fuel, for the test run. The ignition switch, mounted on the canopy, is inspected, by the crew. The light-weight driver, is carried like a jockey, to his mount. Wallin slips into the cockpit. He has anticipated this moment, for 6 months! He said of the long wait, "It was like giving a kid a piece of candy, then telling him he shouldn't eat it!" The crew seals, Wallin, within the narrow confines of an, "isolated world!" From here on, he is strictly on his own. Boat & power-plant, are ready. Now it is up to the youthful driver, to deliver the record!

   To crank this engine, 1st of all, it is a 4 cylinder engine. It's 90 cubic inches & we don't use a very large flywheel, for this type of operation, so you don't have a big cranking diameter, so we have to get some pretty hefty boys, to pull start, this thing!

   As, Wallin, idles Starflite Four, to the end of the course, the boat shows a natural tendancy to ride with its bow, low in the water. The stream-lined 17 footer, was designed with weight forward. For the test run, Wallin, will make only one pass over the course. Wallin, accellerates Starflite Four, to test speed. The boat flies smoothly, over the water.Everything seems to funtion properly. Taking no chance to run the boat too close to shore, Wallin, stops well out on the water. Entrop is anxious to get Wallin's 1st hand reaction, to the test run. The boat hit more than 120+ MPH, during the test! Still, Jones, claims, "It was not top speed!" The reason being, it's the 1st run we've made & with a boat & engine of this kind, we like to run the engine, "rich", in the beginning. This saves potentially "destroying" the engine & endangering the driver, in any way. We like to go about this, quite cautiously!

   Starflite, is hauled from the water, for minor adjustments, after the test. A canopy over the boat, offers protection from the sun in 80 degree temperatures. Jones, Leek & Entrop, make the final decisions on the assignment of personel & patrol of the course. They bide their time, for ideal weather conditions. A mid-day wind is expected to abate, permitting a try, in the late afternoon. There's little action, ashore. The Coast guard remains alert. The final launch is made. The pit crew works toward its objective, a new Outboard World Speed Record! It's "stand-by', for Officials of the APBA. Inspector- Gaston Van Height. Referee- Marion Beaver. Chief Timer- Otto Crocker, checks his scanning equipment.

   Wallin, returns to the cockpit. He'll be comparatively comfortable. His helmet is cushioned against a padded head-rest. Although, there is no room to spare, in the taylor made cock-pit, Wallin, will have ample air for breathing. Ports for ventalation are placed along the edge of the windshield. Dedicated team work leads Jones to comment why Water Speed Records, are not established very often. "Well, if it was easy to do these things, I think High School kids, would be doing this, every weekend!"

   Wallin, heads toward the course. He will make a straightaway run from north to south, then return, in the opposite direction. Starflite Four, starts its run. The straightaway measures one kilometer. On plane, the boat shoots down the course. 118 - 121 - 124. Wallin's run is clocked at 127 MPH! Wallin accellerates, for the trip home. Starflite Four, gains speed & shoots for the mark 125 - 127 - 130. Wallin pushes harder. He hits 132 MPH! He's going going & he's over the line at 134 MPH, the fastest a man has ever gone, in an outboard powered boat! Timer- Otto Crocker, certifies the speed.

   The ball game is over. Wallin has averaged for the 2 runs, 131 MPH, a new World Outboard Speed Record! Doc Jones sums it up in human terms, "Now that it is all over, certainly we are happy, but to a great degree, I don't think that this is a crew, that would ever be satisfied. It would be happy with something, but never completely satisfied, because we know there is more in this boat. Certainly, in the future, we are going to keep working & working, 'til we go as high as we know how to go. We just don't quit these things, we enjoy it, because it is a part of our lives!

   Gerry Wallin, met the challenge. With Starflite Four, he faced the tough odds! Their performance stands as a clear-cut victory, for the men & their boat. These are the Record Breakers!

Havasu World Outboard Championship 1986

Part 2 of 2