I love those pics . . . I also love the SI article talking about how #42 (seacraft) ended up 20ft up the beach :) That's where I would have driven the boat during that race (a lot safer than being on the water) at night in those conditions. It's crazy that the guys did this all with a compass and chart. When you consider that the actual race was about 570 miles (to stay safe around the reefs) . . . average speed is faster than the 34 and 31 MPH speeds.

It is absolutely amazing, I could not imagine this even being allowed under conditions like that. Those were real men in those days, something to be said about a boat that even finished that one!

Attachment 9333

Another cool Pic: From the left - the second third and forth boats are SeaCrafts

Lake X Photo Shoot prior to 1st (1967?) Bahamas 500. #48- Johnny Bakos, #47-Bill Sirois&Ed Leslie,
#43- Wayne Vickers&Me (SeaCraft), Maritime-Odell Lewis&Mel Riggs. Chet Strickland ran a single outboard
one year. I'm not sure if it was 1967, but if so, then #40 is him (SeaCraft). Dammit, I wish I could remember
who was in the other boats. No doubt Roy Ridgell, John Stenbeck were in this picture.
Whoever I have forgotten...Please forgive me...
#41 might be Gene Wagner and Dale Thayer(SeaCraft)
-Steve Sirois
02/22/2005

Attachment 9334

Very cool photos. Regarding #40, I see the driver's right hand on the throttles but what's up with the controls on the starboard side (red and black knobs)?

How did you get that file to look so clean?

This is a whoa moment. Last year I was talking to Mark Hauptner about his times at Brown &
Hauptner and his memories of Carl. I heard that he had raced with Carl. He told me a neat story.

He said they set a new outboard record to Key West. Was that race outta Haulover?

Thanks Big!

The one set of two handles in his hand are his throttles like said, and the other set is the shifters. The boats usually was ran with twins but the boat driven by Chet Strickland #40 was ran with a single some races. They must of left the twin rigging in the boat. You can see one shifter in gear forward and the other looks to be in the neutral position. The #43 boat pictured under it and any other pic of twin boats shows both handles forward In forward gear while running. The race boats shifters it were separate from the throttles. Some boats had additional levers for a ballast tank system but I thought that was on the longer hulls. The shorter hulls may of had them too. (They are one or the other)

Where`s Bowrider?
I remember hearing the controls did double duty. Pulled out then moved forward or back to fill or empty the ballast tank.

Love the 40 boat. Are those the ballast controls?
Whomever put this in HD, thank you.

Embed the history with love.

Cheers,
GFS

Thanks Jason!

Brown & Hauptner Recalled
 

Gee, thanks I had not heard Mark Hauptner's name in years. In 1976 I ordered my 20' SeaCraft Seafari from Brown & Hauptner. I was 30 years old and did most of my communicating with Mark, probably because he was younger and friendlier than Frank, who seemed to have an attitude.
In 1985, after they had separated and Frank was in Riviera Beach I bought a new Merc from him. He treated me right and we became friendlier. It was only about a year ago when Carla told me that Frank had been Carl's race mechanic. The first time I had heard that I believe. Thanks for the memory. Still enjoying the boat BTW!

There is no place like home.

Mark has some nice stories.
Love this thread.

Cheers,
GFS