1967 Bahamas 500 Sports Illustrated Article
 

I posted this in another thread, but here it is again for those who are interested.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...Bamahas500.jpg

Big,
In my search for race results, I am having a hard time finding the year of the pure race designs. 67 or 68?

http://www.moeslyseacraft.com/upload...ingmachine.jpg

GFS - 1967 was the year . . . I'm pretty sure The Miami Key West race was in Dec 1st 1967 and 1967 Miami-Nassau was Oct 12.
I don't think the 25 race hull was around during the 67 Bahamas 500.

Your 25 race hull #31 "My Racing Machine" doesn't show in the results in 67 until Miami Nassau which was Oct 12th. Sadly Carla's results don't show races after June 17th 1967.


http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ft67.sized.jpg

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...7/Horba_21.jpg
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ft_Triples.jpg

From what I can tell the full race hulls didn't hit hard till 1968, there may of been one or two ran late 1967 but all results from that year that I have found were in the 21' production race converted hulls. Just a guess- in 1967 he raced the #21 "my flying machine" then in 1968 he started out in a 21' hull the #31 "my flying machine" (changed number) then switched to the #31 "my racing machine" 25' race hull latter that year.

My 27.6" race hull is titled as a 1968 as well so it may of been built late 1967 but was not purchased till 1968

There also was teo production 21' hull that carried two different numbers that was called "my flying machine". The pictures shows a #21 named "my flying machine" and other pictures shows a #31 "my flying machine". It may be the same boat re-numberd or may be a second hull built I don't know but when you look at the race results just because it says #31 that dose not mean it was the pure race 25' hull. It could of be either one the 21' or the 25' hull. The "my racing machine" #31 only carried that one number far as I know. You may know more on this Sandy than I do with your FL resources, I would like to know more about this and the years each numbered hull ran and why the change. I always thought the #21 was the 21' hull and when he went to #31 it was the 25' hull, but proof below shows differently.

Both boats below are cut down production 21' hulls clearly named "my flying machine" but they carry two different numbers:

Attachment 9293

Attachment 9294

Interesting.

It sure looks like the 25 race hull won the 1967 Miami - Nassau race with triple Mercs (as far as I can tell). I never knew flying machine raced with a 31 number . . .

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ce_simpson.jpg
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ft_Triples.jpg

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...ingmachine.jpg

Good stuff!

Looks like you are right, that race must of been the first appearance of the 25' race hull in October 1967. Matter of fact I know that is right! I actually bought the original photo from one of those races late 1967. I purchased the original copy that was took by the media for that race and have it at home in my safe. I will get it out when I get home because it has the date wrote on the back of that photo with an ink pen. Think it said something like the 7th of October or September 1967. It is the same photo that you have in your last post (second one down). I bought it from a photo collector that had a archive of hundred of thousands of original black and white pictures from the 60's that came from the media and other sources. I have been wanting to get it preserved and framed and Possibly autographed. I would be sweet if some of ya Florida boys or Gals (Carla & friends of the family) could help with a signature. All the races previous to that in this same year were shown with the 21' production hulls and Carl's as being the #21. That being said the last part of 1967 must of been when he tried the new race hulls out and then in 1968 the others were raced after being made over the winter maybe? Still unknown is when he race the 21' foot hull as #31? May of been a conflict with another racer already using that number so he renumbered for just that one race?

A few pictures of the other 21' SeaCraft production hulls that were listed on the finishing results that BigShrimpin posted (#40,#42,#43,#505,#21). I have some more on my other lap top (#42,#123,#808):

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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