It might.. just might.. be... a "Banana"

[cosmic12]

In the old days.....
Here is a little shot of Betty and Sammy James doing the Key West fly by. Pete, I am prety sure we can higher than this with your Avanti with the new power you have......just kidding!!!

Man thats nuts! I was look'n at that and think'n how many newer boats could even handle one of those jumps let alone a season of them.

 

[Bobby Saccenti]

In the old days.....had to walk to school in the snow uphill both ways etc etc etc.......Seriously, we really did have some great racing back then at Key West.

We headed out of the harbor and went to the tower and took a left and ran up the coast 5 miles or so, then back into the harbor so the folks would know who was leading and then the fun began, the run to Dry Tortugas.....take a look at a map and you will really appreciate the distance....checkpoint off Dry Tortugas and back to the finish in the harbor.

One year Brownie was the far checkpoint in a big Magnum at Dry Tortugas, the water was so rough he couldn't get the anchor to catch, so he had to keep the engines running and stay on position until all the boats had passed or withdrawn.

Here is a little shot of Betty and Sammy James doing the Key West fly by. Pete, I am prety sure we can higher than this with your Avanti with the new power you have......just kidding!!!

Charley

Key West Races are my favorite, especially going to the Dry Tortugas

1972 Hennessey Grand Prix. My first race with Roger Hanks 36’ Cigarette the Blonde. What a way to start off a racing. Pictures taken just after tuning Smith Shoal Light, heading back to Key West harbor.

Great Race, we won first place overall.

 

[NJgr8ful]

THanks SD. MM. NJ.. Rat.. etc.
I'm looking forward to the ride.. It will be just a nice excursion.
However.. Charlie will be at the helm for a while.. we might end up in Cuba.. Remember... he is a "true" offshore racer.. not much turning around bouyies. Just flat down.. FT.. untill he sees land again, before a turn...
(I better check on my passport) :biggrinjester:

The term would be WFO ...... "wide f'n open!" :26::sifone:
Enjoy Pete and crew

 

[Top Banana]

Charley

Key West Races are my favorite, especially going to the Dry Tortugas

1972 Hennessey Grand Prix. My first race with Roger Hanks 36’ Cigarette the Blonde. What a way to start off a racing. Pictures taken just after tuning Smith Shoal Light, heading back to Key West harbor.

Great Race, we won first place overall.

Thanks Bobby......how can I get these guys to understand what we went through???

I would like everyone to take a moment and really look at the first photo on the top left.....as Bobby said, that is him in a 36 foot long, 10 foot wide Cigarette race boat.

HOW BIG IS THE FACE OF THE WAVE HE IS CLIMBING????

This is one of those cases where a picture is worth a thousand words. So let's be conservative here.....not half the boat length...that would be an 18 foot wave....come on, we said be conservative....okay... maybe only 10 feet.

Right those guys were racing in 10 foot waves...minimum. This is exactly what HORBA would like for all the modern day racers to experience, just once, they would love it.

Below here is another photo of racing in Argentina, where the waves were so big....oh never mind...... you can see for yourselves. Richie Powers, Bobby Saccenti and many others raced at speed in this kind of stuff

 

[MarylandMark]

This is exactly what HORBA would like for all the modern day racers to experience, just once, they would love it.

No disrespect to the modern day racers but I'd love to see that type of racing as well.

 

[PARADOX]

I did some racing in he early and mid 80's.
One of the races on Lake Michigan...I broke 3 stringers. The time we were getting back to the finish line.. the boat felt like a one of those Wall Mart baby pools. The sides were bucklng at every wave. I could feel the hull giving like a plastic tub.. The term "resin bucket" has no meaning to most untill you get one of these old buckets into some serious seas.
We finsihed the race,, but it took months to repair all the stringers.

The ocean has some rough attitudes,, but if you ever get through one of Lake Michigans "bad day"... you also have some adventures to talk about.

No "stringer repairs" on our ride Charlie..

 

[Ratickle]

No "stringer repairs" on our ride Charlie..

Oh come on Dad, just one please, pretty please:biggrinjester:??

 

[Top Banana]

I did some racing in he early and mid 80's.
One of the races on Lake Michigan...I broke 3 stringers. The time we were getting back to the finish line.. the boat felt like a one of those Wall Mart baby pools. The sides were bucklng at every wave. I could feel the hull giving like a plastic tub.. The term "resin bucket" has no meaning to most untill you get one of these old buckets into some serious seas.
We finsihed the race,, but it took months to repair all the stringers.

The ocean has some rough attitudes,, but if you ever get through one of Lake Michigans "bad day"... you also have some adventures to talk about.

No "stringer repairs" on our ride Charlie..

Phil....don't worry, at our age we are more concerned with our own "stringers" than the boats.

Just remember as old as we are, we have earned the right to say..."The older we get, the faster we were!!"

It will be a really special experience, to feel that old bottom design of your boat under me again.....thanks again for the opportunity.

 

[PARADOX]

From the top fruit' >>>>>>
It will be a really special experience, to feel that old bottom design of your boat under me again.....thanks again for the opportunity.

It will be my pleasure and honor Charlie.. Really looking forward to this.

Just don't get carried away with ths "under me" thingie..
This thread will end up in BB in a second. :rofl:

 

[PARADOX]

Saw that Sonic thread.. So how does it goes?

Al Sonics are a Bananas but not all Bananas are Sonics. All Coyotes are Bananas and some Avantis (33's) are Coyotes?
I'm getting a head ache. :biggrinjester:

All I can say the hulls are great.