basskisser wrote:
Skipper wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, my father was a "professional" boat
racer in New England and New York. By professional, I don't mean he made
a living at it. He didn't. But...he had factory sponsorship. He raced
outboard hydroplanes and "utility" runabouts. For some reason, the
engines he was supplied put out a lot more horses than the stock motors
many competitors bought from their dealers. I wonder why. :}

I raced hydros out west in the 50s. Never heard of your father. You got
any proof you can post that he competed in one of them minor East Coasts
circuits?

--
Skipper

Skipper do YOU have "any proof you can post" that shows YOU have
competed in hydro racing?


Back in the 1950's, nearly all of us kids were "hydroplane" racers.
The Thunderboats were in their heydey in the 50's, as there were still
plenty of surplus WWII rotary aircraft engines available. I "raced
hydros" too. If you had a bicycle, you didn't dare appear on the street
without playing cards flapping in the spokes and trailing a "hydro"
cobbled together from a couple of scraps of wood and a few nails. We'd
race around the school playground or an empty parking lot, taking it
all so seriously and avoiding the temptation to "spaz out" by shouting
"Vroom, vroom, vrooom!" in the process. (Such sound effects would have
been considered very childish).