vintage race boats canada rooster “tales” - · pdf filevintage race boats canada...

Vintage Race Boats Canada Rooster “Tales”

FALL 2016 Vol: 3 Issue: 1

Well it’s been a few years since the last so here we go… with the latest

attempt at a newsletter, Rooster “Tales”. Why do this? Maybe I’m old school and enjoy

actually taking time to sit and read and we all know there is not a lot of content related to

vintage race boats, so maybe this can be my little contribution. Let’s see if we can get

closer to spring with a few stories, photos, reminders and before you know it we’ll be

back on the water again.

Rideau Ferry 2015 – Photo- Ross McCracken Kathy & Harry @ Valleyfield 2015 Paul Reid Photo

Looking forward to having Kathy & Harry join us back in the pits and on the water soon!

Clayton – 2016 Pits & Tom Morsheimer in the Tool Crib Special

We really missed having Bill Morsheimer in the pits with us this

summer. His legacy and the work he did for many years to track down

and save racing history will live on for generations.

For that Bill, we thank you.



CBF News

CBF Annual Convention: The date for the annual convention is set for December 3rd, in

Brockville Ontario at the new Aquarium which is a nice venue. A few positions are open

on the board and they are looking for nominations including the REP CLUBS &

VINTAGE which is very relevant to our group. Any volunteers? Many thanks to Scott

Cameron for his efforts on behalf of Vintage over the last two years and of course for all

the work he and the crew do to pull together Rideau Ferry every second year. More

details to follow regarding the CBF meeting as they become available.

Vintage Membership: Please note that membership forms will be available on the

official web-site of the Canadian Boating Federation for both owner/drivers in addition to

crew members for the 2017 season shortly. While membership has stagnated over the

past couple of seasons I believe with the number of projects coming along we should see

another boost in membership in the coming seasons. It’s important to note that the CBF

offers a cross-over membership for APBA members at a significant discount and then

when you add in the exchange rate it is almost free!! LOL Simply check the box beside

this rate as an APBA member. While it is not a necessity to be a CBF member while

being a current ABPA member, the support is certainly welcome.

HYDROPLANE HISTORY– ONLINE

Thank you to Dave Richardson for sharing a number of DVDs with some really great

content including home video footage of the inaugural Antique Race Boat Regatta in

1992. I’ve been digitizing these videos and putting them on YOUTUBE so that they can

be shared with all racing fans out there on the internet. Personal favourites are the 1974

and 1975 Governor General’s Cup from Ottawa offering up TV quality footage with

some of the great hulls and drivers of the past. Merci Dave! You can check out the page

on YOUTUBE from the following link;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3xzL1gEiU6EetXlWd8x1cA

I had the opportunity to visit Regates de Valleyfield HQ and meet with Michel Poirier,

their GM about this “sharing” project. He graciously offered up the archive from the

basement closet and wow is about all I can say. A ton of slides, I would estimate 3000+

and countless hours of video. This will be a big project over the winter but we will plow

through it and hopefully you will each be able to find some great shots to make your day.

You can check out the album on my Facebook page;

https://www.facebook.com/groups/149123452834/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3xzL1gEiU6EetXlWd8x1cA

https://www.facebook.com/groups/149123452834/



Jeff Lytle has also reached out and will send over a bunch of VHS tapes that I will

digitize including outboard action and PICTON GOLD CUPS. Jeff’s father Al, was

known as the “VOICE” of the CBF circuit for many many years. Thanks Jeff for the

opportunity to share this footage. A few images from the Valleyfield Regatta archive;



WANTED/FOR SALE

I know there are many of you looking for things related to your project(s) so I will start

this one off and let me know what you are looking for and I’m sure there will be many

people willing to help in your search.

I have four separate requests from people who are looking for hulls in order to come play.

Requests from turn-key to project hulls. If you know of a hull that is for sale, please let

me know and I would be happy to point you in the direction of folks who are looking to

come out and join the fun. Here is what I know people are looking for;

- TURN-KEY 145 Class w/limited budget

- 6 or 7 litre project, but not complete rebuild, no motor required

- 7 litre or GP project, but not complete rebuild

- 5-Litre or 6-Litre turn-key hull, no motor required as they have one.

WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF THE WORD “PROJECT”!

Long Gone H-4 after rolling at the 1975 Governor General’s Cup – Ottawa. Les

Brown had committed to appearing at Valleyfield the next weekend and he kept his

word. (Photo: Regates de Valleyfield Archive)



FLASH FORWARD…something to think about One Saturday morning at Beauharnois in early September 2011 I was crewing for Abbott

Racing and the CE-10 Flying Eagle. With the checklist done and ready for the first heat I

decided to walk around pits, jammed with 70+ boats for the weekend’s inboard event.

There were a lot of familiar faces including Robert Cabana who was out for a stroll in the

pits as he always supports local inboard events.

Word in the pits was there were two “new” 5-litres, one from out west, a Jones and one

from the east coast, a Staudacher. The Staudacher, named “The Rock”, was purchased by

Alain Verreault and brought up to Quebec to compete. The boat is all-wood construction

with safety capsule as it was originally built and campaigned as Ronald Brault’s VISION.

CREDIT - Photo of Ronald Brault’s VISION posted online by Simon Fortin

Gorgeous! I thought one day that would make a nice addition to the vintage circuit. Then

it crossed my mind that it was built after 1986 so it would not qualify. Based on the fact

that we were 2011 this arbitrary date of 1986 would suggest that any hull built in the last

25 years would not have a chance to be saved and campaigned on the V&H circuit in the

future.

The V&H Division has done a tremendous job of saving history and celebrating the

accomplishments of such builders as Lauterbach, Jones, Farmer, Staudacher, and Sooy to

name but a few. If we flash forward another 20+ years how will Auld, Henderson,

Bergeron and Liddycoat be remembered if there isn’t an opportunity to preserve these

hulls within the rules of the CBF or ABPA? Would this not be the same as Wood,

Hacker, Dodge and Arena who led the way 20+ years before Lauterbach, Staudacher,

Sooy? Yes, with capsules comes expanded training & safety requirements on-site, but it

would be a shame for entire era of hydroplane racing to be literally locked inside a

capsule never to be seen or shared again, yes pun intended.



ODYSSEE CS-68

One of the original “KIWI” boats built by Peter Knight in Valleyfield, ODYSSEE joined

the vintage circuit this past season and to say it is a family affair is an understatement.

Lots of participation and so happy to have the Brault family on the circuit. CS-68 was a

very successful 145 class hydro in the early 80’s on the CBF circuit and driven by Luc

Brault. Luc won the 1982 145 CLASS CANADIAN HIGH POINTS with this hull. A few

years ago Gabriel Brault sent me a note looking for this hull. He was able to put a bunch

of puzzle pieces together and found it sitting in a barn in Maine after only a few weeks of

searching. They brought it home that spring and have done a masterful job of restoring

her to0 better than new condition. Check out the history of the hull and the restoration

project on Gabriel’s Facebook page;

https://www.facebook.com/Odysseecs68/?fref=ts

Photo Credits: Deny Cardinal Photography - Gabriel Brault’s Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/Odysseecs68/?fref=ts



HAPPILY RED Y-10

Sylvain Demers is putting the finishing touches on this Y-class Sonny Jones hull he

picked up a number of years ago in Clayton. In its history it was converted to a cab-over

and run by Jim Appley. Sylvain has transitioned the hull back to its original conventional

design and it is truly a work of art and restored too better than new.

JENALURE CS-8

Sylvain’s next project is the 145 Class hydro JENALURE built by Gaetan Latour of

Valleyfield Quebec. This was built right beside my PIXIE in the winter of 84-85 in the

old Valleyfield bus station. I’m really looking forward to this project that will showcase

one of my favourite colour combos Black & Orange. Lots of work ahead in the Demers’

shop and will keep you posted as this project moves along.

(Photo credit #1: Unknown/Facebook #2: Alain Primeau



BU$TED CE-36

Randy Milligan of Peterborough, Ontario is in process of completing the restoration of

BU$TED CE-36 a Jones 280 conventional and debuted with Paul Reid at the wheel this

past summer at Valleyfield. BU$TED, or should I say TABOO, will be another great

addition to the vintage circuit.

MISS TIMEX…is next on the project list for Randy Milligan



Along with the Brault family we welcomed Paul Hewitt of Brockville who joined the

group with his acquisition of PURE CANADIAN. The championship hull put on a show

at Valleyfield especially after the hull figured out the course was not 1 2/3 miles

anymore...turn!!! Paul had the steering & fin figured out by Clayton and put on a great

show. The Beaudoin family of Sorel debuted their JSS GLORY DAYS at Valleyfield and

also made the trek to Clayton.

Valleyfield 2016 – PURE CANADIAN of Paul Hewitt Photo Credit: Deny Cardinal Photography

Valleyfield 2016 JS-30 GLORY DAYS of the Beaudoin Family



HOT PITS!

Valleyfield 2016 - Dick Delsner – SOMETHING SPECIAL J-322

Valleyfield 2016 – Steve & Mike Webster – MISS NEW JERSEY E-888



Rideau Ferry 2015 - Steve Wace ready to take CHUCK WAGON out for a Sunday drive

Rideau Ferry 2015- Andre L’Heureux CQ-1 CANADA MAID

That’s it for now. Any questions, thoughts, stories please do not hesitate to reach out

at [email protected]. See you in the pits!

mailto:[email protected]

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