New members poll

[blueskyracer]

How or what motivated you to get into boat racing?

[Mrs blueskyracer]

You forgot an option on the poll.... found hydroracer.net and became an addict. Had to try it out for myself.

[Silas_53A]

sort of fell into it.. My dad found an old BSR (at the time we just thought it was cool) right down to road from us. In the process of 'restoring' it he foudn a name under some paint and thought it was quite a unique name so he looked it up. we found the previous owner who raced it, and from there found out who had built it, Peter Crowley. After that we were looking for a motor to put on it and found a "Yamotto 20" for sale in FL for $350. Turns out it was a yamato 102. We later found out it was a legal racing motor and was pointed in the direction of a CSH, fully rigged, for a decent price. From there on I was racing.

[Kev43V]

although I am sure everyone has seen me post this before here goes.
A friend in our town started a tounge in cheek race. it was based on time trials and had to be under 10 hp otherwise anything goes.
I used a lund 12 foot v the first year with my dads 86 omc 9.9 I "tied" for first. actually I won hands down LOL. but bribery is legal at this race and the timer drinks gin! the "other guy" brought the timer a fifth of his favorite gin.
hence the tie. The guy that married my dads second cousin used to race AU back in the late fortys and early fiftys he still had the boat and his KG4. So he let me use it for the next year. A different competitor bought up some newer OLD hydros and runabouts mostly from the Palmquest stables.
by this time my brother Gene had gotten involved we picked up a newer old hydro. we felt that we were putting to much into it for one race per year. So we decided to get involved with Stock outboard and run just 2 or 3 of the closer races per year for fun and to justify what we had invested(the old addage of the best laid plans of mice and men comes to mind) then we met the PEOPLE of boat racing and we have been hooked ever since.

[sam]

At the time I grew up in Maryland there were quite a few outboard races in the area each season. We used to go to several every year as spectators, some were right in my hometown.

I remember being about 6 years old, walking thru the pits at St Michels MD, probably 1964, going with my father and uncle to help carry hot dogs & fries for the rest of the family ... so close to the boats and motors that I could have touched them. I knew then that I wanted to race. About the same time, my father became a dealer for McCulloch outboards and Woodson boats. Later he took on several more boat brands and was able to take over the local Merc franchise. Every once in a while, we would buy out another dealer's inventory when they went out of business. One pile of used parts included a Quicksilver lower unit and several powerheads that would bolt up to it. About a half mile from our house was a marina that had an old racing runabout that had been abandoned; I bought it for the overdue storage bill.

[steve jones]

My Dad started racing in 1947, A Hydro, My Grandfather did all the motor work, he had a small machine shop in his basement, and did a lot of work for other racers too. In 1949 my Dad went to B hydro, bought a new Neal single step and a new Merc kg7, they did alot of racing in rivers and most everybody raced single step hydro or utilities,(runabouts),He got married in '49 and I came along in '50 and by '51 my mother made him quit, and I understand I had one PO'd Grandfather.
My dad then drove C Racing Runabout for Frank Merrill till 1955, I remember going to the races and always wanted a RACE BOAT.
In fall of 1966, my Dad and I happened upon a 'Outlaw" outboard race and in the spring of 1967 I had my First Race Boat, a 1957 Sid "Hornet" and a Chris Craft Commander with a Racing Lower unit.
Progressed with KG4 A 20H Conversion, Evinrude 25 ss,Merc 25ss and a yamoto 80, with assorted Hydro's and Runabouts, till 1989 and sold everything.
Then in February 08, I found HR.Net and in January 09 I bought a Desilva CSR and A Yamoto 102 and having the best time!!