Boat Racing at Disney

[Bob Rusnak]

In a recent trip to Walt Disney World we went to the new addition, "Disney Springs". There we found the "Boat House Restaurant" and found all types of vintage boats and engines. Even had a collection of all those little outboard engines from the 1950's, almost everyone ever made. Sean McKean and our family and myself spent some time there. Great display and many restored engines.

[dwhitford]

Bob, in the early days of Walt Disney World (early 1970s, I think it was Don Eldredge who told me) that a proffer and attempt was made to the Disney execs to run a boat race there. Disney had ideal water, a good pit venue, and of course a built-in audience.

But somehow, no one could quite make it happen. And that was when outboard racing was far stronger then than now, and also b4 OPC really took off.

Maybe the Eldredge family members or older Orlando-area residents can shine more light on this.

Perhaps this new "museum" signals that the time is ripe for Florida APBA folk to approach the Disney folk again about one or more races.

[Team B&H]

I believe the Alter Ego boat was driven by Paul Sawyer who was an uncle to one of my friends back in high school- quite a few years ago.

[R. C. Hawie]

That "Alter Ego" does not look like the boat(s) Paul Sawyer used. It looks too new like a Lauderbach. Maybe someone else used that name later on.
Paul Sawyer was a good outboard racer in the 1930's, starting out racing the Inter-college circuit. He was part of a group that went to Paris (1937?) to race the X class with one of the Draper X's with Marshall Eldridge Sr and Fred Nickels.
After WW-II he went inboard and set some records having set a 100+ mph record in 266 class.
Later on he build and promote the Richmond, VA. race track that NASCAR still uses. As far as I know his sons still operate the road racing track near Richmond.
Interesting how a relative can end up in WI when Paul was from PA originally and ended in VA. My how families can get spread out.

[ZUL8TR]

I have also seen this at a recent visit, really great items on display from racing and pleasure. Worth a visit if in the area + you can eat in a nice atmosphere of boats and engines.

RC the last pic you posted of that 55 Merc is mounted on a very unique circular boat. If you have full view shots they will be interesting to the viewers.

[Bob Rusnak]

Yes, it is worth seeing. I wish I had taken more pictures of the boats and engines. Some unique boats on display, all vintage. Lots of Mercury engines, MK 75, MK 78 etc. Most were all restored. I was surprised to see the collection of miniature outboard engines from the 1950's-1960's. They were all for sale but they were not cheap. I could have spent the whole day there but my 7 year old grandson wanted to go to the Lego store.

[A/B Speedliner]

The U 22 is an Unlimited hydro I believe driven by or owned by Fred Alter

[Smitty]

Yeah, I was curious about that too. The U-22 we knew in Seattle was the "Breathless," raced by the Murphy family out of California.

[25xs]

Neat place... I think it is called "Downtown Disney"? Or maybe it used to be called that. I was there several years back and bumped into Steve Roskowski out of the blue. Had a nice chat. We were both laughing at people scared of one of those "living statue" performers.
Tom Brockmeyer