Floyd Hopkins

[scorer]

Glenn Hopkins just called to inform us that Floyd passed away yesterday afternoon. Mar 1st. The funeral service is being arranged by E.J. Fielding Funeral Home and is expected to be next week. Information regarding the services can be obtained by contacting the funeral home at 985-892-9222 or checking their website at www.ejfieldingfuneralhome.com

[Kevin Martin]

wow, sorry to hear this!!!

never met floyd, but had many conversations on the phone, he answered every question i ever had and sent me one heck of a prop, my prayers are with the hopkins family!!! kevin martin

[AOFoffice]

The Payn family will be leaving Iowa to spend the week end with Glen and his family. Hopefully we can be of some comfort. If anyone from my area needs to send anything, call before thursday eve. Connie

[Matt Dagostino]

Sad Moment..................

What a great "reliable" professional Floyd was. As a boy I remember my dad (Bill Kneeland) got many a good DSH wheel from Floyd ...............Still remember the L-88. Regards.

[Ron Hill]

Nice man...

Floyd and I were always friends. I never heard a harsh word from him about my props...or about anyone else for that matter.

I sent him business. He sent me business.

Sold him Volvo wheels and custom V-6 stuff...

Sorry to here of his passing..

Matt...L-88 ("L" was for Lister)....Unless Floyd copied it, L88 was my Lister Long Course C Stock Hydro number... Some use them on OMC A's today!!!

[bill van steenwyk]

Floyd Hopkins, One of the "Good Guys"

Floyd was truely one of the "Good Guys" in boat racing and one of the fortunate few that can indulge their pleasure of the sport and make a few bucks from it at the same time. He was always a joy to be around, and Ron Hill said it best, never a bad word about anybody. Just like Harry Pasturczak, he would come up to you in the pits with that sly little grin, and offer you a prop to try with no strings attached, and if it was a little off go bend on it and try to make it better for you. He once gave me a prop to try in Ackworth Ga., that was way better than anything I had at the time, and when I came in from testing it, he knew I was excited. He could have gotten a thousand dollars for that prop if he had wanted it probably, but it was just the regular price and one "rework if neccessary" for the standard price. My induction into the HOC was in a good degree due to the props he made for me, along with the good motor work by Harry "ZAK". Both Eileen and I are very happy we got to see him for the last time not so long ago in Alexandria, La. and our deepest sympathy goes to his family at this sad time.

Bill and Eileen Van Steenwyk

[Abbott Racing]

My condolences to the Hopkins family on their loss. Didn't know Floyd other than chats on the phone when ordering props etc.... In my early years of racing "D" I called and asked for something that would move me to the front of the pack. He chuckled and asked me a bunch of questions about boat , setup etc.... Then sent me one heck of a prop. Never won me any Nationals, but it helped me beat Eric Wolfe once and that made it worth every penny I paid for it.

Thanks Floyd!

[Mark 72@E]

A Hopkins Customer Remembers

Sadly, for the second time in two weeks I'm posting a message after hearing that someone I knew from when I raced SO in the '70's has died.

In 1973 the very first racing propeller that I ever purchased was a Hopkins. I never met the man, I never even talked to him on the telephone. As a teenager in the 70's I wasn't allowed to call long distance. So all my prop purchases from Hopkins were done by US mail.

I remember that Hopkins ASH prop because it taught me two lessons:

1) You need more than one propeller. On my very first day of testing at my local river, the first time ever running a race boat, I nearly tore one blade off the prop. I even saw the dang stick in the water. But since it was my first day running at 50 MPH (and without a rescue boat), I didn't want to learn how sharp I could or couldn't turn my brand new Marchetti hydro to avoid a stick that may or may not cause damage. It was my one and only propeller. And my very first scheduled boat race in Essex, Maryland was a week away. There wasn't enough time to order another prop from Hopkins.

2) Boat racers are friendly, generous people. Ray Gemmill, who raced CSH and who had taken me under his wing, told me repeatedly, "Just bring what you have. We'll borrow the rest". I thought he was kidding. I wondered why a competitor would loan me anything. At the Essex race Ray went trailer to trailer to find what I needed. The borrowed prop came out of Bunky Bowerman's trailer and I returned it after the race unscratched.

Although I purchased props from several people back then, I probably raced more Hopkins propellers than any other brand. And he's one of the reasons why I crossed the finish line ahead of some other boats.

Peace to Floyd and his family.