Page | 1

July 2011

Issue 6

Page | 2

2011 Schedule

Region 10:

-June25-26 Cullaby Lake, Seaside

OR

-July 9-10 Silver Lake, Eatonville WA

-September 10-11 Moses Lake WA

-September 23-25 Lawrence Lake,

Yelm WA

-October 8-9 Devil’s Lake, Lincoln

City OR

Region 11: -September 10-11 Copperopolis

CA

-October 1-2 Isleton CA

-October 15-16 Minden CA

Region 12: -August 6-7 Long Beach CA (All

Flat bottom Nationals)

-September 16-18 San Diego CA

National Races: -June 25-26 Seaside OR Western Divisionals

-August 1-6 Wakefield MI Nationals

-August 6-7 Long Beach CA (Flat bottoms are the only

classes racing as their Summer Nationals)

Red= Divisionals/Winter Nationals/Nationals/NA Champ

Blue= Record Runs

DEADLINES:

The 15th of each

month prior to

each issue.

Page | 3

The Life and Soul of Boat Racing By, Wayne Baldwin

I was very honored for Marlee to ask if I would make

contributions to THE SHEAR PIN. Of course none of my material will be

current as I can very seldom make a race anymore. What I plan is to

submit stories and pictures of the many friends I have made over the

years from Regions 10,11 and 12, with the hopes that active racers

will enjoy a glimpse of the past, and some of the old timers can relive

some of their memories. I will start off with a little bit about my first trip

out west to the Golden Shores Winternationals in 1969. This is not a

recap of the race, but merely an introduction and first go for THE

SHEAR PIN.

When I began racing in 1965, all the great outboard

publications had ceased production....at least the ones I later

became aware of. There was Speed & Spray, The World of

Outboards, and Boat Sport among others. Tim Chance had not yet

begun publishing Hydroplane Quarterly. I got my boat racing news

from Boating News, Hot Boat and later...Powerboat, all published in

California. It was basically the same publication that changed

editors and ownership over the years. Up to this time, I had not joined

the American Power Boat Association, nor received and race

notices or Propeller Magazines. The vast majority of the racing news I

got came from the National Outboard Association's Roostertail

magazine. With the exception of the NOA World Championships at

Alexandria, Louisiana we never were around much of the west coast

racers. Having loved boat racing in all forms, however, I read

Boating News and predecessor magazines cover to cover. That's

where I first read about Gerry Walin, the Citation and Climax Blown

Fuel Hydros, Skip Talbot's cabover hydro drag boat, a feature on Hot

Toddy's Ghost, Lee Taylor, Ron Musson, Salton Sea, Havasu, Parker,

and the many stories and photos of boat racing. That's where I first

heard of the Donzi boat and Don Aranow. I still have the copy that

shows a picture of a very early Molinari. Most of the coverage was

inboards of all sorts, including some excellent photos of cracker

boxes in action, and offshore and unlimited racing. There was stock

outboard coverage, and early OPC racing, but not much on alky

Page | 4

racing. But there was enough so that I began to pick up on the

names of the drivers finishing up front. Most of the boat racing

covered was west coast, so I started becoming familiar with those

names. Consequently, after we settled into the pits, I began hearing

driver’s names I had only read about, but never met.

The exceptions were Kay Harrison and Bob Hering. My dad

Baldy Baldwin decided in our first year of real racing, 1966, that we

would travel to national events as time and school permitted.

Therefore, we had already become friends with Kay and Bob. A

couple of

other racers

we were

familiar with

but had not

known

came west

also.....Clark

Maloof and

Roy Miner.

There may

have been

others, but I

never got a

roster, and I

was still

getting to

know

people.

Some of the

racers that I had read about in the pages of Powerboat that were

there were Gerry Walin, Jimbo McConnell, Ted May, Dick Davidson,

Frank Zorkan, Rich Fuchslin, and of course Ron Hill. It was when my

Dad and I first met Ken and Gloria Steelman, and became friends.

Two others we met and became friends with were Sid and Bob Viera

who pitted just to our left, and Jay Root just to our right. I didn't pit

anywhere near her, but I spent some time around a very attractive

Rachael Van Hyfte who ran several classes. We corresponded for

Page | 5

awhile, but I never saw her again. Another female driver, who at that

time was still and up and coming driver, I didn't recognize by name.

The Powerboat article recognized her driving skills and I later met

Julie Seaman at the 1979 APBA Convention in Portland, Oregon. I'm

not sure how many other well known drivers were there, but I would

love to have a roster. I'm sure there were more who I later became

friends with such as Alan Ishii, Doc Collins, Dave Mayer, Billy Jack

Rucker and Bill Rucker and others. I didn't know about Ernie Dawe

and his exploits until Ron Hill began posting them on Boatracingfacts,

and I wish I had gotten to have known him. I did have the pleasure

to finally meet Rich Fuchslin at the 2007 DePue Reunion, having been

to many races with the legendary driver, but never having

competed against him. And of course there is Ron Hill. Ron is a

legend in his own time, brought up in and bringing up as well, a

family of boat racing legends. I'm not sure if Russ Hill was there or not.

One of my proudest moments was when I was in a photo with Ron

Hill at the trophy presentation at Golden Shores. It also happened to

be our introduction to the American Power Boat Association and our

first APBA sanctioned event. We joined APBA that year.

Since then, I have met many many boat racers from Regions

10, 11 and 12, and have many fond memories of our racing there. I

regret I had to quit the year before the nationals were held at

Bakersfield. My friends from the west coast were numerous, and I will

be sharing photos and remembrances from those days in future

issues. We have had quite a few racers travels from the west coast to

spend a night or two with my Dad, and have a go at his hospitality

and cooking. So once again, Marlee, thanks for the invitation and I

hope it brings a little smile to my west coast friends.

Wayne Baldwin T-73

Page | 6

Looking Back

Photos courtesy of Derek Gesler

Rich Fuschlin

Page | 7

Region News Region 10:

Finally, Seattle has seen some sunny days! Pat Gleason said it best in his

latest Region 10 Propeller magazine article: Everyone knows the northwest is the

rain capitol of the Galactic Empire.” But it looks like the Empire will see the rain

again another day, just hopefully not tomorrow.

Most of us in the upper-left part of the country are preparing for next

weekend’s regatta in Seaside, Oregon at Cullaby Lake. This will host the 2011

Western Stock Divisional Championships as well as the National Championships

for Stock Outboard’s 45ss class. We are expecting near full-fields of our usual

testosterone challenge classes: AXH, 20ssH, and CSH. I have faith in the 45ss

guys: they will have enough boats to award a National Champion. The CORA

club jumps through endless hoops to put on the show, thanks to dedicated

members like Mike Johnson, Mike Bartlett, Ken Kaiser, and all others. Let’s show

them how much we appreciate this race and bring everything from the barn.

The last month has literally been jam-packed with racing up here. The

region had 5 regattas all the way from the Olympic Peninsula to the Willamette

River in Oregon.

The Kitsap Lake Hydrofest was well attended and it was reported that the

wind subsided for the weekend, leaving racers two days of great water. Dwight

Malhiot and a few others participated in the Saturday morning parade in

Bremerton, featuring several “waap-waaps” from his Konig. I heard he was trying

to compete with the Harley group directly behind him. Aside from Mike

Harmon’s crash, the weekend was a success, and I heard everyone got a great

workout pushing and pulling boats up and down the dreaded hill. Mike has

been crying over his broken wrist (clutching his ribs nonetheless,) but I think his

wife Tanya kept him well pampered and even bought him a new Blackwell to

cheer him up!

The following weekend was the 63rd annual Newberg, Oregon race on

the Willamette. My dad wimped out on rope-pulling duties because he thought

it was going to rain. Only overcast skies and the usual “challenging” water

conditions met racers as they pounded down the river. Thanks, Carl. The racing

was intense as ever, and only a few got their helmets wet. Luckily no one was

Page | 8

injured, and everyone dried out on Saturday night’s warmer-than-normal

bonfire. I think the extra fire-power had to do with the five or six burning boats

and the endless supply of pallets from the Newberg Boat Club boys.

June’s first Saturday afternoon was a beautiful one, especially at Everett’s

Silver Lake Regatta. Jan and Howard Shaw, Les Morgan and Mark Mallory, as

well as the race sponsors put on a great program. Howard laid out a triangle

shaped course, utilizing more of the lake and provided us with a surprise after

driver’s meeting. The beach was well attended and racing was spectacular. The

“Local 850cc” class, also called “Open Hydro” was a winner-take-all $75 dollar

purse, won by Jerzee Holman in his OSY rig. No one was injured this weekend;

however a few drivers met the water, David Sullivan and Ron Magnuson (3rd

time, same spot!) to name a couple.

Yours truly visited Twilight-town, or Forks, Washington the following

weekend for some relaxed, homely Whidbey Island Roostertails’ racing. For

those who are not familiar with the Roostertails club, they are among one of the

oldest and longest-standing wild-cat racing clubs in the country. No national

authority, just a small group of friends that enjoy grass-roots racing at its finest in

the northwest.

The Roostertails follow a similar, but more simplified format to APBA’s

outboard regattas. The majority of classes and their rules, specs, regulations, and

names parallel that of APBA’s and in addition to those classes, local classes are

run: “Open Hydro” would take the place of anything “D” sized and above,

including PRO rigs.

The racing is safety-orientated, and due to the low cost of the racing

(20/10/5/5… entry scale) an ambulance is not present. Stricter adherence to

rules like a “minimum two boat-length over lap” as well as a “Red Flag,” that

immediately returns drivers to the beach in the event a driver is in the water, or

an accident has taken place, keeps the Roostertails drivers safe, as well as a

little use of the noggin. Their mentality is, no one is chasing high points, or getting

titles, so why push it to the limit?

The Roostertails have an amazing sense of camaraderie: a pot-luck dinner

was arranged Saturday evening, followed by a bon fire, and a prize

presentation given Sunday to award drivers in the top three finishing positions.

Pretty cool, huh?

Page | 9

Before I sign off for the month, I would like to mention a few other events and

recognize a family I’ve recently had contact with. First, I heard the SLORA, or

Stateline Outboard Racing Association, event at Banks Lake was a success and

several outboard as well as select vintage flat-bottom classes were run.

Lastly, I had the opportunity to visit my long-time friends Dan and Jean

Schwartz and their beautiful pit-bull, Coco. Dan is currently recovering from a

traumatic tunnel-boat racing accident from last fall’s Kankakee, Ill nationals.

Jean and Coco are in good spirits, staying hopeful and providing Dan the

support he needs. I have to express my sheer empathy having experienced first-

hand, what can happen to a racer and family after an accident. Jean is Dan’s

primary care-giver and I was extremely humbled by her constant ability to

provide for another, as well as continue her duties as APBA’s Secretary-at-large. I

would highly encourage anyone who has even known Dan or Jean and give

them a call. Dan loves hearing from racers, and Jean thoroughly enjoys the

interaction from racing family members. I wish Dan luck in his recovery and hope

to convey my love to them.

See you in the first turn,

Kyle Lewis

Hydroracer93r@gmail.com

On The Cover

Top: The second picture is of Jeff Laird of Gold Hill, OR winner

of the second race of the season

Bottom: John Peeters and Jodi Hoover in Jodi’s “First First”

Page | 10

Region 12:

We’ve had another slow month in Region 12, but I, myself, have been

pretty busy in the boat garage! I’ve finally gotten the opportunity to test the

new boat, and I am going to start packing everything up soon and head out to

Cullaby for the Western Divisionals on this coming up weekend! Looks like there

will be a pretty good boat count, so it should be a pretty good weekend! I’m

really looking forward to it! After Cullaby, we don’t really have anything on our

agenda till the Long Beach race in August in both Regions 11 and 12, it’s going

to be the Nationals for all flat bottom boats, I’m sure there will be a pretty good

turnout for that as well! I know there will be plenty of cracker boxes and

probably a lot of GN’s as well. Other classes as well as the flat bottoms are

sanctioned as well, I know there will be a few Stock Outboard classes

sanctioned, and it is also a Western Formula Lights Series (WFLS) race as well, so I

expect to see a full field, or pretty close to one, of SST45’s there as well! Hope to

see everyone there! Should be a pretty full weekend of racing!

See you on the water!

-Marlee Hill

This is the start of the Boatnik race at Grants Pass, OR May 30. 2011. Of the

sixteen starters, seven finished. The high water from the large snowpack this

year took a toll on engines in the rough water. Only one incident with Robert

Calvosa of Eureka CA stuffing his boat in a rapid.