I Remember When 50 Was "Special"...

[NHBUOY]

...Wow..parallel universe BH..lol...between the peeps of the H2O ski club and Mr. Cook's penthouse crew, Alton had some awesome skiers...I "think" your barefoot guy was Paul &/or Peter Belkis.?..Steve Puopolo, Tony Cameratta, Charlie Bergoyne, G. Stevens, J. Malone, Jim McKone, Jack Travers (now owns a very successful water-ski school in Fla. AND was the "inventor" of the arm slings the jumpers use called the "Jack Strap") and a slew of others...Some good times were had with the "Catholic girls" too.. ...Q?..Do you remember the Chris-Craft X-19(22?) named Hurricane that was used for the ski races.?..Always liked that boat, but never knew who owned it.?...I love this memory lane/bench racin stuff...I think your right about bringing "something" back for the "kids"...unfortunately, the speed/save them from themselves people will make this more than difficult...Do the waterskiers even have a slalom course or jump ramp to use anymore.?..the "good old days" were just that, it seems....fyi...The "50 Special" was a 1959/60 21' Century Coronado w/a "built" Caddy motor with a "6-pack" carb set-up owned by D. Purdy...loved that boat, my family always had Century Resorters when Vin "was" Channel Marine (with Stan & B. Rooney)...APBA/RNE mean anything to you..?..thanx for sharing...likin this...

[NHBUOY]

...I just noticed the Breckenridge tag...You a skier too.?..More to talk about...Klaus B. was my first ski coach at Gunstock waaay back......

[BroadHopper]

They are a breed. I am one of them. My daughters barefoot as well. I would like to teach my grandkids. I had one SL supporter sent me a PM and called me a murderer because I am teaching kids how to barefoot ski! LOL! Aren't they a jealous bunch.

As for Breck', I have a stake in a ski lodge on Baldy Mtn. across town. I was doing fine until 9/11, business took a downfall. Slowly rose up then tanked again in 2008. Been losing money since. I'm hoping to retire early but not with real estate prices at rock bottom. Talk to me when you head for the Breck'.

I belong to PSIA and PSPA. I use to race WMRL and occasionally test my skills on NASTAR. Klaus B. brings memories of his harmonica skills. Remember the Austrian boys? Gerhad, Frankie and Gert? Pepe Hermann and Egon Zimmerman? The Austrians partied hard! I wish Gunstock bring back the Fletcher Hale trail.

You mentioned fast cars. I used to race a 58' Satelite with a 426 wedge at NE Dragway and Englishtown at the MOPAR nationals. Name of car was 'Waillin' Wedge'. I also use to do SCCA races at Bryar with a 124 Spyder. I remamber the CAN AM races at Bryar. I have an autograph of Swede Savage. I use to love those ARR 'cudas and TA Challengers.

They still have the road course at NHMS. But the chicane course is gone. Been itching to go as they still do SCCA most weekends. I have a '98 911 Carrera convertible sitting in the barn. Haven't start it in years. Money been tight since I lost my job in 2008.

[NHBUOY]

...hi BH...was wondering where you were hidin..LOL...Fletcher Hale, one of the steepest in the East, that never got skied...I was sad when they took out the Try-Me chair...If you're PSIA, you probably know Jeb Boyd (USA Demo Squad) & T. Haas...grew up skiing/racing with both of them...feel for ya with economy stuff...kinda like, how do you make a million in the industry, start out with 5 million......I don't know about you, but I'm havin a blast tryin to figure out who you/we are.....fyi...I lived/raced out of Vail in 75-77...and a friend of mine owned(s?) the Legends Bar at Beaver Creek...skiing and performance boats seem to go together.....barefoot skiing.!.?...wreckin kidz up like that...the HORROR.....ps...I was a NE Dragway guy ususally on wed nights for test/tune/steal your money runs, usually in a blue Z/28 (low 13.s) or white LS6 Chevelle (low 12.s)...remember the Flinstone Charger.?..loved that guy...

[BroadHopper]

I see you are on the Neck? On the Meredith Bay or Bear Island Side? Use to know a lot of folks there. I use to cruise around the lake and crash parties. LOL!

Because of the economy and political climate I moved from Winnipesaukee to Winnisquam. I have a slip on Winnipesaukee. My Formula terrorized all the speed limit supporters. LOL! Even though I rarely go over 50. Last summer I was reported going 100 mph. The MP officer stopped me and clocked me at 35. He asked me if I was going 100. I asked him if a 350 Magnum can propel a 5000 lbs boat to 100, he says, I don't think so. After a safety check to check out the thong babes, he was off looking for something better to do. LOL!

I don't know the two PSIA's you mentioned, but I grew up with Mike Hickey. He made it to the USA ski team. He was the head of the PSIA demonstration team for years. Mike was once ski director at Mammoth Mtn. Gunstock and Loon turned him down for jobs. He is semiretired in Bozeman Montana. Great Guy. I'm also friends with Bruce McDonald. He was my PSIA trainer and mentor. He is head of the ski school at WaWaWachusetts. He has a great ski racing program as most of the guys on the Masters program and WMRL are from Wachusetts.

Use to ski Loon all the time with the Threedom pass. Last year Gunrock had the cheapest pass. My future son-in-law works for Burton hdqtrs in Burlington VT. When he has passes I will take advantage of it.

The Bunyan Room still pretty wild? I remember it being shut down when there were neked women dancing on the tables one night.

[NHBUOY]

...I "know" Mike, but, Bruce and I spent a lot of good times on the Hill..I miss him...wondered where he went..?...you know "NO-Gyp" Putnam too.?..btw...check your PM's...haha..haulin azz with a season pass since '67 at Loon, and 8 years at G-Stock before that...re: Bunyan..an "infamous" day you mention......methinks that Formula has thru-transoms'..?...cowboy...lol..

[BroadHopper]

The Formula has the legendary DARPA exhaust. It uses the water that runs through the engine to silence the noise. The faster I go the quieter it gets. It has that legendary rumble at idle. It did have a differter plate to differt the exhaust to the I/O unit. Back in the days, I had to remove the differter because it was against the law to have switchable exhaust. Thus defeating the purpose to silence the engine. Now that switchables are lawful, I am looking for a direct replacement. I sold the differter plate as I thought I no longer need it. I can't find one.

The US Offshore races were sponsored by COMPAQ computers. The CEO was building a huge complex on Meredith Neck off Pleasant St. The company folded and merged with HP. The races no longer had a sponsor. The CEO never finish building his complex. He did put up a huge stone wall.

Same with the hydroplane races that was once on Lake Opechee. It got so popular, they moved the races to Moore Dam. The Chrysler Regatta lost their sponsor when Chrysler started having trouble. I remember everyone had to cross the dam over to VT as the nanny state of NH do not allow open containers.

APBA use to have the vintage races out of Wolfeboro. I heard rumors that they may not be back. We will see.

I was told there will be a championship waterskiing event on Lake Winnisquam. They use to have them in Wolfeboro. Why they move it. I don't know.

[NHBUOY]

...wow...good info right there...I know the wall of which you speak...didn't know the whole story...ahh..Moore Dam/Chrysler..it was fun(while it lasted)..shame...same with the skiing stuff...you got a 242 with a small block.?..Porter family makes good stuff...

[NHBUOY]

...I meant to ask you about your Wailin Wedge Mopar.?..wasn't that kind of a "famous/infamous" car.?..always liked the Mopar stuff..Direct Connection, Rapid Transit Authority, Sox & Martin, "Dandy" Dick Landy, "Hemi under Glass", Buttera's (sp?) Lil Red Wagon..etc..LOVED the AAR/Trans Am stuff too..real men driving "real" cars...Didn't S. Savage die in a "weird" way.?..He was a talent, at driving AND partying if I remember correctly.?..This might sound weird, but, who did the trannies in your drag cars.?...re: DARPA exhaust, tough to find parts (I won't say more on that.lol.)..I'll keep an eye out for the diverters/diffusers you speak of tho..try George at M & M Salvage in M-dith..603-279-5041..He may be of help..btw..check out what he's got around his boat yard..a 28' CC Magnum, a 24' Twister w/a BB..walking around is a little history lesson..lol..TONs of parts too...Hope your boat buffed-up nice..Not sure if we're "off-topic" at this point..lol..but I started the thread, so I guess it's ok......btw..inside, near gut cut......lata, Cowboy.....

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by NHBUOY

...I meant to ask you about your Wailin Wedge Mopar.?..wasn't that kind of a "famous/infamous" car.?..always liked the Mopar stuff..Direct Connection, Rapid Transit Authority, Sox & Martin, "Dandy" Dick Landy, "Hemi under Glass", Buttera's (sp?) Lil Red Wagon..etc..LOVED the AAR/Trans Am stuff too..real men driving "real" cars...Didn't S. Savage die in a "weird" way.?..He was a talent, at driving AND partying if I remember correctly.?..This might sound weird, but, who did the trannies in your drag cars.?...re: DARPA exhaust, tough to find parts (I won't say more on that.lol.)..I'll keep an eye out for the diverters/diffusers you speak of tho..try George at M & M Salvage in M-dith..603-279-5041..He may be of help..btw..check out what he's got around his boat yard..a 28' CC Magnum, a 24' Twister w/a BB..walking around is a little history lesson..lol..TONs of parts too...Hope your boat buffed-up nice..Not sure if we're "off-topic" at this point..lol..but I started the thread, so I guess it's ok......btw..inside, near gut cut......lata, Cowboy.....

Didn't know the 'Wailin Wedge' was famous or infamous but it was well known on the local scene. It was originally a factory dragster from the Mr Norm Spaulding Dodge dealer. I bought it from Lyn 'Crazy Abenaki' Newell. The 426 wedge motor was bullet proof. And one of a kind.
Driving a 'typewriter' was a no brainer. Those cars and trannies were consistant as hell. As long as I punch the 'D' at I think it was 4300 with the peddle to the metal, it was consistant 13s. Bracket racing at its best.

M&M Salvage is something else! I was able to find parts for my old '86 Liberator. 4 Winns built fantastic economical performance boats in their days. When I step up to the Formula, I didn't really feel much difference in the ride, but the quality went way up! Need to visit again as someone stole the fender off the boat trailer at the Winnisquam boat ramp!

I am heading out to get the 'SL terrorizer' registered for another season on the big lake. First time in decades that the marinas around the lake are advertising slips to let. Should be an interesting summer.

I'm wondering if APS is going to meet me in Loudon for a spirited race on the road course?

[NHBUOY]

...me-thinks aps "talks" a good game...still don't know where he "teaches"...727's with the push-buttons...awesome...speaking horsepower, a friend sent me a video of his friends dyno-ing a VW...1036 HP.!..am waiting to find out torque numbers...yikes......

[Mr Cooke's Crew]

Originally Posted by NHBUOY

...Wow..parallel universe BH..lol...between the peeps of the H2O ski club and Mr. Cook's penthouse crew, Alton had some awesome skiers...I "think" your barefoot guy was Paul &/or Peter Belkis.?..Steve Puopolo, Tony Cameratta, Charlie Bergoyne, G. Stevens, J. Malone, Jim McKone, Jack Travers (now owns a very successful water-ski school in Fla. AND was the "inventor" of the arm slings the jumpers use called the "Jack Strap") and a slew of others...Some good times were had with the "Catholic girls" too.. ...Q?..Do you remember the Chris-Craft X-19(22?) named Hurricane that was used for the ski races.?..Always liked that boat, but never knew who owned it.?...I love this memory lane/bench racin stuff...I think your right about bringing "something" back for the "kids"...unfortunately, the speed/save them from themselves people will make this more than difficult...Do the waterskiers even have a slalom course or jump ramp to use anymore.?..the "good old days" were just that, it seems....fyi...The "50 Special" was a 1959/60 21' Century Coronado w/a "built" Caddy motor with a "6-pack" carb set-up owned by D. Purdy...loved that boat, my family always had Century Resorters when Vin "was" Channel Marine (with Stan & B. Rooney)...APBA/RNE mean anything to you..?..thanx for sharing...likin this...

..We had some Great guy's at the penthouse & Alton Bay(Best barefooters on the lake) All the guy's you named Jim "Chach" Ciaccio (me lol) Dan Rossi, Bob oykle. Steve Puopolo broke my barefoot record at age 13. I'm still in touch with most of thoes guys......those were the days.....

[mowtorman]

thanks for adding to the story. We were in our teens near Kona and Black Cat in the 70's, trying to live up to the legends before us (which we didn't). We all tried BF'n for weeks, 3 made it (Richie, Tom, Bob), going about 40 behind a century not knowing what we were doing. I took a toe catch, planted my face and blew out a disc, needed surgery and haven't skied since . We were out last weekend in a '73 and an '80 Resorter, there's still some of us undersized folks around. Getting the hot small ski boats around, a retro show/exhibition would be really nice. Speed on water in a small boat is a great adrenaline rush. I talked with someone in Laconia who has a Magnum Missile he intends to restore. Any pics would be appreciated. thanks

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by mowtorman

thanks for adding to the story. We were in our teens near Kona and Black Cat in the 70's, trying to live up to the legends before us (which we didn't). We all tried BF'n for weeks, 3 made it (Richie, Tom, Bob), going about 40 behind a century not knowing what we were doing. I took a toe catch, planted my face and blew out a disc, needed surgery and haven't skied since . We were out last weekend in a '73 and an '80 Resorter, there's still some of us undersized folks around. Getting the hot small ski boats around, a retro show/exhibition would be really nice. Speed on water in a small boat is a great adrenaline rush. I talked with someone in Laconia who has a Magnum Missile he intends to restore. Any pics would be appreciated. thanks

Barefooting on a long line takes mucho skills- I hand it to anyone that can do so!! My recollection of the speed required is your weight divided by 10 plus 20 MPH. so a 200 lb person would need 200/10=20 plus 20 MPH for a total of 40 before you put your feet down!

I have barefooted but only off a boom, so much easier.

On a side note, a friend has a beautifully restored Nautique (Al Till skier model) on Ossipee. It is painted arrest me red and named Jello for the shaking it does.