Black Tornado

Many Thanks Charlie. I would like be in the cockpit of your Benihana-Spirit!

P.S. Rather have you already certainly decided to restore it as a Benihana?
Would be right doing Benihana on a side and Spirit on the other one, not?

littlenige

Do they have a green with envy smilie??!!

Here´s one of Graham´s shots!

Phil M

Hi Steve - Yes, it was quite a boat - it also was the cover boat - for the Bertram Brochure too - and it eventually got on the cover (along with others) on the NY Boat Show - circa around 1975 or so -

Here are some photos for you - Hi to your family - great shots of your boat - in the other Thread - well done !

The photos are of the 28 Barron - airborne -, another is at the dock after the race in 1972 -

Top Banana

I think that a common trait for offshore racers is the fact that our legs are best left out of camera range....down deep in the cockpit of the boat.

It answers that age old questioon...."Why did God invent long pants for.....men?"

Black Tornado

Hi Phil!
Your photos are always beautiful and interesting!
Can you tell us something speaking of the creation of the Bertram 38'?. For instance in the prototype of 36' of your photos is noticed that the hull and the relative rrunnings strakes are alike to those of the Cigarette 36', but then 38' that all of us know it has a more thin keel and the runnings strakes return to be very similar to those of the precedents 31', of which speak in this thread.
What do you think about?
And because' Gordon Cooper abandons' the idea to keep on racing. Was it afraid of his safety?'

Phil M

Hello Marco - I know the Test boat I bought from Bertram - had a 1/8 - YES - 1/8 inch Plywood deck - you could not walk on it- it was for LOOKS only ! It also was out of a 40 Ft. Mold - just for testing - as the 38 had a different V or dead rise - not as deep as the Test boat - To save weight - they cut down the sides in front of the cockpit - and it was a natural for air vents to the engine compartment - Sammy would put vents at the rear that would open when pressurized - he knew his Stuff.

Sammy was fearless - and always a Character - fun to be around, and just a unique person - !

Here are some photos - of what happened to me - after a short stint of racing - enjoy !

PHIL

The Photo of me with the Jet Ranger - was taken at Palermo Airport - - it was a two day trip from London to Malta - flying from London to the South of France the first day - then on to Olbia, Palermo- and finally Malta - on the second day - flying over water for almost an entire day - with just diversions to get fuel - was if nothing else - a little nerve racking !

littlenige

Phil - cut down the decks to save weight?? Did it save that much?? Still - I´m glad they did ´cos I love the deck shape and even those intakes!

Black Tornado

Many Thanks Phil!
You write always a lot of intersting things!
Very nice pics of you like cameraman. I think it was a hard trip on chop over the Mediterranean Sea. Do you went to a Class 1 in Malta? Very beautiful location had that race. Then the kilo speed with the final part inside the harbour of La Valletta it was very full of adrenaline!

Phil M

Hi Marco - in 1992 - I worked for UIM - and Walter Ragazzi - I have written him a letter, but no reply - so if you do hear from him - or have a email address - I would love to contact him again -

When I made the deal to film for the UIM group - they told me - they would be able to aquire Helicopter services from local helicopter companies - I said NO - that is the most important part of my work - having the Tripod - or Camera mount - in the right position - anyone can film - but its where you put the camera - and how steady you have it - that counts - For years earlier - we were famous for our "live" narration - having some one say what they see - or comment on what is happening - at times - I even tried two narrators at the same time - like our American football has here - (John Madden, and Pat Summerall) it would work for a while - but the competition to say the most - and know it all - well - I was just a referee in the air at times - (glad what was said by me at the time never made it out of the Cabin of the Helicopter ) -


So my deal with UIM - was to supply tape - in PAL format - actually I never got any copies of what i had done - but for sure it was some of the most interesting and fun loving racing - Racers in Europe seemd to have the thought of racing together - not running alone - but rather - to race as FAST as they could - but Also - as SLOW as they could by staying together - and keeping the equipment from imploding ! It was a Turkey shoot for me - easy - fun - and very very exciting - another reason I would want to get a hold of Walter Ragazzi to see if any of those films are still around - the UIM ones i filmed for them

I was given a Trial race - in Southern France - BINGO - it worked - and from then on - that season - I was flying to Europe once a month to film the other events -

Well - you got me wound up - Racing was Racing there in Europe - Malta, Viareggio (bad weather) - Guernsey, Ostende, and the first one - the trial race at St. Tropez France.

My best to you Marco -

PHIL

The Photos are 1. flying thru the Alps - in the summer - (Snow still there ) crossing from France via: Bern Swtz. then on to Milan - and Genoa - then to Viareggio - Me in a Arab dress in Dubai - photo courtesy of Ron Thibedeau who was with me there.

lucky strike

Here was my 28 Barron w/440 Olds motors installed by Malcom Smith.