36` Cigarette Copper Kettle
11-02-2009, 02:33 PM
#31
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Interesting to note the 88.0mph.Looking through past race records,Copper Kettle averaged 73.8mph in it`s first race which it won in light conditions.If you use ,say an american speed formula where the weight of the boat in lbs is divided by the shp and then square root the whole lot and multiply it by the speed in mph you would obtain a constant.Use this same constant with the weight adjusted to give the speed in say light or full condition.
Using the above for half load (9210lbs) = 73.8mph (average) and light load (7954lbs) = 79.5mph (end of race)
The weights are based on a 37ft al.alloy OP1 with 1050hp.
Dry Martini (36ft ciggy) averaged 83.2 mph in one race with 1200hp,and if you used the above as a guide that could give 89.0mph in light condition,so 88.0mph with 1050hp I would have thought must have been absolutely balls out.
BTW 1979 Free Spirit - G.Leiber (36ft ciggy),what was that boat`s history I wonder.
Using the above for half load (9210lbs) = 73.8mph (average) and light load (7954lbs) = 79.5mph (end of race)
The weights are based on a 37ft al.alloy OP1 with 1050hp.
Dry Martini (36ft ciggy) averaged 83.2 mph in one race with 1200hp,and if you used the above as a guide that could give 89.0mph in light condition,so 88.0mph with 1050hp I would have thought must have been absolutely balls out.
BTW 1979 Free Spirit - G.Leiber (36ft ciggy),what was that boat`s history I wonder.
Graham about the Free Spirit I have always had the suspicion that it was in reality a 35.'
Last edited by Black Tornado; 11-02-2009 at 02:38 PM.
12-15-2011, 10:56 PM
#32
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Good evening. I don't know who Cal500 is but he is very perceptive concerning MY 36 Cigarette Race Boat - Copper Kettle. I am indeed Dr. Bob Gingold the former owner from 1977 to 1985. I bought the boat from Sandy thru his throttle man and long time rigger and friend Mel Riggs. After receiving the boat, I have spoken, in the past, with many of the employees that worked at Cigarette in 1972 when the boat was laid up. It was delivered to Mel as a hull and deck only, with a couple of thru hull fittings only. The person who actually placed the fittings, ran to Don when he drilled the holes and fell into the side of the boat, telling Don that they forgot some LAYERS of glass. Don told him quiet this is going to be a special super light weight race boat., he hoped it would stay together and not crack up. I remember when I received the boat from Sandy, Mel told me not to walk on the front deck, only around the sides of the deck. I once was installing some wiring and adel clamps for the front nav. lights using a short only 1/4 long screw, with the adel clamp as a washer and it came out the top surface of the deck. You guys are incredible with the speed calculations. The power I had at the time was 675 per side. The engines were supplied by a mechanical engineer Hall of Fame drag racer named Jack Merkel. He raced I think a Blown A gas willys to many national championships, beating Stone Woods and Cook and Montgomery. His son was a multiple winner of the fastest steet car in the world Hot Rod magazine challenge. Tunnel Ram, dominators, AFR heads, 12.8 compression. Kiekhafer out the transom headers. Top speed with two Keller speedometers was 89 m.p.h. The number three drives were at a silly high x dimension of I think 19 inches, and the skegs of the lower units were initially machined off before the rest of the lower units were machined.Again special Kiekhaefer handling and rigging. It has a handful to steer, just ask my friend Ray Leventhal, my driver. He said the boat turned his hair from black to grey to white over the eight years that I owned it. If anyone is interested I could probably find the weight documentation from Keller industries where they had specialty truck scales off of I95 in Miami. I think the number was a little over 7000 pounds ready to run with maybe 30 or 40 gallons of fuel in the rear tanks. Had a capacity of very close to 500 gallons, designed for the Bahama 500 race I was told. The boat was sold in 1985 or 1986 and promptly seized before the new owner even had a chance to get it wet. I f anyone is interested I can continue the story another evening. By for now. Dr. Bob
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12-17-2011, 02:09 PM
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I saw Bob at the sunny isles race, very good friend of mine as well, he told me that some smugglers bought the boat, they got busted, and put a lot of heat on Bob, he said it was a real nightmare, then later all cleared up, no telling where the boat ended up. I used to ley him work in my shop on NE 17 th ave. he kept the boat next door in Gene Lanhams shop. I remember he had a really cool Caddy with a rahilly Grady motor in it, bad ass.
Last edited by Redman; 12-17-2011 at 02:13 PM.
12-18-2011, 01:55 PM
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Dr. Bob would love to hear the 'REST OF THE STORY' and more! Welcome to OSO.
~~edit~~ I have some great memories (and pics that I can't find
) of the Copper Kettle running a few different yrs. at Pt Pleasant / Bennihana Offshore Races back in the day.
~~edit~~ I have some great memories (and pics that I can't find
) of the Copper Kettle running a few different yrs. at Pt Pleasant / Bennihana Offshore Races back in the day.
Last edited by NJgr8ful; 12-18-2011 at 01:59 PM.
