Back In The Day
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03-10-2008, 11:07 AM
#562
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Stopped by and checked it out on Saturday. Interesting boat. It's not in the same location as those photos. So, I guess it was towed relatively recently from Sylmar (I think) to Signal Hill (Long Beach). It's sitting in a gated lot behind a strip join.
The boat is HUGE! Seems like it is closer to 50' than 46'. It was stripped of engines, drives and most of the steering hydralics, but still had all the plumbing, seats, guages, throttles, etc. I'm guessing that Gentry or someone may have used it as a "show" boat for some period since there was a nice permanent aluminum stair case that came up the stern between the rudders.
I asked the owner about the hydralics and he said that the trailer didn't use any for the tilt system. He says that the plan was to tilt the boat with the crane after it was loaded. He also said he didn't think you'd be able to travel with the boat tilted becuase it didn't seem very stable. Seemed more like a display thing that a DOT thing... He also said that one of the guys who built the boat is local (in Signal Hill) and thinks he has a line on the original or a similar Gentry drivetrain.
I didn't take any more photos. The photos with the ad are pretty consistent with what I saw. With the original paint, there was definately an eerie sense about the boat. It had obviously been open to the elements for some time, but when I poked my head under the canopy, for an instant, I could see the cockpit as new, with the crew in their seats and the ocean blasting past out the wind screen... (That is how people get in trouble with projects right there!
)
Out of curiosity, why wasn't the boat de-rigged if Gentry was done with it? It looked like the motors and drives were pulled, but the boat was otherwise ready to go, at some point in the distant past. The dry sump tanks and sea strainers were still in the boat, for example. Was that common practice to only yank the really expensive stuff and just toss everything else out into the pasture?
The boat is HUGE! Seems like it is closer to 50' than 46'. It was stripped of engines, drives and most of the steering hydralics, but still had all the plumbing, seats, guages, throttles, etc. I'm guessing that Gentry or someone may have used it as a "show" boat for some period since there was a nice permanent aluminum stair case that came up the stern between the rudders.
I asked the owner about the hydralics and he said that the trailer didn't use any for the tilt system. He says that the plan was to tilt the boat with the crane after it was loaded. He also said he didn't think you'd be able to travel with the boat tilted becuase it didn't seem very stable. Seemed more like a display thing that a DOT thing... He also said that one of the guys who built the boat is local (in Signal Hill) and thinks he has a line on the original or a similar Gentry drivetrain.
I didn't take any more photos. The photos with the ad are pretty consistent with what I saw. With the original paint, there was definately an eerie sense about the boat. It had obviously been open to the elements for some time, but when I poked my head under the canopy, for an instant, I could see the cockpit as new, with the crew in their seats and the ocean blasting past out the wind screen... (That is how people get in trouble with projects right there!
) Out of curiosity, why wasn't the boat de-rigged if Gentry was done with it? It looked like the motors and drives were pulled, but the boat was otherwise ready to go, at some point in the distant past. The dry sump tanks and sea strainers were still in the boat, for example. Was that common practice to only yank the really expensive stuff and just toss everything else out into the pasture?
03-10-2008, 01:13 PM
#563
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We built that boat for Tom at Cougar England as a 46' in the middle eighties. It was his version of the 4 engie cat. Sammy James was the crew boss in those days. Later, John Connor stretched it (I thought to 50') and the left coasters put on those oil derricks on the back. The last time I saw it run, in the Key West version of the Worlds, they were leading, but the line to the fuel pressure hose took a dump, and the closed canopy was full of avgas fumes. Norm Gentry stood up and used his hans to vector air to John, who was passing out from the fumes. The leak was on his side. They hung on to win. Tough bunch!
03-10-2008, 02:04 PM
#564
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Stopped by and checked it out on Saturday. Interesting boat. It's not in the same location as those photos. So, I guess it was towed relatively recently from Sylmar (I think) to Signal Hill (Long Beach). It's sitting in a gated lot behind a strip join.
The boat is HUGE! Seems like it is closer to 50' than 46'. It was stripped of engines, drives and most of the steering hydralics, but still had all the plumbing, seats, guages, throttles, etc. I'm guessing that Gentry or someone may have used it as a "show" boat for some period since there was a nice permanent aluminum stair case that came up the stern between the rudders.
I asked the owner about the hydralics and he said that the trailer didn't use any for the tilt system. He says that the plan was to tilt the boat with the crane after it was loaded. He also said he didn't think you'd be able to travel with the boat tilted becuase it didn't seem very stable. Seemed more like a display thing that a DOT thing... He also said that one of the guys who built the boat is local (in Signal Hill) and thinks he has a line on the original or a similar Gentry drivetrain.
I didn't take any more photos. The photos with the ad are pretty consistent with what I saw. With the original paint, there was definately an eerie sense about the boat. It had obviously been open to the elements for some time, but when I poked my head under the canopy, for an instant, I could see the cockpit as new, with the crew in their seats and the ocean blasting past out the wind screen... (That is how people get in trouble with projects right there! )
Out of curiosity, why wasn't the boat de-rigged if Gentry was done with it? It looked like the motors and drives were pulled, but the boat was otherwise ready to go, at some point in the distant past. The dry sump tanks and sea strainers were still in the boat, for example. Was that common practice to only yank the really expensive stuff and just toss everything else out into the pasture?
The boat is HUGE! Seems like it is closer to 50' than 46'. It was stripped of engines, drives and most of the steering hydralics, but still had all the plumbing, seats, guages, throttles, etc. I'm guessing that Gentry or someone may have used it as a "show" boat for some period since there was a nice permanent aluminum stair case that came up the stern between the rudders.
I asked the owner about the hydralics and he said that the trailer didn't use any for the tilt system. He says that the plan was to tilt the boat with the crane after it was loaded. He also said he didn't think you'd be able to travel with the boat tilted becuase it didn't seem very stable. Seemed more like a display thing that a DOT thing... He also said that one of the guys who built the boat is local (in Signal Hill) and thinks he has a line on the original or a similar Gentry drivetrain.
I didn't take any more photos. The photos with the ad are pretty consistent with what I saw. With the original paint, there was definately an eerie sense about the boat. It had obviously been open to the elements for some time, but when I poked my head under the canopy, for an instant, I could see the cockpit as new, with the crew in their seats and the ocean blasting past out the wind screen... (That is how people get in trouble with projects right there!
) Out of curiosity, why wasn't the boat de-rigged if Gentry was done with it? It looked like the motors and drives were pulled, but the boat was otherwise ready to go, at some point in the distant past. The dry sump tanks and sea strainers were still in the boat, for example. Was that common practice to only yank the really expensive stuff and just toss everything else out into the pasture?
I was in the Apache Heritage, we ran out of fuel on the last lap first day and Tom passed us, we finished few seconds behind. Tom was the first to come over to the boat and said to me, Richie that was the best racing I have done in 10 years, you guys looked incredible, well done. He broke in the final, we won. I believe that was the last race four the four engine super boats, they all went to the bone yard after that.
You asked why we didn`t take the sea strainers and misc. parts. Basically because we didn`t have any more shelf space.
On any given day you could find enough used parts in the Gentry shop to build five boats, we didn`t throw anything away, but hardly ever reused anything either. I think it was a West Coast thing. By the way the Gentry shops were always the best, cleanest, best tools used etc. of anyone around. Tom always demanded the best, and paid for the best. Sorry to go on, I`ll put the rest in the book.
03-10-2008, 02:19 PM
#565
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I wondered why it had those little wooden blocks at the ends of the sponsons! It reminded me of the break away tips on an F1 boat.
Thanks for the background on this boat guys! If only I had unlimited storage space and a tree that grew $100 bills instead of leaves!
Thanks for the background on this boat guys! If only I had unlimited storage space and a tree that grew $100 bills instead of leaves!
03-10-2008, 02:30 PM
#566
Registered
You mentioned the wooden blocks at the tips. It is impossible to build a combination welded/riveted all the way to the end. It is easier to square it off 6 or 8" back, and carve a nose. Most of the smaller cats had hard rubber noses. Richie is right about the length thing. Hell, I can't remeber how many drinks I had last night.........
03-11-2008, 09:30 AM
#569
Registered User
The aluminum boat has been for sale for almost 10 years. I looked at it in '99 and it was offered to me for $25K on the trailer. I don't remember where I got the number but we set hull weight at 16K/lb. Too heavy to do anything with.
The last I heard, the boat was going to be stripped and a cpuple of diesels installed on straight shafts- the person was going to make it into a floating billboard - don't remember where. I was told the story as the seller called to see if I was interested in the drives. Obviously that didn't happen.
I remember the Arneson boat from the mid-80's. It was absolutely magnificent. The bottom was varnished- you could see the wood grain. The rest of it looked like it was built by NASA. Gentry didn't skimp.
The last I heard, the boat was going to be stripped and a cpuple of diesels installed on straight shafts- the person was going to make it into a floating billboard - don't remember where. I was told the story as the seller called to see if I was interested in the drives. Obviously that didn't happen.
I remember the Arneson boat from the mid-80's. It was absolutely magnificent. The bottom was varnished- you could see the wood grain. The rest of it looked like it was built by NASA. Gentry didn't skimp.
Last edited by Chris Sunkin; 03-11-2008 at 09:34 AM.
03-11-2008, 10:31 AM
#570
Registered
Old story, but good. The Arneson 48' 4 engine boat was my favorite. It was built in the Phillipines by a bunch of native carpenters (think 10 cents per hour). We sent in good European plywood and glue and screws and such. The boat was built in a crude shed, and carried out of the jungle by about 80 guys. No machinery whatsoever. Everyone who drove that boat fell in love with it. Cougar M, do you have a picture of it being transported by hand?
