Ratman72

Thank you Charlie, I was fortunate enough to race this year at Cowes with Mike Bontoft on his 35' Cig Dry Martini and we got to spend some time with Bobby S........got some great shots with him on Martini. I wanted to go to Key West this year but never made it. My father went and met up with some American friends there. I know Vee and Gareth with the Phantom, who you may have met....

It would be great to meet you one day, maybe Cowes or the Venture Cup next year? May be Key West, I sure would like to race there....

Thanks for your input to the threads......as always, very interesting.

Best wishes.
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Mike A.

Thanks! That was the boat's debut race in Marina Del Ray and yes, it had the carb motors. After dad partnered with Jack Stuteville they switched to the injected motors. The boat was fast with both but much quicker with the injected engines.

Top Banana

LOL I am laughing because you could have said.....After dad partnered with Jack Stuteville.....the boat was much quicker.....regardless of the engines.

Top Banana

Christian. That is great that you were on board the Dry Martini. Mike B is the best and the job he did restoring that boat was fantastic. I look forward to meeting you in England next year!

Redman

Christian and Charlie: Don't know if you have seen this pic---same boat---me, Carlo, Suchi---Point Pleasant 1975

Mike A.

That was a fact! Amazing, dad raced with Jack one season and yet we have all kept in touch since. Jack, Jock, and Marie came to my wedding in 1990 and to St. Pete for dad's 70th a few years ago. Hadn't changed a bit.

Ratman72

Wow, you've really got my attention now, you were on Carlo's 35' in '75, incredible! Can you tell me your name? I think Richi Powers was working full time for Carlo then, so were you navigator or part of the shore crew? How long were you with the team for? Did you come to the UK for Cowes? Were you with Carlo when he had Aeromarine IX? Have you kept in contact with Carlo?

My friend, Mike Mantle gave me this not so long ago, were you there in '72?

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That 35' is a great boat. We averaged 72.98mph over nearly 200 miles this CTC. In 1975 that would have been a winning time. In 2013 we came 4th overall. Not bad considering the boat was built in 1973.

I can’t believe that Carlo wad so successful and then just stopped the way he did and sold that boat. His 36' was a beautiful boat as well, I think I am correct to say that it is the most successful 36' built. It currently resides in Southampton, which is about half an hour from where I live. Lets just say it doesn't look like it used to..........

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I was reading a thread on here from Richie the other day. It sounded truly incredible.........30 engines/drives all over the globe.....multiple boats in every corner of the world......wow. He said that the Europeans treated the team like Royalty, he is right, we did. The Cowes Torquay back in the 70's was out of this world, truly incredible. What killed it was taking the UK out of world championship points. It was NEVER
the same without the American boats. The 80's were good with all the Lambo powered CUV's but it wasn't the same. However, compared to how it is now, there's a lot of people who want those days back.

It's absoluetly fantastic that Bobby Saccenti, Daryl Grady and Ole Finholt etc are prepared to bring their beautiful boat over here an fly the flag again. I only wish there were more boats in the UK for them to compete against.

Ratman72

Can you please tell us more about the photo, how did the race go, how many more did that boat do before it got sold,...........etc. You know Mike Bontoft has even got the original Kiekhaefer Champion Makers out of the boat, how cool's that!!!!!!

What speed did she used to do back then? We had her up to 86mph this year. Check this out, we are doing about 75/80, just back in the Solent and about 10 mins from home....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPjg...e_gdata_player

Have you got any more photos?????

hallj

You raced on the Dry Martini with Mike Bontoft aaaaaand?

You're missing out down here. Many good times.

Jeff live from Key West!

Rob Bailey

Great read guys....keep it going