Al Copeland Passed Away
03-24-2008, 02:16 PM
#14
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
It`s a sad time in manny ways for the sport of offshore powerboat racing: I will miss Al Copeland, he was one of my best friends, and one of the best wheel men I have had the priveledge to throttle for. I was with Al in 1988 which was his last season of racing, we ran the Goetz 50` cat with the four 1,000 hp FORD motors and Al`s drive system, We won the APBA US-1 high point title. My wife and I were treated like family, and loved like family. There aren`t enough words to express our feelings for the entire family. Al, rest in peace, you can race with Tom Gentry, Smitty, Sirois, Gillie, etc.and you can aggrivate the old man E.C. Kiekhaefer have fun like always.
A sad side to Al`s untimely passing is that so many of the people in Offhore today don`t even know who he was or what he did for the sport of offshore, sure when you say remember the Popeyes boats etc etc, they go oh yea I remember, but they don`t. I work for a mfg. building Hi-perf. cats to compete with Skater, Mti, etc. etc. and doesn`t know who Al Copeland was, much less knows or acknowledges who or what I have accomplished.
Our Icons and legends are passing, and they are not receiving the recognition they so rightly deserve. An entire book can be written about Al Copeland and his achievments, and it shouldn`t be about Popeye`s, it should be about the MAN !!!!!!!!! Al Copland. Every motor sport that exists has books, films, movies, halls of fame etc. What does Offshore have, I could say but it probably would not be taken very well by various groups. Al Copland as well as other hero`s and legends who have passed should somehow be immortalized. Shame on us for not doing that, we just seem to ride along, and guess what 5 years from now it`s Al Copland who, Tom Gentry who, Carl Kiekhaefer who. I would wish for someone like Mercury Marine to fund a museum of some sort, and to supply some funding for the legends to write their memoirs, and organize the past for the future generations of hi-perf. boat enthusiasts, like what we have in these forums. With that said, My blessings to the Copland family, Al Jr. and also to another family member Stan Ware, Al`s other brother from another mother, keep the cool aid flowing and the oil changed in the frier`s.
with love
7XCHAMP
A sad side to Al`s untimely passing is that so many of the people in Offhore today don`t even know who he was or what he did for the sport of offshore, sure when you say remember the Popeyes boats etc etc, they go oh yea I remember, but they don`t. I work for a mfg. building Hi-perf. cats to compete with Skater, Mti, etc. etc. and doesn`t know who Al Copeland was, much less knows or acknowledges who or what I have accomplished.
Our Icons and legends are passing, and they are not receiving the recognition they so rightly deserve. An entire book can be written about Al Copeland and his achievments, and it shouldn`t be about Popeye`s, it should be about the MAN !!!!!!!!! Al Copland. Every motor sport that exists has books, films, movies, halls of fame etc. What does Offshore have, I could say but it probably would not be taken very well by various groups. Al Copland as well as other hero`s and legends who have passed should somehow be immortalized. Shame on us for not doing that, we just seem to ride along, and guess what 5 years from now it`s Al Copland who, Tom Gentry who, Carl Kiekhaefer who. I would wish for someone like Mercury Marine to fund a museum of some sort, and to supply some funding for the legends to write their memoirs, and organize the past for the future generations of hi-perf. boat enthusiasts, like what we have in these forums. With that said, My blessings to the Copland family, Al Jr. and also to another family member Stan Ware, Al`s other brother from another mother, keep the cool aid flowing and the oil changed in the frier`s.
with love
7XCHAMP
03-24-2008, 06:51 PM
#15
Registered
It`s a sad time in manny ways for the sport of offshore powerboat racing: I will miss Al Copeland, he was one of my best friends, and one of the best wheel men I have had the priveledge to throttle for. I was with Al in 1988 which was his last season of racing, we ran the Goetz 50` cat with the four 1,000 hp FORD motors and Al`s drive system, We won the APBA US-1 high point title. My wife and I were treated like family, and loved like family. There aren`t enough words to express our feelings for the entire family. Al, rest in peace, you can race with Tom Gentry, Smitty, Sirois, Gillie, etc.and you can aggrivate the old man E.C. Kiekhaefer have fun like always.
A sad side to Al`s untimely passing is that so many of the people in Offhore today don`t even know who he was or what he did for the sport of offshore, sure when you say remember the Popeyes boats etc etc, they go oh yea I remember, but they don`t. I work for a mfg. building Hi-perf. cats to compete with Skater, Mti, etc. etc. and doesn`t know who Al Copeland was, much less knows or acknowledges who or what I have accomplished.
Our Icons and legends are passing, and they are not receiving the recognition they so rightly deserve. An entire book can be written about Al Copeland and his achievments, and it shouldn`t be about Popeye`s, it should be about the MAN !!!!!!!!! Al Copland. Every motor sport that exists has books, films, movies, halls of fame etc. What does Offshore have, I could say but it probably would not be taken very well by various groups. Al Copland as well as other hero`s and legends who have passed should somehow be immortalized. Shame on us for not doing that, we just seem to ride along, and guess what 5 years from now it`s Al Copland who, Tom Gentry who, Carl Kiekhaefer who. I would wish for someone like Mercury Marine to fund a museum of some sort, and to supply some funding for the legends to write their memoirs, and organize the past for the future generations of hi-perf. boat enthusiasts, like what we have in these forums. With that said, My blessings to the Copland family, Al Jr. and also to another family member Stan Ware, Al`s other brother from another mother, keep the cool aid flowing and the oil changed in the frier`s.
with love
7XCHAMP
A sad side to Al`s untimely passing is that so many of the people in Offhore today don`t even know who he was or what he did for the sport of offshore, sure when you say remember the Popeyes boats etc etc, they go oh yea I remember, but they don`t. I work for a mfg. building Hi-perf. cats to compete with Skater, Mti, etc. etc. and doesn`t know who Al Copeland was, much less knows or acknowledges who or what I have accomplished.
Our Icons and legends are passing, and they are not receiving the recognition they so rightly deserve. An entire book can be written about Al Copeland and his achievments, and it shouldn`t be about Popeye`s, it should be about the MAN !!!!!!!!! Al Copland. Every motor sport that exists has books, films, movies, halls of fame etc. What does Offshore have, I could say but it probably would not be taken very well by various groups. Al Copland as well as other hero`s and legends who have passed should somehow be immortalized. Shame on us for not doing that, we just seem to ride along, and guess what 5 years from now it`s Al Copland who, Tom Gentry who, Carl Kiekhaefer who. I would wish for someone like Mercury Marine to fund a museum of some sort, and to supply some funding for the legends to write their memoirs, and organize the past for the future generations of hi-perf. boat enthusiasts, like what we have in these forums. With that said, My blessings to the Copland family, Al Jr. and also to another family member Stan Ware, Al`s other brother from another mother, keep the cool aid flowing and the oil changed in the frier`s.
with love
7XCHAMP
