Super Hawaii
08-19-2008, 02:01 AM
#41
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Location: Newport Coast, California.
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Kitami's destiny...
Hallo Mr. Gere,
thanks for giving a glimps into the Super (Hero) Hawaii venture. Like I mentioned in a thread back in 2005 I encountered the Super Hero boats at the Los Angeles Boat Show in I believe 1990. I met Kitami's son and he showed me the boats, which I believe were a 46 Monte Carlo and a pleasure SH Euro 38 in white , black and yellow stripes. He also gave me the sales broushures with the blue 40 and red 34 displayed. I've always been a fan of Buzzi's designs and I love the race SH 38. I put a link in to the older thread;
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...87&postcount=8
Part of it says;
"The molds for the 38 are still sitting in the intrepid graveyard. For some reason or another John Michel was really fond of that boat, he still has the 38 SH raceboat as well (powered with 3 seateks). He wont part with either the boat or the molds."
Mr. Gere do You happen to know Mr. Michel and the current status of the molds and his white 38? Seems such a waste to tuck away such a nice design, but he crushed the SH 34 mold also, so I guess anything is possible.
What eventually happened to Mr. Kitami and his son? How did they get involved in the offshore racing scene in the first place? I know they lived partly in Hawaii (I guess that's why the name Super Hawaii) and the son was a big fan of late Tom Gentry, just like myself.
Hope to hear the whole story. Sincerely,
Lars Lindroth.
thanks for giving a glimps into the Super (Hero) Hawaii venture. Like I mentioned in a thread back in 2005 I encountered the Super Hero boats at the Los Angeles Boat Show in I believe 1990. I met Kitami's son and he showed me the boats, which I believe were a 46 Monte Carlo and a pleasure SH Euro 38 in white , black and yellow stripes. He also gave me the sales broushures with the blue 40 and red 34 displayed. I've always been a fan of Buzzi's designs and I love the race SH 38. I put a link in to the older thread;
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...87&postcount=8
Part of it says;
"The molds for the 38 are still sitting in the intrepid graveyard. For some reason or another John Michel was really fond of that boat, he still has the 38 SH raceboat as well (powered with 3 seateks). He wont part with either the boat or the molds."
Mr. Gere do You happen to know Mr. Michel and the current status of the molds and his white 38? Seems such a waste to tuck away such a nice design, but he crushed the SH 34 mold also, so I guess anything is possible.
What eventually happened to Mr. Kitami and his son? How did they get involved in the offshore racing scene in the first place? I know they lived partly in Hawaii (I guess that's why the name Super Hawaii) and the son was a big fan of late Tom Gentry, just like myself.
Hope to hear the whole story. Sincerely,
Lars Lindroth.
08-19-2008, 06:51 AM
#42
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I'll answer what I can of what you ask.
I don't recall a boat show in 1990 in Ca maybe in 1991 (doesn't matter)?
Kitami children were very small, the person I think you call his son was actually one of two young men he brought over from Japan to hopefully "run the plant" or become operations in Japan. Unless there was a first marriage that we didn't know about?
John Michel is still Intrepid as far as I know, I saw him at the Miami boat show a few years back?
The 38 molds, why he has them or won't part with them??? They were never his to begin with, so I doubt he would sell them or the agreement was only SH could use them. When Buzzi sold you something there were lots of stipulations with, he wanted control over everything and you to just write checks. It worked for him so far he's done very well, can't fault him.
Kitami started racing in Ca in a outboard powered boat, I believe a Checkmate 28? He was racing with a gentleman out there named Steve Carr who was a neighbor/freind in Hi - very nice man! Steve had a full time job and did it as a hobby when Kitami became full time it was too much for Steve but I later hooked up with Steve again with Cigarette Lady.
I need to run now but will tell you the reason for SH when I get back tonight as I know it and saw it.
I don't recall a boat show in 1990 in Ca maybe in 1991 (doesn't matter)?
Kitami children were very small, the person I think you call his son was actually one of two young men he brought over from Japan to hopefully "run the plant" or become operations in Japan. Unless there was a first marriage that we didn't know about?
John Michel is still Intrepid as far as I know, I saw him at the Miami boat show a few years back?
The 38 molds, why he has them or won't part with them??? They were never his to begin with, so I doubt he would sell them or the agreement was only SH could use them. When Buzzi sold you something there were lots of stipulations with, he wanted control over everything and you to just write checks. It worked for him so far he's done very well, can't fault him.
Kitami started racing in Ca in a outboard powered boat, I believe a Checkmate 28? He was racing with a gentleman out there named Steve Carr who was a neighbor/freind in Hi - very nice man! Steve had a full time job and did it as a hobby when Kitami became full time it was too much for Steve but I later hooked up with Steve again with Cigarette Lady.
I need to run now but will tell you the reason for SH when I get back tonight as I know it and saw it.
08-19-2008, 08:54 PM
#43
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First, Super Hero and Kitami were not about racing, racing was an means to an end - Kitami was a real estate developer first and foremost. Here was the master plan for the whole thing:
- start race team, have many wins get a following in Japan (US was an after thought)
- start pleasure boat company to sell wana be Super Hero's boats in Japan and of course US also
- start diesel engine company because Japanese want to buy packages not peices like in US ie Cigarette boat, Merc drives, Hawk engines need all Super Hero brand throughout if possible.
- acquire marina in HI to host driving school to cater to wealthy Asians
- create 3 levels of driving skills that require 3 separtate trips to HI to attain pro-status
- crate 3 levels of school boats identified by color ie Red Boat, Blue Boat & White Boat being highest level
- acquire hotel across from marina in HI so pupils in school have somewhere to stay and can bring family for vacations and get a taste of the "good life"
- establish club med type resorts around Asian rim that feature ability to rent/include use of "White" boats while at these resorts
- these resorts were to be memeber only clubs with very high fees. In 1989 is when the news broke that wealthy Japanese business men were paying $1 million to join country clubs there - it should work for boat/resort clubs too?
That is what Super Hero was all about, not racing it was a business venture and there were many turns within that plan from Patrol boats to acquirng Intrepid because now the Japanese needed fishing boats, to people telling him the market was here in the US, you don't need Japan. Buy a marina here in Fl because we need that now - on and on and on, I felt sorry for him.
We had several meetings with Andera Bonomi (Seatek), Cummins (Jim Shipp VP Marine) about all our work with Cummins and that hot rod Cummins were a more viable product than Seatek could ever be. This is when Seatek needed to have a V-12 or else doom and gloom. We (US) all felt the future was in small bore not big bore products. Buzzi killed all those attempts at partnering because at that point he, Buzzi would have no say and no purpose, you can't blame him?
It goes on forever without a happy ending for everyone except John Michel. He made a better deal than all of us and he made out, hats off to him!
In the end I don't know what really happened? I know his lawyer and I agreed I should opt out rather than fight and maybe have trouble later on because I would have been financially responsible as well at some point for some things. Looking back, Cary did me right!
That's the 30,000' from my eyes,
Joe Gere
- start race team, have many wins get a following in Japan (US was an after thought)
- start pleasure boat company to sell wana be Super Hero's boats in Japan and of course US also
- start diesel engine company because Japanese want to buy packages not peices like in US ie Cigarette boat, Merc drives, Hawk engines need all Super Hero brand throughout if possible.
- acquire marina in HI to host driving school to cater to wealthy Asians
- create 3 levels of driving skills that require 3 separtate trips to HI to attain pro-status
- crate 3 levels of school boats identified by color ie Red Boat, Blue Boat & White Boat being highest level
- acquire hotel across from marina in HI so pupils in school have somewhere to stay and can bring family for vacations and get a taste of the "good life"
- establish club med type resorts around Asian rim that feature ability to rent/include use of "White" boats while at these resorts
- these resorts were to be memeber only clubs with very high fees. In 1989 is when the news broke that wealthy Japanese business men were paying $1 million to join country clubs there - it should work for boat/resort clubs too?
That is what Super Hero was all about, not racing it was a business venture and there were many turns within that plan from Patrol boats to acquirng Intrepid because now the Japanese needed fishing boats, to people telling him the market was here in the US, you don't need Japan. Buy a marina here in Fl because we need that now - on and on and on, I felt sorry for him.
We had several meetings with Andera Bonomi (Seatek), Cummins (Jim Shipp VP Marine) about all our work with Cummins and that hot rod Cummins were a more viable product than Seatek could ever be. This is when Seatek needed to have a V-12 or else doom and gloom. We (US) all felt the future was in small bore not big bore products. Buzzi killed all those attempts at partnering because at that point he, Buzzi would have no say and no purpose, you can't blame him?
It goes on forever without a happy ending for everyone except John Michel. He made a better deal than all of us and he made out, hats off to him!
In the end I don't know what really happened? I know his lawyer and I agreed I should opt out rather than fight and maybe have trouble later on because I would have been financially responsible as well at some point for some things. Looking back, Cary did me right!
That's the 30,000' from my eyes,
Joe Gere
08-20-2008, 06:26 AM
#44
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The boat I have is a white hull. Pics on the Randy Nuzzo site.
http://randynuzzo.com/images/albums/...d0b/HRPA01.jpg
Has been boatel kept from day one, CMI's, K & N's, and everypart of the drive system has been replaced with new.
http://randynuzzo.com/images/albums/...d0b/HRPA01.jpg
Has been boatel kept from day one, CMI's, K & N's, and everypart of the drive system has been replaced with new.
08-20-2008, 06:52 AM
#45
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There are also many more pic's on the Rabdy Nuzzo site. Hit his link for ImageQuix and hit the Super Hawaii site under the 2007 Hampton Roads Rendezvous Poker run. He has not had time to post this years pics, our run was Saturday.
08-24-2008, 06:00 AM
#46
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Last weeks photos
If anyone is interested, The photos from the poker run last week are available now. People can get to the photos by visiting my web site for the link, or following this link directly:
http://www.imagequix.com/photog.php?id=69Z829N
Just hit the Super Hawaii button.
91 Super Hawaii
http://www.imagequix.com/photog.php?id=69Z829N
Just hit the Super Hawaii button.
91 Super Hawaii
Platinum Member
08-31-2008, 07:00 AM
#49
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That's the 4 engine Gancia dei Gancia, look at the exhaust coming out the sides of the boat. If you recall if left a soot trail and stain in the water for hours after it passed you!!!
You look at the birth or growth of racing diesels in offshore boats and it had a prettty good start. When we added the big engines to this boat, it was the begining of the death of racing diesels because this boat single handed lead to an ban of diesels racing in Key West for awhile.
The environmentalists (my moto is pave the planet!) could show how that boat stained the water and could have an adverse affect on Key West.
Anyone that was close to it ithe pits wll recall the black soot and stain that was left on their water line and it didn't come out all the way.
That is why you see all the SH race boats painted in dark colors, the lighter boats couldn't come clean!!!
You look at the birth or growth of racing diesels in offshore boats and it had a prettty good start. When we added the big engines to this boat, it was the begining of the death of racing diesels because this boat single handed lead to an ban of diesels racing in Key West for awhile.
The environmentalists (my moto is pave the planet!) could show how that boat stained the water and could have an adverse affect on Key West.
Anyone that was close to it ithe pits wll recall the black soot and stain that was left on their water line and it didn't come out all the way.
That is why you see all the SH race boats painted in dark colors, the lighter boats couldn't come clean!!!
08-31-2008, 08:45 AM
#50
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Payton on the board has a real nice 34. He is the big guy in the pic that looks like he should be playing D line in the NFL.
Last edited by Magic Medicine; 08-31-2008 at 08:48 AM.
