Popeye's Cougar

[fobes]

Brownie:
Any info on this one?
Thanks: Matt

[NNRT]

I filmed it in Japan in 1990 - it ran against Smitty and kojima

Phil
nnrt.films@verizon.net

[Brownie]

I never saw that boat in person. It was after my time at Cougar. I will try to get Peter
Currington (Current Cougar England) to chime in.

[chewiekw]

I wonder why Al would build this one if he just built the Goetz cat...

[Brownie]

I don't think the Goetz cat ever reached its potential.

[fobes]

Thanks all. I had read that the Goetz had not reached its potential. Info on this other craft is sparce but it looks like a monster.

[T2x]

To the best of my knowledge Al never raced that hull in the States. As I recall it went straight to the eventual Japanese owner via Bob Idoni, who worked with Al during his final racing days.

T2x

[Rik]

Al was having that hull built when his problems with Church's chicken developed and he could not race anymore. The boat was built and painted then he/they sold it to a Japanese customer.

Remember it well, it had Arnesons and Keith Eickerts. Looked like a hot dog in a bun though.

[Rik]

Some more photos

[fobes]

Rik:
Nice pics, thanks. What is the idea behind the edges on the bow(s)? Are those to help recover in the event of a stuff?

[Rik]

That's what I was told back then. BROWNIE would know best their theories.

[Brownie]

Viewed form the side, the wedges have a higher angle than the surrounding area, without changing the aerodynamics very much.

[Steve 1]

It's got that Captain Nemo Look about the entry.

[Ryan Beckley]

did any of you notice that it is THREE seats front to back?

[T2x]

did any of you notice that it is THREE seats front to back?

Al, Stan Ware, and Idoni........... The classic threesome

T2x

[Rik]

did any of you notice that it is THREE seats front to back?

I had to look at the photo again to spot it.

[7xchamp]

Al, Stan Ware, and Idoni........... The classic threesome

T2x

Don`t forget me and Bill Sirois of all people. If you remember when Sirois quit, Al hired Idoni who was under contract with Lorne Liebel to race Canada Homes boat for open class championship. Idoni was blessed with the Goetz 50` Ford powered boat with the Copeland Sirois drive and rudder system which was becomming the demise of the Copeland era of winning, the boat was loosing drives sinking etc. but Al Persisted and was convinced the boat could be a success. Since Idoni could not race with Al they hired me as consultant/test driver and throttleman. First race I ran was Sarasota, we won,and set a course average speed record of 112 mph, first win for the Goetz boat, everyone was very excited, I finished the season out with three more wins and clinched the APBA US1 title for 1988. Since my obligation was only for the APBA championship, Idoni was designated T-man for Key West Worlds where they failed miserably and almost sunk the boat. Bottomline is that equip. and boat needed a certain finesse to make it live and win. Remember I have usually been the guy behind the scene, just doing my job.

[T2x]

Don`t forget me and Bill Sirois of all people. If you remember when Sirois quit, Al hired Idoni who was under contract with Lorne Liebel to race Canada Homes boat for open class championship. Idoni was blessed with the Goetz 50` Ford powered boat with the Copeland Sirois drive and rudder system which was becomming the demise of the Copeland era of winning, the boat was loosing drives sinking etc. but Al Persisted and was convinced the boat could be a success. Since Idoni could not race with Al they hired me as consultant/test driver and throttleman. First race I ran was Sarasota, we won,and set a course average speed record of 112 mph, first win for the Goetz boat, everyone was very excited, I finished the season out with three more wins and clinched the APBA US1 title for 1988. Since my obligation was only for the APBA championship, Idoni was designated T-man for Key West Worlds where they failed miserably and almost sunk the boat. Bottomline is that equip. and boat needed a certain finesse to make it live and win. Remember I have usually been the guy behind the scene, just doing my job.

Richie:

The "Classic Threesome" had many variants...I was referring to the three man setup on the "Japanese Popeyes" that this thread is based on. Certainly you and, to an even greater extent, Bill Sirois, had a huge impact on the Popeye's legacy. Bobby Idoni also did well but basically presided over the end of the era.

Bobby and Smitty had major Japanese connections back then. It always amazed me how some really wonderful, state of the art, American hardware would be sold and shipped over there at pretty good prices. The boats would be raced once at the annual Atami Cup...and then dumped in rice paddies to rot. There had to have been some major tax credit/write-offs involved with this....or some really loose money.

T2x

[NNRT]

or even better- funny money - like laundry money ya think ?