Post your Oldschool ride

SHARKEY-IMAGES · 12-06-2008 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Toasty

wow shark, even then you where sniffing around the inner structures of race boats...nice!

Yup !!!

Just to show that I was serious about the houseboat being my first offshore race boat. I believe it may have been Miami to Nassau race...

**Scarab KV** · 12-06-2008 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by SHARKEY-IMAGES

Yup !!!

Just to show that I was serious about the houseboat being my first offshore race boat. I believe it may have been Miami to Nassau race...

That's funny!!

SHARKEY-IMAGES · 12-06-2008 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Scarab KV

That's funny!!

But true...

If I can find the picture of the dashboard, it had an emblem on it stating Miami to Nassua.

Actually I just found this on a website:

The Following is an excerpt from Lazy Days History Website..

In October 1967 Lazy Days participated in the Miami-to-Nassau Ocean Powerboat Race. The 50' luxury houseboat was equipped with three air-conditioners, walnut paneling, wall-to-wall carpeting, a well stocked refreshment center and even an icemaker. Despite some problems with their engines, the houseboat averaged 20 mph during the 184 mile race. After the race, the Race committee performed a thorough inspection, concluded that there was no damage to the houseboat and awarded an "Ocean-Tested" seal of approval by the Bahamas Powerboat Association. Lazy Days is still the only houseboat manufacturer to have received this award.

The following June the 50' Lazy Days was selected to be the pace boat for the Bahama 500 ocean power boat race. The excitement started shortly after arriving at the rendezvous for the run from Miami to Freeport. Beachem had made arrangements for photographer Keith Heaton of Miami to take pictures of the Lazy Days playing "mothership" and towing race boats. Heaton had hired a helicopter for the assignment.

Once out in the ocean, they were in the process of rigging a tow for Wishnick's 32-foot aluminum race boat, when Heaton and his helicopter pilot swooped down to record Lazy Days' first effort as a triple-air conditioned tow boat. Somehow they failed to swoop back up again.

In fact, the chopper continued to descend, splashed in the ocean and sank in less than two minutes. Heaton, who had a heart condition, and the pilot, who could not swim, were tossed life preservers from the Lazy Days. One race boat crew member, Ed Sims of Atlantic City, N.J. and Beachem's 16-year-old son, Doug, dived overboard and helped the two airmen to the big houseboat. Meanwhile, using Beachem's Leica, Geer recorded the rescue on film.

Beachem notified the Coast Guard by radio. Dropping all tows, he headed for land to deposit the two wet, shaken airmen. Wishnick and Brown decided about that time that they'd better crank up and head for Grand Bahama under their own power, and waved goodbye in a cloud of salt spray. Donzi Blue Devil put out the anchor to await Beachem's return.

Around 5 p.m. . . . nearly four hours later than the plan called for . . . Lazy Days with Blue Devil in tow departed Haulover for race headquarters at Lucaya. They made the 96-mile trip across the Gulf Stream in 5.5 hours, averaging better than 17 m.p.h. in four to five-foot seas.

"At some point, the guys watching the Blue Devil were yelping for me to slow down," Beachem remembered. "The 28-foot race boat was jumping off waves just as though she was being driven. However they were worried we'd break a tow line, so we throttled down a bit just to keep our tow in the water."

Despite this impressive racing record, Lazy Days does not make race boats. The Lazy Days houseboat has always been known as the "Cadillac of Houseboats". The vessel caters to the up-scale market. Quality hand-crafted teak woodwork throughout the vessel, high grade appliances, and unique hull construction are standard trademarks of excellence in each Lazy Days houseboat.

Very cool history now that I read it...

I think their numbers are wrong on the footage, unless they just placed the emblem on all their boats thereafter ? I know mine was at least 56 to 57 feet by 13 feet. I remember 13 because I was going to hang my 13 foot Bullet 130 off of the back of it as a tender....

**Scarab KV** · 12-06-2008 01:04 PM

Cool history lesson. As a kid, my neighbor had a Lazy Days at the local marina. Very nice boat for the day. When we were in our early teens, his dad would let him have sleep overs for a few friends on the boat with no adults. We thought we were on top of the world.

SHARKEY-IMAGES · 12-06-2008 01:12 PM

When I was a young kid, my father let me pilot the Lazy Dayz up through Hell's Gate, East River, New York City. I can remember having the engines spinning 3000 rpm each and not moving forward at all !

The current really moves through there !

**Scarab KV** · 12-06-2008 01:32 PM

I know the area. Never in a boat though. I ran LTL to NYC every week for 15 years. My last round out there was 3 weeks before 911. Now that I'm out of that pace and groove, can't say that I miss it much.

SHARKEY-IMAGES · 12-06-2008 02:07 PM

By water is far better than by land...

**Scarab KV** · 12-08-2008 01:24 PM

No doubt.

**300Chriscat** · 12-20-2008 06:12 PM

My 300 Chris Cat with Merc SC's, crashboxes and Speedy III's

**planetwarmer** · 12-31-2008 01:31 AM

87 Donzi 22 Classic

**bootdaddy** · 12-31-2008 10:16 AM

1960 Lyman with rebuilt Crusader...close to 50 mph!

1964 Chris Craft Super Sport - morning ski boat tops out at 54 mph.

**bootdaddy** · 12-31-2008 10:22 AM

77' Donzi Hornet II

85' Ciggy

**Gladhe8er** · 12-31-2008 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by 300Chriscat

My 300 Chris Cat with Merc SC's, crashboxes and Speedy III's

Nice! My Dad had one of these while we were growing up.

**Bertram38** · 01-05-2009 08:39 AM

How about a 1975 Bertram 38 Comp'

**MattBMiller** · 01-06-2009 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by MrCig

1985 38 Cigarette Flat deck

Love the flat deck Cigs

**jet** · 01-06-2009 04:40 PM

FEATHERCRAFT in resto now.This thing is only 13 foot long.Going to use it like a golf cart in the marina .............why use wheels when you can float