Most influential People in Hi-Performance Boating? I don't think the list is accurate

[catastrophe]

If you look at all this a different way, the most influencial PEOPLE in this industry and all along, has been you and me...the buying public.

We influence boat builders..by demanding more bang for the buck , by demanding more speed, performance, safety. They REACT to our demands.
We influence drive and engine builders by demanding again more reliability and strength and speed or performance.
We the public influence the poker run organizers who React to our wants and likes.
The forum owners such as SOS react to what the members want.

The race organizers are constantly altering their formats. WHY? To attract more audiences. Who is the audience? You and me.

Every single design change, technical advancement ,paint scheme trend, safety advancement is targeted at ONE common thing...to make the buying public buy the new product.

And who is all that targeted at??

The customer..you and me...THE MOST INFLUENCIAL PEOPLE IN THE PERFORMANCE BOATING INDUSTRY

[glh]

...From what I've seen of this forum, it really is a place for intelligent discussion...

He's further off on that statement then that list!!!

[Smarty]

Cut the list down to five:

1. Don Aronow
2. Fred Kiekhaefer
3. Peter Hledin
4. Fabio Buzzi
5. Reggie Fountain

End of discussion.

[BattleCry]

Matt

I am with you on Bob Teague. I completely understand his devotion to boating. I did the Desert Storm run this year and Bob was right there promoting and giving advice to those who wanted his opinion. He was at the LOTO Shootout doing the same thing, when I saw him. He is the biggest asset to the West Coast boating scene and his sound advice makes him influential.

Bob Leach is another one that I will give you. He is King of West Coast boat building. I can't dispute that. Even though, his Daytona catamaran shows a resemblance to a Talon. He has been setting the standard, on the West Coast, for a long time.

Peter Hledin...Skater...no argument here.

Fred Kiekhaefer...What can you say, other than, he learned from the best...His Dad. I have seen, first hand, what Mercury Racing builds as experimental in order to come out with a finished product. As the head of Mercury Racing he continues to find new ways to produce a better product.

Bob Latham. No contest either.

John Carbonell...The Iron-Fist ruler of SBI.

Mike D'Anniballe...I would replace with John Haggin. Haggin is one of the biggest promoters of boating. He brings Ken Warby to the states, has a fleet of race boats, hosts events, gives back to the community and kids, and is working to bring offshore boating back into the mainstream. You already have Fred Kiekhaefer to cover engine manufacturers.

Skip Braver=Influential??? I just don't see it. Yes, he revived the Cigarette Racing Team legacy. He is the head of a company that builds a great boat with the most recognizable name. When it comes to Cigarette, Phil Lipschutz is more influential, in my personal opinion. I would replace him with Stu Jones.

Dave Hemmingson...Upon further review, I would still replace him. You already have the West Coast boat building covered. Jim Hering or my personal favorite Mike Livorsi. Its tough not to have a propeller or gauge manufacturer in the list, considering all of the innovations in both products over the last 15 years.

Dean Loucks...The guy is a phenomenal painter, a true craftsman, and artist.

Matt, I also wish you would bring back your interesting perspective articles that you use to write on the back page of Powerboat Magazine years ago.

Have Fun
Big Andy

[Matt Trulio]

Big Andy,

All valid points and strong arguments. As for the back page of Powerboat ... I think I can still get myself into plenty of trouble online—as this thread demonstrates. In addition to working for Powerboat since 1994, I've worked and written for Boats.com for 10 years. Trust me, "Internet 2.0," the phase we're in now, is a whole lot smarter and better.

Ratickle, your definition of influential was the one I was working with.

GLH, well, it wouldn't be as much fun if it were always "intelligent conversation," right?

I'll keep checking in.

[T2x]

My list...for what its worth....

1. CARL Kiekhaefer: He created the high performance boat industry as we know it today. His offshore race teams fueled the sport in its infancy, and created the dynamic of Offshore racing and performance equipment. He was also one of the founding fathers of Nascar race teams. He also gave us Fred who keeps the flame burning beautifully.

2. Gar Wood: He fostered America's interest in speedboats.

3. Sir Donald Campbell: His records and death pulled the world into the quest for speed on the water.

4. Charlie Strang: He invented the stern drive, helped engineer Mercury's early racing equipment, and, as head of OMC, created the "outboard tunnel wars" and the OMC V-8 Outboard. He has also been a lifelong participant in advancing boat (and car) racing organizations worldwide.

5. Ray Hunt: He created the first deep vee hull with longitudinal strakes (The Bertram Moppie)

6. Don Heinrich/Bob Hetzel: OMC/Mercury design aces who dragged racing propeller technology out of the dark ages.

7. Ray Leger: Created the first production high performance catamarans.. The "Power Cats". ( He was from California by the way)

8. Peter Hledin: Took a hodgepodge of worldwide cat designs and myriad boat construction technologies and merged this mess into the most advanced designs on the planet (Cat and Vee).

9. Don Aronow: Put the "sexy" into boat designs and led the way toward eye pleasing and great performing offshore boat development. He also created the model for high performance boat "brands".

10. GM: Their V8 blocks are the basis for almost all high performance and racing inboard engines in the sport.

11 (poetic license). If you insist on graphics, (for you "bling" based "playahz") give Dupont the nod for creating most of the aircraft and marine coatings that the "artists" apply with ever escalating prices.

T2x

[Matt Trulio]

I love this list, Rich. but I was going for currently influential humans (which leaves out GM) who happen to be alive. (This is not a dig, pardon the pun, at you for "inventing dirt.")

But from a historical perspective, who could argue with those names?

[T2x]

I love this list, Rich. but I was going for currently influential humans (which leaves out GM) who happen to be alive. (This is not a dig, pardon the pun, at you for "inventing dirt.")

But from a historical perspective, who could argue with those names?

From an old fart's perspective, one could argue that today's humans are merely executing a dynamic that was constructed decades ago.

Of course today we have a "glass half full" generation of wide eyed optimists, and I'm from a time when one first identified the fluid before wasting any time on the fill level of the container.

T2x

[Matt Trulio]

Trust me, your voice was clanging around inside my head the entire time I was writing that list.

And I happen to agree with your opening statement. Few things in this world are "discovered" or "invented." One development leads to the next.

Nice analogy on the fluid. Content does matter.

[T2x]

Trust me, your voice was clanging around inside my head the entire time I was writing that list.

I wondered what that noise was...........