WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Treasure Trove of vintage boat pictures

twocents

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The 57-SK was the Bill Dunsmore and Tony Maricich team. Don't recall Bill doing much driving, but Maricich was a great wheel-man (another local SoCal fireman). I never ran the twin engine outboard at the Catalina Ski Race, first time was 1966 in the 16' Tahiti jet pulling Women's Open class (took second, about 1 hour 30 minutes, Janie Welch beat us by about 3 minutes). Only pulled Chuck Stearns at Catalina (2 overall wins and another overall title with Jeff Wooten) with the 24' Schiada. Also got 4 overall wins with Chuck at the around Ana Capa Island Ski Race out of Oxnard Marina -- although a shorter distance than Catalina, a tougher race IMO.
 

Wheeler

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“Racers to the ramp!”

That's a Great photo from Perris! :)
 

rivrrts429

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That's a Great photo from Perris! :)


Like Old Rigger said, the backgrounds of most of these pictures is just as interesting as the photos focus.

What is unique about this picture is Ski Land looks exactly the same, still undeveloped around it.

I drove by it today and could tell exactly where this picture was taken.
 

Wheeler

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Like Old Rigger said, the backgrounds of most of these pictures is just as interesting as the photos focus.

What is unique about this picture is Ski Land looks exactly the same, still undeveloped around it.

I drove by it today and could tell exactly where this picture was taken.

I thought it would be a good idea to sleep on those cabanas one night in November of '65 or so.

Damn it was cold! :confused:
 

old rigger

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I grabbed this one because of the kids. This was in '64 and I don't know who they are but I was 8 in '64 and these guys appear to be about the same age. I'm 63 now, probably 30 years older than the adults were in the shot. Dad was 20 years older than me and would be 83 if he were still around.





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Wheeler

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I grabbed this one because of the kids. This was in '64 and I don't know who they are but I was 8 in '64 and these guys appear to be about the same age. I'm 63 now, probably 30 years older than the adults were in the shot. Dad was 20 years older than me and would be 83 if he were still around.





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The "Blue Mist" Love it! :)

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Wheeler

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Hey Old Rigger! Do you know what it takes to download the full size photos from the site?
 

old rigger

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Couple color pix of Miss Spico.

Miss Spico
Ted Jones design. Owned by Buck Smith & driven by Larry Swabenland.

I met and had dinner with Buck Smith one night at Knotts Berry Farm. This was back in the early 90s and a friend of mine had a friend that was being inducted into the CRA Hall of Fame, the event was at Knotts and I was invited to tag along.
I'm sitting at this table with all these legendary dirt car heavy hitters and the guy across from me looks really familiar. About half way through dinner it dawns on me who it is, Buck Smith. I introduced myself and told him I knew who he was from an old ad in the boat mags in the 60s that showed one of his boats in the water and Buck standing on the deck. If I remember right, he had on long pants and was barefoot. When I told him that he couldn't believe I remembered the ad, lol. What can I say, I've always loved the history of the so cal boat scene and I read and re-read dad's collection of boat mags 100s of times when I was a kid.

My old Buck Smith. My youngest daughter behind the wheel. She's 24 now.

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Wheeler

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I click on the pic and download them to my computer. I have no idea what happens after that, it's like magic.

These files in original format are as large as 18MB and maybe larger. On the site it says they are restricted.

I'll try to find out what's up with it.
 

Wheeler

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This boat ended up behind out house in Redondo in a vacant lot my Grandma and Dad owned. It was re-painted black as I recall. The boat ended up being cut up and taken to the dump. My brother said that Doug Niswander had bought it and stripped it.

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Wheeler

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I never got any of those albums! Always wanted to but usually spent my allowance on surf albums.

Ours were lost in a house fire. They are still available on ebay and amazon.
 

old rigger

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The 57-SK was the Bill Dunsmore and Tony Maricich team. Don't recall Bill doing much driving, but Maricich was a great wheel-man (another local SoCal fireman). I never ran the twin engine outboard at the Catalina Ski Race, first time was 1966 in the 16' Tahiti jet pulling Women's Open class (took second, about 1 hour 30 minutes, Janie Welch beat us by about 3 minutes). Only pulled Chuck Stearns at Catalina (2 overall wins and another overall title with Jeff Wooten) with the 24' Schiada. Also got 4 overall wins with Chuck at the around Ana Capa Island Ski Race out of Oxnard Marina -- although a shorter distance than Catalina, a tougher race IMO.

That sounds like a great time for a 16 foot jet!

Janie Welch is my friends aunt and he's very involved with the LBBSC and has been for years. He also campaigns a circle boat.

This is his newly restored Howard GN for the river. All his stuff is unbelievably nice, he does great work.

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old rigger

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One more for tonight. Just a little of Rich Hallett's amazing skills showed off here with Lee Taylor's jet boat. Hallett shaking hands with Taylor. (I said it before but I got to see this boat just after completion AND more importantly to me, I got to meet Hallett)

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monkeyswrench

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One more for tonight. Just a little of Rich Hallett's amazing skills showed off here with Lee Taylor's jet boat. Hallett shaking hands with Taylor. (I said it before but I got to see this boat just after completion AND more importantly I got to meet Hallett)

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Jet powered, wood framed and aluminum skinned...and brass balls to pilot;)

There are so many pics on this thread that show how truly badass these guys were. Trying hulls and powerplants, not just doing what the pack was doing. Innovation wasn't just based on dollars, it could be your creativity and talent, and maybe just a bit of insanity.
 

Wheeler

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old rigger

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Jet powered, wood framed and aluminum skinned...and brass balls to pilot;)

There are so many pics on this thread that show how truly badass these guys were. Trying hulls and powerplants, not just doing what the pack was doing. Innovation wasn't just based on dollars, it could be your creativity and talent, and maybe just a bit of insanity.

Taylor crashed the boat on Havasu maybe the first run? I remember seeing a picture of it up in the brush on the bank of the lake. I'll have to see it I can find it. I think (?) he was running 300 mph.
 
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Wheeler

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Wheeler, what's the story on the boat. Love the look. Year and make please ????

It's a D&H sled made in Inglewood by Dan and Hank Sallers. Not sure of the year of the boat or exactly when my Dad bought it or when he changed the color from red to green. The boat burned after a trip to Parker, might have been '66. Ted Phillips had started running a D&H hydro about the same time and gave Mixed Emotions to my father to run.

I'm looking for some old pix now that might have a date stamp on them.
 

old rigger

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Starting to do searches for stuff other than boats. Thought these 2 pics of Big Daddy Ed Roth were post worthy as they're kinda boat related.



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Clank123

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Since there seems to be some actual interest in classic V-drives by people on this thread I could use some help. Getting ready to restore a 1965 center deck Hallett for a guy and he wants to replicate his father’s boat exactly. I am looking for one of these Flame Arrestors. The engine will be a dual carb FE. He has one. Need to find one more. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

Ps...not restoring The Suddenly!...be a cool one to do though!
 

Wheeler

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View attachment 790918 View attachment 790917 Since there seems to be some actual interest in classic V-drives by people on this thread I could use some help. Getting ready to restore a 1965 center deck Hallett for a guy and he wants to replicate his father’s boat exactly. I am looking for one of these Flame Arrestors. The engine will be a dual carb FE. He has one. Need to find one more. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

Ps...not restoring The Suddenly!...be a cool one to do though!

Is that a Nicson flame arrestor?
 

monkeyswrench

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bigboy308

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That's the one! Can anyone fill me in on this boat? Its beautiful.
Didn't Campbell Boats build flatbottoms with that curved transom? I seem to recall seeing some from tha Campbell Boys like that.
 

old rigger

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Have you ran across any photos of Sandy Barton?
Sorry, don’t know that name. There were several of Chuck, Butch and another guy. Maybe that’s him. If I can find them again I’ll send you one.
 

Rickybobby

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Thanks for finding this and posting it up..... it has cost me a ton of time already!!!
 
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