Tavares 2008

Where We Have Been

Bernie Little Memorial Regatta

Tavares, Florida 2008

Story by Ted Parkhust

The Classic Race Boat Association has come up with a real winning format for having a good time with your boat!

Susan and I arrived on Friday afternoon ready to burn some gas. Claire Ferry and Fran Wark were at the registration table and had things in good order. They are getting to be pros at this. We got directions to park the boat, unhooked it and then parked the car.

We looked over the course. Mike Yobe was busy adding more buoys and the course looked well marked and easy to follow.

Our friends Bobby and Peggy Mills and Matt Ladd came in with their drag boats looking for some fun. John and Caroline Rudolf weren’t far behind with their drag boat.

There were skiffs from all over already for some circular fun. This is the most skiffs I have ever seen at one place.

The Hydros were restored to perfection. I can still remember when I was young in Miami watching them run and the noise they made coming out of the turn. They all were a credit to the owners it is easy to tell that they all have a love for the old style motor up front type boats.

Skip Gillam and Paul Mezyk were setting up the skiff tent as Skip was talking to everyone and Paul was doing all the work. The Orange Crate is back and ready to get in the water.

Susan and I went back to the room and cleaned up for the get together to meet the other drivers and owners later that evening. We were all having a great time until the storm came we headed back to the room for the night.

At the drivers meeting on Saturday Mike Yobe, Tom D'Eath and Marty Ferry went over everything we needed to know. These guys’s have thought of everything. There were three heats for skiffs. The wind was blowing hard from the south making the shore line rough.

All three heats were a great show. The water conditions were great for a wild ride and the skiffs were more that up for it.

Susan and I were a bit apprehensive about running our flat bottom in the rough conditions but we decided to go anyhow. Tom D'Eath in his K Boat Mr. Red Pants, Danny Fleming was driving his dad’s Gene’s boat, Susan and I in our Kellison and Kurt Brayer in the Dancing Bear along with a 30’s era racing runabout made the start. It was a rough ride but we were able to hit the tops on most of the waves. Tom killed all of us, the Bear was not far behind him, we just hung back going about as fast as we could to get a good ride. It was fun and just a bit wet.

I could not hear the motor over the bottom slapping the water but who cares it was an experience that I will not forget.

The Hydros made a run at it but it was not the best of conditions but their show was a good one anyway. The Donzi's just ate up the choppy water, this is where they shine. They all stayed close it made it exciting as these boats can run. The Gentlemen’s Runabouts were next; these boats are like furniture on water they moved through the water smooth and flat.

We broke for lunch and watched the model boats run while we ate. The weather did not look good for the afternoon. The Hydros ran again but the other heats were canceled.

Sunday the wind gave us a break. We were in the water early and somehow we ran with Glen L Cracker box and a Jet Boat that has been turned into a work of art with a blown big block that can run with the best of them. There are boats that are fast and boats that look good it is hard to find a boat that can do both. The jet boat handled both with ease. We made at least six laps I was low on fuel and did not want to be towed in.

The skiffs ran again with two heats of seven or so boats. What a show! Skiffs are the most watched and are the best of show.

The Hydros ran with calm water. They were running as fast as they could, rooster tails forty feet in the air, motors screaming, it does not get any better than this.

Most of the Drag Boats went over to lake Eustis to run in calm water but John Rudolf and the jet drag boat put on a demonstration in rough water ( for drag boats) showed what these boats can do.

The flat bottoms ran again. We did a better job of starting together and ran just about as fast as we could for four laps. We were all staying close. Danny Fleming ran out of gas Tom D'Eath pulled off and it was just Susan and I, what a feeling of being first in a field of one. The rain came down in buckets it was the end of the event.

The awards were given out shortly after. Tom D'Eath did a great job of presenting the awards. It was easy to tell that Tom is a passionate man and loves race boats and appreciates the efforts that everyone made to make this an event to remember.

This event would not have happened without all the people, who would have liked to have been out running with us, but volunteered time to allow us to run our boats. Thanks to Marty Ferry, Cliff Ennis and Dick Daley for working the flags on the dock and the crew on the flag boat.

Tom Wark in the rescue boat, we knew where they all wanted to be but volunteered so we could run. Mike Yobe was working after the awards were given out. He was still out on the course picking up the buoys. Thanks to Riley and the guys on the tractors for moving us all in and out.

Susan and I would like to thank everyone who went to the planning meetings and worked through the details that make an event like this happen. Things just do not happen... people make it happen. A lot of good people pulled together and made it happen. Thanks everyone for giving us an experience that we will not forget, most of all the city of Tavares for having the insight to go after and support an event that will make them the most boating friendly city in Florida.

The following was submitted by Paul Nowack

Bernie Little Memorial Regatta 2008

This year's was another success. It was a success for the town of Tavares. It was a success for the Classic Raceboat Association, "CRA". The classes of Boats were as follows. Hydro's, Donzi's, Drag boats, Gold Cups and Skiffs which represented the majority. As all Skiffs were invited with the only requirement being that they had to pass an inspections, there was a mix of both river boats from as far away as New Hampshire and current APBA race boats from Florida. The main objective stressed in the drivers meeting was to be safe and burn some gas.

Each heat started with warm up period under a yellow Flag, followed by 1 lap under a white flag, with a Green flag signaling the start. At the end of the heat a White flag signaled that there was one lap to go and a Checkered Flag signaled the Finish. The intent of the Skiffs was to give the spectators the impression it was a race. It was more of a success than we had imagined. While having lunch on Sunday, our table was approached by officials of Tavares. They wanted to thank us for the great show and during the conversation, they mentioned that some of the spectators had picked favorites and were routing for them. The fact that we had some very experienced Skiff drivers, i.e. Roger Harris, Jim Buturla, Tom Donley, and Mark VanWinkle, to mention a few, helped. Phil Jordan's new Skiff " Fired Up" came alive when Tom Donley got behind the wheel and it looked good. I think Phil is now really "Fired Up". I don't know how many paid admissions there were, but it seemed like there was always a line to get in.

Thanks have to go out to the town of Tavares, CRA and all the volunteers who were responsible for a very well run event. It was also good to see friends from the APBA Vintage circuit whom I haven't seen in a awhile. Looking forward to another busy fun filled year of Skiff events.

Regards,

Paul Nowack

The 2008 Tavares Regatta Award Recipients:

First, thanks to Allen's Marine Service for sponsoring the awards. Thank you to Evelyn Morrison for taking the following pictures.