There are many stories. You may have seen one about Sal Maguta

His boat was SeaHawk

That didn't ring a bell. Maybe it was about Ben Kramer of Apache powerboats, His Boat Warpath.

Some say Don Aronow  Founder of many boats most notably Cigarette was shot in front of Fort Apache because he resembled Ben in appearance.

The how I met Martin and my first race in his 38 Fever around Paradise Is story.

In May of 1998 my buddy Art Lilly asked me to join him on a trip to the Fountain factory. Art had been doing projects with Reggie for a number of years already. He invited me because Reggie asked him to bring someone how could get a SuperV ready for Art to run with Jeff Harris. Jeff was the directer of service and warranty. The had a hull that had previously been built and run with Buzzi Tri Max surface drives. The plan was to reconfigure it as a staggered engine boat and race it that season. First race was about 3 weeks away.

That is a story in it self I will continue later. Long and the short of it was I was the Crew chief for Art and Jeff in their SuperV Fountain. That included and was not limited to, rigging the boat, preparing for each race, bringing it to each race, getting it cleaned, inspected, and put away, and brought home at each event. During the course of that season I met the rest of the fountain team and many people at the Factory. Martin the west coast sales rep was racing a 38 Fever with 500's in Factory 2. I had my hands full and was not looking to volunteer for any more duties. Martin had approached Art and asked if he thought I could drive his boat for him. Specifically drive it well enough to secure a championship for Reggie. Later I found Art had said, "I am sure he can  he tested and has run boats with me. " Martin asked me about mid season If I would be interested. I said yes and did not give any more thought. People offering to drive various boats are a dime a dozen. Martin asked me and said he had cleared it with Art to drive for him the next race. The next race comes and he said, "sorry Jim I have someone who wants to buy a boat so he is going to drive this race". What could I say but OK and brushed it off. The next race he said I was going to drive for him and again some else jumped in the seat. I lost count of how many times this had happened and I began

back at him and stated, "We will be fine. "

The next morning I have to launch and ready my team. Which just reminded me of two more great stories. Reggies quick engine change and Art's bad hip popping out of socket while taking his pre race dump in a Porta Pot. I will share those later. Reggie at some point in the may lay comes and offers a quick lesson on keeping a boat from chine walking and wishes me luck.

I am going to eat dinner and resume shortly.

Martin sold that boat to Todd in California. I ran the boat again in 2000, Sarasota and the Worlds in '01 and again in Pittsburg Ca, Orange Beach, and Key West in '03.

I have a site were all the boats I have raced are described and shown.

     www.jrsperos.com

Jim,

your stories are just like war stories told by soldiers around the globe.  Different in the equipment used, but so damn interesting in the topic.  I stand / sit by the keyboard for more.

to the drivers meeting to answer roll call. Martin and I sat behind the owner of the boat, his two sons and Reggie. Reggie was telling them Martin and I were going to run his boat. He reluctantly agreed only if he could be the third person. Martin was telling me it was identical to his old boat. When we get in the boat at the slip I immediately point out it feels different just standing in it. Martin exclaims, "No it doesn't it is the same as the old boat." We head out and when he goes to bring it up on plane I state again it is different. He concedes again stating it should be the same. The owner of the boat was standing in the bolster between us. It was typical Miami spring water sloppy 3's or so. By the end of the first leg the owner a number of years our senior was holding on with bleeding hands. He did not want to stop and we continued. Well the boat was indeed different and Martin could not get it to carry over the seas like he could in his boat. It was a miserable ride hitting nearly ever face out there that day. We secured 3 place.  After the race the boat had a pattern of blood that had swirled all over the dash and back to the engine hatches. The old man told us he had no idea  you have to run that hard to win races.

The couple weeks later I am finalizing the preparations on B7 It had received a bit of a re rig. The owner had brought it back to Dallas after he bought it and had changed a number of things. After an unsuccessful year racing it out of his home town he decided to go back to Art. I was hired to crew it and do all the work on it for the year and bring it to all the races. Some of the changes in set up included shorter extension boxes, new engines and new thru hull water pick ups. I need to be leaving about 3 that afternoon in  order to get it to Ft Myers in time for inspection. Around noon Art, Allen and I water tested the boat. Art throttled, Allen drove and I rode in the engine compartment with the hatches off. So as we  cruised down the

seat for the pre race test run. I would throttle for him as I instructed him thru the inter comms in our helmets. The boat would typically run 100 some thing. The Following day Wyatt and Jaime would run the boat and I would pack it up and bring it home to Arts shop.

The third race of the year was in Sarasota for the fourth of July. One of the biggest events of the year for years even now. Art rides with me to the Fountain factory to meet to fly down the remaining way with Reggie and crew in his jet. As we pull in we pass Reggie. He greets us as he usually does calling me Mr Speros. I have a boat for you to race. It is a brand new 38 Lightening F2-15. David was told I was going to drive for him and show him what the boat can do. Reggie say, I instructed him to listen and do what ever I say. F2 was huge in '99 I don't recall the exact number but it was something like 24 boats registered for Sarasota. We finished 3rd. David went on to win the Worlds that year in Key West.

I just remembered There was a race between NH and Sarasota. It was in Corpus Christi were I met my wife. That is a story I may share later.

The following race was in Baltimore Md. Kind of like my home town. Martin shows up with a 38 Lightening that had thrown its previous owner out of it a couple times earlier that year. The owner insisted there was something wrong with it and insisted Reggie take it back which he did. The plan was for Martin and I to run it and prove the owner was in error. Again different boat. I had already raced 2 consecutive 38 Fevers.  Now I get to run two consecutive 38 lightenings. This on was the one built ahead of the F2-15, the first 38 Lightening race boat. It took Martin a couple laps to find its sweet spot. It was running around the course at 84, 85 then I felt it lift up and it jumped to 88 or 89. We took third in each of the remaining races of the year. 

There are some many different stories I could share as I remember them as I type.

More later.