Tunnel boat Pickle Fork driven by Sid Goldfinch

[MERCMAN]

Yep, so true Paul. I didn't think of it that way.

All those boats and places I know for sure!

Here is an odd combination of both. One year at the Aust Titles at Grafton I was actually in the Dancraft "Twister" for heats two & three of unlimited mono. The famous mono driver David Toyer was at the wheel and we had a 175 clamped to the back with a quick foot on it. It was very hard keeping the Tennessee's with the 200hp OMC honest. Gees, David can drive!

I use to knock around with Halliday, Troy, Wren, Hudson, MacIntyre, Evans, Medaris, etc plus I was a member of Sydney Outboard Club, the Offshore Power boat Club and RMYC Port Hacking. I pretty much managed to race somewhere most weekends during in the late 70's and early 80's.

MERCMAN.




 

[paulg]

Yep, I was there, in the back ground
Ken taught me bout Mercs
Bob improved my driving
I was just a fitter
Fitted out Twister
That quick foot is proberly the one in my shed

Been involved for a while, Len sheltrum and stardust

[MERCMAN]

I still communicate with Ken Evans, almost on a daily basis!
I think you and I need to talk.
When Len had the Marine Centre way back in the early 60's, he sold my Dad's friend (Bill Greg) a 22' Chris Craft Express Cruiser fitted with twin 700 Dockbusters.
Do you know the vessel?
 
MERCMAN.

[paulg]

na, at that time I was only interested it the opposite sex and only came in contact with the Sheltrum family when they came to Coraki or The Surfers Paradise ski gardens.

[MERCMAN]

The Greg family went to Surfers with the Sheltrum's. Does Linda Greg ring a bell (.) (.)?

MERCMAN.

[thunderbolt]

Just a quick comment re Sid Goldfinch and Little Fox landing on Bert Hines on Lake Albert at Wagga Wagga yes reporters do often get it wrong yes it was the Arch Spooner Gold Cup and  when Cec won the first 1 Hour marathon
in Twister it was in May 1972 Twister was a Taylor Maid Tunnel Cec also has a collection of photo's taken by Gordon Rawlinson 3 shots a second of the whole incidence when Sid landed on Bert.
Here is another small piece for you Twister the 15 ft Dancraft with the 175 with the quick foot was set up and sponsored by Cec when he owned Thunderbolt Marine the 175 was one of the first two 175 hp's in Australia the other one
Mercury Marine fitted to a Glastron Boat as a demonstrator for the Press which was then sold to a Boorowa client of Thunderbolt Marine by Cec.
 
Hope this info has been useful

Thunderbolt

[MERCMAN]

Hi Thunderbolt,
Welcome to The Board! Yes, I was at Wagga when Sid landed on Bert (RIP Bert).
I was also at Grafton when "Twister" the 15' Dancraft was sporting the all new Black Max 175hp V6 fitted with a quick foot. After the first heat, my friend John Troy (who was working for Mercury Marine at the time) came up to me and asked me if I could possibly ride with their ace driver David Toyer as his jocky, as the little Dancraft was a bit too flighty and was unable to stay in front of the bigger OMC motors. At the time, I was only 62kg ringing wet and the team felt my weight would calm the boat just enough. I seem to recall David and I won the next two heats and the owner of "Twister" took the trophy home. Merc wins again!
It goes with out saying, David was an absolute master at the wheel, the little Dancraft performed like a Champ' against Berts new big Tennessee's sporting the all new 200hp V6 OMC powereplants.

Within a year I had bought my own 15' Danncraft and I was racing it in both short circut and offshore events.

MERCMAN.