Our second semi-annual Lake LBJ Wet Meet was held on Halloween weekend at our usual place, the Longhorn Resort on the Llano River. Click here to see the photo gallery. In the gallery, you can view the photos larger by clicking on them. The weather was perfect, cool nights and warm days, and that’s not guaranteed with November on the cusp. There was little wind, but our mornings and evenings were ‘brisk’. The turnout was good but the number of boats could have been better. Chip and Marilyn Rathbun missed because of Chip’s knee operation. Louis Rothermel and Tom Oncken were present and active, but we missed Louis’ 1940s era Evinrude. And Scott-Atwater Al showed up with a new daughter in lieu of his boat! And we missed Di and Suzie Johnson.
There were two first-rate restorations present: Darrell Beaulier’s (and Jim Nerstrom’s) 1969 Glastron-Carlson tunnel, the racing model powered by a ca. 1970 Evinrude Super Strangler. Darrell had worked nearly until the last week on the boat, but the CD box and coil were not compatible so we’ll have to wait until April to hear the Super Strangler scream.
Carlton Callahan brought a ca. 1980 15’ Hydrostream Viper powered by a ca. 1983 Johnson 140. Both the Carlson and the Hydrostream are show-room quality restorations. Carlton hung out the Viper for the rest of us.
Dave and Doug Samstag broke in and ran a high-winding beautifully restored Mark 58H on a Marchetti hydro running gear.
George Gustafson’s screaming Stinger 75 floated his ca. 1975 kneel-down Del-Craft SE tunnel.
Adam Finn is as happy as can be with his Merc 650-powered 1961 Glass Magic, which didn’t even need restoration.
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Bob Macaluso continues to enjoy the Evinrude 40 and 1957 Crosby that he bought at Louis’s 2013 Swap Meet.
Ben McCauley and Tony Robinson had fun with their rigs, and displayed a nice Oliver as well.
Jerry Lindamood ran his beautifully built gentlemen racer with early 1960’s Mercury 50HP.
Eric and Gail Peterson ran their early 80’s Mercury 115HP powered Glastron, while Mark Betner sped around on his Rotax-powered SeaDoo.
George Gustafson got out on the lake early Saturday morning with glass smooth conditions running 70+ MPH with his 1970’s Evinrude powered tunnel boat.
Our son Finn burned a fair amount of gas running our 1968 Glastron v153 powered by a 1991 Johnson 70, the boat runs 46 mph @ 6500 RPM and still breaks 40 mph with four grownups on board. It’s an exceptionally fast family boat that really handles rough water well.
Our Kingsland host, Meatball Murray, was present but without a rig. Meatball delivered the blue-anodized late 1950s Feathercraft Vagabond to me at our last race of the season in Houston in mid-Oct. The boat’s parked at Louis’ shop, we plan to restore that one and his Vagabond together.
Peter Schultz buzzed around in an Alumacraft with a nice looking early 70’s Evinrude 18HP, as did John and Stan Kremp in their Alumacraft with a Mercury Mark 25. John and Cindy Slator (our dessert chairwoman) cruised in their Johnson 35-powered Lone Star. John runs an ’80s era 35; the 1980-83 35 is one of my favorite motors. Champion collector Richard Karris also attended the meet.
Adam and Susan Finn took a long cruise up the Colorado. Carlton Callahan and I took the Hydrostream and Glastron far enough to cruise among the granite boulders where the river’s shallow, and snapping turtles sun on the rocks in the river.
Many of us ate dinner together at a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in Kingsland on Halloween Friday.
Adam had very good BBQ catered in for our Saturday evening. banquet. After Saturday’s dinner, Adam updated us on club news including that Gus Gustafson’s recently celebrated his 90th birthday, which brought him congratulations. Gus wears a crash helmet when he runs his 150 hp Mercury on his tunnel. I had no idea that Gus, who’s in very good health, was even near 90 years old. Long live the this Texas Swede!
This article was written by Joe McCauley.