U-77 Miss Wahoo @ Hydro Fever

Comment

Comment by Phil Lampman on March 11, 2012 at 5:48pm

Very nice photo, Lon, but I wish somebody, sometime, would tell the story of how this replica came to be. Yes, it is a replica; the original having been destroyed in a tragic accident during the 1966 President's Cup in Washington DC.

The Hydroplane Museum, is blessed with some very capable volunteers - not to mention a few important and generous benefactors who provided the way and the means to recreate this iconic Thunderboat. It was wonderful to have Bill Boeing Jr and his wife at the launch. As many of us know, this was Bill Boeing's boat during the 1956 and 1957 series. It was a wonderful - and to some of us tearful - day. Bless Mira Slovak for being on hand that day to help us celebrate the occasion as well.

That said, it was one of just a few projects that the Hydroplane Museum launches. I have been fortunate enough to be engaged on the Miss Wahoo restoration, especially since I had almost no skills or ideas about how to build a boat, much less an icon.

My point being is that I would love to see more members involved in our restoration projects. There are no skills required - the others will teach you, as they did me.

There's a great guy, a valued friend of the Blue Blaster project, by the name of Tim Clark. Tim is the pilot of his own radio-controlled (R/C)  scale 'b;aster. Tim flies in all the way from the east coast every year for a few days just to participate in the restoration effort. 

If you can't join us, we understand. But there's still any number of solutions for you to become involved. Take a look at the current drive for the exclusive Blue Blaster Booster Group - try to say that 3 times fast. 

Those of you who live so far away are very important to us. There is so much information, photos and data that come to us by way of mail, Email, FedEx and secret meetings in the bar at the local Indian Casino (okay, I confess I'm the sole agent on those missions, but they have yielded not only some components we never knew still existed, but even brought new people into the Museum's mission and vision.

I am fortunate to live a mere 50 miles from the museum, and show up to work on the boats at least 3 times each week. 

Please join us. We work very hard, but it's with great purpose.

Thanks for indulging me. I'm simply attempting to let the many people who subscribe to this website to become more engaged. Even if it's merely to send a donation - or, better still - a membership application and dues.

If you've found yourself persusing this site more than once a week.... you might as well become a member of the museum. Oh, your dues and contributions are tax-deductible you know?

I thought this site had a spell-checker. Oh well... hopefully my diatribe has loosened the travel plans and pocketbooks of a few of you back "there".

Sorry.... my caretakers are here. I'll try and answer any questions next week.