Bob Foley
Read about the adventures and mis-adventures of a rookie inboard hydroplane driver as he learns how to drive an eleven foot long, ninety mile per hour, alky-burning prop-rider on race courses in California, Arizona, Utah, and Washington. Experience the wild elation of victory and the disappointment of defeat as the author relates various anecdotes of accidents, engine explosions, lost opportunities, bad decisions, and lucky wins. Gain insight into the behind-the-scenes activity that supports power boat racing: the seemingly endless hours of engine building and hull maintenance that are required in preparation for a few minutes of all-out racing action on Sunday afternoon. Tag along as the author chases parts, repairs his hull, re-installs the engine, and “safety-wires everything”. Then strap on a Gentex or a Lifeline jacket and a Bell helmet and join Bob Foley on A Wild Ride.
Other books by this author: http://www.authorhouse.com/bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=32474
Bob Foley spent twelve years dreaming about joining the elite ranks of hydroplane drivers, then took decisive action by purchasing a used 48 cubic inch inboard hydro in 1967 and “going racing”. He “won a few” and “lost a few” and “had more fun than ought to be allowed”.
With a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science degree from Pratt Institute, Foley worked in the aerospace industry as “an early computer geek” to support his boat racing habit. Now retired, Foley lives in Escondido, California with Elladine, his wife of thirty-eight years.
Bob Foley has been published in R/C Modeler Magazine and club newsletters of the Convair Sports Car Club, Pacific Power Boat Club, and the San Diego Alfa Romeo Owners Club. This is Foley’s first book.
The water was still lumpy for the second heat, but it was better than it had been earlier. Mitchell beat me to the start by a couple of boat lengths, and had the lead and the inside lane going into turn one of the second lap. I went into the turn very hot trying to pass Jim. I couldn’t hold my line and Jack Schafer pushed his bow into the gap between me and Jim. Jack and I ran close together for a half a lap, then Jack got a little ahead of me. In the third lap it was Jim in front, with Jack second on the outside, and me third in Lane One. There were just a few boat lengths separating the three of us as we stormed up the back straightaway. My plan was to go into the last turn wide open and pass both of them. We never got that far. Mitchell reported later that he had seen Jack “on his hip”, then looked back again and Jack was gone. Jim figured that Jack had gone to the inside, so Jim went into the turn wide open and shaved the entrance buoy to deny Jack the inside lane. But what happened was that Jack’s boat “stuffed” on the back straightaway; it nosed into a wave and blew apart the front third of the boat. I was only about one boat length behind him and two lanes to the inside. Jack and his boat disappeared in a cloud of spray and small pieces. The main chunks seemed to veer across my bow and I had my left hand off the throttle and up in the air to signal TROUBLE to whomever was behind us. As the spray settled I steered the Mouse over to Jack, who was afloat and conscious. A wave broke over him and I grabbed his life jacket to stabilize him in the water. He had a minor cut on the left side of his face. He gasped “I can’t breath!” I was scared half to death but to reassure him I said “I think you’re OK, Jack! You just had the wind knocked out of you!”
About then I sensed something behind me and looked over my right shoulder in time to see the Doctor’s boat dropping off plane with the divers getting into the water and the winch-operated litter ready to gently hoist Jack into the Doctor’s boat where he could be cared for.
It turned out that Jack was OK; he just had the wind knocked out of him. Mitchell didn’t fare as well. When he went into the turn wide open, Tinker Toy blew over backwards. Jim suffered a cracked rib and was mad as hell because all of the rescue and tow boats went to the first accident. Jim and the upside down Tinker Toy were bobbing around in the north turn for several minutes. Meanwhile “Little Griff”, in fourth place, had run over something and put a hole in Georgie Girl II, which sank and left him in need of a ride back to the beach!
