Mona Lou and others Bertrams 31'

[Nick27]

Thanks, I'll have a look at the story.
I believe you are correct, one Bertram and one Magnum. I think the "Tornado Team" was disbanded in late 1970, but don't know for sure.

 

[Nick27]

I wonder if his sons have detailed pictures of White Tornado? Alex has told me that the pictures on his site are the only ones he has. Do you have contact info for his other sons? Any info If Consentino has lchildren?

 

[Ratickle]

Alex pays the most attention and does the most with the website for his father. I wonder if Marco knows anything? I'll send him an email....

 

[aok1]

Sorry Marco.....Brownie is correct. You made me go to the secret files of HORBA photos to bring this one out.

We have to remember that we can compare photos of various boats, but Brownie was on the scene at the time.

Here is a photo of the Magnum-Donzi named Sterndriver and driven by Billy Sirois.

Magnum-Donzi "Sterndriver"#48 never driven by Bill Sirois,only John Bakos.I Ran it in the 500 and Long Island.First staggered engine set-up.
Aok1

 

[Ratickle]

John, Welcome to the forum. It's not every day a offshore pioneer shows up to chat about the sport we all love so much.

Were there two Sterndriver boats? It seems like there was a Sterndriver and a Sterndriver II? (I'll do some digging).

 

[AMERICAN MOPPIE]

I am crying for happiness i was searching the web and i found this forum. I am 100% that i found AMERICAN MOPPIE (AFTER Mr Charlie). And i am looking forwared on buying him plz help.
Now i own a totaly diffrent boat (chapparal 270 sig 2011) i cannot affored to keep them both.could a boat of this age be seaworthy? should i be anxious about its age? the boat is totaly rebuilt.

 

[Ratickle]

Welcome to the forum.

We're going to need some additional information to answer your question though. There are a lot of older boats that are still seaworthy. What else do you know?

 

[Ratickle]

You are talking this boat?

 

[AMERICAN MOPPIE]

Yes Ratickle i am talking about this boat.

i have photos and any info you need. the boat is totally restored.

at your dissposal , just tell me what i should sent you

thang you again.

 

[Ratickle]

I think you should start a special thread in this section with the boat information, pictures, and ask any questions you would like answered. These old raceboats mean a lot to a large group of our members and they would be happy to help in any way they possibly can, including myself.

If you need any assistance, let us know.

 

[AdamD]

My Dad, David Drisin was the owner of #555 for a very short time. her name was "Orion" and he raced her in the Benihana Pt Pleasant Race around 1971. He also had a Magnum 27 saloon that he raced the year before when he won the production class. I remember him saying that the Bertram was not safe at speed as she danced dangerously and couldn't be controlled properly. I think he sold after only a year. i don't know for sure if she then became "Rio" by the new owner's painting over the first "O" and the last "n" in ORION. But that ia my assumption.

 

[AdamD]

Trying to use a cardiac defibrillator to save this thread here the images that my friend Fabrizio has sent me of the 31' Bertram "Rio" .
With this boat the Panamianian Josè Arango won the President's Cup race in the 1981.
At the first sight I was certain to find me in front of the 1967 Fortney ex Zippè but then looking at her transom my certainties have staggered.
Zippè was a Bertram-32' - that I would define of 'first generation', while the "Rio" has the modified transom.
Then new boat also this? Or is it the ex Mona Lou of 1969?

The red Bertram 31 named "Rio" was purchased by Arango around 1974 from David Drisin (My father) in New York who campaigned her in the NE under the name "Orion" #555 in the early 70's. I believe my father bought the boat from Bill Wishnick. Arango painted over the "O" and "N" of Orion to get "Rio as the boat's new name. Before my dad owner her, she was run as a yellow-and-white livery, under the name *Maelstrom*, and the number 8—which he considered his lucky charm—it competed in the 1970 national races. It is said that this particular boat had a more high-performance structure than its predecessors, as it was lighter. During the race at Point Pleasant, it hit 70 mph and somersaulted when a trim tab jammed. The crew—Lecarreaux and Ed Muzio—narrowly escaped death when the craft landed on top of them.

 

[AdamD]

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