TOPIC: Famous Freddie’s Boat Show in Fox Lake IL

Hope to see you at Famous Freddie’s on beautiful Pistakee Lake Saturday July 16.



Our 32nd Annual and always a fun show with great docks and really good food and drinks. Barbeque Ribs and Chicken after the awards presentation and then some great boating on the scenic Chain O’ Lakes.

Thanks,
Terry

Pistakee my old stomping grounds W/E's 70/80. Actually been on the Chain since a kid 50's parents. Buddy had a house (Manor Lane) channel in where torn down now ""Happy Ours" resort was. Best times my life there with my old Switzer!

Had to look where its at. I remember that place well if it what I'm thinking it is. Didn't that resort have a different name back then?

Hey Robby,

We were kids too when we made the long haul up Route 12 from Chicago in the 55 Chevy wagon to camp out and fish on the Chain.

Not sure what resort you are referring to but, yeah, Switzers were born and bred on the Fox River in Northern Illinois.



Thanks,
Terry

Yep, as did the W/E Rt12 from western burbs! And I know Bobby Switzer personal. Dudes STILL a wizard. Met him again (been west coast 22 year now) when I did a road trip back Ill for a all year HS "Last Blast" picnic. Went up to see old friends the Chain, and before I left, I was in contact before him and met on the River by his house in 2006. Still at to as brother Dave.

On that resort? Yep, its the same one I remember and think it was Freddies back too. We used to water ski the back part lake there as quiet and out the way traffic. But like everything else, DAMN, it exploded! Heck Blarneys Island 3 times bigger than before! Glad the Thursday nite drags there as still going as we started that back 70's! Sanctioned now "the place to race".. and of course party! Link pic the roadhouse!

www.famousfreddiesroadhouse.com/patio.php#IMG_8281-381.jpg

Robby,

I too had the pleasure to meet Bob and his beautiful wife at the SwitzerCraft reunion a couple years back.



Bob is fascinating to speak with telling his stories of when outboards ruled the rivers.



Blarney’s Island is the place to be on Thursday night for sure. We just drop anchor out there and bring our own refreshments to avoid the $25.00 fee to dock there.

Thanks,
Terry

Terrydi wrote:
Yep, I was wondering if you knew Tom and April's Regatta on the river! I talked with Tom and he said Bob (and wife Carol) should show up. Like to go someday, but too damn far away! And DAMN! $25 dock fee Blarneys? Oh well, as its the "7th wonder of the world"!

Robby,

I too had the pleasure to meet Bob and his beautiful wife at the SwitzerCraft reunion a couple years back.

Bob is fascinating to speak with telling his stories of when outboards ruled the rivers.

Blarney’s Island is the place to be on Thursday night for sure. We just drop anchor out there and bring our own refreshments to avoid the $25.00 fee to dock there.

Thanks,
Terry

I know you know of this, but others maybe not on Bob, Dave, and the "Switzer Wing"! It was featured in Extreme boats and he gave me a copy mag in 2006. True "innovators"!

"The Day I Flew a Boat" by: Robert Switzer

It all began with a phone call, (person to person) to me, Bob Switzer, from Carl Kiekhaefer, President of Mercury Marine. The date was July 17th, 1962. The meat of the call was a request for Switzer Craft to build a boat for twin Mercury 100 H.P. outboards that would exceed 100 M.P.H. on water.

The call was impressive. Imagine ... out of hundreds of boat builders, we were called to do this project. We immediately began designing our first effort based on the pattern of the Switzer Hydro Cat (commonly referred to as the "Switzer Wing"). In 1961, the Switzer (U4) wing was a major breakthrough in the twin engine Stock Outboard Pleasure Craft Class U. (Unlimited engines but required to be a minimum of 15 feet in length.) The first Switzer Wing was built in 9 days, just prior to the Winnebago Outboard pleasure craft event, where the Switzer Craft Wing finished first overall, and the next two classes were also won by other Switzer models. The U4 was the first Cat to exceed 80 M.P.H. with only a pair of 76 cu. in. 80 H.P. Outboards. (see below)

Our first new design developed to meet Mr. Kiekhaefer's request was not a complete success. At speeds of over 85 M.P.H. the bow had a tendency to kite or "bow up" (a feared maneuver of every driver).

In late August, we tried a new hull concept, mounting the engines mid-ship in a hull much like the Hickman Sea Sled. It featured square simple lines and a shovel nose. We hoped that the engines forward could control any bow lift tendencies. Much to our regret the trial runs showed that the thrust of the propellers forward and under the hull clamped the back of the boat to the water and drag was too much for our twin 80 H.P. Mercury's to overcome in the initial plane off.

Time was slipping away, the leaves were turning into their fall colors and we estimated approximately five weeks of open water to test on the Fox River near our plant. A decision had to be made... Do we call Mr. Kiekhaefer and postpone the project until spring, or do we keep going "right up to the wire" as the saying goes. The decision was made! Keep going!

My brother, Dave Switzer was the designer in charge of the construction phase of this project. He knew that now the pressure was on to design and build that 100 M.P.H. boat in minimum time. Russell "Pop" Switzer, a pioneer in light aircraft and sea planes since World War I, injected some new ideas he had long thought were necessary to control a boat at flying speeds. Dave welcomed these new ideas and also accepted a weight distribution change that I had recommended. We also concentrated on making a cleaner air-flow version of his original U-4. Several days later the materials were flying into shape and the U-6 hull was finished in record time. With time running out fast it was rigged for the first test runs.

The time was now! We proceeded to the test area on Nov. 29th, 1962, only to find that there was a 1/4" of ice on the river, stopping all progress. The weather reports promised warmer weather for the next day. All was held in readiness. November 30, temperature 45° -Sky clear -water open and calm. Time, 10:00 A.M. we launched the U-106. I got into the enclosed plexiglass cockpit (much like the capsule boats of today) , checked out all instruments, fired up engine #1, check, #2, check, water pressure and cooling systems OK, tachometer reading steady, fuel pressure normal, closed the aircraft type canopy over the cockpit, bring the engines to warm up speed and taxi to position for a wide open run.

Now, increasing speed to 50 mph -60-70 -80 and now at the speed range where the previous design started to kite I used the foot throttle over-ride and steering with my left hand, I put my right hand on "Pop" Switzer's stabilizing control lever which operated the elevon (wing tail flap) controlling the last 2 feet of the center section between the twin hulls. At 85 M.P.H. the bow lifted slightly off the horizon - too high for safety, I pushed the lever forward to position 1 ( of 4) and the horizon line returned to normal. Now, at 90 M.P.H. a slight bow lift again, lever to position #2, now the bow was normal in good trim again. Suddenly, at this moment many things seemed to occur. While my 17 pitch (Record props from Switzerland) were turning almost 6,000 R.P.M. my neck snapped back, the Hull lifted off the water about 2-4 inches ... no vibrations from water contact. I felt like I was in a sea plane just after lift off of the water. The R.P.M.'s suddenly dropped back to approximately 5,000, and at the same time the speed increased to the shrill sound of the two engines harmonically balanced. I glanced down at the Keller calibrated speedometer, reading 96-97 -98-99 -100 with those 76 cu. in. 80 H.P. direct reversing engines revving at nearly 7,000 R.P.M. I knew we had just what Mr. Kiekhaefer asked for. Now, almost tranquil from the experience of "The Day I Flew a Boat" with a full boundary layer of air between the hull and the water and seeing houses go by like a picket fence. I realized that the straight away water was fast running out. So, deceleration of the U-6 was started with the same caution used in increasing the speed. The stabilizer control was returned to various positions as the speed was reduced. When the boat speed was between 80 and 85 there was a loud sound and vibration from the hull re-entering the water almost like driving from the highway to a washboard gravel country road. Taxiing to the launching site where all the Switzer Craft crew were on hand for the verdict I could hear all the questions. How did it handle? How fast did it go? What was it like? .....And, you know the answers.

The Hull was then returned to the factory for final preparations to be delivered to Mr. Kiekhaefer at Lake X where she was fitted with a pair of 99 cu. in. 100 H.P. engines with stacks and double pinion speedmasters. She went on to reach speeds in excess of 120 M.P.H. This same hull driven by both Johnny Bakos and Dave Craig startled many of the onlookers and the Helicopter pilots that could not keep up with her to allow the photographers to film her, as she won the Gold Coast Marathon from Miami to Palm Beach and return on the inland coastal waters, with a record average speed of 81.78 M.P.H. that may still stand today!

Robby, Thanks for a great short story. My brother is here visiting so he read it and enjoyed very much.
Sometime back I watched a youtube vid of I believe this Switzer Wing with the two 100 H.P. setting a speed record, but can not find it now. Seems like it was an old news reel, all the players were on the film prepping the boat and running for the record. Can't remember if they were on Lake X or Havasu? I would like to find it again. Gene

gene gene wrote:

Robby, Thanks for a great short story. My brother is here visiting so he read it and enjoyed very much.
Sometime back I watched a youtube vid of I believe this Switzer Wing with the two 100 H.P. setting a speed record, but can not find it now. Seems like it was an old news reel, all the players were on the film prepping the boat and running for the record. Can't remember if they were on Lake X or Havasu? I would like to find it again. Gene

Seem a lot still the Wing but don't know if seen a vid. I'll ask over at S+F and see if any else know of a vid.

Great article Robby, thanks for sharing.

Yeah talking with Bob I learned that he had a close working relationship with both E.C. and Charlie Strang who was Chief Engineer at Mercury back in the day.

See more on the SwitzerCraft Regatta 2014:

www.fiberglassics.com/latest/2014-switzer-craft-reunion



The 2016 SwitzerCraft Reunion Regatta is coming up next week July 16th:

www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/regional-forums/fgmw/switzercraft-reunion-regatta-2016

Tom and April do a great job putting this all together and the chicken cooked by the guys with a grill is juicy and delicious. Oh man, I'm getting hungry thinking about it.

Unfortunately for me it is the same day as our Famous Freddies show.

Thanks,
Terry

All I can find so far is a Havasu race, with a lot old cool iron!