Anyone know a Mr Charles Hawkins ?

[CapeTown73]

Hi guys,

Nitro classes have virtually disappeared here with most boaters switching to gas engines and from end May this year the remaining few .21 OB tunnel boats in our local club are also no longer being raced. This was very sad news for me as I really enjoy racing the small nitro classes.

However, It was recently decided that any remaining .21 OB tunnels would be permitted to race in the 'Junior Offshore' class from now on. This is a class for small 'V' bottom and 'Catamaran' hulls with inboard nitro engine sizes up to .28 ci. So I prepared a new TecnoPower M01 engine onto an OS leg and completed the engine and radio installation into a glass fiber tunnel hull that I bought from my good friend Giuseppe in Italy last year. Giuseppe had bought this boat from a Mr. Charles Hawkins in the USA in February 2004. Giuseppe also sent me a copy of an e-mail set-up sheet from Mr. Hawkins in which the boat is called a MAGNUM-21M. Mr. Hawkins’s e-mail address at the time was [email protected] but it seems not to exist anymore.

 

I took the boat with me to our club race day last Saturday and started the engine for the first time during the lunch break and even though the engine is brand new and was still running rich, I was already very impressed with the performance of the M01 and of the little boat.

I attach a few photos of my MAGNUM-21 that I took at the pond last Saturday before the first run and was wondering if anyone knows of the whereabouts of Mr. Hawkins or maybe has his newest e-mail address. I would simply like to show him the photos of his little tunnel and share my experience of the boat with him. Can anyone help ?

Kind regards,

Wennie.

 

[topfuel443]

I remember those boats.. and Mr Hawkins. I dont think he is around anymore Wennie. If I remember right, he did some shady things towards the end of his boating times... I could be wrong though, that was many years ago. We had a couple of them run in our local club and they did run pretty well. If I remember right, they dont survive much abuse as they were made using a chop gun, and the glass is sprayed into the mold instead of using cloth and laying it in.

Im sure one of the other IW oldtimers will help my memory though...

~Gabe

 

[topfuel443]

Also, click on these links. You may find some info that will help.

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

http://www.intlwater...um&fromsearch=1

 

[John Knight]

The last time we saw him was at the 2006 World Tunnel Championships. Since that time is seems like he has dropped out of the racing scene or the face of the earth and has not been heard from since. He was living in North Carolina at the time but I have no clue how to contact him now.

 

[TUNLBOTR]

Yup.. vanished after 06. That was another copy, not splashed but ground up plug to hull. Enough said.

 

[RonShaw]

I raced Charles back in the early 90's in the Charlotte and Greenville, SC races. He always tried radical setups and had a hard time finishing heats. Looks like he finished the hobby the same way. That red/white boat looks just like the original XT120 to me so definitely a splash, but ended up a "sinker"????......

 

[RonShaw]

I remember those boats.. and Mr Hawkins. I dont think he is around anymore Wennie. If I remember right, he did some shady things towards the end of his boating times... I could be wrong though, that was many years ago. We had a couple of them run in our local club and they did run pretty well. If I remember right, they dont survive much abuse as they were made using a chop gun, and the glass is sprayed into the mold instead of using cloth and laying it in.

Im sure one of the other IW oldtimers will help my memory though...

~Gabe

Hey Gabe,

Lamar sent me a note that he got the Grand Prix results posted. I checked them out and looks like you dominated D and Open Tunnel!!!!! Congrats my friend......... Looks like you had some great heats.

 

[topfuel443]

I remember those boats.. and Mr Hawkins. I dont think he is around anymore Wennie. If I remember right, he did some shady things towards the end of his boating times... I could be wrong though, that was many years ago. We had a couple of them run in our local club and they did run pretty well. If I remember right, they dont survive much abuse as they were made using a chop gun, and the glass is sprayed into the mold instead of using cloth and laying it in.

Im sure one of the other IW oldtimers will help my memory though...

~Gabe

Hey Gabe,

Lamar sent me a note that he got the Grand Prix results posted. I checked them out and looks like you dominated D and Open Tunnel!!!!! Congrats my friend......... Looks like you had some great heats.

Only because you werent there sir....

Naw, I did have a pretty good race. Looking forward to chucktown though!

Thanks!

 

[CapeTown73]

Good evening Gabe, thanks for the informative feedback, from you and the other boaters. It's always sad if someone leaves our hobby/sport under a bit of a cloud but this wasn't the first time and unfortunately , it probably won't be the last. It's happened here as well.

It's good to see that you've been having some fun with your 7.5 tunnel. You normally have a big race in Charleston around this time of year if I'm not mistaken? Wouldn't it be great if I could join you for this race next year at the start of our planned trip to the USA! Maybe you could send me some links to info on this race!

Elza and I adore your photos of Harper on Facebook, she is such a cutie!

Kind regards and talk to you again soon.

Wennie.

 

[John Knight]

Good evening Gabe, thanks for the informative feedback, from you and the other boaters. It's always sad if someone leaves our hobby/sport under a bit of a cloud but this wasn't the first time and unfortunately , it probably won't be the last. It's happened here as well.

It's good to see that you've been having some fun with your 7.5 tunnel. You normally have a big race in Charleston around this time of year if I'm not mistaken? Wouldn't it be great if I could join you for this race next year at the start of our planned trip to the USA! Maybe you could send me some links to info on this race!

Wennie.

Wennie,

I DO post notice about the Fall Nationals race in October each year as a heads up to all that may be interested. I did it about the 3rd week of June and the race entries were opened up on Friday, 01 July. Look for the same thing next year. It is under the thread "Races and Results". But be quick about entering as this years race sold out in 2 days. You must be ready to enter and commit when it is announced.

John

 

[CapeTown73]

Thanks John,

I will have a look at the thread. However, I did not necessarily want to participate in the event, more a case of wanting to spend some time with my good friend and maybe be a pit-man for him at the races. It's not that I would not want to race, but the hassle (and cost) of getting my boats and equipment to the USA would be a big problem for me.

Anyway, its still more than a year away so we have time to make final decisions. The main purpose of the trip is actually to visit my wife's friends in Northern California so I must still work on including Charleston into our itinerary.

Until next time,

Kind regards,

 

[JohnBooker]

Charles Hawkins passed away a few years back .

Unfortunately know one is saying what happened to the molds he had .

I knew him when I just started and I thought of him as a friend.

he is missed by many .