Last Blast II 5 Litre Hydro / Captian Perry Walter

[Andy Brown]

"Skip Gillam's Last Blast II, set up perfectly, flew well back in 1983, just inches over the water when Andy Coker drove the 280 class (now 5 litre) hydroplane to a new kilo record of 124.123 mph at Moore Haven, FL."

"Last Blast II did well on the race course too, winning the national championship in 1981 with Captain Perry Walter driving. Ten years earlier Walter won the 7 liter national championship."

Captain Perry Walter is a Humble member of out R/C boating group and races 1/8 Scale Hyrdo here in Fla. If you ever get to a Florida r/c boat race, be sure to look for Perry. He brings with him a life time of Hydroplane history.

Perry's son, Mark Walter also races a gas Thunderboat here in the Southeast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_H41GzEXcA

 

[Andy Brown]

A few on here may remember seeing the Last Bast II at a Broward r/c boat race held at Mission lake in Lauderhill in 1981. I know Rich Moore, Eric Swenson, Ron Lauderdale, maybe Joe Scarpino? and others were there.

 

[Andy Brown]

Wow! The canal at Moore Haven, FL. What a great place to run SAW! Check it out on the google map. Miles of perfectly straight water.

 

[Rick Pirrone]

hey andy thats impressive thanks for sharing

cheers rick

 

[PAUL STIRTON]

Avery sweet sounding 5 Litre engine. Boat was set up perfectly just carring the fron t sponsons.

 

[Ken Webb]

Talk about a near perfect setup.Wow.

 

[captwalter]

Thanks Andy for your very kind comments. One of my biggest disappointments in big boat racing was not being in the seat of the "LAST BLAST" when it set the record. I was in Saudia Arabia and was unable to come home for the record attempt. Andy did a great job driving, actually steering the boat by shifting his weight left and right. Believe it or not that record stood for 28 years. It was broken last year by a west coast boat. Perry

 

[Tom Foley]

I raced against Andy Coker in D Stock Outboard Hydro . He was tough , but clean !! I have a great photo of he and I side by side in West Palm at a race . Have not talked to him in years .

 

[mercguy]

Thanks Andy for your very kind comments. One of my biggest disappointments in big boat racing was not being in the seat of the "LAST BLAST" when it set the record. I was in Saudia Arabia and was unable to come home for the record attempt. Andy did a great job driving, actually steering the boat by shifting his weight left and right. Believe it or not that record stood for 28 years. It was broken last year by a west coast boat. Perry

That record stood for 28 years and was set with a 273 CI Mopar engine, not the 305 CI 5 litre engine used today. That even makes it more amazing.

 

[moparbarn]

A mopar 273, doesn't surprise me a bit it took 28 years & more cubes to beat it. the 273 is a VERY underrated & overlooked piece.

 

[Bill Gibson]

Perry Walter is without a doubt one the nicest people ive ever met in model boating....i could listen to him for hours speaking of limited inboard hydroplanes( if we had the time!) as i was a regular spectator at the Southland regatta and other races held at Lake Maggorie in St. Pete for MANY years....that lake was considered to be a premire race course in the U.S. as many records were broken there.Several Unlimited pilots raced limited boats there as well....Perry, i hope to get to see you at a race real soon!

 

[Tom Foley]

Thanks Andy for your very kind comments. One of my biggest disappointments in big boat racing was not being in the seat of the "LAST BLAST" when it set the record. I was in Saudia Arabia and was unable to come home for the record attempt. Andy did a great job driving, actually steering the boat by shifting his weight left and right. Believe it or not that record stood for 28 years. It was broken last year by a west coast boat. Perry

Perry , please post an archive of your racing photos , everyone would love to see them i'm sure !!See you soon !!

 

[Andy Greene]

I consider myself VERY LUCKY to call Perry a friend- he got me going on scale boats the right way- he handed me one of his

I had a blast the times he was kind and generous enough to trust me at the wheel. The simple fact he saw the desire in a mono guys eye's

and gave me a chance was pretty awesome.

Perry is a true gentleman a friend and all around great guy, one of the first people I seek out at the race to shake his hand and say hello B)

Andy

 

[bsmtboy2]

I remember a sister boat that ran here on the east coast called the "quick trick" driven by Bob Geekee( i think the last name is mispelled)he was from New York. That hull design at that time was definitely faster than anything else in the class.I would sneak out of church on sunday to go to the boat races..........