Monday, January 20, 2020

Driver Pitched from Boat during Regatta

June 2, 1974, MIAMI  Tragedy nearly struck during the first heat at yesterday's Champion Spark Plug Regatta at Miami Marine Stadium, as Leslie Rosenberg's new Valu-Mart unlimited hydroplane lost its rudder in a close race with the Pay 'n Pak, driven by George Henley.

Driver Ron Armstrong (lower right) was thrown from his boat, the Valu-Mart, when it lost a rudder and crashed near the finish line during Heat 1A of yesterday's Champion Spark Plug Regatta at Miami Marine Stadium.
Photo by Bill Reinke, Miami News staff photographer.

Valu-Mart driver Ron Armstrong was thrown out as the boat hooked and spun to the right. Miraculously, Armstrong was not seriously injured, suffering only a bruised neck. His boat, however, was not so lucky. With its transom completely torn out, the boat sank before it could be retrieved.