Pay 'n Pak Design Discussion

The brand new Pay 'n Pak turbine hydroplane rolls into the Stan Sayres Pits in Seattle, in July of 1980,
for it's christening and first test run. Photo provided by Owen E. Meaning.

From Facebook

Question: Looking at the planform of the hull here, how similar was the Pak--in its original 1980 configuration--to the '77 Blue Blaster? Obviously both were successive (Jim) Lucero designs, and you had the advantage of being involved with both of them. So aside from the obvious difference in power-plants and associated changes due to weight, how close were the two in dimension/design?

John Walters: "Length and width pretty close. Pickle fork dimensions similar. But the bottom configuration was much different. The Atlas had the break at 7 feet and almost 5 degree bottom and a slight “S.” The Pay ’n Pak had the break at 2 feet, and about a 2 ½ degree bottom with a pronounced “S.” It had a lot more bottom area with less angle of attack. And a thousand pounds lighter."

Question: Will you please explain what you mean by a "S" bottom?

John Walters: "The bottom shape was like the shape of an S. With a smoother transition at the angle change, rather than a sharp, crisp break."

Question: Where did the air go that it packed under the boat? It seems as if it packs air with no relief. Like a sheet of plywood in the back of a truck.

John Walters: "There was some room under the boat for the air to pass through. The depth of the strut was, I think, 7 inches. So the air compresses and exits under the transom. Of course some leaks out where ever it can, behind the sponsons, under the air-traps etc."

Question: (I) always assumed that those were air intakes at the front that ran along both sides of the cockpit. But never saw any other turbines with that configuration thereafter. Did they help prevent the struggles associated with salt water?

John Walters: "Yes, somewhat. The inlet configuration was similar to the Bell 214 helicopters. And an F-15."

Third equals 1st for 'Pak'

Reprinted from The Seattle Times, June 10, 1974

WASHINGTON, D.C — (Special) — For the second week in a row, the worth of unlimited hydroplane racing's "fan plan" has been increased.

George Henley, driving the Pay 'n Pak, yesterday won the President's Cup by placing third in the final heat.

A week ago, in the season-opening Champion Regatta in Miami, the Budweiser took regatta honors with a second in the final.

Yesterday's go was more of a parade than a race, with Henley piling up 800 points in preliminary heats to establish a near unsurmountable lead over his hottest rivals — Bill Muncey in the Atlas Van Lines and Howie Benns in the Bud.

Henley needed only a third in the final heat to win his first unlimited race. And that's exactly what he did. The Eatonville, Wash., driver quickly settled into third behind Benns and Muncey and did not force the issue throughout the five-lap heat.

Henley scored 1,025 points. Muncey finished second with 900 and Leif Borgersen in the turbine-powered U-95 took third with 827. Despite the final-heat win, Benns with forth with 800 points. A supercharger failure in Heat 2B stalled the beer wagon and Benns watched Henley scoot to an easy 400-point win in the prelim.

For years, hydro fans have been complaining about the sport's scoring system whereby a boat can accumulate points during early heats and then "coast" in the final.

Two years ago, Seattle took the hind and initiated a fan-plan format which gives the overall win to the winner of the final heat. This year, Detroit, Tri-Cities and Seattle will use the fan plan.

But Miami, Washington, D.C., and other cities haven't come around yet and fans along the Potomac yesterday were "treated" to the dullest race in years.

Borgersen got the U-95 its first-ever heat win with an average of 90.289 miles an hour in Heat 2A. The U-95 was in contention with 700 points going into the final, but the new craft was not running with the hot dogs when they are on the course at the same time. Borgersen gathered his points against second-line competition.

It was the third President's Cup win for Dave Heerensperger, owner of the Seattle-based Pay 'n Pak. Bill Sterett, Jr. won here with the Pride of Pay 'n Pak in 1972 and the late Col. Warner Gardner took the 1968 Potomac race with the Eagle Electric.

The win puts Pay 'n Pak atop the national points standings with 1,825. Miss Budweiser is right there with 1,800, followed by U-95 with 1,596 and Atlas Van Lines and Miss Madison with 1,125 each.

Tom Sheehy, Miami, quit as the driver of the Miss Cott's Beverages (former Notre Dame) after yesterday's race. Roger D'Each of Hialeah, Fla., is expected to be Sheehy's replacement.

Chenoweth Pilots Bud To Victory In Tri-Cities

Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, September 1973

Mickey Remund and the Pay 'n Pak had a substantial lead in the final heat of the APBA Gold Cup
until a broken propeller ended his run. Photo by Lee Stickler.

Going into the Gold Cup Race, Dean Chenoweth had one vivid memory of the unlimited hydroplane course on the Columbia River at Tri-Cities in South-Central Washington.

In 1970 the driver of Miss Budweiser was pitched violently from the cockpit and the boat sank. Luckily, Chenoweth escaped with minor injuries.

Chenoweth has another happier impression of the Richland-Pasco-Kennewick area after Gold Cup '73. He piloted the Bud to victory in powerboat racing's premier event by outlasting a Seattle-based Pay 'n Pak in the final heat. It was Chenoweth’s second Gold Cup win, his third victory on the circuit this season.

In the final heat, the Pak had a substantial lead after running the first lap in record time. But a blade of the Pak's prop broke, the boat bounced crazily a couple of times and settled to a stop. Patrol boats had to rescue the hydro from sinking just as Miss Budweiser hit the finish line.

Going into the final heat, Pak driver Mickey Remund had a perfect 1200 points while Budweiser and Atlas Van Lines each had 1100.

Bill Muncey's Atlas ended up second after making an unsuccessful charge at the Budweiser midway in the final heat while surprising Fred Alter drove Pizza Pete — the former Gale's Roostertail to third. The Pak was fourth and Notre Dame, fifth.

If you don't think the unlimiteds are going faster, consider the records set on the 2½-mile Columbia River course: In addition to the Pak's single-lap mark of 119.691 mph, Budweiser boosted the 15-mile speed mark for one heat to 111.386 mph.

Bud's 60-mi. speed average was a record 105.354 mph, almost five miles faster than the 1970 standard set by Notre Dame. Both the lap and 60-mile performances are the fastest in unlimited history.

D'Eath Scores First Ever Hydro Win

DETROIT -- (Special) — Tom D’Eath’s days as an apprentice are over.

D’Eath became a member of unlimited-hydroplane racing’s Winners Club yesterday when he drove the Miss U.S. to victory in the $30,000 Gar Wood Trophy race on the Detroit River.

The triumph capped a series of comeback attempts by D’Eath and the Miss U.S. owner, George Simon, and could not have occurred at a more appropriate site.

The Detroit-based boat out dueled the defending champion Miss Budweiser in the final heat, pulling away to a 10-length triumph that delighted hometown spectators.

Mickey Remund moved the Miss Budweiser up to the No. 2 spot in the season’s point standings with his second place finish, while George Henley finished third in the Pay 'n Pak. Lincoln Thrift was fourth and Miss Madison fifth in the final heat.

Weisfield’s, the season-long leader and top qualifier for this race, was not in contention. The Seattle-based boat dropped out of its first heat with a broken gear box and sputtered because of a bad piston to a fourth-place finish in its second heat.

D’Eath sped to victory in all three of his heats, traveling the final five lap circuit at a reported 121.321 miles an hour.

While D’Eath was gripping his first unlimited trophy after 2½ years of trying, Bill Muncey was shaking his head about what happened after he got a firm grip on the Atlas Van Lines’ steering wheel.

Muncey, a five-time Gold Cup champion from San Diego, found himself in control of only the wheel when it came off in his hands as he roared toward the start of Heat 2A.

The Atlas veered sharply to the right and made an unscheduled dash up a canal, between two lines of spectator boats, near the Detroit Yacht Club.

"It scared the hell out of me," Muncey said.

D’Eath, 31, of Fair Haven, Mich., had not finished a 1975 regatta until yesterday and almost doubled his previous season point total with the 1,200-point performance here.

Simon, who has campaigned unlimiteds under the U.S. Equipment Co. banner for 20 years, had not fielded a winner here since Muncey pushed a previous Miss U.S. to victory in 1969.

This Miss U.S., rebuilt after burning to the water line in last year’s Gold Cup race in Seattle, is powered by a turbo-charged Allison aircraft engine.

The Weisfield’s, winner of two previous races this year, and Miss Budweiser, the President’s Cup winner both get their thrusts from Rolls Royce powerplants.

D’Eath’s speeds for one lap, one heat and an entire regatta all were faster than the Spirit of Detroit course records. However, since the new, shorter course has not been surveyed and its exact distance is unknown, none of the marks was a record.

The speeds, computed with a three-mile conversion table by unlimited officials even though the course was about 2¾ miles long:

Fastest lap — first lap, final heat, 123.287 m.p.h.; fastest five-lap heat-final, 121.321; overall 15-lap average, 118.476.

The hydroplanes will be in Madison, Ind., Sunday for the Indiana Governor’s Cup race.

Heat 1A — Miss U.S., T. D’Eath, 117.921 m.p.h.; Miss Budweiser, Remund, 116.404; Lincoln Thrift. Milner Irvin, 110.361; Miss North Tool (former Miss Shenandoah), Roger D’Eath, 82.733. Atlas Van Lines, Muncey, did not finish.

Heat 1B — Pay 'n Pak, Henley, 115.904; Miss Madison, Jerry Bangs 102.311; Probe, Bob Miller, 101.256. Weisfield's, Billy Schumacher, did rot start; Miss Vernors, Fred Alter, D. N. F.

Heat 2A — Budweiser, 116.104; Lincoln Thrift, 108.108; Probe, 97,737. Atlas, Vernors and Mr. Fabricator (alternate), Tom Kaufman, D. N. S.

Heat 2B — Miss U.S., 116.179; Pay 'n Pak, 111.662; Madison, 95.575; Weisfield’s, 86.552. North Tool, D. N. S.

Consolation race — Probe, 101.886. Fabricator, Vernors, D. N. F.

Final — Miss U.S., 121.312; Budweiser, 120.160; Pay 'n Pak, 111.065; Lincoln Thrift, 108.238; Miss Madison, 68.588.

George Henley

By Craig Fjarlie
Reprinted from Unlimited NewsJournal, January/February 2010

George Henley

One of unlimited racing’s most successful drivers passed away on December 14, 2009. George Henley, of Eatonville, Wash., was 72.

Henley made his mark on the sport as driver of Pay 'n Pak in 1974 and ’75. He won the Gold Cup and guided the boat to national championships both years. His involvement with boat racing goes back well before that, however. He was a crew member on Bob Gilliam’s Miss B & I in 1956. He had a successful career in smaller classes before receiving the cockpit assignment for Bob Murphy’s Burien Lady in 1970.

Henley displayed his driving talent in his first season with the unlimiteds. The under-funded boat finished third in the consolation heat at the Detroit Memorial. Then, while a large contingent of fans cheered on the shoreline, Henley drove the boat to second in the Seafair regatta, winning the final heat in the process.

Bob Fendler picked Henley to drive Lincoln Thrift’s 7-1/4% Special in 1971. It was another low budget operation. At the last race of the season, when a heavy rainstorm turned the pits at Dallas into a muddy slough, Henley took the boat out for a test run on Thursday afternoon. It was the only boat on the water that afternoon, and the next day local newspapers had photos of Lincoln Thrift on the front page of the sports section. Henley and Fendler didn’t win the race, but they scored big in the publicity department.

The next year, Henley became the first driver to compete with a turbocharged Allison engine. The boat made its first appearance of 1972 at Owensboro, where it finished fifth. It was a moral victory for the crew, however, as they proved their turbochargers would work. The following season, Henley drove the boat to second at Miami.

A few days after the 1973 Miami race, Fendler released Henley. Fendler had five different drivers in ’73. Henley drove Jim McCormick’s cabover Red Man at Seafair. That was the famous “race in the rain” when Pay 'n Pak and Miss Budweiser had their deck-to-deck duels. Everyone else, including Henley, was filler for the show.

Things changed for Henley the following season. Mickey Remund, who had driven Pay 'n Pak, parted company with Pak owner Dave Heerensperger and went to drive Fendler’s new Lincoln Thrift. Henley was hired to drive the Pak.

Mechanical problems dogged Henley at first with Pay 'n Pak. The boat lost a rudder in a spring test at Tri-Cities, and mechanical problems kept them out of the winner’s circle at Miami. Henley won the President’s Cup then won a deck-to-deck duel against Howie Benns aboard Miss Budweiser at Owensboro. Pak won the World Championship at Tri-Cities. Sand Point on Lake Washington was the site of Henley’s first Gold Cup win, again beating Benns in thrilling deck-to-deck duels. Pay 'n Pak won a total of seven races that year on its way to the national championship. Then, Henley stunned the racing world by announcing his retirement on November 21.

Jim McCormick took over the Pay 'n Pak seat for 1975, but lasted two races. The boat was fast on straightaways, but a handful in turns. Heerensperger coaxed Henley out of retirement with a hefty financial package. Gradually the boat was returned to its 1974 form, but Billy Schumacher and Weisfield’s had a commanding lead in point standings. Henley and Schumacher hooked up for some terrific duels at Madison, with Pay 'n Pak taking the win. The Pak was back. Henley went on to win another Gold Cup, and edged Pay 'n Pak past Weisfield’s to take the national championship. He won five of the last six races in the process.

When Heerensperger sold the Pak team to Bill Muncey at the end of the season, Henley retired as a driver. This time the decision was permanent. He drove water jet boats on the Snake and Salmon Rivers in Washington State, and was a Hamilton Jet dealer.

Henley maintained his interest in hydroplane racing throughout his life. He rarely missed the Tri-Cities and Seafair regattas, and his family played host to Seattle Outboard Association at Henley’s Resort on Silver Lake near Eatonville. Henley always had time to talk with the racers, whether they were veterans or rookies.

Smilin’ George Henley left us far too soon. He will be remembered as one of the nicest, most approachable drivers the sport has known. His accomplishments as a winner will keep him in the record book as one of the top drivers of all time.

Chenoweth Takes Gar Wood Memorial

Reprinted from Sea and Pacific Motor Boat, September 1973

Gar Wood Trophy race on the Detroit River--A context for hydroplanes. In the pits. Photo by Joe Clark.

The unlimited hydros were at it again, and it was Mickey Remund in Pay 'n Pak and Dean Chenoweth in Miss Budweiser that grabbed the silver. The Gar Wood Memorial on the smooth Detroit River went to Miss Bud after some intense racing in front of 400,000 fans.

Remund beat Chenoweth in the first heat, only to lose in the finals. Drama was added when Pay 'n Pak sheared a propeller in a trial run three days before the event and ripped off much of the hull bottom. With the help of other teams, the crew worked for 60 hours straight to repair the damage.

Gar Wood Memorial: 1, Miss Budweiser, Dean Chenoweth, 1100; 2, Pay 'n Pak, Mickey Remund, 1000; 3, Gale's Roostertail, Fred Alter, 925; 4, Red Man, Jim McCormick, 738; 5, Miss U.S., Tom D'Eath, 652.

Hydro Driver Fined For Remarks

Schumacher Out $500

By Chuck Ashmun
Reprinted from The Seattle Times, July 28, 1975

TRI-CITIES — Billy Schumacher today was fined $500 by the unlimited racing commissioner, George (Buddy) Byers, Jr., for remarks the Seattle driver made following yesterday’s Gold Cup race.

A threat of suspension, tossed out by the race referee, Bill Newton, was not carried out.

"I’m not going to let him off all that easy," Newton said after Byers decision was announced.

But it appears that the fine will stand by itself.

"I have the greatest respect for Billy . . . on the water," Newton added. "He doesn’t seem to know when to shut off his mouth."

Schumacher, driver of the Weisfield’s, said: "I think a man should be able to speak his mind when he’s in the right. And I was in the right. We should have freedom of speech. Without it, we’re in trouble."

Byers’ ruling followed a post-race interview in which Schumacher said:

"I was cheated. In my mind, it was a poor decision on the part of the referee; and he’ll probably suspend me for saying it."

Newton, the race referee, at the time unaware of the reaction from the Weisfield’s driver, said:

"I don’t care what Billy says, but if what I see in the newspaper . . . is contradictory, I may take drastic action.

"By drastic, I mean really drastic. One year."

What Schumacher also said was:

‘He’s supposed to be God. I’d sure like to see him walk across the river, though."

Schumacher was nodding toward the mighty Columbia.

Schumacher’s anger surfaced after Newton had ruled that the Seattle driver would be fined $100 for a racing infraction, then changed his mind.

Newton said he rescinded the fine "out of good sportsmanship," but Schumacher insisted he had broken no rules to begin with.

"This whole thing is ridiculous," fumed Schumacher. "I should get the points." When Newton rescinded the fine, he did not restore the 169 points which Schumacher felt he should have received for finishing fourth in yesterday’s first heat.

With those points, the Weisfield’s today would be the national point leader in unlimited-hydroplane standings. Without them, Weisfield’s ranks second behind the Pay 'n Pak.

The ruling came about after Schumacher, leading the first-heat field lost engine power because of a blown supercharger. He continued to drive around the course, however, at a much slower pace.

Newton, after consulting with his assistant referees, ruled that a black flag should be flown, signaling to Schumacher that he was creating a hazardous wake and that he should pull off the course.

"I didn’t even see a black flag until I was headed down the straightaway on the last lap," said the driver.

"The race (for the top spots) was over. I was not endangering anybody with my wake."

The rule in question has to do with what the hydro people call "planing." Boats are required to maintain a plane — skim over the surface — rather than drop down to the extent that the craft is traveling through the water instead of over it.

Schumacher says he maintained a plane. Newton said: "Billy may think he was, but . . . no way."

"I’m humiliated after today, and I think the crew is, too," Schumacher said after the race.

Of the Pay 'n Pak win, he said, "It was not their performance. It was our lack of performance."

The Pay 'n Pak owner, Dave Heerensperger, said: "You have to think that way in boat racing. You have to be optimistic."

Schumacher said he received some repercussions after the Weisfield’s camp elected not to try for the course qualifying record here and added:

"The way today went, we should have gone for it. In Seattle we probably will. I don’t know."

Newton said, "The rule is automatic. A boat must automatically pull off the course when it’s not in a plane, even without a black flag.

"This rule was put in at our meeting in Detroit. Ironically, it was proposed by Les Rosenberg."

Rosenberg owns the Weisfield’s.