Hydrobowl racers from 2004 include L to R 'checking on a newfangled invention of cell phone' Aaron Styles, Dan Grow, Jake Free, Bob Buerger and Steve Mar.
Hydrobowl racers from 2004 include L to R 'checking on a newfangled invention of cell phone' Aaron Styles, Dan Grow, Jake Free, Bob Buerger and Steve Mar.
The Shutt Memorial Hydrobowl 2004 was mostly overshadowed by the sad event of the passing of BILL MURPHY . Bill was with us not two weeks before, doing what he liked doing best. He was racing HPV when he suddenly collapsed at the Kenosha Velodrome. He was a lead player in the "Skunk Works": a builder hackerspace for faired bikes, human powered boats, special vehicles.... One time he brought in a front wheel drive (rear wheel steer?) bike. It had such a sharp turning radius that it could pivot within its own length. As far as boat went, Bill revolutionized the "pedal board" with his "Transducer Series" (he worked building electret microphones for hearing aids). He would bring in a new drive, or boat for that matter every time he showed to a race. He was fully engaged in the inventing business with BOTH being prolific and ingenious!!! He will be long remembered and greatly missed.
There were two new boats this year that were "christened European style" at what will be known as "Murphy's Pier"
Bill Murphy launched his boat from a narrow dusty rocky opening in the brush along the pond. This year, Elkhart Parks installed a floating dock, and boat launch there that is paved all the way to the parking lot. Also a new gazebo was put in.
Murphy's Pier looking towards shore. Note the paved boat launch which continues back to the parking lot.
Murphy's Pier
On previous Elkhart Hydrobowls, the boats would be shouldered and launched at a main break through the brush that surrounds the pond. A couple of alternate fishing paths included a steep rocky dusty entrance 20 yds to the left of this main pathway. While the other racers would use this main pathway, Murphy would choose to launch at this small path to the left. This year the Elkhart Parks Dept. installed a gazebo in the clearing between the water tower and pond and a full floating pier complete with variable level ramp (Hayden Pond changes water levels quite a bit). The dock holds a hundred people and the boat ramp is paved all the way from the parking lot! First, thanks to Elkhart Parks, and second, it is almost divine that the timing matches with Bill's passing.
"Eoropean Christening"
"European" means that the boat builder starts with a violently shaken 2 liter bottle of soda, hopefully warm, pops the lid and sprays everybody in the audience. The pier proved to provide a captive audience. A moment of silence for bill, as well as black arm bands for the upcoming races is observed and it off to the competition.
Two new boats this year were Daniel Grow's and Jake Free's new recumbent monohulls.
Also, an unuasual event at Hayden Pond was the occourance of the freshwater jellyfish. They are well documented at this location, but haven't been encountered by this director in the many visits to the pond in many years! Appearing similar to saltwater varieties, and swimming the same way, they are about 1/2 inches in diameter, shallow bowl/saucer shapped with a slight fringe around the perimiter of the bell, and a four point star graphic at the crown of their transparent body.
In the sprints, Jake Free snuck in early with a 25.2, (8.8 miles/hr) and while Paul Neidermann got close with a 26.8 (8.2 mi/hr), it wasn't like the sub 26's paul was known for a season or two ago, and nobody, including Free came close to that bar in the sprints again.
Neidermann got redemption in the slalom with a 1:56.8. With Paul being the only slalomist to break two minutes, the game was affoot.
The most notable performance of today was the criterium. Although Free got away by almost a minute, both he and Niedermann chewed greatly the course record with Free attaining 13:15, and Niedermann a 13:54 (Free is eight seconds into the same lap as the national record holder for the Hydrobowl crit). Also of note was Dan Grow's new monohull. Although never having been waterbound, and having all sorts of bugs, Grow clocked a 14:42! So what about Bob? Well, as it turned out, Bob Buerger was still a little tuckered from having ran the slalom last. There were enough boats to run a second heat, especially when Free, Grow, and Aaron Styles decided to run the race again, with Free noted as saying something about "running interference". Buerger ran a 16:55 in the friendly swarm of repeat competitors.
9--04
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