Could everyone write one simple essay about something that once happened in Saltaire…that they saw or were a part of…and put it on one big website? Somebody should collect a lot of stories before we all forget. Otherwise it is like a line in “On The Beach” : The history of the war that now would never be written.” -(JO'H)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Demo Dave Standard and his First Eltro




From the archives of Ted Friend comes this classic photo. Pictured along with Dave Standard are Ted Friend and Chris Hull. The story I was told was that this was Dave's first Eltro. This boat was found sunken off Babylon. It was raised by these three pirates and brought back to Saltaire. They were cleaning the interior when this shot was taken, and Dave subsequently set out to attempt to restore the boat for his personal use. Apparently, this boat was too far gone to be saved, but as many Saltairians could tell you, he eventually did restore an Eltro and spent many good times cruising around the Bay. Something tells me that he is still tooling around in his Eltro somewhere.




Mary Campbell Cullen responds: "That's not the same boat as this, is it?
If so, we had many a happy times in that boat. Just ask Tipover Tim"







Derf has left a new comment on your post "Demo Dave Standard and his First Eltro": Yes Mary, That's the boat, and I am so glad we finally have a good photo of an Eltro on the site. This boat is a Great South Bay classic. Nothing beats the ride, unless of course that ride happens to be with Dave at the wheel. I think Dave even had a bitch'n sound system installed.



THE LEGEND OF TIPOVER TIM:



From Mary C. Cullen, more great stuff. Below Mary divulges the Legend of Tipover Tim.

Keep your stories coming, guys and gals we can't do it all ourselves and there are an infinite number of great stories yet to be heard. Only on http://www.saltaire38.blogspot.com/



Mary sez:


Yes, that was a terrific boat! So many, many great memories...

One night, a group of us hopped on the boat to go to the Inn. As was David's custom, he floored the boat just as we nosed out of the marina. As luck would have it, several of us were not yet in our seats. Tim Scanlan flew right off the boat into the water. And, thus the name Tipover Tim was born...

19 comments:

Derf said...

Yes Mary, That's the boat, and I am so glad we finally have a good photo of an Eltro on the site. This boat is a Great South Bay classic. Nothing beats the ride, unless of course that ride happens to be with Dave at the wheel. I think Dave even had a bitch'n sound system installed.

Anonymous said...

The Eltro had several models on the Great South Bay.

The 17', 19' and the 22'

The best deep-V riding hull was the 19'.

The 22' from about 2/3 to the stern the boat became some what flat bottom, it did not take the chop right.

The 17' there was not enough bottom for that length of hull.

FA

Anonymous said...

Over the years some of the larger Eltro's were converted to water taxis. Back in the mid 60's one of the fastest boats on the GSB was a deep V Eltro owned by Gene Bianco

Anonymous said...

That's correct- Island Water Taxi- Fire Island original water taxi - took 4 19' deep v eltros and made them USCG inspected for 14 people- 15 w/ the Captain using 200 hp Evinrude engines.

FA

Derf said...

Okay FA, This is an easy one but the shared name of these water taxis?

Anonymous said...

The Firefly's

Anonymous said...

Fire Fly Vi, Fire Fly Vii, Fire Fly Viii, FIre FLy ix and if you do not know Roman numerals Derf, the translation is 6, 7 , 8, and 9.

IWT also had one 22' Eltro - and was named Fire Fly X
(10)

FA

Anonymous said...

One last bit of Info- Fire Fly iii (3) was a 36' Chris Craft licensed for 26 for IWT.

FA

Anonymous said...

YES THE 36' CHRIS CRAFT(IN QUESTION (ALONG WITH A SISTER SHIP) USED TO RUN AS WATER TAXI'S TO THE GROVE AND PINES - I THINK THE NAMES WERE MONITOR AND MERRIMACK

Anonymous said...

Sorry- that is an incorrect statement - Re: the last statement. Currently the Monitor and the Merrimac are ferries for Sayville Ferry Co. They were never water taxis.
FA

Anonymous said...

No, check your sources. The two big Chris Craft sea skiffs I am referring to were in use in the late 50's and early 60's, were named Monitor & Merrimac and did run as water taxi's almost exclusively to the Grove and Pines. I was told by the operator of the boat you are referring to was in fact one of those two boats and that it had been put back in service a number of years ago.

Anonymous said...

In searching my 70+ year old memory it just came to me that I may be wrong on the names of those two Chris Craft water taxi's that served the Grove and Pines 50 odd years ago - though Monitor & Merrimac are my recollection - the name Nina and ?? comes to mind also. It couldn't be so easy that water taxi #2 be named after one of Columbus' other two ships?

Anonymous said...

santa maria was the other water taxi vessel
Owned by Randy and Sally
Red painted vessels
no flybridge like the Firefly III
FA

Anonymous said...

correction for clarification re: flybridge- Firefly III had one- the nina and the santa maria did not.

FA

Anonymous said...

FA: Can you please identify yourself- it is amazing how much info you have told us and how much more you have

Septuagenarisn said...

My mind may be failing but I do not believe the Nina and Santa Maria were painted red in the late 50's or early 60's nor did they have flying bridges. If I am correct they were either white or a very light shade of green. The owners resisted demands by the passengers to the Grove and Pines that the boats be painted in a nice shade of magenta.

Mastertech said...

Hi all - I purchased one of the Eltro water taxi's 4 or so years ago on Ebay.The paperwork for mine shows it's name as "The South Bay Concord" (Coast Guard certification for 14+1). The Young gentleman I purchased it from was a manager for a L.I. water taxi company. (I paid $1.00 for it as the only bidder and offered to let him cancel the auction). It is a 1963 model and was said to be the sister craft to the winner of the '63 marathon. It was stabilized when I got it home and is in reasonable condx. Repairs have begun for the summer season. I probably have the only L.I. water taxi in S.C.! Questions or comments are welcome - xxmastertechx@xrock.comxx (remove the x's)

Mastertech said...

The Eltro just revealed a tantalizing clue to its history. As I was cleaning the last two feet of the port side the outline of a number "66" appeared in the wood! Also, when looking at the transom it was originally cut for twin outboards then filled in for a single. Now Rich Luhrs (an Eltro factory driver) says because it is a full size hull it probably was a veteran of the "Around Long Island Marathon" or the Albany to NY race on the Hudson. These were the only two races he remembers using the full height hull sides. Now the kicker - Rich says if it ran the Hudson it would have a "JJ" before the numbers. There is not enough room between the numbers and the transom for two more characters, I don't think. (but I'll check to be sure). I'd like to ask you locals if anyone has any idea, recollection or maybe a pic of a number "66" Eltro in the 1963 marathon. (This boat is a '63 model)The saga continues.....Emails are welcome - XXmastertechXX@XXrock.comXX (remove the X's)

Unknown said...

The island water taxi Eltros were all the same 19 footers. There were 5. Firefly 6-9 all had 200 hp outboards firefly 10 had a 155. The Chris craft was the Nina. I was a capt for Island for several years.