How about it? Are you in?

The 12-year-old me was standing along a bulkhead among a crowd of many, in Toms River NJ. We were all smelling the unmistakable aroma of spent high octane racing fuel exhaust and stretching our eyeballs to look out at Barnegat Bay! Already some half mile down range, we could see the tall rooster tail of the boat that just passed our position. I recall listening to the smooth sweet sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engine, do you? Yes, it’s the same engine that powered the revered WW II Spitfires and won the Battle of Britain! In 1961, they powered Miss Budweiser, Miss Bardahl, Miss Thriftway and many more top of the line hydroplanes driven by names like Mike McCormick, Bill Sterrell, Chuck Thompson and owned by guys with names that still resonate, like Guy Lombardo and Don Aronow! Wow, what I wouldn’t give to be standing on that shore line today with those sights and sounds of yesterday!

Do you remember those days? Have you ever thought of building a boat? Are you looking for a family project? Are you a veteran racer? Or, have you ever wondered what it would be like to race (anything)?

Guess what? The Cocktail Class Wooden Boat Racing Association (CCWBRA) can offer the first timer or the racing veteran all those things in a safe and family friendly pastime. Oh, don’t let the name of the organization throw you off, there are no adult beverages allowed for the racers/drivers before or during their event. It’s all about boats, fun and families! However, after a day of fun racing, in the heat of the summer, at the award ceremony afterwards there may be a beer or cocktail or two consumed, go figure.

From time to time, there are some used boats on the market (check out the classifieds) however, you may have more fun and involvement building your boat. The project is a very specific class hull design, dating from 1937, it really is fun to do with your kids, or grandkids and if you have a tolerant wife, she can work along with you. Members range in age from 12 to 87! The build requires no previous boat building experience, just some basic tool skills and lots of clamps. And these race boats can either be built from a lofting pattern for those that want that challenge the manual can be purchased in Ship Shop, or from a kit offered by Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis CLC.com! There are lots of good building tips and advice to be found in the forums as well!

Once you finish your boat, equip your racer with an older 6 HP 2 cycle, a newer or new Tohatsu 6 HP 4 stroke, or for those with excitement in mind an older 8 HP 2 stroke is your motor of choice. No need to modify your motor since any serious tinkering will lead to disqualification, everyone is expected to run stock engines. Tune up that engine to the original specs and you are off to the races.

This is the most affordable racing you may ever see, with most boats race- ready for under $4,000.00!

On race day, the course is set with several buoys to make for a challenging race and each heat can have up to 6 boats. These are short courses and it usually takes under 2 ½ minutes to run the course. Courses are set with a running start, and a timer that is visible to all racers. Each course is set up near shore, so everyone can watch the activities, join in the fun and cheer their racer on with the start and finish line in front of the racing committee to make those close calls for over early penalties and the finish order!

In addition, there are starters and officials watching each part of the race course. There are lefts and rights, hairpins and wide turns, give way/no passing zones are marked before each turning mark. Since safety is the first priority of the class, all boats are equipped with positive flotation, kill switches and drivers wear orange helmets and life jackets when on board. There is a fully equipped safety response boat on the course at all times.

Oh, I almost forgot, you are expected to name your racer after a cocktail, favorite or funny. So far, some of my favorites are Molotov, Flying Kiwi, Hot Toddy, Pickled Tink, to straight ups like Stoli NFL and of course there are the non-drinkers with names like Shrimp!

So far there are fleets all around the US and we have yearly races in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee and soon Texas, Rhode Island, Washington and Minnesota! Currently, there are over 300 members and 182 boats registered in the CCWBRA and the organization is growing at a steady rate!

See I told you this was a fun, safe and family way of getting some of those repressed feelings and long-ago memories back in the present!