This is what it was like when I was a teenage spectator. Lots of 3 pt hydros too with 10 hp (average) too. Tiny little 2 blade bronze props with hurrendous pitches on 1:1 Quicksilver racing lower units were the norm.
They called it "getting over the hump" back then. Today it's the "hole shot". On the 3 pts, they had a spring loaded single throttle control. Squeeze and the little prop would squirt water, release, squeeze-squirt with boat gaining speed, etc etc etc, finally over the hump and away they went.
The guy in the cowboy hat is none other than Roy Rogers, VP of Yellow Jacket boats at one time. Lots of pictures associated with this one on the
www....just google Roy Rogers and Yellow Jacket boats. He liked to race, lot of pics of that, and ride his 6 kids (with Dale Evans his movie star wife) around in his 16' Yellow Jacket with his 60 )when the first 6 cyl Merc came out and 70 hp later on "towers of power". I know he wore his cowboy boots most all the time but I just wonder if he had his spurs on too while racing? Who knows. Grin
That's a 25 Merc Hurricane in the pic, green alum cowling, first 4 cyl Carl (Kiekhaefer) built after his highly successful twins....see Chinewalker's Avatar for a racer.
http://www.pellegrinmarine.com/image...%20rogers).jpg