1982 32 Cobra Raceboat Restoration- Team Saris

[fast fun 2]

Heres a link to the OSO thread, but ill post a lot of it here
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/classic-offshore/266663-1982-32-cobra-raceboat-restoration.html

Its kind of a cool story why we bought this boat. Back in 1982, it was brought to Harbor 1 (where my father worked for Keith Hazell as shop manager) as a complete bare hull. Jason had the task of rigging it as a sport class raceboat. While rigging and running it, Jason fell in love with it. The lines, the way it ran, all of it. It was also never raced (in the states). The owner lost his throttleman and just used it as a pleasure boat in Ft. Lauderdale. Soon the boat was sold, Tommy at Chief owned it for a while before it made its way to Sweden as a raceboat. So, over 30 years later, I found the boat sitting at MDG Marine in Maryland. Completely stripped, wet stringers, stress cracked deck, rough shape. I backed it in the driveway Dec 23, 2011. Merry Christmas dad! We finished the restoration literally HOURS before having to leave to make the first race this year, the Atlantic City Grand Prix. Good news, we won! And it got better from there. A second in Long Beach Long Island, First in the National Championships race in Solomons Md and then the big one.....An OPA World Championship in Ocean City Maryland this October.
Matt Trulio did a nice story on our season right here-
http://www.offshoreonly.com/articles/awesome/father-and-son-conquer-the-opa-worlds-part-ii

Anyway, enjoy the ride, here we go!

[fast fun 2]

This is the finished product, how it looks today-
The 32 Cobra went on to become the 33 Powerplay, and is the same hull as the 32 Cary, which is what Don's "The Cigarette" was.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/1002770_593895027300639_251035323_n1_zpsd12918b8.j pg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/1002770_593895027300639_251035323_n1_zpsd12918b8.j pg.html)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/p939671354-4_zps5292f460.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/p939671354-4_zps5292f460.jpg.html)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/1394173_10201536868836662_184342782_n_zps13c30b58. jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/1394173_10201536868836662_184342782_n_zps13c30b58. jpg.html)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/sarisbig_zpsc89f1e25.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/sarisbig_zpsc89f1e25.jpg.html)

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/557823_625188140837994_471272353_n_zps4b42a18f.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/557823_625188140837994_471272353_n_zps4b42a18f.jpg .html)

[fast fun 2]

This is how it looked when we bought it.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/406621_318453888178089_100000404403560_1123911_136 9622395_n_zps640e6d71.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/406621_318453888178089_100000404403560_1123911_136 9622395_n_zps640e6d71.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/2011-12-31_14-18-23_373.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/2011-12-31_14-18-23_373.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/2011-12-30_13-02-55_774.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/2011-12-30_13-02-55_774.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/2011-12-29_16-27-55_990.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/2011-12-29_16-27-55_990.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/cobrabow.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/cobrabow.jpg.html)

[woobs]

Very cool boat!

[fast fun 2]

A LOT of sanding, filling, sanding, filling later....
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/47647_511497702207039_951376456_n_zpsba722c92.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/47647_511497702207039_951376456_n_zpsba722c92.jpg. html)



Let the rigging begin! We talked to Mr. Dan Weinstein about the alignment of the engines and the X-Dimension. Ended up with a fairly aggressive drive height and 18in centers.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/320940_515527798470696_390376002_n_zps75450e2b.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/320940_515527798470696_390376002_n_zps75450e2b.jpg .html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/76972_515617318461744_1773247552_n_zpsbcc77dad.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/76972_515617318461744_1773247552_n_zpsbcc77dad.jpg .html)

[fast fun 2]

The aluminium hatches that came on the boat weighed a TON. One of the reasons the deck was so stressed cracked towards the rear. So we welded them together, made a mold, and made our own, lightweight balsa cored hatch.
We test fitted it on the boat as well
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/hatch2_zps8cbe367b.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/hatch2_zps8cbe367b.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/251273_475761245780685_2009330974_n_zps3b741821.jp g (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/251273_475761245780685_2009330974_n_zps3b741821.jp g.html)

[fast fun 2]

More rigging....some pictures of the Saris Racing Engines going together too. They are a de-tuned version of our 700hp "SR1 Stacker" engine. 650hp each.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/BHccuSgCcAA6weU_zpsf5f998ed.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/BHccuSgCcAA6weU_zpsf5f998ed.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/BHafISVCMAEwl-B_zps60665b06.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/BHafISVCMAEwl-B_zps60665b06.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/sr1sr2_zps03798a1a.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/sr1sr2_zps03798a1a.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/487375_516965308326945_1266202208_n_zps3bbcd20e.jp g (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/487375_516965308326945_1266202208_n_zps3bbcd20e.jp g.html)

[fast fun 2]

Test fitting the bolster. Upholstery was done by Precision Patch Werks, Tim Duerr.
Of course we needed cool Tee-Shirts to go to the Worlds with too :biggrin:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/559643_483786848311458_378845363_n_zps247b9655.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/559643_483786848311458_378845363_n_zps247b9655.jpg .html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/SARIS_2013proof01_zps8b9a554d.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/SARIS_2013proof01_zps8b9a554d.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/IMG_20130119_153933_3511_zps7565268f.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/IMG_20130119_153933_3511_zps7565268f.jpg.html)

[fast fun 2]

After we finished the glass work in the bilge we could paint the bilge and the tanks
We also did some glass work to the windscreen, and decided on white rather than yellow for it.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/1002795_583335221689953_2125381117_n_zps1ee0b92e.j pg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/1002795_583335221689953_2125381117_n_zps1ee0b92e.j pg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/cobrajpg1_zps95e9c9e6.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/cobrajpg1_zps95e9c9e6.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/BF1Lxq1CIAASojd_zps770b1be1.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/BF1Lxq1CIAASojd_zps770b1be1.jpg.html)

[MDonziM]

Thanks for posting over here although I followed the oso thread through your resto. Awesome boat and congrats on your race results so far. Whats the history of Cobra and Powerplay? Just happened across a powerplay 33 that looks like the same hull. I am just starting a resto on an 82 Midnight that I would love to put your power setup in but I'm keeping the outboard bracket for now.

[jl1962]

Great story, Johnny. You can't make this stuff up!

I didn't realize the boat had been to Sweden and back. I also didn't realize it's the same hull as The Cigarette.

What do you guys have planned for 2015?

[scippy]

Love the staggered engines with those velocity tubes!!!....You found the perfect hull to set your racing goals upon.
The story is the best........from it's disgarded state.....through all the repair.....then rigging and now it's winning life.
the vintage of Aronow is all over this boat, who needs a stepped bottom!.............you have some crew there!!

[fast fun 2]

Thanks for posting over here although I followed the oso thread through your resto. Awesome boat and congrats on your race results so far. Whats the history of Cobra and Powerplay? Just happened across a powerplay 33 that looks like the same hull. I am just starting a resto on an 82 Midnight that I would love to put your power setup in but I'm keeping the outboard bracket for now.
Id go with two 300xs, im afraid Verados might be too heavy for it

[fast fun 2]

Great story, Johnny. You can't make this stuff up!

I didn't realize the boat had been to Sweden and back. I also didn't realize it's the same hull as The Cigarette.

What do you guys have planned for 2015?
Hey Jay,
Im hearing a rumor that Santa is bringing you a tele? :D

Yeah, shes been all over. 2014 were going for a National AND World Championship ;)

[fast fun 2]

Love the staggered engines with those velocity tubes!!!....You found the perfect hull to set your racing goals upon.
The story is the best........from it's disgarded state.....through all the repair.....then rigging and now it's winning life.
the vintage of Aronow is all over this boat, who needs a stepped bottom!.............you have some crew there!!
Thank you! As a lot of the guys here know, our family business is Performance Marine in Lake George. Its nice being able to promote the business AND go racing. Jason has been racing since 1982, raced cats, vees, everything. Absolutely loves this boat.
Its funny you mention steps, our previous raceboat was a Kryptonite that im now using as a Lake Boat. I love the boat but what a handful in the turns! Fine for pleasure boating but for real racing, I much prefer the Cobra.
The Kryptonite

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/_DSC0021.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/_DSC0021.jpg.html)

[fast fun 2]

All the dash panels were custom made and painted by us, including fabricating our own trim indicators

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/933963_580047072018768_2060601402_n_zpsa9d8d5cb.jp g (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/933963_580047072018768_2060601402_n_zpsa9d8d5cb.jp g.html)

[fast fun 2]

Some of the under dash wiring, another bilge shot and sitting on the trailer after our first real test session in the boat....the Atlantic City Grand Prix

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/1002266_582400375116771_1424038120_n_zpsb29caecf.j pg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/1002266_582400375116771_1424038120_n_zpsb29caecf.j pg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/270452_586663451357130_883456413_n_zpsd7f39f38.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/270452_586663451357130_883456413_n_zpsd7f39f38.jpg .html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/1173820_613480712008737_1766120424_n_zpsea8dd09a.j pg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/1173820_613480712008737_1766120424_n_zpsea8dd09a.j pg.html)

[jl1962]

Hey Jay,
Im hearing a rumor that Santa is bringing you a tele? :D



A Tele and a '56 Champ!

78499

And maybe a nice steering upgrade for the Donzi!

[fast fun 2]

Coming in from winning the worlds, and the awards ceremony. Jason Saris- Owner/Throttles Johnny Saris- Driver
Verne French- Navigator
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/_MG_0532_zps3200124e.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/_MG_0532_zps3200124e.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/_MG_0536_zps4d21778d.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/_MG_0536_zps4d21778d.jpg.html)
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/fastfun2/_MG_05801_zps53ce2c46.jpg (http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/media/_MG_05801_zps53ce2c46.jpg.html)

[fast fun 2]

A Tele and a '56 Champ!

78499

And maybe a nice steering upgrade for the Donzi!
Cant wait to play it! Will have to start practicing my chicken picken

[fast fun 2]

I have a video of the motors on the dyno somewhere, will find it

[RockyS18]

What a great story and an awesome boat!

[fast fun 2]

What a great story and an awesome boat!
Thanks! Almost as cool as a 22 009.....

[fast fun 2]

Idling out in Ocean City78512

[fast fun 2]

http://s116.photobucket.com/user/fastfun2/library/Team%20Saris?sort=3&page=1
Just realized some of the pictures vanished...that link should contain all of them.