SIR ALTER EGO is a replica of a boat that raced in the early 60's.

The original was raced by my late friend and boat racing fanatic Dave Tilton.   "Uncle" Dave, as we all knew him was the road salesman for a local marine distributor.  He was known and loved by the New Jersey boat businesses, and was missed by all when he passed in 1994.  He was a regular at all the local boat races or at the yacht club.  His boat was built by a local NJ builder, Bill Kayer to plans by David Beach in 1959.  It began racing in 1961 with a Dodge Red Ran 273 V8 built by Dan Ardolino.  The name comes from the boat ALTER EGO, a 225 hydro owned by Bob Roland. It was the first limited hydro to break the 100 mph barrier.  He was an early hero of Uncle Dave’s.

The replica SIR ALTER EGO was built by his nephew Skip Gillam to honor his Uncle.  Skip started with a derelict fiberglass hull that had begun life as "Pop" Donley's PUNK from Annapolis MD. The original PUNK was built of wood by Pop Russel of Rumson, N.J. for John DeVitto of Long Branch, N.J. in 1964. This was the first Jersey Skiff to race outside of NJ.  A mold was made from this wood hull and a fiberglass hull was made.  This became the 2^nd PUNK and was raced by the Donley family in the 70's.  As what happens with many boats of this type, it was sold, lost, reported stolen, later recovered and then found abandoned in Florida in the early 90's.  At this point Skip found the boat, and it is put in line for a future restoration project back in Miami.  Because the remains were but a stripped hull, Skip decided to start from scratch and make this into a special project.  Since the earlier wood skiff's were built a plank higher than their later wood and fiberglass counterparts,

Skip decided to add a plank back to this hull.  The refit also consisted of replacing all internal structures.  The new bulkheads and decks are all bright finished mahogany plywood to best replicate its wooden ancestor.  True to the original, she sports blond oak covering boards, deck trim and a varnished mahogany transom.

Now powered by a 300 HP 350 Chevy SIR ALTER EGO once can be found back on the very same New Jersey waters that her ancestor raced over 40 years ago.  Somehow I know Uncle Dave approves.