The restorer of Whizzbang is Jim Anderson.  He lives in Girard PA (northwest corner along Lake Erie). He purchased this very tired and abused Baron skiff in 1998 in South Carolina, brought it home and completely refurbished the hull, inside & out. The motor is a 283 Chev. built to APBA vintage stock rules. Serial numbers show it was manufactured at the Tonawanda engine plant Feb. 1959.  When he ran at Clayton in 02', the water was so rough he cracked the hull in the first heat. Within the next two weeks it was repaired and painted so the boat could make the show at the Buffalo Launch Club.  He hasn't been able to find any history to date but had great fun running it out on Lake Erie. The boat was sold to Kathy Shuler March 04. 

 

Continuing the tradition, I broke the center turnbuckle the first three events I attended.  Then I went to Clayton in '04 and surprise! - hit a wave and cracked it too - but I waited until the last run on Sunday to do it.  Ouch!  But we're back together and having more fun than I thought possible.  I thought riding was amazing but skiffing in the driver's seat is the best.

 

George Baker gave me my first skiff ride at Clayton - and I was hooked.  Dave Yeager showed me how much fun it is to run on the ragged edge.  Dan Dobbins gave me the chance to drive one.  That was all she wrote, I had to have my own.

 

 

My name is Jim Anderson.  I live in Girard PA (northwest corner along Lake Erie).  I purchased this very tired and abused Baron skiff 3 years ago (1998) in South Carolina. I brought it home and completely refurbished the hull, inside & out. The motor is a 283 Chev. built to APBA vintage stock rules. Serial numbers show it was manufactured at the Tonawanda engine plant Feb. 1959.  We ran at Clayton in 02'.  The water was so rough we cracked the hull in the first heat. Within the next two weeks I repaired and painted the boat so we could make the show at the Buffalo Launch Club.  I have not been able to find any history to date but I've been having great fun running it out on Lake Erie. The boat was sold to Cathy Shuler March 04.

 

Jim Anderson