This picture is very intersting for those of us left that raced in the late 60's.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-Boat-Race- ... 2a26c6f2bfThe class is Family J which was 99 cubic inch motors on production hulls. The top 3 boats running here in the championship are all 16 foot Checkmates. No pad! Notice the lead boat. The steering is on the left, not in the centre. I raced the same class with a Checkmate was well. On some courses the boat turned better with the steering on that side. Many of us raced with dual ride guide steering and we had two positions for the steering middle and left. For some races you had to run a passenger was well, many had the passenger in the front. We put the passenger in the back because there was no power trim and the passenger became the trim adjustment by moving around in the boat. I was only the passenger one time. A one hour race and I got so beat up in the boat that I couldn't stand up after the race.
