Ron Baker Sr....

[Scott Gilmore]

This was a MAN who was all about Allisons .And then some +++ Scott http://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?223908-Ron-Baker-Sr

 

[22R]

RIP Mr Baker. Prayers to his Family.

22R

 

[Mr. Scary]

It's funny...I basically grew up in the HydroStream plant HATING Allisons and anybody that drove one. That was how I was conditioned. Back then, it was HydroStream versus Allison and although there were some other boats (Baja, Checkmate, etc) HydroStream and Allison were #1 and #1a (not necessarily in that order). I never thought I'd see the day when a Baker got in an Allison let alone became a dealer. But he went down and met Darris and Nancy, looked at the boats and never looked back. I think the most fun he ever had was driving an XB-2002 comp with a highly modified OMC on it. That boat was like a bucking bronco...it punched so hard that he nailed it, put it up on its side and it threw him out once. That boat was a LOT of fun.

He LOVED his GrandSport and his AllyShot. He always had a soft spot for the old HydroStreams but he had a lot of respect for what Darris did with the boats - the quality, design, performance, etc.

 

[Jimxb02]

Sorry about your loss Sam.

Your father was a force in the marine industry, a great inovator and a hands on guy who was tops at the drafting table or driving full out at any race he was at.

I owned a Hydrostream Vector for ten years before I bought an Allison XB2002 . The years he was at Hydrostream were years of great advances in the industry that he was a big part of. He will be missed by his friends and family and also by the many who never met him but benefited from his work.

Jim

 

[FLYING BUTCHER]

Really sorry to hear of the passing of your father Samn. It is wonderful that you had such a great releationship with him and both enjoyed the boating industry. Prayers send for you and your family, have fun be safe

 

[ziemer]

He LOVED his GrandSport and his AllyShot. He always had a soft spot for the old HydroStreams but he had a lot of respect for what Darris did with the boats - the quality, design, performance, etc.

Sam, was that your Dad's GS at the Palatka race years ago? I think it was like a teal and white color (I think it was that color, been many MIller Lite's ago :beer???

I too was a Hydrostream kid...my Dad had several Vector's as I was growing up and he even raced outside of Houston against the Allisons in the roundy-rounds. The last one we had was an '82 gold metal flake Vector with a 140 V4 Johnson. That was my first taste of driving a pad-v bottom. When we first moved to Florida I had an original '83 Vector Blue/Silver metalflake with a 200 Mercury and after a rough ride on Lake George was covinced an Allison was the boat for me.

I had first seen the Grand Sport at that Palatka race, and shortly thereafter met up with JR in Silver Glen to get an up close eye on one. It didn't take but that one rough ride back on Lake George for the wife to insist we sell the Vector and upgrade to the Ally. :beer:

8 years later, and it's still the best 20' V-bottom out there.

 

[racerx]

I think most of us owned hydrostreams in the beginning,after we tore the transumes out of them ,myself all of them,i seen my 1st allison xr2002 and i had to have it,and i have never ripped a transome out of them,so to me allison is number 1 plus.....Palatka was a great race,and big Ron did a great job,then we went to his house and picked oranges

 

[Darth VMAX]

Sorry about your loss Sam. Prayers sent...

I love hearing the stories about your father. He sounded like a great man

 

[johnnyracer]

Sorry for your loss Sam.......Prayers on the way..

 

[David Lanham]

Prayers to the Baker Family.

I was fortune to meet Ron long ago.

Ron helped with the rebuild of a Second Effort MOD I Cross flow that was hung on the back of my Allison 2002.

 

[bruce pitts]

prayers sent out to the family

 

[RedAllison]

Wow I'm TRULY sorry Sam. Just now saw this, been really busy and away from the sites much for the last few weeks. Man I'm truly saddened to hear this. I know you think of your father much the same way I do of mine.

Godspeed Mr. Ron and may his strength be with the Baker family.
RA

 

[whipper]

Sam your a very fortunate man to have had Father like Ron. I alway have in the back of mind that he ran a Grand Sport with a stock 225 over 100MPH!! I realize how special that is having tryed everything to do this myself to no avail. I saved the info you gave me a few years back telling me what kinda prop he used. It sounds like you learned a lot from your father and his legacy will live on thanks to you and his wisdom. I hope you can always celebrate his life because it sounds like he a good one. Wish I had the chance to meet him like so many others were fortunate enough to have. Condolences. James

 

[Mr. Scary]

Yep, he had a Teal/White GrandSport with a 225 ProMax. With a 32" Cleaver, he was able to run it about 103. He ran it in that Jacksonville to Palatka race down the river and came in second. That was before Rapair could work those boxes. He used a couple "ancient Chinese secrets" to trick the box into going leaner and that was good for a couple of MPH on top end. He said it was running about 101-103 with two people that day. It was an awesome running boat.