Quote Originally Posted by westair View Post
Just read it, thanks ..... these boats go way back, 1959! ...... I think small block under 400 inch, forgot about the 396
The class was started with the advent of the v drive flat that had taken over ski racing. Like Shooter already said, SK was the designation for SKI boat. By 1958 the design was selling extremely well and was the boat type of choice in ski racing. Prior to the v drive flat, race boats were direct drive cracker, hydros, and service type boats like a Chris Craft type hull.

The first SKs were dominated by the 392 Chrysler Hemi usually with six 2 bbl carbs. Few used 389 Pontiacs and 394 Olds, and a few 390 Fords, but the Hemi was king. Then in 1965 the BBC 396 won and the switch to Chevy began.

The hemis won a lot of the first marathon races, todays GN, starting with the 1959 Orange Bowl 9 hour in Florida, and the first Salton Sea in 1961. But by 1963 the Ford FE 406 and 427 took over and lasted well into the 70s.

SK was the first v drive flat bottom class in APBA, all the others stemmed from the SK class, with different engine sizes and specs.