Bernie Van Osdale: a Racing Life

Bernie Van Osdale, River Falls, Wisconsin, born January 8, 1945, was interviewed by Karl Williams in 2025.

Karl Williams: WHEN DID YOU START RACING?

You could say that I started boat racing twice. Below is a picture of me and my dad in 1946 in Florida. My dad, Ralph, started boat racing during the war years. His first boat was a Westcraft single-step hydro with an S-45 Johnson. He went on to build several 1935 design Crandall runabouts. Until 1953, when he died, I went to all of his boat races in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Since 1953, I read Boat Sport magazine and learned the names of the famous boat racers of the time. Little did I know that I would come to meet many of them.

Ralph Van Osdale and Bernie in Florida in 1946

Composite photograph of Bernie racing his father

My second start was when I stopped at a Standard gas station in northern Michigan to get gas for my car. The owner of the station was loading up his trailer to go to a boat race. The owner was Ed Thirlby. After discovering he raced PR and C-Service, I turned around and followed him to the race site. I asked Ed where I could buy some equipment and he suggested contacting Karl Williams in Springfield, Illinois, and the rest is history.

My first race was at the 1976 APBA Nationals in Winona, MN. I bought the equipment owned by the late Walter LaSalle of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from Karl Williams.

In 1978, I bought the Ring of Fire II from Duke Johnson and drove it for the next 20 years, before I bought a newer De Silva runabout from Wes Jones.

Ring of Fire II

My favorite boats to drive were the runabouts. I also raced a Marchetti canvas deck hydro. I never much liked the hydro.

Crandell designed racing runabout. Boat left half-built in 1953 and finished in 2005.

KR De Silva bought from Wes Jones

First turn DePue. M-12 Bernie Van Osdale, John Laird

I raced C Service Runabout and Hydro, and C Racing Runabout and Hydro, in the Antique Division. I also ran a C Mod Sorensen runabout twice, in both Huntington, Indiana, and Dayton, Ohio. I soon learned that the C Mod Sorensen bounced around until it was wide open. I preferred the “Old Cadillac.”

These 40 years of racing experience and being a part of the sport eventually led me to write the book “Vintage Motorboat Racing.” Karl Williams told me it was in a class by itself. I wanted to write something good for the boat racers that represented the spirit of the time, a time that would never come again. I enjoyed researching and writing the book.

I enjoyed the entire Antique Division and the people I raced with, as well as the drivers of other classes from all over the country.

E-8 Bernie Van Osdale, H-81 Jack Campbell, R-21 Mike Cruver, K-46 Chester Greynolds, R-53 Dave Losvar.

Although I’ve won four National Championships—Canadian Boating Federation Nationals, Gravenhurst (1978) and Sydenham (1979), and APBA Nationals in Spring Bay, and DePue, Illinois, I think my favorite memory was my 1997 second-place finish in C Service runabout at DePue, Illinois, between Steve Greaves and Jack Campbell. I could never beat those guys.

(L-R) Steve Greaves, Bernie Van Osdale, Jack Campbell

All of my engine work was done by Stan McDonald, Ed Thirlby, and Karl Williams. I consider these three as my lifelong friends, as well as Ralph De Silva. The props that worked best for me were Cary and Stannus.

Stan McDonald and Bernie Van Osdale

In addition to racing, I also served as PRO Commissioner and Chief PRO Referee.

(Left to right) Bernie Van Osdale, Ralph De Silva, Wes Jones, Bill De Silva

My favorite race site was Constantine, Michigan.

Karl Williams: WHAT WERE YOU INVOLVED WITH OUTSIDE OF BOAT RACING?

I was a fan of Sprint Car and Formula 1 car racing.

I have a Bachelors degree in Political Science and a Masters degree in Public Administration. Both degrees were from Indiana University. After graduating, I was the city manager of three cities in Michigan and one in Wisconsin. In between degrees, I was in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1972 and served a year (1969) in Vietnam as a Ground Radio Operator.

I have 40 outboard motors and 25 boats in my collection. The engines are mostly racing engines, all functional and restored. I also have a 1939 Hacker inboard, a few antique wooden outboards from the 1950s, a sailboat, wood/canvas canoes, kayaks, and an ice boat. I enjoyed a family pontoon boat on the St. Croix River for about 10 years. It could be said that I have an interest in boating! My wife thinks I have a boat problem.

Bernie’s book