A New Dixie and a New Standard [1909]

Two Motor Boats For Monaco Races Racing Motor Boat Wrecked in Trial Trial Trip of the "Standard" Two American Boats for Monaco Models of Dixie II and III

America will be represented at the Monaco Motorboat meeting by two very fast boats--a new Dixie and a new Standard. The former boat is entered from the Thousand Islands Yacht Club by her owner, E. J. Schroeder, as Dixie II, but while she will bear the name of the wonderful racer that won the International trophy last August, she will be another boat, in so far as we have always adhered to the reasoning that the hull, and not the engine, is the boat. A new hull has been built from plans by Clinton H. Crane, which is said to be of the same lines as Dixie II. it is known that this hull is of heavier construction, and that some minor changes have been made in the arrangements. The new Dixie's hull will weigh twenty-five pounds more than that of Dixie II. it is utterly impossible to build two boats exactly alike. The same builder may build two boats from the same plan; he may use the same materials in both; he may be ever so careful in detail, seeing that the same workmen are employed in both jobs and that every little part is an exact counterpart. An actual trial of the boats will show differences. One will be more speedy than the other, will handle more easily. In short, there is individuality in boats, just as in man.

It is, therefore, rather a misleading statement to say that Dixie II will race at Monaco. The new racer will have the motor of Dixie II, but the hull--the boat--will be a new one. She may be faster than the Dixie II, for the designers may have discovered a possibility for improvement. On the other hand, she may be considerably slower, may lack the wonderful elasticity of the real Dixie II. The new hull has been built by a different builder.

It has been announced that the Dixie's crew will be Captain Bartley Pearce and Engineer Albert Rappughn. Whatever may be said concerning the new boat there can be no question concerning the ability of the crew, and we can rest in comfortable assurance that these two veterans of motorboat racing will get the best results out of their boat.

The Standard is a new boat, not the Standard of the past. She is now nearing completion at Wood's Shipyard, City Island, New York, and is entered by her owner, Price McKinney. The Standard is also entered in the named of the Thousand Islands Yacht Club, and will be sent abroad in charge of C. L. Hayden. She is from a design by Clinton H. Crane, is built of mahogany with a double-planked hull, 16 meters in length (49.2 feet), and is equipped with a six-cylinder, double-acting Standard motor, 10 inches bore and strike, fitted with four magnetos. This is the same motor that was installed in the former Standard.

Both of the American racers will be shown at the exhibition of the International Sporting Club of Monaco, which opens on March 31. The American racers are entered in the following events:

Prize of Monte Carlo for racers of maximum length of 15 meters and unlimited power, distance 50 kilometers (31.4 miles), prize 10,000 francs.

The International Grand Prize. In this race each country will be represented by not more than three racers. The distance is 100 kilometers and the prize is 15,000 francs.

Mile and kilometer trials. The nautical mile with standing start and five kilometers for all boats that have covered the distance of 50 kilometers in one of the previous races, or a similar distance in the International Grand Prize race. The first prize for this event is 3,000 francs and a cup presented by the Prince of Monaco, valued at 10,000 francs. The second prize is 1,000 francs.

If the Dixie shows anything like the form which is expected of her, there is very little doubt as to her ability to show the foreign boats that a clean pair of heels, and if the Standard comes up to the expectations of her owner, she will likewise give a splendid account of herself.

(Transcribed from MotorBoat, Feb. 10, 1909, p. 48. )

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page —LF]

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