"Super" Boat Unveiled [1959]
By Joe Dowdall

Miss United States III "Super" Boat Unveiled "Floating Laboratory" Unveiled

A high speed "testing laboratory" that may bring the world's water speed records back to Michigan was unveiled Wednesday at the Detroit Yacht Club. The floating "lab," called Miss United States III, is a multi-step hydroplane.

It took two years to build Miss United States III at Marine Research, Inc., in Bay City. The bullet-shaped 36 footer is powered by two Packard PT engines that develop 3,000 horsepower.

The hull will ride on one forward step, two long sponson-like steps and the two propellers to make it a, five-pointer. The pilot, still. unnamed, will ride amidships with the engines in the rear.

"We sacrificed some speed and horsepower for dependability," said Bob Evans, vice president of Evans Products and creator of the new boat.

"Miss United States III is designed to run all day in excess of 100 miles an hour. When the boat planes — on only 27 square inches of running surface — we expect it to shatter the present propeller-driven record of 197 miles an hour.

"Tests on five models of the boat showed the hull is designed for speeds up to 400 miles an hour. We can replace the PT engines with jets and try for Don Campbell's 265-mile-an-hour record."

Evans explained that the boat was built to test new marine materials-and designs rather than just as a high speed racer. The United States Navy aided in the building of the boat.

George Eddy, veteran designer of fast runabouts, and Doug Van Patten, who designed several Gold Cup boats, designed the craft. Eddy's firm built the boat.

Gold Cup owners and drivers on hand for the unveiling were skeptical of the boat's chances as a. record breaker. They think the pound-per-horsepower ratio is too great.

Miss United States III weighs 13,000 pounds and has only 3,000 horsepower. The Gold Cup boats weigh 5,200pounds and have more than 2,000 horsepower.

Miss United States III will get her first tests on Saginaw Bay near the end of the month.

(Reprinted from the Detroit Free Press, 1959)

[Thanks to Tom Jewett for help in preparing this page —LF]

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