Notes From Up and Down the Coast [1909]

Short Items of Interest Sent in by Special Correspondence

WASHINGTON
Seattle

The various gas engine exhibits at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition are attracting a vast amount of attention among the visitors, and every booth is crowded with curious and interested people from morning until night. The exhibit of the Seattle Machinery & Supply Co. seems to appeal especially to Indians, a large number of the dusky visitors from the Puget Sound country having stopped in during the last several weeks and asked all sorts of questions about the Ferro engines on display. One of these visitors, Joseph George, an educated Indian and business man, became so interested that he ahs purchased a 3 h.p. Ferro, which he will install in his 18 ft. dugout. Mr. George lives on the salt water near Port Madison.

George Starrett of Port Townsend is the latest man to build a freak power boat. He has built a 30 ft. cruiser for use on the Sound, which has an inverted V-shaped bottom. He believes this innovation will add to both the speed and seaworthiness of the cruising type of boat. He is installing a 12 h.p.Gray motor and expects to make a showing with his new craft that will demonstrate the advantage of this new type of keel.

Bellingham

Several of the power boats of this city attended the regatta at Seattle July 1 to 10, among them being the Zip, owned by Kleinert & Edwards; the White Wings, owned by L. D. Pike, and the Hummer, owned by ex-Commodore Burpee of the Bellingham Bay Yacht Club.

CALIFORNIA
San Diego

The Fourth of July races at Tent City, Coronado, this year have demonstrated that motor boating is one of the strongest drawing cards in a programme. The motor boat races were one of the biggest topics of conversation among the spectators for many days after.

Messrs. Taylor and Emmerson are constructing a 42 ft. speed hull which will be able to go some. Her general dimensions are 42 ft. o. a., 7 ft. beam and 30 in. draught. She is mahogany finish, double-planked, and will have a cockpit 24 ft. long, which will give her a good seating capacity. With a high turtle back deck and the fine lines and handsome design, she will be one of the show boats of the bay. Her engines will be of some high-speed type, and a 100 h.p. Scripps is under construction.

A power boat race will be held by the yacht club on July 25 and another on August 1 which should make some good sport.

Capt. Sweet is about to launch his new 27 ft. speed model hydrocurve stern boat. She is of similar design to the Addie, and with the numerous improvements and higher power the new boat will be a strong factor in future races.

Sacramento

Mitchell & Klune’s Fighting Bob II will not be finished before the middle of August, a month later than originally planned.

The Red Raven has been undergoing a complete overhauling, but will be put in commission in a short time.

(Excerpts transcribed from Pacific Motor Boat, August 1909, pp. 42-47.)

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

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