Big Wind on the Water [1964 Hustler's Accident [1964] Lee Taylor Hurt in Record Run [1964] After the Accident New Assault on Speed [1966] Lee Taylor Record Run [1967] Lee Taylor's New Boat [1968] Rocket boat : Search Continues for Driver [1980] The Growl of Thunder [1989] The Fastest Boat Lee Taylor Hustler/Discovery II Photo Gallery

See also: U.S. Readies Jet Boat Assaults This Year On Water Speed Record [1965]

The Hustler was constructed by Rich Hallet, of oak, aircraft quality birch plywood and aluminum supplied by the Harvey Aluminum Company. The company was a major player in the early history of this boat. After Lee Taylor's accident at Lake Havasu, Harvey Aluminum paid Hallet so he could rebuild the Hustler at a cost of $3000. The boat really wasn't damaged has bad as Taylor was, who'd rolled out of the cockpit when he couldn't slow it down after a high speed run. The boat ran up on shore and stopped. Taylor's injuries were compounded when his rescue helicopter also crashed during take-off!

Harvey Aluminum in 1965, dissatisfied with Taylor's results at a Lake Mead trial, pulled their sponsorship when Taylor wouldn't relinquish the cockpit to Bob Stipp. Taylor had learned that Stipp was to replace him for a record run. It was at this point that other sponsors came aboard

(Comments by Parker Jones)

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