Quicksilver G-15
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week">
Orth Mathiot & Thompson Whitaker
In the qualifying heat of motorboating's classic Gold Cup race at Seattle last week, Driver Orth Mathiot barely managed to make the minimum 65 m.p.h. speed in his blue-grey Quicksilver, a sleek, new. 31-foot hydroplane. Devil-may-care Mathiot, a Portland, Ore. tugboat operator, was not really expecting Quicksilver to win the cup. Neither were Seattle's boat-racing fans, who turned out at nearby Lake Washington to cheer their hometown entry, Slo-mo-shun V, which set two records in the first of three final runs—97.826 m.p.h. for a three-mile lap, 91.766 m.p.h. for the 30-mile heat.
But Skipper Mathiot wasn't complaining. While Slo-mo-shun V also took the second heat. Mathiot and Crewman Tom Whitaker sat it out in the pit, working on the balky engine. "Aw, we're in this race for fun," said Mathiot. "What the hell."
Back for the final heat. he gave 250,000 spectators a thrill by whipping so narrowly past the observation barge that newsmen aboard could count the stitches on his lifebelt. Then, 300 yards past the barge, Quicksilver began the turn. Suddenly the big hydroplane flipped over, vanished in a geyser of white spray. When the mist settled, only flotsam remained-a few splinters of grey plywood, a seat cushion, one shoe with a sock still inside.
Horrified race officials ran up a red flag, fired their signal cannon. After ten minutes Slo-mo-shun V's winning driver. Lou Fageol, finally spotted the wave-downs, eased his boat alongside the barge. Two hours later, divers found the body of Orth Mathiot, next day brought up what was left of Tom Whitaker.
(Reprinted from Time, August 13, 1951)
Quicksilver G-15 |
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"The Saturday afternoon of Seattle's first Gold Cup Race, August 4, 1951, was warm
and clear. In the third heat, Orth Mathiot, 56, and his mechanic, Thompson Whitaker, 27,
were riding in Quicksilver, a Rolls-powered, 31-foot hydroplane from Portland,
Ore. Without warning-and to the horror of some 250,000 spectators at the lake-the Quicksilver,
porpoising badly, suddenly went out of control. It nosed down and dived to the bottom of
the lake, taking to their deaths the two occupants unfortunately strapped in with seat
belts. Viewing this unexpected tragedy from the press barge, KING-TV sports-announcer Bill
O'Mara, visibly shaken as he faced the camera, led his unseen audience in the Lord's
Prayer. The remainder of the Gold Cup race was cancelled and Slo-mo-shun V, with the most
points, was declared winner. Hours later the bodies of Mathiot and Whitaker were
recovered.
In the history of unlimited hydroplane racing this was the worst tragedy and the only loss
of life. Because of it, there now are stricter rules governing the qualification of boats
for competition, and now no one wears seat belts."
(Reprinted from This is Hydroplaning by Paul Lowney [1959])
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