"Auto" Boats In a Crash
Vingt et Un Rams Water Lily — Race in Rough Water

Auto Boats in Collision "Auto" Boats In a Crash

It was not good weather to race such delicately constructed craft as the auto boats on the Sound yesterday, as those that tried it found out. A dozen or more boats entered for the power boat race of the American Yacht Club. Only two appeared for the endurance race, scheduled to start at 10 a.m., but seven turned up for the speed contest, which started at 3:35 p.m. The water was so rough that the committee changed the course from 20 miles to 14.4 and sent the boats, from the start off the Scotch Caps buoy, to and around Execution Light.

Then the trouble began. William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Hard Boiled Egg, to avoid drifting ashore on the Scotch Cap rocks, had to anchor. She was unable to start, and went back to Larchmont. The Vingt et Un ran into the Water Lily, smashing a bad hole in her side, just forward of the engine. The Vingt et Un's bow was also badly smashed. Both were forced to retire. The Dolphin II started, but she broke down while on the first round of the course. She was towed back. Those that completed the course were G. M. Plympton's Suis Moi and R. H. Stearns's Queen Bess. J. J. Amory's Queen started, but did not finish.

(Transcribed from the New York Daily Tribune, July 3, 1904, p. 6.)

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

Hydroplane History Home Page
This page was last revised Thursday, April 01, 2010 .
Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. Email us at wildturnip@gmail.com
© Leslie Field, 2001