1904 APBA Gold Cup [first running] - New Auto Boat Record [Day 2]

1904 APBA Gold Cup [first running]
Hudson River, New York City NY, June 23-25, 1904

New Auto Boat Record [Day 2]
Standard Does Better Than 20 Knots an Hour on Hudson
Second Challenge Cup Race
Water Lily, The Defeated Boat, Also Shows High Speed in Thirty-Two Mile Run

Still another record in auto boat speed in America was made yesterday when the Standard, in the second 32-mile race for the Challenge Cup, offered by the American Power Boat Association, covered the course on the Hudson River at an average of 20.53 nautical miles an hour. This is equivalent to 23.61 statute miles, and the Standard's average for the entire distance was 2 minutes 55 seconds per nautical mile. This makes a record for American auto boat racing, although the world's record is held by the French boat, Marsouin, which lately did 23 miles.

The auto boat enthusiasts and yachtsmen grouped about the dock of the Columbia Yacht Club, foot of West Eighty-sixth Street, where the race was started, were more than pleased at the excellent time shown by the winning boat. Lewis Nixon, who was an interested spectator, spoke in high terms of the Standard and the splendid way in which she was managed by her owner, C.C. Riotte. It illustrated, said Mr. Nixon, the future possibilities in speed of auto boats.

The Standard and Water Lily, the latter of 37 horse power and owned by Frank Seaman of the Yonkers Yacht Club, were the only starters in the second event for the Challenge Cup. The Fiat I, which was disabled on the preceding day, did not appear, although C.H. Tangeman had said that his boat would be repaired at once so as not to miss the race. The injuries, however, were probably more serious than at first imagined, for the Water Lily, which also struck a log, bending her propeller, was in the hands of repairers all night.

The boats started at the same time as in the first race, 3:05 o'clock, and ran up the river with the tide and a light wind to a point near Piermont, sixteen miles, the return journey being made against the tide. President W.H. Ketcham was at the Piermont end of the course, and when he telephoned to the club that the Standard had rounded the stake boat at 3:50, it was at once realized that the 110-horse-power Standard was being worked for all she was worth, as that was about three minutes faster than the boat did in the first race. The sixteen-mile run up the river gave the Standard the remarkable high average of 21.33 knots an hour, being a mile in 2:48. Word again came that the Water Lily had rounded the mark at 3:57:30, indicating that the latter boat was also showing to better advantage and up to that point had beaten the Standard on corrected time, as the latter allowed the Water Lily 17:14 for the thirty-two miles.

The homeward journey again showed the superiority of the powerful Standard engines. for she did not lose appreciably, making an average of 19.79 knots against the tide, which was slightly better than she did for the entire race on the previous day, her grand average then being 19.63 knots. The Standard was 45 minutes in making the first sixteen miles, and 48:30 on the return journey, denoting great steadiness and reliability whether with or against the tide. Her total time for the 32 miles was 1:33:30. The Water Lily lost considerably on the return run, requiring nearly ten minutes longer. Her elapsed time for the course was 1:54:40; her corrected time, deducting the allowance given by the Standard, was 1:37:26, and she averaged 16.72 knots per hour.

The final race will be sailed over the same course to-day, starting at the same time. The summary:

CHALLENGE CUP, SECOND RACE 
Course, 32 miles; start, 3:05 P.M. 
Boat and Owner        Finish  Time    Cor'd Time 
Standard, C.C. Riotte 4:38:30 1:33:30 1:33:30 
Water Lily, F. Seaman 4:59:40 1:54:40 1:37:28

Standard won by 3:26 corrected time. Average speed per hour, 20.53 knots, 23.61 statute miles. Average time per nautical mile, 2:55. Water Lily averaged 16.72 knots per hour, with an average of 3:35 per mile.