1907 APBA Gold Cup
St. Lawrence River, August 14-15, 1907

Gold Cup Races at Chippewa Bay

Gold Challenge Cup Gold Cup Races at Chippewa Bay Gold Cup Motorboat Races at Chippewa Bay The Gold Cup Race: Chip II Again Successfully Defends the Trophy

A large attendance witnessed the holding of the Gold Challenge Cup races of the American Power Boat Association at Chippewa Bay on August 14-15. Only seven boats were entered, all of which represented nearby clubs. The lack of outside competition is explained by the many cruises and races around New York city and the Atlantic coast this summer, coupled with the difficulty of reaching the Thousand Islands through the canal, which suffered serious damage in a recent break at the Syracuse weigh-lock. The St. Lawrence contingent have met all comers after the Gold Cup during the past four seasons, and the holding of the races here again next year is now an assured fact.

The Chippewa Yacht Club was again represented by Chip II, the speedy little racer owned by Jonathan Wainwright of Philadelphia, winner of the Cup last summer. This boat is 30 feet 3 inches, and is rated at 61.3 A. Vingt-Trois represented the Frontenac Yacht Club. Her rating is 67.64. Stranger, rating at 95.10, carried the colors of the Thousand Islands Yacht Club, and Delawana of the Clayton Yacht Club. The latter craft is rated at 69.41. The Crescent Yacht Club of Chaumont, was represented by entering Guess III, the new craft owned by Commodore H. N. Denny of Watertown. This boat has Watertown engines of 60 horsepower and is 37 feet 5 inches long, with rating of 98.77. Pirate, owned by C. N. Peacock, represented the St. Lawrence River Yacht Club. Pirate 39 1/2 feet by 4.2 feet and is rated at 104.38.

Commodore Denny of Watertown announced a day or so before the race that his new boat's engine was not ready in time to race her, and the So-Long II failed to weigh in on time and was also withdrawn. On Tuesday, the first day of the meet, the water was so rough as to necessitate postponing the first heat until 11:30 o'clock Wednesday morning. The river in the wide bay of Chippewa on this day was not so ruffled as on Tuesday and the first heat was run off as scheduled, the boats battling with the waves throughout the course. In the afternoon the wind subsided considerably for the second heat. Chip II won both races, scoring ten points in her favor as against eight for Delawana, owned by Walter Irwin of New York, son of the actress. Chip's elapsed time over the 30-mile course was 1:31:06 in the first heat and 1:30:44 in the second. Delawana won second place in 1:22:06 and 1:21:43 respectively. Vingt-Trois came in last on the first heat, nearly filling with water and did not chance the rough elements in the second race. The Stranger followed Delawana and Pirate finished last.

The race is being awarded on the point system. The committee in charge includes S. G. Averill, Chippewa Yacht Club; Anson B. Cole, Secy. American Power Boat Association, and R. H. Eggleston, Thousand Islands Yacht Club.

The final heat was run on Wednesday, Aug. 15, and again was a victory for Wainwright's diminutive Chip II. The other boats followed up in the same order as on the preceding day. Vingt-Trois was withdrawn from the races, leaving but four starters.

The cup offered by Commodore Englis for the boat making the best average time in the series was presented to F. G. Bourne of New York, owner of the speedy Stranger, better known as Simplex XI.

The changed made in the A.P.B.A. rules must still be adjudged grossly deficient as they do not equalize speed much better than the old method. A large attendance was present on both days, many palatial steam yachts and fine motor craft adding to the pageantry of the big American regatta.

(Transcribed from Boating, Sep. 1907, p. 47.)

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

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