1911 APBA Gold Cup
Frontenac, NY, August 8-10, 1910

Dixie IV Wins Easily
Cup Defender Beats Poor Field of Motor Boats for Golf Cup

FRONTENAC, N.Y., Aug 8.—The Dixie IV, representing the Frontenac Yacht Club, defender of the Gold Challenge Cup this year, easily won the opening event here this afternoon in the Gold Challenge Cup races of the American Power Boat Association. Dixie IV’s four-bladed double propellers were hitting only 850 of the 1,100 revolutions a minute of which they are capable, the race became a procession after the first lap of seven miles, with the result, barring accidents, a matter of no doubt. A choppy sea prevailed in which the newest creation in motor yacht racing circles behaved in a way that augers well for America’s Association. Although the swift craft’s chances in the Harmsworth Cup races later in the month.

The Dixie IV was lowered into the water only sixteen minutes before the starting gun, after hours of work over her strut. Frederick Burnbham at the wheel was caught down the river too far and the Dixie got away more than two minutes behind the Skipper, representing the Chippewa Bay Yacht Club. Inside of the first seven miles, however, the Dixie secured the lead. The Hornet, representing the Syracuse Yacht Club, and the Wasp, representing the Thousand Islands Yacht Club, encountered engine trouble and withdrew. The Dixie covered the twenty-eight miles in 49:45—slow time on account of her not being pressed. The Skipper finished second. The Mit II, representing the Thousand Islands Yacht Club, was third.

(Transcribed from the New York Times, Aug. 9, 1911, p. 6.)

{There is no mistake in the sub-heading, the Times actually did print "Golf Cup" – GWC}

*  *  *

Mit II Wins the Gold Cup
Thousand Islands Y.C. Gains Leg on Challenge Motor Boat Trophy

FRONTENAC, N.Y., Aug. 10.—The Gold Challenge Motor Boat Cup goes to the Thousand Islands Yacht Club for the next twelve months, as the result of the performance of Mit II, owned by J. H. Hayden of New York. The Wasp captured to-day’s event, covering the course in 53:17, but as the three days’ races are decided upon points, the Mit II takes the cup, having been third the first day, first yesterday, and second to-day.

The Mit II, in starting the races to-day, failed to go around a buoy flag and was obliged to double back. In this way the Wasp gained the lead, which it retained throughout the course. The Skipper, after its accident of yesterday, made a good showing but could not dislodge the Mit II from second place. The disabled condition of Dixie IV would not admit of her entering, and she was shipped from here to-night to New York in order to have her repaired for the Harmsworth Cup trial races at Huntington Bay next week.

(Transcribed from the New York Times, Aug. 10, 1911, p. 7.)

*  *  *

How Mitt II Won the Gold Cup
Results of the Three Days of Racing on the St. Lawrence, in Which Dixie Was Disabled.
Another Case of Luck and Reliability Winning Against Superior Speed.

Frontenac, Thousand Islands,--Ideal weather conditions, a course that left little to be desired from the spectators’ standpoint and a general curiosity on the part of everyone to ascertain first hand as to the speed capabilities of Dixie IV, created an atmosphere of interest in this year’s Gold Challenge Cup races, run over the Frontenac course on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 8, 9 and 10, unequaled since the famous Gold Cup came to the Thousand Islands a number of years ago. In a way the races were disappointing. So far as the weather man was concerned, he did his best for the three straight days, but Dixie IV, in the way of speed stood far and above the other boats entered, occupying a class by herself, and leaving the result, barring accidents, a foregone conclusion a minute after the starting gun had boomed over the waters.

But the accidents happened. The intricate mechanism of the fifty thousand dollar racer went wrong during the first day’s race, causing the melting out of a bearing and the absence of Dixie on the two following days, when she was being stripped, a helpless cripple at the boat house of Commodore Walter Jerome Green at Watch Island. This proved a big disappointment to the crowds that came from far and near to witness the contests and especially get a glimpse at the boat which was heralded as the probable representative of this country against Great Britain’s speediest in the coming races for the Harmsworth Cup.

The opening day found the skies overcast during the morning and a rather stiff down river wind ruffling the St. Lawrence, weather not especially favorable for hydroplanes. In the early afternoon the skies brightened and the wind died down a bit, although a shower an hour before the race sent the hundreds along the river banks scampering for shelter, while aboard the yachts lining the course, sailors were set to work in making things more snug for parties aboard. When the race was called, however, everything was pleasant.

Dixie IV was at her boathouse 16 minutes before the gun sounded, with men working over her mechanism. It looked for a time as though the boat would not be a starter. Even when the gun sounded, Dixie was a mile below the starting point, with Burnahm at the wheel. It took her but a short time, however, to get into the game, in a way that showed how futile would be the efforts in speed of the other boats, Wasp, Hornet, Skipper, and Mitt II. Viva not having put in an appearance.

Dixie, with the clouds of spray hiding her general form, tore along over the 28 mile course, passing one and then another, yet going at nowhere near her full speed, the twin screws turning but 850 revolutions instead of the 1,100, their normal speed. So slow was Dixie’s time that the 28 miles were covered in 51 min. 45 sec., a speed which called forth a protest from certain ones, in that it was not representative of the boat’s capabilities and that the public, in reading the press reports would form a wrong impression of the boat’s speed.

The first race was Dixie’s last at the Thousand Islands. Sometime during the race an oil lead forward had run dry and during the 28 miles a bearing had run without oil, melting out the Babbitt and putting the boat out of the contest. It was not until the morning of the second day that the serious condition of affairs was known. It became rumored in the early afternoon that Dixie was out of the running. The faces of leading members of the Frontenac Yacht Club, defenders of the trophy, told of the disappointment, for it had been the hope that the cup might remain another year at their palatial quarters.

There is the keenest rivalry between the Frontenac club and the Thousand Islands Yacht club, who, through the speed of its representative, Mitt II, now holds possession of the cup, and it is safe to presume that no money or efforts will be spared next year in getting the fastest thing afloat to hold the cup at Alexandria Bay, the home of the Thousand Islands Yacht Club.

With Dixie out of the race on the second day, the crowd naturally looked to Skipper, representing the Chippewa Bay Yacht Club, to carry off the honors, but in this race, the uncertainty of intricate mechanism was again demonstrated, the boat breaking a portion of her oiling system, and withdrawing after covering but a part of the course, giving the race to Mitt II in 53 min. 31 sec. Skipper got busy, made the necessary repairs and like the Wasp, on the day previous, chugged over the along late in the afternoon, and so maintained its place in the contest.

The third day’s race brought out but three starters, Mitt II, Wasp and Skipper, the event being taken by Wasp in 53.17, with Mitt II in second place and the Skipper third. On account of time lost at one point of the course through an oversight in not properly turning the flag, Skipper had to go back and make the turn a second time and in that way lost second place to Mitt II.

Thus it was that Mitt II, a boat which at the conclusion of the first day’s race seemed to have but the slimmest of a show, won out on points and lugged off the cup to the home of the Thousand Islands Yacht Club.

Motor boat enthusiasts from various sections of the country, spectators at the races, found only the highest of praise for the course and for the welcome by members of the Frontenac Yacht Club. The affair became the gala week of the season at the Islands, attracting a brilliant assemblage each day. On Wednesday night the annual ball of the Frontenac yacht Club was held. For the occasion the extensive grounds about the hotel were decorated with Japanese lanterns, while the ballroom overhead wore a canopy of flags of all nations, a huge flag of the Frontenac yacht Club forming the background at the far end of the room. As to the course, it was of four laps, so arranged that every inch of it was easily seen by the spectators whether aboard yachts or along the shore.

(Excerpts transcribed from MotorBoating, September 1911, pp. 3-5.)

*  *  *

By virtue of the win of Dixie III at Alexandria Bay last year, the races for the American Power Boat Association’s Gold Challenge Cup were held this time under the auspices of the Frontenac Y.C. off Round Island in the St. Lawrence River. The defending boat was Dixie IV, a new twin-screw, 40-foot hydroplane, designed by Clinton H. Crane and equipped with the engine of Dixie III and a duplicate, the outfit having been designed for the defense of the British International Trophy. The challenging boats were Viva, which craft didn’t show up; Mit II, a hydroplane with an eight-cylinder, 100-h.p. Sterling engine; Hornet, a twin-screw displacement boat with two four-cylinder Leighton engines of 6-inch bore and 5½-inch stroke; Wasp, a twin-screw Fauber hydroplane with two six-cylinder Leighton engines, with the same sized cylinders as Wasp, and Skipper, with an eight-cylinder Jencick engine of 7½-inch bore and stroke, which craft has raced for the trophy before.

The races were scheduled for August 8^th, 9^th and 10^th, and the distance was four times around a well-laid-out triangle course of 7 statute miles in length. The water on the course is sufficiently deep to permit of record breaking and at no time are the competing boats out of sight of the spectators on shore.

As is the custom of the St. Lawrence weather, a rain squall usually stirs up things at least one day of the annual series, and at this event it took place on the first day. The start was scheduled for 4 p.m., and shortly after three o’clock a roar, such as only Leighton engines can make, announced the arrival of the Fauber hydroplane with the same old pipe organ exhausts that have been seen on Leighton boats in previous years. Pretty soon Mit II, Wasp and Skipper arrived, and then came Dixie IV, tearing along at a great clip, and although it was pretty nearly time to start, she shot off down through the spectators’ fleet on an exhibition run and making a wide turn, dashed back again. In the meantime, the preliminary gun and the starting gun had been fired, with the entire fleet, particularly Dixie, far from the scene of action. Skipper, Hornet, Dixie and Wasp got over for a very ragged start, with Mit II tied up at the dock, and when she finally got over, 6 minutes had elapsed. Dixie IV at once slid through the fleet as if they were stuck in the mud, and it was evident that the race would be a one-sided affair unless the Fauber boat Wasp could get going. She was doing badly in the choppy sea and finally quit the race altogether, as did Hornet when she came around on the first lap. The helmsmen of both boats stated that they could not steer them, a condition it seems, which should have been found out at some time previous to the race. With Wasp and Hornet out, Dixie IV just jogged around the course with Skipper second and Mit II trailing along behind. The only incident worth recording was the cutting of a mark-buoy by one of the contestants, which apparently was not seen by the judges, for no action was taken. Dixie IV finally cruised across the line, having taken 51 minutes 55 seconds for the 28 statute miles, followed 9 minutes 6 seconds later by Skipper, with Mit II 2 minutes 48 seconds behind Skipper.

The races being decided on the point system—a point for finishing and a point for every boat beaten—Dixie IV received five points; Skipper, four; Mit II, three and Wasp, two, as she later on continued around the course to qualify. Hornet left the scene and did no further racing.

On the second day of the series, Dixie IV failed to show up and it was reported that some slight derangement of her machinery would prevent her from continuing further in the races and she was withdrawn. As Hornet also withdrew, this left but three boat to race. Mit II practically had a walk-over, as Skipper withdrew after one round due to a broken water pump, and Wasp seemed unable to get going properly, although her engines were working to the limit. Instead of planning, the craft seemed to plough and frequently took a spectacular sheer. Mit II made the course in 53 minutes 31 seconds, over 2½ miles ahead of Wasp, and boosted her points up to eight, as against seven for Skipper, six for Wasp and five for Dixie IV. As stated above, Skipper withdrew after one round, but later on continued around the course with a force pump attached to the circulation intake and with one of her crew at the handle.

On the last day of the series, Wasp turned the tables on Mit II, but on account of her poor showing on the first day, could not total enough points to take the cup. The start made by the three boats, Mit II, Wasp and Skipper, was fairly close. Mit II took the lead and on the very first turn cut one of the buoys, and the time lost in doubling on her tracks permitted Wasp to obtain a lead which she held throughout the race. The three boats plugged around and Mit II took second place from Skipper and won the cup for the Thousand Islands Y.C. with a total of twelve points, as against eleven for Wasp, ten for Skipper and five for Dixie IV.

The next race for the Gold Cup, due to the win of Mit II, will be held in 1912 at Alexandria Bay, and it is to be hoped that some real speed boats will be built to challenge as well as for the defense of the trophy. Almost every year the races lose interest through the fact that the populace knows in advance which boat, barring accidents, will win the series. Having the finest location in the world for the racing of high powered boats and having the means to provide the boats, it seems odd that the boats are not more evenly matched as regards speed. With two Dixies on the scene at one time, there would be provided such sport as the old St. Lawrence has never seen.

SUMMARY

American Power Boat Association’s Gold Challenge Cup Races – Frontenac, Y.C. – August 8, 9, 10, 1911

Starts – 4 p.m. daily. Distance, 28 Statute Miles

First Day, August 8^th

Second Day, August 9^th

Third Day, August 10^th

(Transcribed from The Rudder, September 1911, pp. 118-121.)

{Thus ended the Gold Cup appearances of the Dixie family. Even though Dixie IV was a vastly superior boat, and which did successfully defend the Harmsworth Trophy, she would meet disaster in the Buffalo regatta a month later. She went out of control, ran onto the shore and caused the death of a young boy on the beach. Mr. Burnham was so affected by this incident that he retired from power boat racing almost immediately and the Dixie name was never revived as a major class competitor. - - GWC}

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

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