1933 Havre De Grace Regatta
Havre de Grace, MD, July 21-22, 1933

The success of the Havre de Grace Regatta this year earned it a place on the racing horizon. With eight new one mile world records established in the runabout, 125 inch hydroplane and outboard classes, this regatta held under the auspices of the Havre de Grace Yacht Club will go down into history as one of the most successful of the year.

Under the leadership of Commodore F. A. Hoffman, ably assisted by his flag officers G. B. Silver and J. H. Robinson, with Dr. H. K. Dulaney acting as Chairman of the Race Committee and C. L. Walker as official Referee, races were arranged for all classes of runabouts and outboards as well as for cruisers and 125 inch hydroplanes. All of the classes filled well and the competition in them was particularly keen. The regatta was blessed with perfect weather on July 21 and 22 and had a course of an official length been laid out for the outboards, there would have been competitive records established as well as records in the mile trials.

The event for Class A outboards attracted fifteen starters. Tommy Tyson of Philadelphia led the field to the finish line in both heats. His speed in the first five mile heat around the 2½ mile course was 40.45 miles per hour. He was closely followed by Lewis Carlisle of East Islip, Long Island, who finished in second place in the final standing, although Phil Bowers of Sea Bright, N. J., was able to finish second place in the first heat. However, Phil was unable to finish in the second heat. Roy Straley of Buffalo finished in third position and was followed by such well known drivers as Frank Eibell, J. E. Stagmer, Ray Hulett and others. This race was an open one with the professionals competing with the amateurs. Miss Maryland Codd of Towson, Maryland, led the professionals with Bob Meyer of Chicago, in second place.

In the Class B race, C. C. Thompson of Suffolk, Virginia, who later established a new one mile world record, was the winner. His speed in the first heat was 44.82 miles per hour, a most remarkable performance. Bob Meyer of Chicago took first place in Class B, Division II.

Sammy Crooks, the wizard from Rutgers, took the Class C, Division I event, only after a thrilling battle with Joel Thorne of New Rochelle. Edward Sasnett of Washington, D. C., was the winner in the professional division in Class C. Herman Stewart of Ridgewood, N. J., took first place in the Class F race.

The largest field of 125 inch hydroplanes which has ever approached a starter, appeared when the class was called. Edison Hedges of Atlantic City, N. J., driving his Gray powered boat Flying Eagle took both 5 mile heats of this race, the first won at a speed of 42.16 miles per hour and the second at a speed of 44.58 miles per hour. Emancipator owned by Mortimer S. Auerbach of Chicago, another Gray powered boat, built by Apel was second in both heats, not far astern of Flying Eagle.

The boat driven by Joseph E. Monigle took third place, Wooden Horse, driven by Joe Bartlett finished fourth, Howdy, Jr., driven by H. Y. Haffner was fifth and Chotsie IV owned by Dr. Bagley and driven by Commodore F. A. Hoffman finished in sixth position.

The race for Class A, B, C, D runabouts attracted five starters, with Ginger, driven by F. L. Schwartz of Longport, New Jersey, finishing in first place. The race for runabouts of Classes E, F, G and H was won by Lady Pep driven by Fred Hahn, 3rd, of Philadelphia, after Joe Anne, which finished ahead of Lady Pep had been disqualified for not complying with the rules for stock runabouts. Howdy, driven by Howard Haffner, was the winner of the race for runabouts of Classes I and J.

In the one mile trial events scheduled for the purpose of establishing new one mile world records, G. B. Ward, Jr., drove his boat to a new world record for Class A runabouts of 28.836 miles per hour. This boat which was built by Century, was powered with a Universal motor.

A new Class C one mile runabout record of 32.878 miles per hour was established by Chotsie V, a century boat, powered with a Gray motor, owned and driven by Mrs. Florence Burnham, of Wilmington, Delaware. A new one mile record for Class E runabouts is 35.190 miles per hour. This was established by Queen Anne driven by W. T. Gibbs in a Gar Wood runabout, Chrysler powered.

The Class H one mile record was raised to 35.928 miles per hour by Sea Queen, a Chriscraft powered with a Scripps motor and driven by W. H. Pippin. A Class I one mile runabout record of 41.095 miles per hour was established by Howdy, a Chriscraft driven by H. E. Young.

More interest was shown in the attempts to break one mile 125 inch hydroplane records. Flying Eagle owned and driven by Edison Hedges came out on top with a new one mile record of 46.864 miles per hour. This boat was built by Apel and is Gray powered.

In the outboard one mile attempts, Tommy Tyson driving his boat Half Pint set up a new one mile world record of 41.355 miles per hour in Class A, Division I and C. C. Thompson raised the Class B, Division I one mile world record of 46.112 miles per hour.

A complete summary of the Havre de Grace results follows :

(Reprinted from Motor Boating, September 1933)

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