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Coast Speed Boat Loses Propeller |
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1953 APBA Gold Cup
Lake Washington, Seattle WA, August 9, 1953
Coast Speed Boat Loses Propeller
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SEATTLE, Aug. 5 (AP)—A flailing driveshaft, ripped loose by a snapped propeller tore out rear bottom. planking of the speed boat Slo-Mo-Shun V at 170 miles an hour today, but Owner Stan Sayres said, later, he was sure his craft could be repaired in time for Sunday's Gold Cup race.
"We have arranged for three shifts of crews to work around the clock on the boat and hope to have her back in the water by Friday," the Seattle automobile dealer said.
Slo-Mo-Shun V was on a speed test near the east shore of Lake Washington when a blade of the propeller flew off.
Driver Lou Fageol of Detroit escaped injury and was taken off by small craft from the near-by Sayres residence as the boat sank in shallow, water.
Navy Salvages Craft
A Navy salvage boat pulled the hydroplane out late in the afternoon, and she was taken to the boatyard of her builder, Anchor Jensen.
There Sayres and others examined the damage closely, and said it was limited to the hull.
The crippled Slo-Mo-Shun V, winner of the Gold Cup on the same waters in 1951, her sister ship, Slo-Mo-Shun IV, the defending champion, and five Detroit speed boats are entered in the Sunday classic.
This is the second setback the Sayres fleet has suffered in two days. Paul Sawyer of Rochester, N. Y., was displaced as driver of Slo-Mo-Shun IV because of friction in the team. Sayres said Sawyer "couldn't get along with the maintenance crews" that had been in the pits for the past four seasons.
Engine Failed Last Year
Last year Slo-Mo-Shun V's engine failed during the race and the IV, driven by Stanley Dollar of San Francisco, went on to win. Sayres said he had asked Joe Taggart of Detroit to take over the wheel of the IV this year.
Lake Washington still was unruffled by propwash as the time for qualifying grew shorter. Five challengers from Detroit were at the pits but none had any immediate plans to try to cover the Gold Cup course at the 85 miles an hour necessary to qualify.
The boats must run three laps on the 3¾-mile course at the minimum speed by Saturday night to earn a berth.
[Reprinted from the New York Times, August 6, 1953]
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