Rebel, Suh U-11 [1955]

This boat was designed by Ted O. Jones and built in 1955, at the boat shop of Les Staudacher, in Bay City, Michigan. This was the first of many successful Jones/Staudacher collaborations.

Jones was part owner of this boat along with Kirn Armistead. Russ Schleeh drove this hull at its only competitive race, the 1955 APBA Gold Cup Challenge, in Seattle. Unfortunately, the boat sank, and was given a DNF.

William T. Waggoner, Jr., purchased this hull for the 1956 season, rechristened it the U-12 Maverick, and placed Bill Stead in the cockpit. It joined another Jones/Staudacher product, the U-29 Shanty I, which Schleeh drove. The two boats together became a force to be reckoned with.

Waggoner lost this hull, at the end of the 1958 season [February 28, 1959], during a Water Speed Record attempt on Lake Mead, NV, with Stead driving. A fuel leak developed, which resulted in fire when raw fuel ignited on the exhaust manifolds. Stead neglected to shutoff the fuel pump before bailing out. The U-12 Maverick burned to the water line. Stead suffered some burns, but was not seriously injured.

DESIGNER: Ted Jones 
BUILDER: Les Staudacher
LENGTH:   29 feet 4 inches 
BEAM:    12 feet
COLOR:    Mahogany with yellow cowl 
WEIGHT:  4,800 lbs
POWER:    1710 cubic inch V-12 Allison

[Thanks to Parker Jones for help in this segment --LF]

Maverick U-12 (1) [1956-1958]

"This Allison-powered 30-footer raced as Rebel, Suh in the 1956 Seafair Trophy Race and then was bought by Arizona-Texas millionaire W. T. Waggoner. She won the 1957 Apple Cup; the 1958 Diamond Cup; the Mapes Trophy Race, Lake Tahoe; the Silver Cup. The gold-and-red Maverick was designed by Ted Jones and built in 1955 by Les Staudacher, Bay City, Mich. She burned and sank in Lake Mead, March, 1959."

(Reprinted from This is Hydroplaning by Paul Lowney [1959])