1907 Palm Beach Mid-Winter Regatta
Palm Beach, FL, Jan. 29-Feb.2, 1907

Dixie's Alleged Record
Performance Not So Good as Standard's, To Which It Is Compared

Fast Motor Boats in Palm Beach Regatta Three Wins for Dixie in Palm Beach Races Dixie Again Leads in Palm Beach Races Dixie Heads the List in Palm Beach Races Dixie's Alleged Record The Lake Worth Carnival The Palm Beach Races The Lake Worth Carnival (The Rudder) The Lake Worth Motor Boat Races

PALM BEACH, Feb. 2 -- The announcement of the Regatta Committee of the Palm Beach Motor Boat Association, made to-day, credits E. J. Schroeder's champion racer Dixie with a new world's record for a trial in competition over a measured mile. The mean average time of the six trials against time was 2:21.32, as against the time made by the Standard in the trials on the Hudson last September of 2:22. The fastest time the Dixie made against the wind was 2:21 1-5, and with the wind was 2:19. The statement is signed by Leland Storrey as Secretary of the Motor Boat Association and Lieut. H. L. Willoughby and Charles S. Hyde, the official timers.

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The right of Dixie to a new world's record on the basis of her performance at Palm Beach will not be recognized by motor boat enthusiasts who are familiar with the conditions at Palm Beach. Faster time was made abroad in the English trials over a measured mile and at Monaco. Moreover, considering the conditions, the trials are not nearly as creditable as the performance of the Standard on the Hudson.

The Palm Beach races were run on an inland lake, Lake Worth, where there is not only very shallow water, but no appreciable tide, and where the course is so enclosed that there is comparatively little wind. The slight difference in the time between the trials in one direction and the trials in another of 2 1-5 seconds is proof that there was comparatively little difference in conditions and no tide to speak of. On the contrary, the Standard's time was made on tidal water where there was a strong tide and a deep current and the difference between the times with and against the current was 24 seconds. She made the mile with the tide in 2:10 and the mile against ti in 2:34.

(Transcribed from New York Times, Feb. 3, 1907, p. 11.)

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

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