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Motor Boats to Speed on Lake |
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Motor Boats in Speed Contests |
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Speed Boats Race on Lake |
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Motor Boat Club of Seattle |
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Comet Wins the Motor Boat Race |
1907 Seattle Independence Day Regatta
Speed Boats Race on Lake
Sheffield Wins From Papoose in Most Exciting Contest of the
Day
Finish Bare Half Length to Good
Little Target Suffers Accident and Determination as to Whether or Comet
is Faster Left Until Next Saturday
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The motor boat Sheffield won from the Papoose in the most interesting race of the motor boat regatta held on Lake Washington yesterday afternoon, nosing across the line a half length ahead. The Sheffield had a twenty- second handicap based on the showing made in the test spins. The race was over a rectangular course from in front of Leschi Park, across the lake, south a distance of about two miles, then west and back to the starting point, a total distance of five miles. Five and ten-mile races were run on this course while the one-mile and return contests were run over the course one mile directly south from the judges stand on a scow moored in the lake off Leschi Park.
The skipper of the Papoose attributes its defeat to its inability to round the curves in the course as rapidly as did its successful rival. The race was a beauty, the finish being exceptionally exciting. A large crown witnessed the regatta from the porches and the veranda of the Leschi Park pavilion. A favored few the occupied points of vantage on the scow from which a magnificent view of the course was possible.
Target Breaks Down
The race that promised to be the best of the day did not take place owing to the fact that one of the two competitors suffered a bursted pipe and a broken valve. The Comet and the Target, the two fastest boats on the lake, are rivals. This momentous question would have been settled yesterday had not the little Target suffered the accident after winning the speedboat handicap in which the Comet did not enter. The test of speed between these two flyers was postponed until next Saturday afternoon.
The Target is known to all who have been on the lake. It is the little black craft that may be seen most any afternoon darting about the lake like an impatient water-fly. On account of its speed ability to turn in small space and attain full speed quickly, it is used at all the regattas to clear the course. It was used by the university during training season last spring. The Comet is a much larger boat, but also a speed wonder.
The speed motor boat handicap was a fizzle, two of the three boats entered breaking down before the finish. The Maida gave up the struggle after covering six miles of the distance and the Meteor was forced to give up a little later owing to lack of gasoline. Target run the race covering the ten miles in 34 minutes and 31 seconds. In this race the Target gave the Meteor a handicap of ten minutes and 41 seconds. Every race was a handicap contest.
Summary of Events
Following is the summary of the races:
Eighteen-foot and under class -- Pax, F. F. Evans, won; time over one mile and return 24 minutes and 48 seconds. Ion did not show up for the race.
Twenty-one foot class, one mile and return -- Marjorie first, time 27:00, owner L. E. Capps; Beth second, time 28:32; owner, Mrs. C. B. Bushnell. The Beth ran part of the way on one cylinder. The finish was close and exciting.
Thirty-foot class, five miles -- Sheffield first, time 38:36; owner, H. A. Froehlich; Papoose second, time, 38:37; owner, C. W. Colby.
Forty-foot class, 10 miles -- Meteor first; time, 49:12; owner Commodore Jones; Peerless second, time 1 hour 6:30; owner, C. E. Plimpton. The Fox broke down on the course.
Speed boat handicap, 10 miles -- Target's time 34 minutes 31 seconds. Both the Meteor and Maida broke down.
Consolation handicap -- Meteor first, and Papoose second.
Prizes were given those winning first and second.
(Transcribed from the Seattle Sunday Times, July 7, 1907, p. 18.)
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