1907 British Motor Boat Club Mile Championships

The British Motor Boat Club

The annual contest for the Sea Mile Championship, under the auspices of the British Motor Boat Club, took place yesterday at Greenhithe. The certified measured mile was used, and the winning boat takes the challenge cup offered by the proprietors of the Motor Boat. There was a breeze blowing, which rather made against the boats, as the sea was by no means smooth. Only two boats were entered, Daimler II and Daimler III, both the property of Lord Howard de Walden. Daimler II was steered by Mr. A. G. Fentiman, and Daimler III, by Mr. H. S. Saunders, son of the builder of the hulls of both boats. The first-named, which is 40ft. over all, is fitted with three Daimler six-cylinder engines of 90-h.p. each, driving three screws. Daimler III, is also 40ft. over all, and is of a much finer model, but has only a single six-cylinder Daimler engine of 90-h.p.

Mr. J. A. Smith, secretary of the Marine Motor Association, acted as timekeeper, while all the arrangements were carried out by Mr. R. B. Robinson, secretary of the British Motor Boat Club. it was decided to make three runs with, and three runs against the tide, the mean of the half-dozen trials being taken as the speed of the boat.

Daimler III, was the first to undertake the test. Her first run with the tide was very poor, but on the second run with the tide she did much better, improving over four seconds. The third run was, however, the best of the three with the tide in her favour, being nearly seven seconds of an improvement on her second run. Against the tide her best time was 2min. 46 4-5sec. The figures for the half-dozen runs were:--

  With Tide   Against Tide
1st run 2 min. 40 3/5 sec. 1st run 2 min. 46 4/5 sec.
2nd run 2 min. 45 2/5 sec. 2nd run 2min. 46 4/5 sec.
3rd run 2 min. 38 4/5 sec 3rd run 2min. 52 2/5 sec.

 

Average speed, 21.6 knots. on the last run the boat was a bit hampered by the wash of a tug boat.

Daimler II travelled considerably faster than the newer boat, her best time with the tide being 2min. 7sec., while she only varied one second on the three runs. Against the tide she also travelled very evenly, there being only 1 3-5sec. between her fastest and slowest times, and on the slowest she had the wash of a big steamer to contend against. Her times for the six runs were:--

  With Tide   Against Tide
1st run 2 min. 8 1/5 sec. 1st run 2 min.34 1/5sec.
2nd run 2 min. 7 sec. 2nd run 2 min. 35 1/5sec.
3rd run 2 min. 7 1/5sec. 3rd run 2 min. 35 4/5sec.

 

Average speed 25.53 knots.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, Sep. 6, 1907, pp. 9-10.)

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