1964 Seafair Trophy

Year of the Green Dragon (excerpt)

Seafair Trophy

Fifteen boats showed up for the Seafair Regatta and a week of speed runs in fine weather. Came race day and came miserable weather. But the racing was good. In fact, overall speeds were higher than the rough water safely allowed.

Bardahl won the race from Miss Exide by .2 of a second. Bardahl also posted the highest heat average speed of 111.065 mph. Exide was second overall and tied with Bardahl for points. Madison, in third place, confirmed earlier opinions about her steady performance and Tahoe Miss, fourth, was inching up the ladder toward the leaders.

Rough water and the close finish made this one of the most exciting races of the season. It also left the remainder of the circuit much in doubt as to possible winners.

For the first time since Miss Thriftway retired from racing, the sport had eight hot boats capable of winning races. The final four events proved it.

* * *

Seafair brought a fire to Gale V but no injury to Jerry Schoenith. Fascination demolished a buoy in the extremely rough water. The finish was the closest in unlimited history. Some dastard stole the starter's cannon. There was the usual weather delay. And one three-driver, one-owner argument ensued with television cameras as jolly spectators. So viewers saw close up in unlimited what they see among their own relatives every holiday gathering — a big scrap, mostly sound and fury, signifying nothing.

(Reprinted from the National Boat Racing 1965 Yearbook)