Top Season Slated in Unlimited Class [1964]
Lee Schoenith, czar of speedboating as chairman of the Unlimited Race Commission of the American Power Boat Association, expects the coming season will be the biggest in a decade.
He is in touch with everyone across the country who has an interest in the unlimiteds.
"We are having trouble finding dates for all of the cities which want to put up purses for a race," he said.
"Detroit again is the boating capital of the world. We’ve got the most boats and the biggest and best race in the Gold Cup (July 5) with the richest purse of 540,000.
"There will be to many new boats. George Simon is coming out with another Miss U.S. Les Staudacher is building this one at Kawkawlin for Don Wilson to drive.
New Gale Ready
"We’ve got a new boat in the Gale camp, but we haven’t decided whether this one will be called Gale. But Bill Cantrell will be in charge.
"Jim Herrington is completing another Mariner Too, Shirley MacDonald is testing her new Notre Dame out West and Bill Harrah’s Tahoe Miss will be getting a trial soon.
"Dick and Paul Gordon now have the biggest setup for working on a boat in town here for their Blue Chip. They mean business. Ron Musson called me to talk about Miss Bardahl (1963 high-point winner in the class) and said she’ll be quicker than ever defending the Gold Cup."
(It’s good form in unlimited speedboat parlance to say "quick" when fast is meant.)
"Seattle is just about out of business," Schoenith said. "Interest there is low — just like it was in Detroit a few years ago. They are having troubles raising money for Seafair Week."
Little Adds Boat
Schoenith said Bernie Little, of St. Petersburg, Fla., who campaigned with Tempo last season, will add Maverick, renamed Miss Budweiser, as a second boat this year.
Simon, who has retired Miss U.S. 1, holder of the world mile record on water of 200.49 miles an hour, will have a hull of sheet magnesium bonded with plywood made for his new craft. Schoenith said Simon is patterning his newest juggernaut after Hawaii Kai.
Toronto and Red Bank, N.J., are interested in the Aug. 29-30 weekend for an unlimited race, Schoenith reported.
Schedule Listed
New Town, N.D., on a small lake about 100 miles from Bismarck, has been tentatively awarded July 26 for an unlimited regatta.
The schedule: June 21, Guntersville, Ala.;
- July 5, Gold Cup, Detroit;
- July 12, Buffalo;
- July 26, New Town, N.D.;
- Aug. 2, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho;
- Aug. 9, Seattle;
- Aug. 29, 30, Toronto or Red Bank;
- Sept. 6, Madison, Ind.;
- Sept. 13, Washington;
- Sept. 27, Lake Tahoe;
- Oct. 3, San Diego.
(Reprinted from the Detroit News, 1964)