Friday February 7, 2013
February 7, 2014 in Uncategorized
Gar Wood and the “Miss Americas”
Gar Wood, famous American boater builder and racer, stood all of five feet six inches and weighed 130 pounds! His small stature certainly didn’t reflect his accomplishments, however. He was the first man to reach the speed of 100 mph on water, in the 1931 Harmsworth Trophy race on the Detroit River. It was Miss America IX that broke that speed record. (He was actually clocked at 102.25 mph)
Two years later, in 1933, Wood’s Miss America X, powered by four 1800 horse power twelve cylinder Packard engines, reached a speed of 124.915 mph. Enjoy the photos of both boats below.