1951 Etta

 

  Boat Statistics

Boat Name:

 

Year:

Designation#:

 

Etta

1951

 

?

Owner/Driver:

 

Year Model Built:

 

Pete Schille

 

2008

Builder:

 

Construction:

 

 

Pete Schille

 

Plywood and Foam

Motor:

 

Speed Controller:

 

Mega

 

Castle

Prop:

 

Paint Colors:

 

 

Octura

 

Silver, Red and black

Type of Graphics:

 Radio:

 

 

Hand painted

 

Futaba stick

The model:  Late in the 2007 season, Jeff Howard showed up with a photo of this strange boat and Pete (who can never turn down an odd design) was hooked.  With some help from the Hydroplane Museum, a VERY rare color picture was found along with some information on the hulls dimensions.  The model was a bit of a challenge to build and set up but seems to perform well on the racecourse, and has outstanding straightaway speed

The real boat:  The challengers include Etta, the name selected by George Sarant, auto dealer of Freeport, L. I., for several of his speedboats. He was a one-time winner of the Harwood race around Manhattan in a previous Etta.  It is somewhat of a catamaran with twin hulls and it is believed an Allison motor is suspended between the two and that the driver's cockpit is in a blister or bubble, in the manner of some aircraft bombers such as the B-17's or Flying Fortresses, and forward of the engine.

[Reprinted from the New York Times, September 2, 1951]