1963 Miss Exide U-75

 

 

  Boat Statistics

Boat Name:

 

Year:

Designation#:

 

 Miss Exide

1963

 

U-75

Owner/Driver:

 

Year Model Built:

 

 Nels Enquist

 

2002

Builder:

 

Construction:

 

 

 Pete Schille

 

 Plywood

Motor:

 

Speed Controller:

 

Scorpion 3026-1210

 

Etti

Prop:

 

Paint Colors:

 

 

Octura/Graupner

 

 Red, with White & Blue trim

Type of Graphics:

 Radio:

 

 

 Hand Painted

 

Futaba

 

The model: This model was bought by new CT member, Nels Enquist, for 2010.  He's getting his feet wet learning how to drive the boat and how the boat works.  Nels plans to qualify as a driver and enter competition with this boat in division 1 as soon as he feels comfortable with it.

The real boat:  The first Miss Exide was a short-lived boat, which was destroyed in only her third race (the 1963 Diamond Cup on Lake Coeur d’ Alene in Idaho). Her driver, charismatic Czech Mira Slovak (William Boeing’s private pilot), was seriously injured in the accident. A replacement boat was quickly readied (the former Miss Wahoo), and competed through the 1965 season, with Burien milkman Bill Brow driving. The second Miss Exide won four races, and set the Gold Cup qualifying mark (in Seattle, 1965) which stood for many years.

Both Miss Exide hydroplanes are remembered fondly by hydro enthusiasts around the country, and particularly in the Seattle area, where the boats were based.