© Copyright 2011 Julianne Dodds
Speedboat and hydroplane Championships
1921 - 1925
Miss Liberty built by Alf Whereat.
Photo from Williams Collection
The quest for a better hydroplane
Miss Liberty on her trial run. Mac’s newly built riverfront
home is seen in the background on the left. His
speedboats were housed in the boatshed beside the
river.
Photo from Williams Collection
Miss Brisbane’s last performance had failed to satisfy Mac. He wanted to be doubly sure that he would
win the next Griffith Cup race.
A friend from America, Gerald White, editor of the magazine ‘The Rudder’, was obsessed with
speed boating. He told Mac about an outstanding hydroplane, Century Tire, for sale in Chicago.
On 18th February, in the Mississippi Power Boat Regatta in 1923, Century Tire, had won over the
world’s champion, Miss Chicago, competing in a 15 mile event. At the same carnival, she had won
the Single Engine open race, covering a mile in 55 ½ seconds, from Miss Dubonnet, Miss Cincinatti,
and Baby Holo. The boat was owned by Charles J. Venn, President of the Century Rubber Works in
Chicago and was driven in the race by Louis Disbrow, a well known automobile race driver.
Century Tire was a John Hacker craft, 23 ft. in length with a 7 ft. beam and was fitted with a 450 h.p.
Liberty engine.
Mac made his decision. He wanted the best and money was no barrier. Negotiating by cable, he
bought the Century Tire. The purchase price is unknown, but the import duty alone cost him £326 1s 0d.
Miss Liberty joins the fleet
In June 1923 Mac began to advertise Miss Coorparoo for sale. He was having his third hydroplane built.
The following month, Miss Liberty was completed at Alf Whereat’s boatworks in Brisbane. She was a
single step hydroplane, 23 feet long with a beam of 7 feet. Her hull was planked with cedar and
varnished above the water line. Miss Liberty was towed up to Mac’s riverside home at Kangaroo Point
and the 450 h.p. motor from Miss Brisbane was installed by Mac’s mechanic, Les White. On her initial
run Mac was pleased with her performance.
The C.R.C. (Commercial Rowing Club) held rowing events in August and a speed boat test was
also a feature. Hundreds of motorcars and their eager passengers lined North Quay from Victoria
Bridge to the C.R.C. boathouse. As Mac had not been able to sell Miss Coorparoo, he raced her again
for another win. Miss Coorparoo was again advertised for sale, giving the assurance that she had now
given four wins for four starts and was capable of a speed of 40 miles per hour.
At the first general annual meeting in August 1923 of the Motor Yacht Club of Queensland, it was
decided that restricted class racing would be adopted. The motor yacht clubs in Sydney and Melbourne
followed suit.
Mac’s new hydroplane, Miss Liberty, drew much attention when she was first seen on the
Brisbane River in early September. Although she had not yet raced, she was expected to be much
faster than anything thus far seen on the Brisbane River. The engine size restrictions were about to
be instigated and already new boats were being built to compete in the upcoming season’s races.
A few days later, Miss Coorparoo raced against Gee Whiz. Mac’s boat was handicapped
and, as if that wasn’t enough against her, as she rounded a buoy her skipper was thrown overboard
and time was lost while he was picked up. Gee Whiz continued in the lead and won the race.
This was the first loss for Miss Coorparoo.
Century Tire winning at New Orleans in 1923.
Speedboat and hydroplane Championships
1921 - 1925
Miss Liberty built by Alf Whereat.
Photo from Williams Collection
The quest for a better hydroplane
Miss Liberty on her trial run. Mac’s newly built riverfront
home is seen in the background on the left. His
speedboats were housed in the boatshed beside the
river.
Photo from Williams Collection
Miss Brisbane’s last performance had failed to satisfy Mac. He wanted to be doubly sure that he would
win the next Griffith Cup race.
A friend from America, Gerald White, editor of the magazine ‘The Rudder’, was obsessed with
speed boating. He told Mac about an outstanding hydroplane, Century Tire, for sale in Chicago.
On 18th February, in the Mississippi Power Boat Regatta in 1923, Century Tire, had won over the
world’s champion, Miss Chicago, competing in a 15 mile event. At the same carnival, she had won
the Single Engine open race, covering a mile in 55 ½ seconds, from Miss Dubonnet, Miss Cincinatti,
and Baby Holo. The boat was owned by Charles J. Venn, President of the Century Rubber Works in
Chicago and was driven in the race by Louis Disbrow, a well known automobile race driver.
Century Tire was a John Hacker craft, 23 ft. in length with a 7 ft. beam and was fitted with a 450 h.p.
Liberty engine.
Mac made his decision. He wanted the best and money was no barrier. Negotiating by cable, he
bought the Century Tire. The purchase price is unknown, but the import duty alone cost him £326 1s 0d.
Miss Liberty joins the fleet
In June 1923 Mac began to advertise Miss Coorparoo for sale. He was having his third hydroplane built.
The following month, Miss Liberty was completed at Alf Whereat’s boatworks in Brisbane. She was a
single step hydroplane, 23 feet long with a beam of 7 feet. Her hull was planked with cedar and
varnished above the water line. Miss Liberty was towed up to Mac’s riverside home at Kangaroo Point
and the 450 h.p. motor from Miss Brisbane was installed by Mac’s mechanic, Les White. On her initial
run Mac was pleased with her performance.
The C.R.C. (Commercial Rowing Club) held rowing events in August and a speed boat test was
also a feature. Hundreds of motorcars and their eager passengers lined North Quay from Victoria
Bridge to the C.R.C. boathouse. As Mac had not been able to sell Miss Coorparoo, he raced her again
for another win. Miss Coorparoo was again advertised for sale, giving the assurance that she had now
given four wins for four starts and was capable of a speed of 40 miles per hour.
At the first general annual meeting in August 1923 of the Motor Yacht Club of Queensland, it was
decided that restricted class racing would be adopted. The motor yacht clubs in Sydney and Melbourne
followed suit.
Mac’s new hydroplane, Miss Liberty, drew much attention when she was first seen on the
Brisbane River in early September. Although she had not yet raced, she was expected to be much
faster than anything thus far seen on the Brisbane River. The engine size restrictions were about to
be instigated and already new boats were being built to compete in the upcoming season’s races.
A few days later, Miss Coorparoo raced against Gee Whiz. Mac’s boat was handicapped
and, as if that wasn’t enough against her, as she rounded a buoy her skipper was thrown overboard
and time was lost while he was picked up. Gee Whiz continued in the lead and won the race.
This was the first loss for Miss Coorparoo.
Century Tire winning at New Orleans in 1923.