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Last Updated 10/24/03
Our spectacular boat made her public debut during the Seattle Yacht Club's (SYC) Opening Day parade -- receiving a special recognition award from the SYC and helping her sponsoring club, the Antique and Classic Boat Society, earn a pair of distinguished awards. We had fun rattling the rafters of the old Montlake Draw Bridge as we passed underneath & fired up our Griffon Engine! What a sound!
On May 22, the boat successfully completed her first test on Lake Washington's Stan Sayres Hydroplane Course. After a second successful test, Miss Budweiser traveled to the Tri-cities for the "Then and Now" Columbia/Atomic Cup. A three boat Budweiser tribute to Bernie Little (1967 Bud, Griffon Bud, Turbine Bud) on the Columbia River course electrified the crowd. The Griffon Bud concluded her season with a memorial lap for Bernie at Seattle's Seafair Regatta. At the end of the exhibition season, Miss Budweiser had accumulated 150 miles on the water, with top speeds clocked at over 170mph and lap speeds just under 120mph. The following is a partial list of events the boat has participated in since completion of her restoration:
April 2003 - Bernie Little Memorial at Stan Sayres Pits (Seattle)
May 2003 - Seattle Yacht Club Opening Day Boat Parade (Montlake Cut, Seattle WA)
May 22, 2003 - Successful first test, Lake Washington
June 2003 - Successful Second Test
July 2003 - Tri-Cities "Then and Now" Columbia/Atomic Cup Exhibition
August 2003 - Seafair Press Lunch (Display)
August 2003 - Seattle Seafair Bernie Little Memorial Lap
August 2004 - Seafair Exhibition Runs (w/1982 Atlas)
October 2004 - Lake Chelan Fun Day
July 2005 - Tri-Cities Columbia/Atomic Cup Exhibition (w/1982 Atlas)
We have received overtures from Detroit for an appearance at the 2006 Gold Cup -- we are delighted by the prospect of sharing this tremendous boat with the great fans of Detroit.
Our Seattle-based collection consists of three exceptional piston-powered Unlimited Hydroplanes -- the 1970-1972 Pride of Pay 'n Pak (a/k/a 1973-1975 Miss Budweiser), the 1974-1976 Miss U.S., and the 1980-1985 Griffon-powered Miss Budweiser. All three of these Ron Jones designed-and-built boats represent significant milestones in the evolution of Unlimited Hydroplanes. Jones' Pride of Pay 'n Pak established the definitive modern picklefork hull configuration, the Miss U.S. marked the transition from conventional to cabover designs, and the peak of piston boat design and construction was the incredible Griffon-powered Miss Budweiser. All of these boats won the coveted Gold Cup race. Jones is recognized for a number of other significant contributions to the sport, including scores of championship winning boats in several different race classes, modern hull design, introduction of advanced aircraft construction materials and techniques, and the enclosed cockpit using an F-16 canopy.
All three major piston aero engines which powered the Unlimited fleet from the late 1940's are represented by our fleet. While each boat has a different engine model, all are V-12 aero engines dating back to WWII which were used in fighter and other military aircraft. A GM-Allison V-1710 powers the Miss U.S., a Rolls-Royce (and also Packard built) Merlin V-1650-9 powers the Pride of Pay 'n Pak, and the Rolls-Royce Griffon powers the Miss Budweiser. Keeping these rare engines running is one of our big challenges since they have not been manufactured for over 50 years -- restoring and fabricating parts that are "unobtainium" is part of the art of keeping these important pieces of history running. Engine availability and reliability were the main reasons piston engines were eventually replaced by turbine engines from helicopters in the mid-80's.
Special thanks to the Hydroplane and Raceboat
Museum of Seattle. Bud and Budweiser are Registered Trademarks of Anheuser-Bush, Co.