1949 Albany to New York Powerboat Race

Albany, New York. Saturday, June 11th, 1949. Race fever is epidemic along the Hudson as entrants pour in for the 17th annual Albany to New York Outboard Marathon. The Indianapolis Speedway of Outboard Racing. 315 entrants from 18 states check in for a terrific 138-mile test of hull, motor, and man. They've come from Indiana, Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado, Ohio, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona. Though drivers take this race seriously, it isn't all grim. This Florida driver sports a derby hat as he's lowered away, and though dressed for the big city, confidentially, he's not destined to get that far. By mid-morning, the dock is busy with drivers, boats, and helpers. Drivers tune their boats and motors to racing key and double-check every possible source of trouble. Some of these river skippers are fussier than a nervous nurse, and some stop worrying after a certain point. Can't go anywhere without these. The oldest entrants, Emanuel Travers of New York, talks things over with 16-year-old Tom Murray of Dover, Delaware. New York's Johnny Mayer is set to compete against all covers. These crafts, whether factory or home-built, are all family-run. Engines are divided into six classes. Cubic inches of engine displacement is the governing factor. This is Class A, 15 cubic inches. Now B Class, 20 cubic inches. C Class is limited to 30 cubic inches. In the bigger classes, D calls for a top of 40. E, 50 cubic inches. And the biggest is F Class, at 60 cubic inches. Dockside activity runs late as everyone gets battle-going. Sunday, race day, reveals that you can sleep in these crafts. Eight o'clock for zero hour, and now's the last chance for last-minute tune-ups and, of course, fueling. Beyond the hose length, it's carry your own. Now, out to the line. For safety, boats will get away in two sections. We're set now for the first start, Classes D, E, and F. Three, two, one. Look at those boats go. With the New York Central Railroad Bridge as background, the big mercuries of Class D and the evanes of Classes D and F roar off to a crowded start. The field of 152 boats quickly spreads, with the leaders plowing furrows that sweep back to the trailing boats. Notice how the following crafts steer across between the lanes of backwash from churning crops. Just watch every move as the field sweeps downriver at better than 40 miles an hour. Half an hour later, as they move out to the line, the big moment has come for the three smaller Classes, A, B, and C. The starters flag, and more crafts head for the finish line at 72nd Street, Manhattan. Mom and Pop and the kids never saw anything like this in their little egg beaters. The action boats and engines are the same type as Mom's and Pop's, going to take every risk, every way, real kidney-rattling motion. Almost certainly out of the running for the grand prize, the best they can hope for is one of the class prizes. Many boats have extra fuel tanks to avoid time-consuming fuel stuff. Over every bouncing mile, drivers in every class are haunted by the possibility of mechanical failures and breakdowns. Halfway to 72nd Street at the Yacht Club, a big proud wait for the first boat, which will be Class D, E, or F, since this group got off first. And here's the first boat. It's N300, a Class F boat driven by Vic Scott of Levittown, New York, runner-up for the grand prize last year, winner the year before. He's out for a second win. Right on Scott's wake, seconds behind, is B62, last year's winner, John Whitehouse of Springfield, Massachusetts, another Class F engine. Third boat is S116 from Dayton, Ohio, Merlin Culver at the wheel, the first D-Class boat to pass here. Trailing along in fourth spot is N158, August Nigel driving. At Poughkeepsie, every racer must get the yellow flag before continuing a safety regulation. Yellow flags and safety rules can't help here. Seventh boat is N150, and that means Emil Mayer is ahead of his wife in the family contest. Who's this being towed in? S116. That's Merlin Culver, who just flashed by moments ago. Halfway is the furthest many a boat got. Another breakdown. John McAdams, Class D, from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Now the pace, the river, and Lady Luck are cutting down the field in every class all along the river. N158 again. That's Forever Amber running in second place now. Two miles ahead, it's still N300. Rick Scott's handsome Revo Ho with his big Evinrude helping him increase that lead. It takes piano-wire nerves and contempt for muscle cramps to pilot one of these jobs the whole distance at full or even three-quarter speed. The boys in Forever Amber check their course with the pilot of the camera plane, and they're on the beam. More tough luck. No wonder there's a medal for each driver who finishes this drive. Running nicely among the leaders is Dottie Mayer with her brother. Another two-man crew peaks field Al Azalea, head man. Moving up with the leaders as each mile goes by is N224, a mercury-powered Class D boat driven by Jim Wilson of Buffalo. Jim checks his course, too, and you can bet he's not thinking about the restaurant business right now. The wind has come up a bit, and George Grafwall is beginning to get a rough ride in his Class F entry. Fred Yarm rides along in his Lyman, his left hand busily pumping fuel into that faithful Class F Evinrude. Now, N170, a Class E entrance with Bill Roger of Kalamana, New York, driving. P.S., he won his class. Watch this. Byron Shannon hits a tugboat's wake. Hang on! Getting close to the finish line now. Here's Howard Beal of Norfolk, Virginia, running third in E class. Meantime, at Riverside Drive and 72nd Street, the judges get set. Just seconds to go. N300, Vic Scott's boat, past George Washington Bridge. The Coast Guard officer reports that Scott's past 90th Street. The checkered flag is toyed, and here's the champ. Vic Scott wins the 49 marathon in three hours, 28 minutes, and 14 seconds, averaging 37.6 miles an hour. Having made better time in his 15-foot boat than most Sunday drivers on the highway, Scott goes into a few victory curves. The winner. Now, the officials of the field. Nearly a half hour later, N158, Forever Amber, and her two-man crew checks in with a 36-and-1-tenth average. Third place winner, George Braswell, averaged 35-and-5-tenths, a clean sweep for class F. In fourth place and scoring a big victory over many higher-powered boats. By early afternoon, everyone is literally seeing spots before their eyes. The first finishes of classes A, B, and C are swinging home. The going in choppy water has been brutally tough. These are the iron men of the fleet as they cover the last few miles, red-eyed from spray, black and blue from those last five miles paralleling the West Side Highway. The class A tiny tin winner is Dorwan Teague, Jr., who, together with his champion motor and Feathercraft hull being weighed here, took it for six hours and 15 minutes. As the stragglers come home, grand winner Vic Scott plans to speed on the dock meanwhile and collects every champion's just reward, a kiss from the missile. It's almost all over. Boats ride too deep at dockside, waiting for crews to collect them, stow them in the trailers for that return trip home. Every driver has reached the finish line and is ready to eat a big meal on Routh Avonroute and accept the medal from Wheels Incorporated. It's all over for the planning for next year. The winners will be anxious to try it again, and the losers will be back to become winners if they can. Albany, New York, Saturday, June 11, 1949. Race fever is epidemic along the Hudson as entrants pour in for the 17th annual Albany to New York Outboard Marathon. The Indianapolis Speedway of outboard racing, 315 entrants from 18 states check in for a terrific 138 mile test of hull, motor, and man. They've come from Indiana, Virginia, Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado, Ohio, California, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Arizona. Though drivers take this race seriously, it isn't all grim. This Florida driver sports a derby hat as he's lowered away, and though dressed for the big city, confidentially, he's not destined to get that far. By mid-morning, the dock is busy with drivers, boats, and helpers. Drivers tune their boats and motors to racing key and double-check every possible source of trouble. Some of these river skippers are fussier than a nervous nurse, and some stop hurrying after a certain point. Can't go anywhere without the... The oldest entrant, 61-year-old Emanuel Travers of New York, talks things over with 16-year-old Tom Murray of Dover, Delaware. New York's Donnie Mayer is set to compete against all comers, including her husband, Amos. These crafts, whether factory or home-built, are all family runabouts with the frills and cushions removed. Engines are divided into six classes. Cubic inches of engine displacement is the governing factor. This is class A, 15 cubic inches. Now B class, 20 cubic inches. C class is limited to 30 cubic inches. Bigger classes, D calls for a top of 40. E, 50 cubic inches. And the biggest is F class at 60 cubic inches. Dockside activity runs late as everyone gets set for 138 miles of full strain and full throttle going. Sun race day reveals that you can sleep in these crafts. Eight o'clock's the zero hour, and now's the last chance for a last minute tune-up and, of course, fueling. Carry your own. Now out to the line. For safety, boats will get away in two sections. We're set now for start. Classes D, E, and F. Three, two, one. Look, those boats go. With the New York Central Railroad Bridge's background, the big mercuries of class D and the inroads of classes E and F roar off to a crowded start. The field of 152 boats quickly spreads with the leaders plowing furrows that sweep back to the trailing boat. Notice how the following crafts steer across between the lanes of backwash from churning crops. Sharp eyes watch every move as the field sweeps downriver at better than 40 miles an hour. Half an hour later, as they move out to the line, the big moment has come for the three smaller classes, A, B, and C. Down goes the starter's flag, and more crafts head for the finish line at 72nd Street, Manhattan. Mom and Pop and the kids never saw anything like this in their little egg beaters. Yet, in boats and engines of the same type as Mom's and Pop's, these boys are going to take every risk, every wave, real kidney-rattling motion. Almost certainly out of the running for the grand prize, the best they can hope for is one of the class prizes. Many boats have extra fuel tanks to avoid time-consuming fuel stuff. Over every bouncing mile, drivers in every class are haunted by the possibility of mechanical failure and breakdown. Halfway to 72nd Street is Poughkeepsie. At the Yacht Club, a big crowd waits for the first boat, which will be Class D, E, or F, since this group got off first. And here's the first boat. It's N300, a Class F boat driven by Vic Scott of Levittown, New York, runner-up for the grand prize last year, winner the year before. He's out for a second win. Right on Scott's wake, seconds behind, is B62, last year's winner, John Whitehouse of Springfield, Massachusetts, another Class F entrance. Third boat is S116 from Dayton, Ohio. Merlin Culver at the wheel, the first D-Class boat to pass here. Trailing along in fourth spot is N158, August Nigel driving. At Poughkeepsie, every racer must get the yellow flag before continuing a safety regulation. Yellow flags and safety rules can't help here. Seventh boat is N150, and that means Emil Mayer is ahead of his wife in the family contest. Who's this being towed in? S116. That's Merlin Culver, who just flashed by moments ago. Another breakdown. John McAdams, Class D, from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Now the pace, the river, and Lady Luck are cutting down the field in every class all along the river. N158 again. That's Forever Amber running in second place now. Two miles ahead, it's still N300. Vic Scott's handsome Ravoho with his big Evinrude helping him increase that lead. It takes piano-wire nerves and contempt-forced cramps to pilot one of these jobs the whole distance at full or even three-quarters speed. Scott's still in second place. The boys in Forever Amber check their course with the No wonder there's a medal for each driver who finishes this grind. Running nicely among the leaders is Dottie Mayer with her brother. Another two-man crew peaks field Al Azalea, head man. Moving up with the leaders as each mile goes by is N224, a mercury-powered Class D boat driven by Jim Wilson of Buffalo. Jim checks his course too, and you can bet he's not thinking about the restaurant business right now. The wind has come up a bit, and George Grathwall is beginning to get a rough ride in his Class F entry. Fred Yarm rides along in his Lyman, his left hand busily pumping fuel into that faithful Class F Evinrude. Now N170, a Class E entrance with Bill Roger of Calamana, New York, driving. Yes, he won his class. Watch this. Byron Shannon hits a tugboat's wake. Hang on! Getting close to the finish line now. Here's Howard Beale of Norfolk, Virginia, running third in E class. Meantime at Riverside, 572nd Street, the judges get set. Just seconds ago, N300, Vic Scott's boat, passed George Washington Bridge. The Coast Guard officer reports that Scott's passed 90th Street. The checkered flag is toyed, and here's the champ. Vic Scott wins the 49 marathon in 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 14 seconds, averaging 37.6 miles an hour. Having made better time in his 15-foot boat than most Sunday drivers on the highway, Scott goes into a fuel victory curve. The winner! Now the officials watch for the rest of the field. Nearly a half hour later, N158, Forever Amber, and her two-man crew checks in with a 36.1 average. Third place winner, George Brathwall, averaged 35.5 to make a clean sweep for Class F. In fourth place and first of his class is Jim Wilson, logging an average of 34.7, scoring a big victory over many higher-powered boats. By early afternoon, everyone is literally seeing spots before their eyes. The first finishes of Classes A, B, and C are stringing home. The going in choppy water has been brutally tough. And men of the fleet, as they cover the last few miles, red-eyed from spray, black and blue from pounding. Those last five miles paralleling the West Side Highway have taken a big toll of the boys who are lucky enough to get that boat. The Class A Tiny Tin winner is Darwin Teague, Jr., who, together with his champion motor, Craft Pro, being weighed here, took it for six hours and 15 minutes. As the stragglers come home, Grand Winner Vic Fox plans to speed on the dock. Meanwhile, waiting for crews to collect them, stow them in the trailers for the trip home. Every driver has reached the finish line, feels incorporated. ...and then try it again.