John McGinnis Williams - speedboat champion Australasian
Motor Boat Championship 1925 - Brisbane
Mac’s win in South Australia meant that
Queensland was the new holder of the Griffith Cup and that for the first
time in history the race would be held in Brisbane. This event took place
at Brisbane on 21 February 1925.
Two of the hydroplanes
against which Mac had raced the previous year, Tortoise II and Lady
Sid, were again competing.Miss
Edith Napier Birks, of the Port Adelaide Club, drove Lady Sid.
She was the first female hydroplanist. The other two competitors
were G. Whiz and Miss Albion.
Boat versus plane and water
versus air seemed to be the attraction of the day. For several days before the race, spectators were thrilled with daring,
flying exhibitions by Lieutenant Horrie Miller who planned to meet the
Australasian championship competitors in a special challenge race after
the conclusion of the championship.This
Curtiss Seagull flying boat had been demonstrated by Miller throughout
Australia in 1922.
During her practice
sessions she attained remarkable speeds. A change in conditions meant that
the seaplane would be able to leave the water during the progress of the
race, whereas it was originally intended that the machine would have to
skim along the surface of the water.
Photo:
Horrie Miller in the Curtiss Seagull flying boat Photo donated by Roger Moore from Redland Bay.
On Friday morning, the day before the race, Mr E. C. Griffith, honorary
secretary of the Motor Yacht Club of New South Wales, and donor of the cup
for the championship, along with other visiting yachtsmen attended a civic
reception at the Town Hall for a midday luncheon and official welcome at
the Royal Queensland Yacht Club rooms directly afterwards. The Acting
Mayor, Alderman T. Wilson, welcomed the visiting yachtsmen from the
Southern States, some of whom were taking part in the race. At the luncheon, it was
announced that Major D’Arcy Donkin, owner of the hydroplane Meteor,
had donated a handsome trophy, valued at 40 guineas to go to the winner of
the cup, independent of other prizes. Major Donkin was himself a pilot
with an old S.E. plane purchased after WWI. He owned Meteor Station,
near Springsure in Central Queensland - hence the name of his hydroplane.
Photo:
The assemblage in the Brisbane Town Hall which welcomed the speed boat
representatives. John 'Mac' Williams front row on left.
On Saturday 21 February,
both the Hamilton and Bulimba foreshores were lined with spectators.Hundreds of cars were parked in every available space on either
bank. Upwards of 6000 people saw the race. The
Doomba was chartered and acted as an official flagship and was filled to
capacity – she was an excursion steamer capable of carrying 1,524
passengers.
Originally,
the Koopa was to have been the flagship, but the Doomba was be able to
carry 400 more spectators than the Koopa. The Vice-Regal and Mayoral
parties were accommodated on the flagship, which was moored at a point
that provided a good view of the race. A first-class brass band was on the
Hamilton retaining wall.
At 2 pm the Doomba
left Circular Quay and the race began at 2:45 pm. The first heat was started
as Century Tire piloted the boats to the line. When the flag
dropped, Century Tire, Tortoise, Miss Albion, G-Whiz and Lady
Sid were almost in line. Century Tire and Tortoise
immediately rushed to the front, creating hug washes in which G-Whiz was
entrapped. She disappeared from sight in a cloud of spray, after being
thrown clean out of the water.The
crew were thrown overboard and several boats rushed to their assistance.
While the crew were being rescued, the boat slowly sank. Miss Albion
was also troubled by the wash, and was eased up in speed. When the turn was reached,
it was seen that the cooling system in Tortoise was not functioning
properly, for the cockpit was a cloud of steam.
When the boats came in
sight Century Tire held a good lead from the failing Tortoise,
and was rounded, her pilot taking the turn with utmost care, and
completing the fastest lap of the day. Tortoise
started on the second lap in second position, but it could be seen that
the end was near.She was
forced to retire, which robbed the race of a considerable amount of
interest, as it left Century Tire a certain winner, barring
accident.Century Tire
finished her laps at 5 min, 5 secs. Miss Albion brought up the rear
throughout, racing always within striking distance of the leaders after
the retirement of Tortoise.
The second heat saw only two starters, Miss Albion
being unable to start her engine. Lady Sid and Century Tire
crossed the line nicely. Century Tire held the lead throughout.
Photo:
Century Tire is pictured on the extreme lower right.
Photo:
Horrie Miller's seaplane draws away from Century Tire. Photo donated by
Roger Moore.
Photo:
The Curtiss Seagull flying boat (Courtesy Mrs M Williams)
The finish of the second
heat was extremely spectacular, Lieutenant Miller, in his seaplane, taking
up the running with the Century Tire as she neared the finish.
Speed-boat and seaplane made a thrilling race and the aircraft was only
able to draw away as the line was neared by rising slightly higher in the
air. Immediately after the finish lightening broke over the course and the
boats commenced scurrying homewards. The seaplane made for her
moorings and, of course, the seaplane versus the hydroplane race that was
to have followed the Championship, had to be abandoned.
After the race, Century
Tire came along the flagship, which screamed congratulations with her
siren, and Mac went aboard with thunderous cheers to be congratulated by
His Excellency the Governor. So, having won the first two heats, the Century
Tire had won the Griffith Cup for the second time in succession.
Photo: Cup presentation (Courtesy Mrs M Williams)
The Cup was handed over to
Mac at a ‘smoke concert ’at the Royal Queensland Yacht Club that
evening. At the presentation, the Commodore of the Yacht
Club during his speech said “Mac, may you live to a Century and never
tire!”
[2]
Photo: Front cover from The Australian
Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly 1st
July 1925
[2]John McGinnis
Williams died 28 February 1971 aged 88 years
John McGinnis Williams - speedboat champion
