At speed Miss America IX doesn’t feel unstable, but you can sense a slight side-to-side oscillation. Toss in the marvelous noise from the en- gines — just a couple of feet forward of the cockpit — and the terrific ac- celeration and spray and the whole experience is incredibly intense. With the nose lowered as the boat rushes along the water, the horizon approaches rapidly. So does the shoreline. But as soon as Mistele closes the throttles and the mighty 454s cease their bellowing, the 30-footer slows with alacrity as the boat settles on the water and both the hull and the large twin screws create massive drag.
As Mistele shuts off the big blocks, the silence is overpowering and just emphasizes the intensity of Miss America IX in action. All that motion was enough to make this the fastest boat in the world in 1931 and 1932. And according to one Smithsonian curator, Miss America IX “is to water what the Spirit of St. Louis is to avia- tion.” Whether sitting in her slip, still on the water, or at full throttle, she exudes a certain majesty, proving that she really is the “Queen of the Speedboat King.”
THANK YOU
Hagerty Classic Cars would like to thank Chuck and Diane Mistele for sharing this experience with us.
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