Print, Photographic

Photograph

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Shanaman Sports Museum

Name/Title

Print, Photographic

Entry/Object ID

1997.06.15

Description

The hydroplane Coral Reef is shown lifted by a crane in this black and white photo donated by Gordon Wright Jr., as crew members Frank Woods, left, stands near the cockpit and Ed Longozo stands forward. The Coral Reef was the first Tacoma-built hydroplane — designed and built by Les Staudacher — and was owned by Austin Snell. She was later renamed the Miss Rocket, after Snell’s Rocket gas stations, and the boat’s best finish was a second-place in the annual Seafair Race. She was driven by Harry Reeves. Miss Coral Reef made her debut in 1957 but didn’t garner much attention in the first few races of 1958. In the boat’s first season and a half, the U19 boat had failed to qualify for a single final heat but that changed when rookie driver Reeves finished second and first in her preliminary heats in the Gold Cup on August 10, and in the final race, Reeves went after driver Jack Regas and the Hawaii Kai III. Regas won by a rooster tail but it was the best performance for the boat and its crew.

Lexicon

Search Terms

Hydro Racing, hydroplanes, Professional/Semi-Pro

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

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hydroplanes

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Unlimited Hydroplanes

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Coral Reef

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Wright Jr., Gordon

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Woods, Frank

Person or Organization

Tacoma

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Longozo, Ed

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Staudacher, Les

Person or Organization

Snell, Austin

Person or Organization

Miss Rocket

Person or Organization

Seafair Race

Person or Organization

Reeves, Harry

Person or Organization

Gold Cup Seattle

Person or Organization

Regas, Jack