Dixie Baby
YEAR: 1921
Lorne Leibel acquired this boat from Bill Fisk of upstate New York in 2014. 'Dixie Baby' was built in 1921 for L.A. Layne (known as the Houston WildCat) of Houston, Texas. She is a 725-class racer that competed in the Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association and won both the Webb Trophy and in 1928 the Richfield Oil Cup. She won many more races and even set a couple speed records that year.
LENGTH: 24'
'Dixie Baby' was forensically
restored over a 2 year period. All the hull sides were preserved, adding a re-enforced layer to the inside, and the whole hull was constructed as originally done with battens set in frames, and each plank painstakingly riveted to the framework. The grout-less decks with exposed copper screwheads were a staple of these lightly built raceboats.
BUILDER: VENTNOR BOATS
Powered by her original
Spanish-made Hispano-Suiza WWI aircraft engine that was meticulously restored by Bob Mishko of Tennessee. This engine driveline runs forward in the boat to one of the earliest V-drive assemblies to be fit in a boat. This reduced the driveline angle and increased hull efficiency. In 2016, 'Dixie Baby' completed a 8-stop Boatshow tour of North America where she won top honours at each appearance. She now resides at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, N.Y., where she is a feature exhibit.
