SLIP AWAY

The U-16 Miss Elam blew over during his second lap of testing for the Gold Cup on the Detroit River.

Driver J.W. Myers escaped the boat under his own power and waved to the crowd. The dramatic blow-over occured at full speed entering Roostertail Turn near the Detroit Yacht Club, and rivaled the storied early 1980s Pay-n-Pak double flip in the Tri-Cities.

The U-16 broke in half as a result of the high-flying flip and impact on the river.

Hauling Trash

Wow

SteveDavid

#1. The U-16 is not a former Budweiser Hull. The Elam team (Erick Ellstrom) and Dale Van Weirengin built her. Dale did build several of the later Buds.
#2. The accident was in July of 2005 during a qualifying attempt. For those folks that know the course, this was just entering the roostertail turn by the Detroit Yacht Club.
#3. The boat had some damage to the left rear, was not broke in half, was repaired overnight and ran the next day, placing 2nd. in the final heat, with the same driver that blew it over.

Cat, you're right, if this was pre 1989, JW wouldn't be with us. He is the current driver of the U-10 which is in fact a former Bud Hull. He was released from the Elam team after the Detroit accident. He's a great driver, hard charger and a pleasure to race against.

For more photos of this accident, and other close ones from the 06 season go to the KNDU website.

Steve

dmaxx3500

guys this just happened,they race in dec in detroit?

UNSANE

Killed??? More like compacted.........My dad was one of the people that retrieved Dean Chenowith's body out of the Columbia River when Miss Bud flipped attempting a speed record years ago. I don't know if I'm allowed to repeat my dad's words here, as to how he described Dean looking when they pulled him from the water. If I remember right, it was Bernie Little who wanted to do something about preventing another accident like that, so I think the Miss Bud was the first to have one, but either way I'm glad there are canopies now. After watching a family friend nearly end his life in Seattle (Jon Walters-Pay N Pak, the first turbine) along with many other offshore and drag boat accidents, I'm sure many here would agree about the benefits of a canopy and if needed, break away cockpits/capsules like the ones the drag boats have. As my students come into class, I'm usually playing one of the Freeze Frame Crash DVD's on the big screen. They tend to think the rollovers are "cool". When I explain to them that not to long ago, that was a death sentence, even they grasp the concept.

PS: I think the Pay N Pak's double flip was in Seattle, I'll ask the old man, but that wasn't the one that did Jon in. The one that did him in was definitely in Seattle, that's when another boat lost control and actually ran over Jon in the cockpit. A canopy would of prevented a lot of his injuries. That accident broke his back and he was forced to retire from driving, but did crew chief afterwords.