In 1922 Hacker built MISS MARY for Ed Grimm in Buffalo, New York. A decade later MISS MARY, repowered and renamed EL LAGARTO, would win the Gold Cup Championship three years in a row. But also in 1922 Hacker sold a set of those lines to Commodore Harry Greening, who had Herb Ditchburn of Muskoka Lakes, build RAINBOW III. Greening raced her in the summer of 1923 and almost won Gold Cup Championship in Detroit. She was then sold and renamed PALM BEACH DAYS, to William P. Bigelow, a resident of Palm Beach and St. Michael’s Maryland. Bigelow raced his beloved Palm Beach Days in two decades, representing the Palm Beach Yacht Club in races around the country.
Mark Mason of New England Boat and Motor, Laconia, New Hampshire and James Woodruff of Muskoka Lakes, Canada, both collectors, restorers, builders and historians of antique mahogany speedboats felt Palm Beach Days exemplified the 1920’s era of magnificent racing boats and wished to construct a modern day version to offer for sale to a fellow enthusiast. To obtain the hull lines, they traveled to the Adirondack Museum for permission to carefully measure El Lagarto, the only surviving boat that shares John Hacker’s lines for Palm Beach Days. El Lagarto is the only three time Gold Cup Champion from the 1930’s.
The new Palm Beach Days preserves her historic authenticity, with her original hull lines, massively strong outboard rudder and the finest African mahogany. State of the art construction methods and a powerful 548 cid engine enhance its comfort, performance and durability and push her to World’s Record speeds for the 1930’s.