Description

1961 TO 1967 MISS MADISON (U-6) UNLIMITED HYDROPLANE

FULLY BUILT AND READY TO DISPLAY MUSEUM QUALITY SHIP MODEL

Dimension approx.: 30″ L x 12″ W x 5.5″ H
The model is already built. THIS IS NOT A MODEL SHIP KIT
Authentic gauges, dials and chrome steering wheel on dash
Authentic gauges, dials and chrome steering wheel on dash
Brass Propellers and rudders

The story of Miss Madison begins not with a corporation or a millionaire owner, but with a gift — a single hydroplane, donated in late 1960 by industrialist Sam DuPont to a small river town that loved racing more than it loved sleep. Madison, Indiana, tucked along the Ohio River, suddenly found itself the unlikely steward of an Unlimited hydroplane, a machine normally reserved for big-city sponsors and deep-pocketed teams. They renamed her Miss Madison, and from the moment she touched the water in 1961, she became something more than a boat. She became the town’s pride.

In that first season, with Graham Heath turning wrenches and Marion Cooper gripping the wheel, Miss Madison ran on determination as much as on her Allison engine. She surprised the sport by finishing 5th in Detroit, then thrilled her new hometown supporters with a victory in a secondary race at Seattle’s Seafair Regatta. For a team running on volunteer labor and borrowed parts, it was a dream beginning.

By 1962, the boat had earned a nickname — the town’s “Floating Chamber of Commerce.” She traveled the country carrying Madison’s name on her hull, finishing 4th in the Spirit of Detroit Trophy and 3rd in the Indiana Governor’s Cup, proving that heart could sometimes compensate for horsepower.

But 1963 brought heartbreak. During trials for the APBA Gold Cup in Detroit, the original Miss Madison was destroyed in a violent crash that seriously injured driver Morlan Visel. For most teams, that would have been the end. For Madison, it was a challenge. The community rallied, acquiring the former Nitrogen Too, which debuted as the second Miss Madison. With George “Buddy” Byers driving, the team returned to the water and finished 5th at the Madison Regatta, a quiet but powerful statement of resilience.

The following year, 1964, became a breakthrough. Miss Madison didn’t just survive — she excelled. With Byers at the helm, the boat delivered a string of second‑place finishes at Guntersville, New Town, and Washington, D.C., ultimately placing 2nd in National High Points, behind only the mighty Miss Bardahl. For a community‑owned team, it was nothing short of astonishing.

In 1965, the miracle deepened. After years of chasing the leaders, Miss Madison finally claimed her first major victory, a dramatic come‑from‑behind win in the Dixie Cup, overtaking Mariner Too and Warner Gardner in a race that still echoes in team lore. A 2nd‑place finish in San Diego capped a season that proved the little team from Indiana could beat anyone.

But racing is cyclical, and 1966 brought transition. Jim McCormick, a young driver from Owensboro, Kentucky, made his Unlimited debut with the team. The season was modest — a 3rd in Tampa, a 4th at Madison — but McCormick’s arrival planted seeds that would matter later.

In 1967, with a reduced schedule and Ed O’Halloran taking over driving duties, Miss Madison fought through another rebuilding year. The highlight was a 2nd‑place finish in the Suncoast Cup, a reminder that even in lean seasons, the team could still flash its competitive spirit.

By the end of 1967, Miss Madison had already lived a lifetime of triumphs and trials. She had been destroyed and reborn, doubted and celebrated, outspent but never out‑hearted. What began as a donated hull had become a symbol — a testament to what a determined town could accomplish when it refused to quit. And though no one yet knew it, the greatest chapters of Miss Madison’s story were still ahead.