The New York herald., 1922-12-12
SPEEJACKS'S OWNER
|. CRIES NEVER AGAIN
Gowen Sought Adventure
and Got 1t, but Doesn't
Recommend 1t.
.ALL IN FROM VOYAGE
Wife Brings Yacht Into
Port After Is Months
Circling World.
MET GASOLINE DELAYS
Ninety Foot Power Boat Was
Once Towed 5000 Miles
in Record Trip.
MET GASOLINE DELAYS

y L
spent yesterday at the Hotel Biltlnore
receiving congratulations upon his
record breaking voyage around the
world in the ninety-eight foot gasoline
motor yacht Speejacks. He had
hardly recovered his land legs when
telephone calls began to pour into his
apartment from publishers and motion
picture companies requesting the
rights for stories and films of the
cruise.
The Speejacks arrived shortly after
II o'clock at the landing OF the New
York Yacht Club in East Twenty
third street after having completed
more than $4,000 miles since leaving
this port. The cruise would never
have been achieved, its owner frankly
admits, unless extraordinary fortune
had not followed the vessel; and he
added: IT was looking for adventure
and I got it. I'd never do it again
and I don't believe anybody would be
foolish enough to attempt it. I'm
~all in"
Many Of the adventures through
which the yacht and her company
passed We're interestingly described by
Mrs. Gowen in dispatch from Nor
folk, Va, published by THE NEW
York HERALD last Friday morning.
while the Speejacks was at that port
preparing for the last leg of the voy-
age.
1t was just sixteen months, less ten
days, since the Speejacks left anchor
age off West Eighty-sixth street. She
was easily recognized by the harbor
shipping as she slipped by the Hook at
about o'clock yesterday morning. and
she was saluted all the way up the harbor.
A number of friends and many inter
ested in the yacht had gathered on
the pier at Twenty-third street and they
choered heartily as the yacht slowly
slid alongside the pier and ran to grab
the lines as they were cast ashore.
Engines Never Missed.
Mrs. Gowen, dressed not as sailor.
but ready TO step ashore. was at the
wheel and by her side stood her hus-
band. The speejaclls carried the burgee
OF the Cleveland Yacht Club, OF which
Mr. Gowen was at one time commo-
dore, on the jack STAFF on the bow, the
burgee OF the Adventurere Club at the
masthead and the United States Yacht
ensign at the stern. She looked battered
and worn, and why shouldn't she? She
had battled with storms and seas In all
parts of the world, but she has weathered
them all, and a llttle paint and some
v2rnish will make her as dainty as when
she left her builders plant at Morris
Heights In the summer OF 1921.
Among those on the pier were Mrs
Burton Holmes, Clement G. Amory and
william ]. Parslow OF the Consolidated
shipbuilding Corporation, builders of the
yacht: George w. Coddrington and A.
O. Griese. representing the Winton Com
pany: c. L. Chapman Of the race com
mission OF the American Power Boat
Association. and a regiment of photogra-
piers, many working moviesnachines.
AS soon as the yacht was made fast
Mr.. and Mrs. Gowen invited their friends
on the yacht and they were able TO IN
spect the vessel. The engines, two Win
tons OF 260 horse power each, were still
running, and MIR. Gowen and Engineer
Jack Lewis, who has been on all the
Commodore's yachts, said that since they
started those engines had never faltered
and never missed. Some srlall power
craft. notably the Gregory and tho De-
trolt, have crossed the Atlantic. but
until the Speetacks no yacht OF her size.
driven By gasoline engines, had gone
around the world.
The Speejacks is 9s feet long on deck,
90 feet on the water line, IL feet wide
and about feet draught ghe is planked
with teak and copper bottoned and In
addition to her two engines which drive
her she has two small auxiliaries for
lighting, heating and other purposes. She
has good freeboard, a pilot house and
dining saloon Oh deck forward but this
house Is not high. The yacht was care
fully planned 10 do Just what she has
done. She carries one mast, chiefly for
signalling. but on this she can set jib
and staysail which sails were used
mainly to stabilize the yacht and steady
her in a scaway.
Delayed by Gasoline Supplies.
Mr. and Mrs. Gowen did not keep 10
the ordinary tourist beaten paths, but
explored uncharted coasts and crossed
vast stretches OF water considered un-
naugabie to any except the stoutest ves-
sells In crossing the Indian ocean. for
example. from Batavia, Java, TO Alden,
IN Arabia the cruise lad to be broken
by a stop at tho Seyschelles Islands In
order u replen!sh the supply OF gasoline.
The ielau1d arc on mn firfYeutfeffed ~ lane