Tether Speed Boats

A pair of carved wooden speed boats powered by miniature internal combustion engines. On newly made metal display stands.

In the early days of powered models, boats were either straight running or tethered. Competition between tether boats took place where, each boat in turn, was fixed by a steel cable to a central point in the middle of a pond or lake and completed circuits against the clock, typically at high speed, until the fuel was expended. The winner was determined based on the average speed of several laps. Straight running craft were launched from one side of the lake and aimed, across the lake, at a number of marked posts forming gates. One or more catchers would would be positioned at the far side of the lake and would receive the craft, and return it. Scores were accumulated according to accuracy of passing through the gates.

Early engines (prior to the 1950s) had spark ignition systems. Later engines use glow plug ignition. A Glow Plug engine, or Glow engine uses a special fuel that mostly consists of methanol with varying degrees of nitromethane content.

Dimensions: 32 cm12½ inches (length) x 14 cm/5½ inches (width)