Today, 22nd May 2018, is National Maritime Day in the United States. The national holiday was created to recognise the birth of the maritime industry – marking the date in 1819 when American steamship, Savannah, set sail from Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power.
Why are we telling you about it? Well, the Isle of Wight has welcomed its fair share of American sailors and powerboat racers over the last 100 years and you can find out more about them at the Classic Boat Museum Gallery in East Cowes.
‘Fastest woman on the water’
One such example is Marion ‘Joe’ Carstairs – an openly gay, female powerboat racer – who came to the Island to take part in powerboat racing in the 1920s and went on to be known as the ‘fastest woman on the water’.
‘Joe’ was a millionaire heiress (inheriting a huge wealth from her grandfather who founded Standard Oil/Esso) and led an unconventional and eccentric life.
The Sylvia Yard
When she arrived on the Isle of Wight, ‘Joe’ commissioned Sammy Saunders to build her a powerboat.
She went on to set up her own boat yard on the River Medina, Sylvia Yard, employing Islanders to work on the design, build and testing of her sleek powerboats.
From one island to another
After throwing in the towel a few years later, ‘Joe’ went on to buy an Island called Whale Cay (pronounced Quay) in the Bahamas (then known as the British West Indies).
Despite leaving the Isle of Wight at the end of the 1920s, she continued to support her chief engineer, Joe Harris (pictured above with ‘Joe’). When he passed away, she continued to support his family until her death in Florida, aged 93 in 1993.
Other Islanders who worked with ‘Joe’ include foreman, Arthur ‘Gubby’ Gubbins; boat painter, Jimmy Dexter and Bert Hawker, who designed the boats.
Find out more
You can find out much more about ‘Joe’ Carstairs on the Isle of Wight Hidden Heroes Website or by visiting the Classic Boat Museum Gallery, where they currently have an excellent maritime-focused Hidden Heroes exhibition.
The Classic Boat Museum Gallery is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10am – 3.30pm and can be found in the Columbine Building, Columbine Road, East Cowes.
Image: © Classic Boat Museum
