Hydroplane Legend Anchor Jensen Dies in Seattle; World-Renowned Master Shipwright and Creator of the Slo-mo-shun IV and V Leaves a Legacy of Victory and Invention.

City Desks & Sports Editors

SEATTLE--(BW SportsWire)--Oct. 3, 2000

Anchor Jensen, legendary master shipwright and creator of the world-record-breaking Slo-mo-shun IV and V Hydroplanes, died on Aug. 13 at age 82.

Jensen, world-renowned for his unique Gold Cup-winning boats, will also be remembered for his pioneering innovations and his commitment and contributions to the Northwest boat-building community.

As the co-designer and builder of Slo-mo-shun IV and V, Jensen's Slo-mo-shun IV became the prototype for all hydroplane builders for the next 15 years.

In 1950, Slo-mo IV smashed the "World Water Speed Record" and then quite unexpectedly broke the stranglehold of Detroit racers by winning the Gold Cup on their home course and claiming the famous Cup for the City of Seattle.

This kicked off the incredible string of victories the Slo-mo team would achieve over the next five years, including stunning the racing world with five straight Gold Cup victories, winning the prestigious Harmsworth Trophy and breaking the World Record Mile Run again in 1952 with a speed of 178.5 miles per hour.

This legacy of accomplishments by Jensen and the Slo-mo team had a lasting impact on the image of Seattle. Every major newspaper, magazine and TV station carried stories, year after year, about the Slo-mo-shuns, making Seattle a city known across the United States and the rest of the world.

Jensen, one of the world's greatest resources on wooden-boat technology, had owned and managed the Jensen Motor Boat Co. (JMC) for the last 63 years. He was continuing the tradition started by his parents, Tony and Bessie Jensen, who established the company in 1927. A Seattle institution, the JMC built hundreds of custom classic wooden boats and rebuilt thousands of others during Jensen's lifetime.

"Anchor was an intuitive genius and a healer of thousands of boats," said Dick Carroll, historian for the JMC. "He built boats that went to war, boats that went to work, boats that broke world records and that won Seattle's heart. I don't think he was ever away from the water or a boat for more than a couple of days in his entire life."

Jensen enlisted for World War II in 1944. He graduated with honors at the top of his class at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, and served in the Navy aboard the Battleship Iowa and the USS Belleau Wood.

He was a lifelong member of the Mountaineers, a past member of the Seattle and Corinthian Yacht Clubs, and a member of the APBA and many other organizations. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his lifelong contributions, and his Slo-mo-shun IV is currently on display at the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle.

In honor of Jensen's legacy, world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly -- famous for his exquisite glass sculptures exhibited in museums and public installations worldwide -- will create a special work dedicated to Jensen. The work will be installed in the Seattle area.

Jensen is predeceased by his wife, Ann Katheryn Jensen, and their son Whitney Jensen, and is survived by his son Anchor DeWitt Jensen; his daughter-in-law Debra Jensen; and two grandsons, Matthew and Erik Jensen.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Slo-mo-shun IV's "World Record Breaking Mile" and her first Gold Cup victory.

For more information on Anchor Jensen and the Jensen Motorboat Co., contact Dick Carroll at 206/632-7888 or visit www.slomoshun.com.