Inventor of the Modern Speed Boat used to avoid custom agents was by designing an incredibly fast (by 1928 standards) boat. His unique design would become part of every speed boat and was a major component of military landing craft. The First Step Hull AC Patterson holds a US patent for his step hull design, a design that gives a boat lift and therefore reduces friction with the water. This design is part of all racing boats today--modern speed boats using often a double step hull. This design allowed his boat, "The Bullet," to reach speeds over 60 knots and easily outdistance and outmaneuver his pursuers, be they pirates or US Customs Agent. "The Bullet" was constructed by Andrew Higgins, the man who built the landing crafts for the Normandy Invasion. The "Higgins Boat" Patterson was a close friend of Andrew Higgins, and we have oral accounts that he helped Higgins in the design of the landing craft built by Higgins Industries. Patterson has several designs of landing crafts, one of which was patented. His patented design is a rear exit craft that had a shallow draft and could be driven to the beach. We have some accounts that Patterson was not in favor of the front exit craft (the Higgins Boat) used in Normandy. The P. T. boat has a design most like that of Patterson. But it was the Higgins Boat that led to the defeat of the Nazis and it was the Higgins boat that successfully transported thousands of troops onto the beach at Normandy. Andrew Higgins had developed a manufacturing process that was efficient and effective. Two men from New Orleans, Alonzo Patterson and his long time friend Andrew Higgins proved vital to the war effort. |
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Higgins Boat |