The Death Boat: The tragic accident on West Lake Okoboji that left nine dead and changed boating in Iowa forever

by Lloyd B. Cunningham

In the twilight of a summer evening, on a bustling Iowa lake in 1929, two speedboats collided. Nine people were killed, and boating in the state was changed forever. "The Death Boat" is the story—told in detail as never before—of the crash on West Lake Okoboji in northwestern Iowa. One boat, Zipper, had been a prime attraction at Arnolds Park, an amusement park and entertainment mecca on the water that drew vacationers from across the country. The other, Miss Thriller, was a newcomer to the lake touted as the fastest boat in the world carrying passengers for hire. Friction, even sabotage, ensued as the boat operators competed to become king of the lake. The rivalry ended in disaster. Within hours, before the last passenger’s body had been brought to shore, questions Had Miss Thriller’s captain been careless? Did the inexperience of the other pilot cause the collision? Did the bitter rivalry figure in the deadly encounter? And finally, would the recovery of Miss Thriller, from its resting place 96 feet deep in West Lake Okoboji reveal the accident’s cause? The enduring mysteries of the crash long have remained in the dark, much like Miss Thriller after she sank into the depths of West Lake Okoboji. "The Death Boat" pieces together newspaper stories, survivor accounts, public letters and private correspondence, witness testimony, supreme court decisions, and government records that shed light on those mysteries.

Genres: Nonfiction

135 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2019

Reviews

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lifelong boater of "The Lakes", I found this book to be very interesting.

[Kristy Bottin-Goetzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good, non-fiction read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially since I've been to Arnold's Park many times. The only thing I had trouble with was keeping track of the numerous characters in the story. There are just so many, it was hard to keep them all straight in my head!

[Jon Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased my copy of this book in paperback at the gift store of the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum in Okoboji, Iowa when visiting the region in June of this year. The "Iowa Great Lakes" are a cluster of glacial lakes in northwestern Iowa. The events of this book center on Lake Okoboji, one of the "Iowa Great Lakes" and (I believe) the largest and most popular of the lakes for recreation. The events of the book take place in the summer of 1929 when two speedboats full of paying passengers collide in the dark on Lake Okoboji. Speedboats carrying passengers for high-speed thrill rides were a popular feature on the lake at the time. One boat involved in the collision, the "Miss Thriller" (billed as the fastest passenger speedboat in the country) sank, leading to the deaths of nine passengers. The book covers the history of the lakes including their settlement and development as a center for recreation, the background of the two speedboats involved in the collision and their owners and crews, biographies of the passengers killed in the accident, the legal repercussions of the accident, and the effort to recover the sunken "Miss Thriller" from the lake bottom. It is a slim book at 135 pages but that was about right for the subject matter. The book was well researched and well organized and overall an enjoyable read that puts a spotlight on a tragic but little known chapter in the history of the region. Four out of five stars. Also, if you are ever in NW Iowa, the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum is definitely worth a look.

[Linda L. Foss · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting account of a tragedy.

An interesting account of the history of the development of Lake Okoboji. I have visited this area of Iowa several times. It is a beautiful area. I was intrigued by the title. I had toured the museums and found them to be informative. This book filled in the bsckground

[Nancy Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting especially if you have history with Lake Okoboji area!!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but a little TOO much info about boat-building and local politics for me right now, guess I just wanted the story of the accident!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed and interesting.