1967 Miss Budweiser

The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum's 1967 Miss Budwieser was built by Les Staudacher in 1962 for Shirley Mendelson McDonald. She ran in 1962 and 1963 as the Notre Dame. In 1965 the boat was renamed Shu-Shu.

In 1967, the 4th Miss Budweiser crashed in Tampa Florida, killing Bill Brow. Bernie Little bought the Shu-Shu and turned her into the 5th Miss Budweiser. She was driven by Mike Thomas and won the British Columbia Cup in Kelowna BC. The boat was replaced by the famous Ed Karelsen-built hull in 1968.

The hulled next raced in 1970 as the Burien Lady with George Henley a the wheel. It continued running under a variety of names until 1980.

The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum restored the boat to her Miss Budweiser colors in 1999 just in time to take part in filming the movie Madison.

The 1967 Miss Budweiser is often mistaken for the four seat Miss Budweiser that originally started out as Guy Lombardo's Tempo.

  • Hydroplane Museum

    Isn't is true that this was once Bernie Little's personal pleasure craft?
  • gordon ryun

    To my knowledge it was shirley mendalson macdonalds personal pleasure craft she had i t widened to a two seater and mahoghany decked and named it the shu-shu then bernie bought it for a display boat that's when I belive bill brow died in bud #4 and bernie reactivated the boat and raced it at kewlona canada and beat billy in the bardahl its only win it might have had one more win but I can't remember for sure
  • gordon ryun

  • gordon ryun

    sorry not very good at this uploading thing theres a couple of doubles but just some random shots of pete,jere,andme before and after chelan 2010
  • gordon ryun

    Congradulations to pete orton for winning the highest honor the museum gives the gold cup of volunteering you deserved it ,again congrats it has been a privilege to work on the miss bud with you
  • gordon ryun

    the old girl was i need of some tlc in the tail so i pulled it off will be good as new soon

  • Jere Heiser

    John Goodman's 1967 Miss Budweiser will be participating in this weekends Mahogany and Merlot event on Lake Chelan. Rumor has it the Merlin powered beauty has never looked better.

  • Dale R. Woodruff

    With the wider seat it would seem the cocpit would be a tight fit, was it wider for giving rides or at anytime was a second person to be on board during races?

  • Jere Heiser

    Hi Dale, the entire cockpit is wider which allows it to have two separate seats. That configuration was done in 1965 when Shirley Mendelson had it turned into the Shu Shu. It ran the two seat configuration from that point on including it's time as the Miss Budweiser. I would be really surprised if anyone went along in a race.