A boat like Pardon Me would not have been possible without the Packard 4M-2500 marine engine. The availability of this supercharged 12-cylinder engine made it feasible for John Hacker to draw up a 48’ double-cockpit that could truly perform like a runabout, leaping easily onto a plane and staying there with adequate power for 60 mph. Although the motor was developed for WWII Patrol Torpedo boats, it likely seemed a natural development to Hacker, who was familiar with the engine’s designer: Jesse Vincent from Packard Motor Corp.
Both men were part of a small cadre at the top of boat racing in the 1920s and 30s, and often collaborated on raceboats. These were the Gentlemen of the “Gentleman’s Gold Cup” era. Over this period, success in racing led to lucrative contracts for custom boats. Top raceboat designers such as John Hacker and George Crouch designed many speedboats and commuters for private clients, and Hacker’s designs often specified Packard motors. Speedboat design evolved as the engines improved, and both Pardon Me and her Packard 4M-2500 are late examples of this period of co-evolution.
