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Christmas came a few weeks early for Wheeling Park High School senior Annie Glasgow in the form of her very own inboard vintage hydroplane raceboat.

The craft was a gift from Robert Wagoner of Trappe, Md. Glasgow worked as a pit crew member for Wagoner and his family during the inaugural Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta at the city's Heritage Port in 2006.

Glasgow was the youngest hydroplane driver at this year's Regatta, driving "13," her small, bright yellow outboard hydroplane. She and her family recently restored that boat, originally built by her father Ty as a high school shop class project.

It was over dinner during the traditional post-regatta party at T.J.'s Sports Garden on National Road that Wagoner told Glasgow she'd be receiving a true vintage hydroplane. He said he was planning to give the boat to his daughter, but got the idea to give it to Glasgow when he acquired another.

Wagoner and his brother David, of Pasadena, Md., co-own a vintage hydroplane, "Wee Tommy Tucker." David Wagoner owns two other boats, the "Wanton Duchess" and "Rum Runner" - all of which made an appearance at this year's regatta.

Glasgow said she could hardly contain her excitement when Robert Wagoner told her the news this summer.

"Are you kidding me ... what?" she recalled saying. She took her very first ride in an inboard hydroplane during this year's regatta, in "Lil' Miss Hillwinds," a boat owned by Billy Noonan of Louisville, Ky. She said Noonan later let her drive that boat during a regatta in Columbus, Ohio, where she proceeded to defy her age by outracing everyone.

Glasgow already has a vision of what she wants her new boat to look like; she plans to christen the craft "Chain Reaction" and paint its now-predominantly white hull bright magenta and yellow.

Robert Wagoner said the boat, built by John Staudacher around 1980, can reach 80 miles per hour when it's in top condition.

And while the boat is bigger and faster, Wagoner said it's safer as well because its size gives it more stability than is afforded by smaller craft.

But like any true raceboat enthusiast, that's not at the top of Glasgow's list of concerns.

"I don't really care about the safer," she joked. "The bigger, the faster - that's what I'm worried about."

She said she plans to have the boat ready to run during the next Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta, set for Labor Day Weekend 2010 at Heritage Port. The boat still needs to be sanded and painted, with a little engine work to make the boat operational. But Glasgow is confident she'll be ready.

"Me and dad can do anything," she said, noting her family rebuilt "13" by themselves.

When asked when she likely would begin working to finish the restoration process, Glasgow answered with a confident, "Probably tomorrow."