Skimmer Barnes and Tommy Whelan are towing their motorboat with their car when they decide to pursue a limousine so they can talk to its occupant, Jane Townsend. However, they only succeed in rear-ending the limousine and hooking bumpers. Later the same day, while testing their boat on a lake, Skimmer and Tommy are swamped by the wake of a Townsend ship. When they go to the nearby Townsend shipbuilding factory to complain, Skimmer discovers that the manager of the plant is his old friend, Ralph Andrews. Later that night at Cap'n Mike's cafe, Skimmer snubs his former girl friend, Grace Holman, a singer, and Tommy is offended by his rude manner. When Skimmer and Tommy later collide with Jane's boat during a race, they blame Jane for causing them to lose. Ralph then hires them to work at the plant, and their innovations help speed production. As Tommy falls in love with Grace, Skimmer falls for Jane, his resentment having turned to love. With Ralph and Jane's help, the owner of the Townsend factory decides to build a prototype torpedo boat based on Skimmer and Tommy's plans, but when Tommy marries Grace, Skimmer breaks off their friendship and ends their partnership. Skimmer continues working on the boat, and Jane is instrumental in getting the two men to reunite. When a test of the boat proves fatal to Tommy because Skimmer pushes the boat beyond its limitations, Skimmer ends his relationship with Jane and leaves town. A furious Jane decides to improve on the torpedo boat without Skimmer, who, meanwhile, gets an Eastern builder to construct a new version of the boat. Upon completion, Ralph arranges for the Navy to test Jane's new torpedo boat and everyone is surprised when Skimmer shows up as a competitor. As the tests begin, Skimmer sends Grace a note giving her full rights to the profits from his boat. Jane rides with Ralph as he tests the Townsend torpedo boat, but when a smokescreen blinds them, Skimmer abandons his boat to save Jane and Ralph, who are on a deadly collision course with a barge. As a result, Skimmer crashes into the barge. Although his boat is destroyed, Skimmer survives with minor injuries and is granted a Navy contract for his design. Skimmer then reunites with Jane.
