A group has applied for permits to race jet boats in Oregon. The Oregon State Marine Board is taking comments on whether the Southern Oregon Power Boat Association should be granted a permit to race on the Wilamette river May 25-26.
Salem Stateman-Journal article >>
The Offshore Pro Series (boats ranging from 39 to 44 feet in length and powered by automotive or turbine engines up to 3,700 horsepower) will be back at the Detroit Regatta for 2008.
When the waters got too rough for other classes of boats to run, the Offshore boats were still able to keep the action on the water going.
With the latest addition to the 2008 Unlimited Lights schedule, that makes 9 events for 2008. On the official calender, there's also a TBA date in September. Plus, at the bottom of the calendar on the ULHRA website, there's a note that says TBA: Oregon. So there may be more races still to be announced.
Google Maps Photo: Race site in TN
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The off season work for the U-13 Spirit of Detroit team started a few weeks later than expected. According to Jeff Kelly, U-13 crew member, the team had an electrical fire in the team hauler on the way home from the season ending race at San Diego in September.
That delayed getting the boat back to Washington state to begin the winter maintenance. Everything's on track now, though.
Read more >>
Photo: James Crisp
In addition to driving the U-13 Spirit of Detroit hydro, J. Michael Kelly also will drive a 2.5 modified, a 5 litre hydro for Dave Bartush, and share a seat time with his sister Kristina in the A stock division in 2008.
Photo of J. Michael Kelly by Kirk Duncan
The view from Evansville: Water's high now; pits are covered. No racing today, but just about 4 months until the first boat hits the water. River's normally high this time of year, but hopefully back down in late June!
Photo & Info: Kirk Duncan
New photos of Mark Weber's restoration project, the A-55 Mom's Worry. View Photos >>
How much of a geek are you? Take this two-minute quiz to find out >>
Working prototype of nanotechnology wiperless windshield repels water and dirt. It's electrically charged and made up of four layers. Read more >>
Photo: Hidra concept car designed by Italian car designer Leonardo Fioravanti (Sparking Tech)
More than 60 hydroplane and flatbottom boat races are on the 2008 schedule for APBA inboard racing. Here's the schedule for both the Eastern and Western divisions:
Welcome to our new LIVE BLOG sponsors: CarsYakima.com and CarsTriCities.com! We have room for more. If you are interested in reaching thousands of boat racers and fans on this blog, contact me for more information on how you can be a sponsor.
The 2nd Annual Bernie Little Memorial Classic Raceboat Regatta will take place April 4-6, 2008 in tavares, Florida at Wooton Park. Some mileage reimbursement is available for participants for both Saturday and Sunday events.
More info >>
Schedule of Events & Registration Form >>
Capsule training helps drivers prepare for emergencies.
View Slideshow of APBA training
Watch Video of TV Reporter in capsule training >>
Watch ULHRA Video on capsule training >>
View Photo Credit & More Photos >>
Article on the U-22: "Based far from the heart of the sport, Mike Webster hopes to make the jump into the big leagues of hydroplanes." Read more from Reading Eagle Press >>
PHOTO: HydroInsider.com File Photo of Mike Webster
PHOTOGRAPHER: Kirk Duncan
Even more new pictures of the work being done on the U-17 Our Gang Rcing/Miss Red Dot unlimited hydroplane. during the off-season.
Photo: U-17 Website
Detroit Regatta will be featured at the Detroit Boat Show this Feb. 23 & 24 and then at the Detroit Autorama, March 7-9.
Also at the boat show is the DOLPHIN BOAT. Video below.
Kirk Pagel reports in the E-RCU newsletter that Jeff Minar has left the Ellstrom team to return to Superior Racing and Dr. Ken Muscatel's team.
Off-subject, but interesting none-the-less. A meteor "flashed" the Northwest Tuesday and spooked a lot of people. Click here for seven video clips and photos >>
New paint job for Erick Ellstrom's U-1 Elam Plus? Join the discussion >>
Photo: Timothy Spahr
Grand Prix race boat driver Kevin Ladd killed in snowmobile accident. Ladd won in last year's F2 class and was moving up to the F1 class for 2008. More >>
Photo: Champboat.com
Hydroplane racing returns to Polson this summer, for the first time in years, in the form of the Radio Waves Regatta, a new race that just became an official stop on the Unlimited Light Hydroplanes Racing Association tour. More from The Missoulian >>
Some new photos of the off-season work being done by the U-17 Our Gang Racing/Miss Red Dot crew to get things in shape for 2008. View photos >>
Thanks Kirk Duncan for pointing these out!
Photo: U-17 website
Photo: U-17 website
The Unlimited Lights returning to the Tri-City Water Follies event has sparked a fair amount of comment and debate. Read and add your 2-cents >>
Photo: Greg Hopp won the last time the Unlimited Lights raced in the Tri-Cities in 2006.
Great quote from Erick Ellstrom: "Second place is the first guy to lose."
If you haven't seen the National Geographic segment on "Need for Speed" which showcases the Elam team, here it is >>
Somebody emailed me asking about Chuck Moore, who used to do some marketing and publicity for the Unlimited Hydros. Here's his blog >>
World Water Speed Record Attempt: It's 42 ft long, weighs four tons, has 25,000 horsepower and its creator says it can run on the water at 400mph. A British team has spent 10 years researching and building what they believe will be the world's fastest boat. In early 2009, they hope to put it to the test and break Ken Warby's world water speed record of 317.6 mph.
AUDIO: Listen to BBC interview with team leader/driver Nigel Macknight >>
[ Need Real Player to listen ]
[ Need Real Player to listen ]
Design Photo: BBC
Things we learned today: The Monster Truck guys are hydro fans. Oh, and that Jeff Bernard's girlfriend makes awesome beef stroganoff. That info plus mentions of ABRA, J. Michael Kelly & U-13 Spirit of Detroit, Jeff Bernard & U-5 FormulaBoats.com, and Terry Troxell are on the Monster Jam website >>
The Unlimited Lights will return to the Tri Cities Water Follies for 2008.
Some good things happening with the ULHRA. There's a new 3-year deal to race at Polson, Montana (Flathead Lake) and the number of Unlimited Lights team continues to grow. Last year, there were 23 hydroplanes that competed. More teams have joined the fleet for 2008.
Details >>
The must-have-cell-phone-ring-tone for hydro fans.
Create free ringtones at Phonezoo
"Between 1978 and 1987, Steve Reynolds participated in 60 Unlimited races and finished in the top-three at 24 of them." Read more of the Steve Reynolds story from the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum >>
Photo: Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum
The company that makes Seattle's Hydroplane trophies in the middle of an urban building project. Monty Holmes of Athletic Awards has fought the Paul Allen backed developers before. Seattle Times >>
Former Seattle Seafair President & CEO Beth Wojick has a new job. Beth will be the Executive Director of Business Development for One Reel, a non-profit arts and cultural organization, which puts on a number of local and regional events in the Northwest.
In between Seafair and One Reel, she worked as VP of Corporate Partnerships with the Seattle Seahawks.
More info on One Reel >>
Watch the video from the finals of the rFactor racing mod Unlimited Hydroplane League race on January 26. Steve Montgomery adds the play-by-play to make it official. Fun stuff!
Part One:
Part Two:
Mark Weber is the new President of the APBA (American Power Boat Association). Weber continues in his role as Director of Race Operations for the Detroit Regatta.
Photo: APBA Annual Meeting
You just never know where you'll find hydro fans. Craig Barney from Unlimiteds.net snapped these pictures at the NHRA Drag Races in Pomona, CA.
More video from Kayleigh Perkins & Chip Hanauer's talk at the Seattle Boat Show. Watch ULHRA.org Video >>
A little help, please! Who knows the story on this video?
The Unlimited Lights have seven race sites scheduled as of now, but there will likely be more announced shortly. John Lynch reports: "Discussions are ongoing with other sites so it is possible that the seven event schedule may increase in the very near future."
More at ULHRA >>
Some good news from the Tri-City Water Follies: Happy to report that all loans and debts have been paid off and they are back to solid financial footing. With Lamb Weston as a title sponsor again for 2008, things look good for the future.
VIDEO: The XCorps focuses on The Unlimiteds at San Diego Thunderboat Regatta.
VIDEO: Vintage Budwesier commercial featuring Bud racing. Part of the commercial includes the unlimited hydroplane.
Watch the finals at Tri-Cities 2007 from inside the cockpit of the U-37 Beacon Plumbing. WATCH IN COCKPIT VIDEO >>
How to build a hydro (circa 1959): "Has the design of unlimiteds become static? Not on your life. (Les) Staudacher is working on a jet-propelled boat for Joe Schoenith. Who's to say that future Gold Cup competitors might not all be jets?"
Read the full text from the 1959 APBA Gold Cup Program >>
From: Leslie Field's hydro history website
Photo at right: Miss Thriftway
Watch VIDEO of Bernie Little's Career >>
The driving force of the Miss Budweiser unlimited hydroplane racing team, Bernie's impact is still felt today with his contributions to the sport and the various former Bud hulls still in use.
The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum kicks off the 2008 Museum Lecture Series on Feb. 15th at 7pm with a panel discussion hosted by unlimited hydroplane legends Ron Jones, Dixon Smith and Ken Frankel. The topic is "Propellers - Past, Present and Future."
Steve David checks in to give us a first-hand account of the time the Miss T-Plus ran aground at Firebird in 1995.
Steve - thanks for stopping by!
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