Columbia Cup hydroplanes: It’s about to get loud
While the H1 Unlimited hydroplanes will be ripping and roaring on the Columbia River for the Hapo APBA Columbia Cup, two other series of hydroplanes will race for their own grand prizes.
The loud and lightweight Grand Prix West hydros will return to the Tri-City Water Follies, and 5-Liter hydroplanes will make their debut.
Best known for the unmistakable roar of their engines, the Grand Prix West boats weigh in around 3,000 pounds — half the weight of unlimited hydros — but are powered by 468 cubic inch, big block engines that give them plenty of power for their size. With all boats on the tour using similar parts, races tend to be closer than the H1 Unlimited heats, and there is rarely a clear favorite in the field.
New to the Tri-City Water Follies festivities are 5-Liter hydroplanes, which will replace the 1-Liter hydros seen on previous race weekends. The 5-Liter boats have more power on board than their smaller counterparts, but can still make tight turns on the water.
Race Schedule
The H1 Unlimited boats will run testing and qualifying on Friday, two sets of preliminary heats on Saturday, and then two more rounds of preliminary heats on Sunday before the main event, the Columbia Cup, at 4 p.m.
Before last season, the H1 Unlimited series only had drivers race in three heats before the weekend final. The extra heat on Sunday puts a premium on vehicle maintenance and endurance over a long weekend of racing.
For a full weekend race schedule for all three series, visit WaterFollies.com.
Over the River Airshow
As the hydroplanes rev their engines on the water, the Patriots Jet Team will bring the Thunder in the skies as they highlight the 2016 Hapo “Over the River” Airshow.
In addition to the six-member Patriots Jet Team, the airshow will feature a U.S. Coast Guard rescue demonstration, Lucas Oil aerobatics and skydivers, Yellow Thunder’s dog fighting maneuvers, and a presentation by Power Addiction Airshows.
The “Over the River” Airshow will take to the skies at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Vintage Hydroplanes
Reviving the nostalgia of the early days of hydroplane racing, this year’s Legends of Thunder Vintage Hydroplane demonstration will simulate a rematch for the 1955 APBA Gold Cup racing fans never got to see.
Replicas of the Vashon Unlimiteds 1955 Miss Thriftway and William Black’s 1954 Gale V will be the main attractions in the five-boat demonstration.
Bill Muncey drove the Seattle-owned Miss Thriftway in that infamous 1955 Gold Cup, and appeared to have won the weekend with two heat wins after the Slo-Mo-Shuns hull flipped. However, a convoluted scoring system awarded the Gale V 400 points for having the fastest elapsed time for the weekend and, in turn, the Gold Cup.
A testing accident a year later destroyed the Gale V, preventing the hull from ever defending its Gold Cup title.
The Gale V and and Miss Thriftway will zip around the Columbia River with the recreated 1957 Miss Wahoo and restored versions of the 1957 Breathless III and 1962 Miss Bardahl.
The vintage hydroplanes are scheduled to run at 3:55 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. Sunday.
This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Columbia Cup hydroplanes: It’s about to get loud."