1982 Seattle Heat 1B (Pay'n Pak crash)

[@wn6904k]

I was on the Pak crew that year...........I'll never forget this wreck

[@steveduffy8543]

What happened?

[@steveduffy8543]

Friend of mine. Growing up in Seattle. Martin Twilley. His Dad Howard was on Crews. Maverick and Bardahl

[@johnpaulmierz6978]

It happened right in front of me the pay-pak ran over the top executone. wow 82 been going to the hydro's that long my first one was in 73 lived in Renton could hear them all week long. Miss that sound yet the turbines are faster.

[@steveduffy8543]

Skyway

[@DeanMk1]

John Paul Mierz I was there too. I had noticed the race was getting going so my friend and I were making it down the hill towards the water and all of a sudden a boat came flying up over the trees. That was the Pak. Terrible accident. John Walters never fully recovered from that wreck and both him and Heerensberger got out of racing after that.

[@johnmortensen2779]

Tom D'Eath has always been my favorite driver. When I was a kid I towed the Miss US Hydro behind by Huffy.

[@wdtaut5650]

Tom's calmness in this interview is amazing. The wreck took him out of contention for the driver's championship.

[@Coronetguy]

I saw John’s flip on the Columbia right in front of us. We were just walking into the track area to set up our spot

[@smjenkins98270]

Holy crap. How long does as rescue take? That is insane.

[@rpm324]

Walters was so lucky but this was back when racing was so dangerous because the rescuers were not medics

[@nordicpride9708]

Ron Miles Hmm last time I checked medics can’t treat internal bleeding any different than a first responder....they need to be stabilized and rushed to a trauma center plain and simple. It was so deadly because boats like this one didn’t have canopies. Just guys driving them with balls of steel.

[@flaplaya]

I suppose this is Tommy D'Eath's channel. Great guy and holy shit does he know hydroplane racing.. Got an autographed cap from him in Tavares 1.5 years ago and it is on the mantle. Great weekend down there.

[@Tom9Ace]

+fla playa Sorry I'm not Mr. D'EATH just a fan of hydroplane racing too

[@flaplaya]

Something hinted this was the great Tommy D'eath. What a great guy he is. Like I said, had the great pleasure of meeting him down in Tavares. There was some trouble with a clients hydro. Steered crooked. Tommy took her out and agreed. Apparently he got the problem solved by having a new rudder made. Lot of history right here. Thank you sir.

[@steveduffy8543]

I like Tom alot also! Great driver. He and Chip put it on back in Syracuse back in the day

[@wdtaut5650]

Tom's calmness in this interview is amazing. The wreck took him out of contention for the driver's championship. I met him a few times in the early 80s. A straight-up guy.

[@ToddBreda]

Glad John survived but are you sure this footage wasn't from 1922 instead of 1982? My goodness.

[@denniscashell2407]

Bill Muncey? I didn't know he was still racing in 1982

[@aerospacematt]

This was less than a year after Muncey’s fatal flip, so in the heat of the action, it was not hard to mistake the U-00 Atlas for the U-1 (which had an identical paint scheme.)

[@boomer8346]

This has to be one of the worst rescue performances in hydroplane history.

[@haroldhollingsworthesq]

witnessed this crash, right in front of me, stunning moment

[@shuichiboy]

After two major crashes, it's not hard to imagine why Walters decided to become a crew chief.

[@jasonney1809]

I am sure you will agree at least he was still alive and healthy enough to be a crew chief. They say never fully recovered. What were his injuries if its not offensive to ask ? I apologize if asking that nosey question does offend anybody

[@curbozerboomer1773]

@@jasonney1809 Your question is appropriate, but I doubt we will see an answer here....this was over 40 years ago!

[@jasonney1809]

@@curbozerboomer1773 ya I kinda figured that. Its ok. Take care.

[@solmar1013]

Walters extremly luckyto survive!

[@curbozerboomer1773]

Typical lousy, innacurate commentary by the TV crew. Not even getting walters identified!