Forgotten World of Hydroplane Racing: Wartime Engines Second Life! (Hydroplane Raceboat Museum)

[@Stapleton42]

This one is pretty different isn't it? You will be amazed how awesome the hydroplane race world used to be. I had no idea they used wartime Rolls and Allison engines back then. If you like racing history you would love our other videos! Check out the channel!

[@verrinne1]

Damn I wish I knew you were in town it would have been great to meet you. I've crewed for one of the local E-350 boats.

[@c.johnweir182]

This is awesome! Next if you can? Port of Miami boat racing is a man made boat racing spot that might be gone from existence. Pieces of it is crumbling to disrepair.

[@Stapleton42]

@@c.johnweir182 I would love to visit that place in person someday. Miami Marine Stadium

[@c.johnweir182]

I love your new hat which is based off of the Dale Earnhardt Sr 1996 Olympic car.

[@c.johnweir182]

​@@Stapleton42I like, I shared, and I commented. Besides I'm in love with a new hat. Too bad you don't have a shirt to go with that hat. Like the GM 1996 Olympic theme.

[@H1Unlimited]

Glad you enjoyed learning about hydroplane racing! Our first race of the 2023 season will take place June 24-25 in Guntersville, Alabama. Every race will be broadcasted live for free on our KZbin channel!

[@Stapleton42]

Awesome I’ll definitely watch!

[@stephencarter1442]

@@Stapleton42 Everyone needs to watch You're going to see the closest season ever Watch the boys these guys have balls of steel at 230 mph plus you have to be crazy like me.

[@stewarth8390]

Subscribed

[@jessemilstead810]

Personally i prefer the Grand Prix hydros over the unlimiteds

[@colinmunro7337]

Where can I find the scheduled races I'll be over from late August til late September,Thanks in advance

[@drdesmo8489]

Your tour guide was absolutely fantastic. This is what Motorsport does to people, his passion and energy have been going for 30 years in his museum tours. And thank you very much for doing this video.

[@Stapleton42]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mikemullay5622]

I grew watching these hydroplanes in Seattle. Guys like Bill Muncey, Ron Musson, Dean Chenowith, and Chip Hanauer were my childhood heroes.

[@timford3599]

Also, "The Squire Shop" with Tom D'eath at the controls. True sponson to sponson, hair raising excitement!

[@B_M_A]

The knowledge these OG museum workers / owners have is wild. Radiates passion.

[@Stapleton42]

Totally!

[@lee81147]

Allison engines came out of the P40 not the P51

[@deangawley5747]

@@lee81147 early P51's had the Allison, but it didn't perform well at higher altitudes and was replaced with the Merlin

[@j.edward4379]

I live in Tri-Cities Washington and grew up on the sound of piston engines in unlimited hydroplanes when we used to call them thunderboats. You not only heard them as they flew by, but you felt them in your stomach. It was AWESOME, and I miss it so much. My reoccurring dream is that somehow we could go back to the old engines, but I understand the reasons and all the difficulties involved in servicing Rolls-Royce/Allison engines. During the piston days, you could be anywhere in the Tri-Cities, and you could hear the engines. It was like a call to get to the river and watch. There was nothing like the sound of 5 or 6 boats screaming towards the start line at the beginning of the heat.

[@snazzyidiot]

It's still pretty exciting when they come to the area

[@tomboyd7109]

I remember hearing the hydros from over 15 miles away every summer where I lived near Seattle all through the 60's & halfway through the 50's as I was growing up. Good memories. Thanks!

[@Stapleton42]

thank you sir!

[@LarryMattingly-l7n]

OMG. I was born and raised in the Seattle area through the 50’s and early 60’s. We watched the Gold Cup races every year on Lake Washington. We used to build miniature hydroplanes out of wood and tow them behind our bicycles. This brings back so many awesome memories.

[@NicPeterson-o7r]

As some one who grew up living by Mission Bay in San Diego the noise of those things pretty much guarantees that they won't be forgotten any time soon.

[@DwightPerkins-i7t]

I grew up on crown point on Mission Bay and went to Mission Bay High school. I remember hearing the Lil Buzzard with Tommy Fults crash while we were in class. When the sound of the boat instantly silenced we knew it was bad. Found out that evening that he was killed ❤

[@OTE_TheMissile]

I've been a lifelong auto racing fan & since picking up simracing as a hobby about 10 years ago have been on a mission to find different and interesting forms of motorsports to follow. A few years ago I stumbled across a small group of simracers working to develop a boat racing passion project game called HydroSim and started racing with them online semi-regularly. Driving a hydroplane is so incredibly different from a car, and the process of racing them is unlike anything I've ever done before, and I am having an absolute blast. It's such a unique motorsport and really doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Anyone who finds this stuff interesting, do not hesitate to get involved because there is an amazing group of people out there who live and breathe boat racing & love to share it with others.

[@RadioReprised]

I remember watching as a Kid when they came to Mission Bay San Diego and I was a Big Fan of the Miss Bardhal!

[@arrowkart4j]

As a kid I got to see these race with these old aircraft engines and I always thought these guys are absolutely out of their minds. So much history with this stuff. Great work guys.

[@brandonstaelens664]

I used to go to the hydroplane races at belle isle in Detroit as a kid. One of the coolest sights and sounds I've ever seen. Seeing a boat do 200 mph across the water is pretty unbelievable.

[@Bob61944]

I did also in the fifties and early sixties. Lived in Harper Woods and could hear them testing the boats in the weeks before the races. Also would go with my dad into the pits in the boat yards along Detroit river. And sometimes the stands next to the Rostertail restaurant. Saw Gar Wood there.

[@bartarkis]

The man you were interviewing is a great example of humility that knows and is right where he belongs. Do what gives you energy and joy that helps people and creates something, and you are rich. Thanks Mitchell

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man 💪🏻

[@ianmcgowan4347]

Incredible guide! As you say, his unassuming modesty is also I think, due to a very interested interviewer with a great attitude. Thanks for an awesome video

[@sotxbob]

Oh Man, I remember walking the hotel parking lots as a teen before the races. Seeing Atlas, Miss Bud, Squire Shop, Oberto & others tilted on their trailers is an image I will never forget even after being at the races. Good times/memories.

[@joeyj8202]

What a wonderful pair of videos!! It was great the way Ken and Dan answered all your questions without being rushed in any way. Your questions were very spot on, too. I grew up in Seattle and worked extensively in San Diego and was always a true fan of the races. I thought I knew a fair amount about hydroplanes but I must admit that I learned more from your two videos than I had in all the prior years. Thank you for a truly first class job!

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man!!

[@cdestes1914]

My Dad got me into Unlimited Hydroplane racing when I was extremely young (5 or 6)…. I was at the Madison race in 1971 you referenced when the Miss Madison won the Gold Cup that year… we went yearly to Madison and almost always had pit passes… we even had a family acquaintance who worked on the Madison boat.. This video brought back a ton of memories…. Thank you and keep up the the great work..

[@OnlyNow8]

You hit it out of the ballpark once again!! Love those old hydroplanes! Hearing the history and evolution of them is every bit as fascinating as NASCAR history!

[@KyleP133]

As an elder millenial in the southeast I have the vaguest of recollections of how cool these boats were in the late 80s and early 90s... They would occasionally show up on broadcasts in those days. I'd pretty much forgotten all about it until this video. This has been such a cool trip and tour down memory lane. Thanks for doing this stuff for all of us! That warriors on the water bit is so cool!

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man!

[@JoePonkey]

I was waking through a factory in the north side of Detroit a long time ago. I glanced off to the side, and there was a hydroplane there. I took a diversion to go check it out, and there was an old guy at the stern, swinging wrenches and building the motor. He introduced himself as Danny Foster. I'd never heard of him before, but for the next 45 minutes, he told me who he was, who he had been and how he and his friends came home from WWII and basically invented modern hydroplane racing. He told me about the one he was working on. A Rolls-Royce Merlin engine from a P51 in WWII. He said he shopped all over the country to find that particular motor. Then, after paying $25000 for it, he shipped it over to Jack Roush to have it balanced and printed. Mr Roush saw the motor and HAD to have it. Jack Roush flies P51's, or did at the time. He knew that by FAA rules, only certain serial numbers of that motor are looked to be flown. This was one of those. So Jack Roush bought that motor from Danny Foster for $25000 and another brand new, crated, original WWII Rolls-Royce engine. Earlier on, I had excused myself to go smoke a cigarette. I called my wife to look up this old guy, Danny Foster, on the internet. She came back and was almost giggling. She told me, "Do not leave there without his autograph." So I told him about it, and he laughed. He said, "Look, son, if you come back here tomorrow, I'll give you what you ask for." I couldn't because of work, but my wife went back, and he gave her a paper tube. I didn't get to see it until I got home. A rolled up sheet diagram psuedo-blueprint of that boat that he was building the engine for. Miss US-1, I think. And a trading bubble gum card of him when he was much younger. I still have both. Absolute treasures. Not mine but this is how I met him... missus1.com/images/restore_08.jpg

[@Stapleton42]

That is awesome!

[@SatelliteYL]

Great story. 👍

[@berniemiller2992]

Wonderful video. Spent my teens in the late sixtys go-go eyed at the Rostertail pits on the Detroit River.

[@lijahwayne6332]

Hydroplane racing is such an under appreciated form of racing. More for the reason that a lot of people aren’t aware of it even existing. It has cool history, even cooler boats, loud engines, what’s not to like. Love this stuff.

[@Stapleton42]

I agree. I didn't know anything about it really prior to this

[@dandonovan2858]

Thunder on the Ohio was a yearly event in Evansville Indiana. Feeling the boats ROARING past you was so very thrilling.

[@bigwhiteslow]

I would love to see more Hydroplane history. Another one that people might love is dragboat history.

[@PAKiller1]

Wow, I went to every race on the Detroit River from 1970 to 2018, and this may have been the most informative video on hydroplanes I have ever seen.. I have been to the museum twice in Kent Washington and can not say enough about what a great place it is.. not expensive admission and the workers there act like they are very happy that you came to visit and are very informative

[@joshuabrown5123]

Those piston driven engines are still one of the best sounds in racing.

[@fritzkabeano1969]

In a sad way the turbine engines ruined the sport. This coming from a Detroit eastsider who watched the crowds dwindle from 500,000 to nothing today.

[@phatboizbackyardkustomz9006]

And in the air

[@larrysmith4918]

Beautiful vintage works of art

[@benwatkins7600]

You two suprised me in a wonderful way, as a former aircraft mechanic and motorsports enthusiast, this video was exactly in my wheelhouse!K Keep up the wonderful work you do,and I will continue to support and hopefully help your channel thrive! Bless you both!

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Ben!

[@onephotographerslife]

I got my start as a photographer at the age of ten when my Dad took me to the Unlimited races at Miami Marine Stadium in 1968, handed me his camera and said you got one roll of film so pick your subjects wisely. I became an instant Unlimited fan and a life long photographer. I attended almost every race at the Marine Stadium after that until the event stopped and the Miami Marine Stadium closed. Watching the boats come just a few feet from the stands at top speed was an experience unique to the sport. I made a video covering my 20 pus years of attending the Unlimited racing at the Miami Marine Stadium. Thank you for making this video. I learned so much about the boats thanks to your relevant questions and your guide's wealth of knowledge. It was a great interaction. In the early nineties I moved about 30 mins from Daytona Speedway and became a NASCAR fan.

[@Stapleton42]

That’s awesome!

[@johnanderson1818]

This one hits home with me! I live in Evansville Indiana and the Ohio river runs between us and Henderson Kentucky! Every year Evansville hosted what was called "Thunder on the Ohio". I saw my first race live in 1980. I was hooked! The sound of the old Allison engine's was deafening! I remember seeing Atlas Van Lines! That was my boat, from my first race! I hated miss Budweiser! She won way to much! Miss Madison was always a boat, that I rooted for! She was a local boat! When the hydroplane's started using turbine engine's. I think that was what changed my love for hydroplaning! The thunder was gone! I got to see a couple of gold cups! We hosted a few, here in Evansville! The driver's all loved Evansville! Huge track! It wasn't salt water and the driver's loved that! I miss those days! It's something that I hold dear! That's for sure! R.I.P. Bill Muncey!

[@Stapleton42]

I wish they ran on the Ohio river near Pittsburgh!

[@crazytrain7114]

Holset Miss Masison and the Budweiser boat tested in lake Winnipesauke in 78 or so, just unbelievable! The sound from Weirs beach was a so cool! They never ran there due to thermo changes on the lake made it incredibly choppy

[@jameslash3477]

Thanks so much for this post. I grew up in the Seattle area from 1963 to 1993 and in that time the thunderboats were a constant part of my life. When I moved out of the area I lost my connection to the sport and the awesomeness of the people doing it. I was privileged to have been young and healthy around those times and was often hanging around the boats with my pit pass during SeaFair. I didn’t even know this museum existed and it holds so many of my memories. Again, Thank You.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you for being here!

[@63turbo]

I have to get down there and see the museum someday!! Theres just something about hearing those Thunderboats run and seeing them up close!!

[@CanYouFoush]

I’m not used to channels I watch making videos about hydroplanes, it’s fun. First Bright Sun now Stapleton!

[@DChrls]

I remember a lot of these boats watching them on TV back in the 70's. It's a shame boat racing isn't what it use to be. Another awesome video!

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man!

[@DChrls]

@@Stapleton42 If you can get a hold of Marty Logan over at House of Colors, in the Dallas area. If he will talk with you he will have some stories for you. He use to race in the Unlimited class in ODBA running a highly modified 2.5L Merc V6 outboard with a 300hp N2O system on it. Now he races car engine boats in Pro Mod, IIRC, supercharged alcohol drag boat and he is a 7 time World Champ in it. Around 2800hp engines.

[@jamesblair9614]

The Unlimited Hydros, I only ever saw them on TV, but as a kid in the 50’s, I was in love with the sound of the big airplane engines, often sitting up completely exposed, where you could see all the mechanical parts, and that deep growl. The drivers were a special breed.

[@douglasbard5334]

I was lucky to grow up in Detroit in the '60s and '70s. We went to the Gold Cup races at Belle Isle every year we could. The sound of the WWII fighter plane engines, the Allisons, and the Rolls Royces was amazing. Miss Budweiser and Atlas Van Lines were the boats to beat.

[@vincentdsnt]

The movie (Madison) is a great movie about the city owned Miss Madison Hydro and Gold Cup history. I grew up in Detroit and attended the Gold Cup dozens of years, Just Great stuff ! Bernie Little was the owner in those years, Bill Muncie was our hometown hero.

[@cl604driver]

Great movie for sure. Jim Caviezel is one of the actors.

[@travertinepico751]

I grew up in Detroit, the races are great childhood memories. Great video, I learned a lot.

[@Stapleton42]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darold1966]

That is a great museum. And, the older folks that are there every day are a wealth of informaion.

[@DIARRHEA-PANIC]

The most under-rated Museum SAVE THE HYDROS!!!

[@craigmaverick]

Super cool! As a 57 year old Washington resident I've watched the hydros all my life. Chip Hanauer was the man back in the 80's and 90's! The Squire shop was where all the kids would go buy school clothes at in the mall back in the day. I'll have to check them out at lake Chelan this October, I didn't know that was happening. 👍👍

[@ronbuckner8179]

"Who's BILL MUNCEY?" He was my hero! That boat is/was a death trap waiting to happen. Watch some of the film. Bill was actually sitting on the boat, rather than IN the boat. Bill was the "Hydroplane God". I went school with his son. I'm 67 and live in San Antonio, but I still follow the hydro's from my youth.

[@GP80888]

I remember watching these boats when I was a kid. I was always amazed how fast these boats could go. The rooster tails were 40ft tall at times at least it seemed. It was just a site to see. Again you are giving the world a look at something that’s so fascinating that could easily be overlooked. Thanks again for what you do no one else is doing this.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Greg!

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

I grew up in the 90s watching these and other forms of hydroplane boats. What a fun time and insane folks doing insane things, I got to watch that just doesn't exist in the same way any longer.

[@jeffdieringer1]

This is one of the most informative presentations I've ever seen. What a pleasant gentleman giving the tour.

[@bobwilson758]

Absolutely great fella ! Very knowledgeable and kind as well -

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man!!

[@vicswanby454]

In the mid-seventies I remember standing underneath the pay & pack boat and the Atlas Van lines all those boats brought back so many memories for me from my childhood. I did not know they had a museum honoring and restoring these hydroplanes. Cool video and thanks for sharing this.

[@Ronaldl2350]

Please. Bring more of this type of racing to us. I bet you could get access to the teams that are racing today. Thank you for another great video.

[@brianroth7852]

Rember watching Miss Budweiser running in Seattle. What a boat.😅😅😂❤❤

[@BK-qo5fn]

Thank you for this. I remember watching Jim Kropfeld pilot the Miss Budweiser and Chip Hanauer in the Miss Miller battle it out in the mid 80's. I appreciate all the hard work you two put into this amazing content.

[@Stapleton42]

You're very welcome

[@dv8photography]

Those were some great races in the 80’s.

[@mylanmiller9656]

I think Chip Hanauer was one of the most Colorful Hydro racers ever! Even if he didn't win he was hard not to cheer for.

[@cl604driver]

Chip Hanauer, there is another name I haven't heard in a long time.

[@cl604driver]

@@mylanmiller9656 Didn't he also have a pretty magnificent mullet back in those days? I think the hosts on one of the rock stations at the time used to make fun of him for it.

[@stevenisenhower301]

Now that brings back memories. 1977 regatta Owensboro Ky i got to watch the hydro boats race, dad was coast Guard on Ohio river and i got to get up close to engines and boats. 12 yrs. old and what a sound they make going 180 on river. pretty cool you found this place. I've seen a few of them in person back then. thanks for doing these video's.

[@geoffreyneish7999]

Amazing sport, I love it!! As a kid in the sixties my grandfather took us to the Miami Marine Stadium. WOW, for kids from Toronto we couldn't believe our eyes the noise and amount of boats racing so closely was mind-blowing!! And to think what we were witnessing would go on to pioneer so many aspects of racing today! TOO COOL, thanks for reminding me just how cool my grandparents were!! lmao. They raced sail boats out of Thunder Bay on Lake Superior! 🤙😜

[@walteranderson7676]

Old Miami Marine Stadium. I worked at Horatio's next to the stadium before joining the Army. And The Rusty Pelican was behind us, and Biscayne Marina shared the property.

[@beedonn9260]

Nice job. I'm in San Diego for years they held boat races in Mission Bay which was actually designed it configured for such purpose. I've been involved in Motorsports for many many years but this was interesting

[@RichfromVirginiaBeach]

Yes, definitely more hydro racing stuff! I appreciate this video. Anyone who is into Motorsport in general can appreciate the innovation shown in this genre. Great job as usual in bringing us truly awesome content.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man we are doing our best

[@jazzdirt]

You can see the joy in his eyes talking about those boats... So enjoyable watching someone passionately talking about something he loves..

[@Stapleton42]

I agree!

[@tomb70]

The hydroplane museum in Kent Washington is run by the most amazing people I have ever seen. They are so friendly and it is definitely worth your time!

[@terryvuylsteke2434]

Again, you two take the racing scene to another level, thank you so much!!! Bravo!! To see this video took me back to when my Dad and his best friend worked on Miss Canada in the late 50's and early 60's with a Rolls/Merlin V12 that they ended up putting into a AA/Altered for a couple years until selling the engine back to the owners of Miss Canada for the boats restoration, but that's a whole story in itself. Keep up the great work, as always, Cheers from Canada.

[@Stapleton42]

That’s awesome!

[@jasonanderton3050]

Watched many of these very boats race in the 80’s. So badass that they still exist! Thanks for this content, brought back a bunch of childhood memories.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Jason!

[@The-Real-MrCap]

Thank you for the awesome video! I grew up in Seattle. Even ten miles from the lake (Lake Washington) we could hear the incredible roar of those Merlin engines with their open short headers testing. The excitement was in the air, and we knew that the races were coming soon. The unlimited races were very popular and a love by most. As the races neared we built little wooden hydroplanes and towed them behind our bikes. When it rained we towed them through the puddles. In those days all the races were free. We got there early for the best area of grass to view the races from. On top of the exciting racing, there was always an incredible show performed by the Blue Angels, loud and low. Very thrilling time of the year growing up! Thanks again for sharing a different segment of motor sports. Great job!

[@mahki8925]

Being a H1 Unlimited Fan my whole life it's good to see more people being introduces into this sport.

[@andyanglin390]

I remember those days fondly. I can't thank you enough for the behind the scenes information, videos, pictures, a d most importantly all the fortunate and unfortunate things that the drivers went through. I remember Bernie Little well and the Miss Budweiser. Many thanks to all of your sponsors for your trip. Also one of if not the best museum tour's you've ever done. You are very very professional and respectful.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Andy! Hopefully you find some interesting history on our other videos too!

[@dinsdalep.8037]

This was awesome to see you branch out into another motorsport. Well done. I was an engineering student when Bill Muncey crashed and Chip Hanauer took over his ride and went on to win his first championship. The boat engineering team was supposed to give a lecture at the university but couldn’t make it. They sent Hanauer instead with some amazing film of races and behind the scenes content. As a racing fan it was great, and I have a signed hat from that day.

[@Stapleton42]

That’s awesome

[@loveanimalsenjoylife3339]

I had lunch with Bill Muncie and Jim Lucero at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle. They had run an ad saying "you're interested in meeting Bill Muncie come join us for lunch" and I did. I remember him as a very nice man with a great smile and laugh. He was a childhood hero to me.

[@Stapleton42]

That’s awesome

[@johnathanromero3944]

What amazing boats they are! Grew up watching the Mrs Budweiser and O’boy O’Berto boats battle it out as a kid! Man you’re bringing back the memories this week!

[@beekeeper4666]

Absolutely love this; so glad you do a wide range of motor sports, thank you so much.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man! We love it all

[@jmel1746]

I grew on Lake Washington in South Seattle in the 1960s before the turbine boat era. My WWII vet dad was employed in the auto industry and told us stories of the all out war to win the Gold Cup from Detroit which became a rivalry between two cities, one famous for automobiles vs one famous for aviation. I burst with pride when I heard Bill Boeing and Stan Sayres invented a boat that used aerodynamics to skim over the water to confound and defeat the extremely wealthy tycoons in their cigar boats - a David and Goliath tale that added to my excitement as we could hear the thunderous sound emanating from a streaking thunderboat down on the lake 8 miles away from my elementary school playfield Perched in the hills (Sound travels long distances on water)! This resulted in myself and my best friends skipping school and taking busses to the Stan Sayres pits lakeside to ogle at these amazing contraptions whenever a race team tested a new boat. By high school, on race week, we snuck into the pits so many times they finally gave us a job giving pit tours and we'd sneak away to hide between the race trailers just to get a glimpse of our heroes, those daring daredevils brave or foolish enough to wrestle these machines with towering roostertails and ear-spliiting sound around a 2 1/2 mile race course. The turbine era came and the thunder turned into a whoosh. The speeds topped 200mph and most of our heroes either died chasing speed or in the case of some, were maimed for life. Between the little guy getting less chance to compete and maybe one or two boats having any chance to win a championship due to huge corporate sponsorship and the extreme expense to run a team, I moved on in life and yet I still see the Unlimited class morph into H-1 and survive to this day. Living in Texas, there's nothing like that here, but I'll never forget those days of my boyhood and the striking, memorable, exhibitions of speed, technology, bravery and/or reckless abandon I witnessed on the shores of the lake every August. Kudos to your channel, the Hydroplane Museum, the great tour guide and the fantastic volunteers whose work and dedication keep it alive and share these important stories and a sport unknown to so many.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man we appreciate you

[@billsmith5166]

Intelligent, focused, a great storyteller and he's clearly a kind man. That's a very rare combination of attributes. That 41 minutes flew by. Thanks for the video.

[@shanew.williams]

Great video ! Being from Lake Guntersville,i remember,as a little boy, watching "Miss Budweiser" & the Unlimited Hydroplanes that set a world speed record here that stood for YEARS for prop driven boats. Those big engined boats drifting away from the dock, then the puffs of smoke out of each pipe then...Wooooom !

[@socalfun64]

Brings back so many memories. Watched on TV as much as it was on.😊

[@troyfly6501]

Ok I’m the pilot you talked to in comments a week or so ago,,,,THIS IS AWSOME! Sooooo many similarities between this and flying! And I love the Allison/Merlin V12’s Keep bringing me these videos!!!

[@mikeyates3373]

I'm very honored to have had to privilege putting these awesome boats in the water at Seafair a few years ago

[@toddbowne8168]

19:19 This is THE BOAT... WOW. Spent a bit of time around this sport all my life. Great Video guys !!! 206 SEATTLE

[@arturton]

What an excellent Video. That Curator was intelligent, empassioned ,knowledgable, and a great communicator. Very articulate. and you also asked the right questions at the right time.Many youtube channels just want to stamp thier personalities/Brand on a vid , but you made a better vid , I was very impressed by the social programes the Museum had with the local communities. oh yeah and the boats were amazing. I hope you make it to the event he mentioned.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man. You make a good point...I recognize there is no need to make myself the center of attention. I like the eventual viewer am here to learn!

[@handymancon]

I had the opportunity to visit this gem with my son-in-law and it was wonderful. If you are going to Seattle, don't miss this gem. You would think that the boats are the draw, but the people who are keeping this beauty going are the real stars.

[@kennethstrong4409]

Thank you for the kind words. Really glad you had a good time at the museum.

[@volkerc]

Seen the Budweiser Hydroplane live in the 90's, good times.

[@chriswilson8911]

Loved these as a kid and its a shame there is not as much coverage as there used to be.

[@tomcarroll6744]

Thanks. When I was pretty little my dad took me a few times to the Long Beach Marine Stadium to see the hydroplanes run. I loved it. Seeing this made me remember the old days of power and speed on water.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Tom!

[@stephencarter1442]

Awesome Finally someone Calls out My hometown. Every kid in town had a plywood replica of our favorite hydro tied to his bike. Ole Bardahl was My hero.

[@jessejames14]

Awesome video! I was born in Seattle back in late 1959. We could hear the Thunderboats racing on lake WASHINGTON our house near SeaTac airport. My dad worked for Aero Copters Inc. which was located on Boing field, and originally owned by Bill Boeing , Jr. next doer to the shop they stored Miss Budweiser and Miss wahoo! I only got to see the races one time but I’ll never forget the experience.😎

[@OhSixWRX]

This will be a good one. I grew up on the Columbia River and they still race unlimited boats every year. The boats in your picture I have seen race. There was was nothing cooler that a half a dozen Rolls Royce Merlins and Griffins. Allisons weren't as loud or fast as the Rolls were. Battling on the river. You could hear them from 10 miles away! Today they run a turbine engine and are faster but not the same. Missing the Atlas Van Lines. Bill Muncie was legendary in the sport.

[@Stapleton42]

That’s awesome man. Hope we get to see a race with these vintage boats someday

[@beachball5830]

I am a racing enthusiast and past competitor in m/c and car. Have always been fascinated by unlimited hydro's. This video is to me, one of the most entertaining and informative pieces I have ever seen on You Tube. THANK YOU!

[@Stapleton42]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheOGrivrrat]

Awesome video! I watched the hydroplane races growing up with my dad and this was great to learn the history from before I was born.

[@ChainDragGONE]

Mitch & Logan this is a great presentation along with the technical aspects of Unlimited Hydros. This presentation knocked it out of the park and much thanks to Rottler for getting you both out to the northwest. I have watched this video multiple times and the museum guide was pretty sharp. You could tell by commemts that he knew Muncie, Bernie Little and what they gave to the sport...

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man 💪🏻

[@jamesconnors9388]

You totally brought me back to my childhood bud. I remember watching these boats on TV in the 80s. Those boats were insane to watch. Thanks for the trip back in time

[@ImpHalla66]

I grew up in the Seattle area and watched these Thunderboats as a kid. So many memories. Thank You so much for taking the extra time during your trip to cover the museum and Unlimited Hydro Racing.

[@morgananderson9647]

These Hydroplanes meant so much in many ways to the City of Seattle & the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in the late, late 60's & 70's in the Seattle area. These boats and the boat races were SO important to the community. In the early 60's the "City Fathers" of Seattle were trying to show the US (& the world) that we were a "World Class" city. As part of showcasing Seattle, they decided to host the Worlds Fair in 1962, & built our iconic "Space Needle" as part of the fair grounds. From the mid 50's to until the 80's the only sports happening in Seattle, was the U of W Huskies. The locals took immense pride in these races. We'd get 250K people the day of the Race. There was also an airshow that would happen in between the heat races. One of the Boeing test pilots even barrel rolled a 707 prototype passenger liner over the race course, TWICE!!!. You could hear the boats in all the surrounding suburbs (miles away) & it was magic. Most of the neighborhoods kids, would make small wooden Hydros and pull them behind their bikes. We even had our own neighborhood races! When we got older, being in a boat on the course perimeter (The Log Boom) a person could walk from the length of the course on all the boats tied to the log boom, and it was a party on every boat! I was great to be a kid in those days! Sadly the Turbine engines I feel take away the visceral experience as they don't make all the noise. Imagine a NASCAR race with Teslas... Just not the same... I hope the boat racers figure out a way to go back to piston powered racers someday...

[@Stapleton42]

I agree. Piston power sound just can’t be beat. Maybe they could run the falconer v12

[@ryeguy4449]

The Rolls Royce Merlin is one of the most amazing looking, performing, and sounding engines of all time.

[@bobjensen7901]

Thank you for posting this video and visiting the museum. I've been a fan of this sport since the 60's and love to see reactions like yours. I highly recommend checking out the museum event first weekend in Oct.

[@moomoo1068_]

This is a very detailed and informative video on hydro racing! Thank you for putting this video out, hopefully it will bring more interest to the sport. Being from Detroit I have always wanted to visit this museum.

[@franzstigler3200]

I visited this museum a few months ago. I forget the name of the man who guided us but he was incredibly knowledgeable and quite entertaining.

[@andrewjones9893]

Mitchell and Logan, once again you hit it out of the park with your content. Cheers and look forward to what you both spring on us next. Even down here in New Zealand we get to enjoy your passion for telling the story of many facets of racing.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks Andrew!

[@HammerPowered]

I remember watching hydro boats racing on TV when I was a kid. I am far more into wheeled stuff than boats - but this stuff is still fascinating. Documenting this history is so important. Looking forward to the engine video.

[@Stapleton42]

Thanks man!

[@jcballar100]

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of random but AMAZING things you all have taught me about that I never would have known if it wasn’t for you guys! Thanks for all you do!

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Josh!

[@mikep4823]

This is why i like what they are doing in exposing the things we never get to see or the people behind the scenes that tell their part of the history. Old track days of how things where done.

[@fightfire-mv8bt]

Glad to see you branching out into other types of motorsports. As much as i enjoyed nascar in the "good old days" i grew up watching and participating in all different forms of racing and im glad you are opening peoples eyes to it. Really enjoy you guys content.

[@nickdoescher9957]

This sport needs all the media attention it can get so it can become huge again.

[@AbbStar1989]

@@nickdoescher9957 I agree. How awesome is this class of racing.

[@garyw1750]

Thanks for continuing to find the gems of motorsports. If it has a motor, I'll watch it run. Unlimited boats have fascinated me from grade school. Front engines to jets, all amazing. I was unaware of the museum. On my next trip to the area I will be in the building. As always, a great video. Thank you both.

[@Stapleton42]

Thank you Gary!

[@bobwilson758]

Hey , Right ! Could not have said it better myself ! I have always been “ eat up with it “ also !

[@fixitnowgaragedoors6463]

This Older Gentleman is an absolute treasure. Reminds me of my late grandpa. thank-you Sir

[@McLaren3201]

Unlimited Hydroplane racing in the 80's was awesome! Miss Circus Circus was my favorite.

[@curbozerboomer1773]

Sorry-but you missed the even more awesome sound of the original "Thunderboats" dominating Lake Washington in the 1950s, 60s, and into the 70s!

[@bubberrand]

I grew up in Washington State in the 70’s/80’s. Hydro racing was huge for most Washingtonians during those decades. I was a big Squire Shop fan. Loved that sport.

[@andrewfranko593]

I remember watching Bill Muncie {Atlas Van Lines} and Dean Chenoweth {Miss Budweiser} racing on the Detroit river in the mid to late 70's.

[@dustinwhitaker1374]

I love this stuff! I'm from Southern Indiana and the Madison Regatta is still a big deal every July 4th weekend. The history and progression and design and performance is fascinating to me. If you ever get a chance a trip to Madison would be worthwhile to you to checkout and see how this little town embraced hydroplane racing.

[@Stapleton42]

That would be fun!

[@dingalsbe88]

Land Surveyor here, I'm the guy that sets the pins for the Columbia Cup in Kennewick WA. Been doing it for 20 years. But I don't know much about the history of the hydros... I'm just the guy with the coordinates and the technology to set up the race course.. pretty crazy. I'm sure none of the racers even know who I am.

[@arjovenzia]

I was wondering how they set up courses pre gps. duh, trigonometry works just fine on the water. if i had have thought about it a bit longer, I would have figured it out im sure. I thought about ya, buddy. I was involved in setting up courses for the Mirror yachting internationals in Sydney a few years ago. all volunteers, we just got a handwritten list of co-ordinates. The interesting thing with that, Is we adjusted the course throughout the day to factor in changing wind and tide conditions, and that was just a call over the radio. we were a safety boat during the actual race. If you dont know, the Mirror is a tiny boat, designed to be as cheap as possible and fit on the roof of a Mini. not the fastest of races, but quite technical if you want to win, which made for a great atmosphere. the ferries and ships in Sydney harbour have legal right of way, so would turn a Mirror into matches if it happened to loose a rudder or boom. was a really fun week.

[@dingalsbe88]

@@arjovenzia before we had RTK gps we would triangulate the pins in using 2 total stations, one total station on each side of the river. It took a very long day to do it this way. Now we use 2 RTK rovers... much quicker and more accurate IMO.

[@tedparisa383]

Thank you for your experience and helping out the sport so long

[@DwightPerkins-i7t]

The thunderboats of the 60s and 70s were my world when I lived on Mission Bay in San Diego. Wow what memories!