Vintage Unlimited Hydroplanes at Seattle Seafair

Classic hulls from the history of unlimited hydroplane racing running at the Seattle Seafair Race on Lake Washington, Seattle.

[@briantaylor9285]

BRING THIS BACK!!!!

[@gregd2020]

Around 1960 I was 11 years old and my Dad had as a client the crane operator who donated all of the cranes that lifted the boats on and out of the water. Of course he got us pit passes. I would walk up and down the row of boAts getting the autographs of almost every driver in my Seafair program, next to their picture. One of the teams let me sit in the cockpit of a boat on a trailer. These boats were the best, loud, nasty and dangerous. What a time to be a kid. We lived in Bellevue when it was a REALLY small town.

[@johnbruenn8755]

This SO takes me back to my childhood! My Dad used to take my brother and I to the Seafair races. The sound of those big Merlin’s will forever be engrained in my memory.

[@davidcraft7376]

1971, four years old. Remember my mom standing me on a full garbage can so i could watch the Madison win the Gold Cup. Thirty years later got to watch it again as they filmed the movie MADISON.

[@loganjohnson3589]

Hi David remember me ? the guy who brought the Bud and the Madison ,to a fourth of July race I will never forget that day when thousands of people heard the announcer call out LADYS AND GENTELMEN I BELIEVE THE MISS MADISON IS HOME .I know i never will driving my semi thru town down to the water front blowing my air horn .so they could do the filming

[@brucecaldwell6701]

According to this video the announcer said the boat used to film the movie was actually another boat painted to look like the Miss Madison.

[@jholtgym]

brings a tear to the eye.....god those old piston boats were great....whatta time to be a kid in the PNW

[@nwtraveler5266]

This takes me back to the early 60’s in Burien when I could hear the roar from my house if the wind was right. Great memories.

[@ericwheeler282]

I can remember watching these these monster boats racing around the lake....we would make little wooden version of these boats paint them...... an race around the yard pulling them with a string trying to be careful not to flip it on the grass....if your boat flipped u had to go back to the starting point it was great fun....those were the days no video games just inventive kids at play

[@thorkilds1]

It was a joy to whatch them

[@tico4940]

MISS BARDAHL was my favorite in the 60s as a kid

[@scottwins2]

Ron Musson was my boyhood hero, I was devastated when he was killed. I went on to race in the world Championships in 1986 in Oregon

[@jesse75]

Same here.

[@brucecaldwell6701]

At one point in my life I got into the R/C version of this motor sport. Even that can get expensive so I can just imagine what the costs are to build & race the real ones. It was fun though.

[@jimderuchie8054]

I had my picture taken sitting in miss thrifty when I was a child in Seattle.

[@carolwickowski7169]

I still get goose pimples when I hear the roaring thunders of the thunder boats You could here them testing during the week Detroit had 2-races a year the gold Cup , and a regatta The gold Cup was Detroit's masterpiece of the summer I would ride my bike 5 miles to watch them test on the river I lived for their arrivals All the best would show up I always snuck in the pits even forged pit passes never missed a race between 1976-1995. Shook hands, talked, I wanted to shake the hands of all the drivers These crazy men in their ( extremely dangerous) Flying machines I found out they were normal men no super powers, no specials ,just crazy BRAVE pilots To have their name on a trophy that is the oldest in sporting history immorality

[@joedavis7258]

Slo Mo 4 coming under the bridge....Quicksilver flipping and going to the bottom of the lake. those were the days

[@joncalvo3591]

Miss Madison Miss Thriftway 67 Miss Budweiser

[@drfiberglass]

That open cockpit racing take some kahunas...

[@kdub9918]

I’ve came across some amazing canisters of old racing film mostly hydroplane races and some auto races from 1959-1961 about 8 reels got it from an old collector in Destin,FL but it also has guntersville Al labeled on a couple reels. In a nice old metalLogan deluxe model carrying case. I haven’t been able to watch but did have a projector and before it went out I saw photos of a miss bergdahl (?) not sure but it was something like that. I’m wanting to sell the collection but not sure who to contact any help much appreciated my grandmother I lived with and took care of just passed away and I’m moving back out west if anyone knows a good contact please reply,thanks

[@Caminadawerft_Schweiz]

💪

[@bigmadubb229]

👍

[@xxHOLESHOTxx]

Are those Rolls Royce Merlin’s? If so then holy shit

[@weakfield]

they are old ww2 engines...

[@weakfield]

R.R v12 engine.. from poss mustang p51... they broke the planes after the war finished...

[@smitbar11]

@soaringtractor Also RR Gryphon engines were used