Reprinted from the Tri-City Herald, July 29, 1979
Stroll around the pit area of Columbia Park and you can’t help but be impressed with the vast array of hydroplanes, engines, trucks and vans.
No figures are kept on these things, but if you guessed it was the most valuable unlimited hydroplane armada ever assembled, who could say you were wrong?
The total runs into several million bucks in no time at all.
Bill Muncey, for instance, puts a $350,000 price tag on the Atlas Van Lines, including boat and support equipment.
Bernie Little says the new Miss Budweiser cost him something like $250,000.
Kenny Thompson has a six figure investment in Miss Tri-City Tile and Masonry.
Some folks say Circus Circus is the best financed operation on the circuit.
It wasn’t always that way. Like most sports, the so-called good ol’ days weren’t so hot.
Back in 1948, all of 21 boats showed up for the Gold Cup in Detroit. In the wake of World War II, there had been a rash of backyard boat building, as owners strove to take advantage of surplus machinery and equipment.
The enthusiasm of the new boat builders, however, outstripped their expertise. Out of 21 entries, 20 boats didn’t finish the race.
And the winner of the race, Miss Great Lakes, sunk at the dock during the trophy presentation.
It’s also interesting to note, the winning speed was a blinding 46.845 miles per hour.
True, it was a 90-mile course, but that speed equates better with ski boats. Maybe even sail boats.
Faster, even faster
But as fast as today’s championship heat might be, it’s just a rung on the ladder as the hydroplaners strive for higher and higher speeds.
In fact, the successor to day’s hot boats could be taking shape right now in Seattle.
Developing a turbine powered boat that is supposed to be ready in the 1980 season in Dave Heerensperger.
“It’s going to be either the biggest think to ever happen to hydroplane racing, or the biggest bust,” said Heerensperger who was in the Tri-Cities for the running of the Columbia Cup. “And if it’s a bust, it’ll probably be the most expensive one in history,” he adds.
Heerensperger, however, hasn’t been associated with many failures. It was Heerensperger, for instance, who had the winningest boat in the history of the sport – the U-25 Pay ‘N Pak.
He also developed the U-1 Atlas Van Lines, which has now won seven straight races going back to last year.
A little over three years ago, he sold the kit and caboodle to Muncey. “Muncey made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. It’s been a bargain for Bill too.”
He attributes his withdrawal from the sport to the pressure of is business, plus the fact he didn’t like the direction in which the sport was headed.
“You had to spend most of your time raising funds to hold the Seafair race. Now with Bob Steil and the Squire Shop underwriting it, Seafair is in good shape for the first time.”
There are some obvious advantages to the turbine. For one thing, the turbines, used in military helicopters, are about 15 percent lighter than the Rolls Royces currently in favor. The other thing, of course, is the face that they can produce about 1,000 more horsepower.
Gearing the power down so it’s adaptable to hydroplanes is the big problem.
Six years ago, the late Jim Clapp pioneered a turbine boat. It wasn’t a bad but his widow, Pam Clapp, gave up on the project after two seasons.
“The boat was too heavy,” reports Heerensperger. “Instead of two turbines, we’ll use just one. That greatly simplifies things.”
Better in the turns
People who have heard the high whine of turbine associate it with great speed.
“Actually, turbines generate more power at the low end than they do at the high end. In other words, they supply the power you need in the turns where you need it. Getting speed on the straight away has never been a problem.”
The project has reunited Heerensperger with his former crew chief Jim Lucero. Lucero, who designed the U-1 Atlas Van Lines while he was with the Pay ‘N Pak team, is designing the new boat.
Initial reports had Lucero rejoining his old boss next year on a full time basis. Now, however, it’s believed that he’ll set up his own consulting business and be available to several clients.
That’s the shape of things to come. For the present, marring mishap, we have what could be the fastest championship final ever assembled.
Picking a winner is tough. My last prediction was that the price of gasoline would go down.
The only think I’ll go on record with is that we won’t have 20 DNF this afternoon, and the winner won’t sink at the dock.
Now, that’s progress.
