Although as Y’all know? Boeing’s taking a mighty shellacking
right now! And I’m sure Seattle would have preferred me using it’s other
moniker, the “Emerald city” instead…
Until perusing H1 Unlimited’s fairly annoying
website earlier this summer in order to find out it’s limited schedule. I first
learned that this year’s Seafair regatta, with it’s ever changing name was
celebrating its 75th Anniversary.
Naturally this made me flash back to my
childhood, growing up on the somewhat sleepy streets of Seattle. That even
today, every August I still harbour fleeting memories of the thrill of Seafair
as a Wee lad’. And the tradition of young boys towing cutout wooden planks,
usually plywood fashioned in the shape of a front engine Hydroplane by string
behind their bicycles through their neighborhoods.
Although for Mwah, this was always entertaining
since we lived on one of Seattle’s rare, remaining cobblestone streets!
Having previously
scribbled about these plywood “planks”, and the surrounding Hydroplane mania here
upon No Fenders in the link below…
http://www.nofenders.net/2018/08/hydro-mania-turf-thundreboats.html
Having grown up in the era of the
pre-turbine’s, today’s Hydro’s just don’t have the same lustrous sound or notoriety
to me name wise or in spirit, as the turbine whoosh has long since replaced
those glorious open cockpit, front engine and subsequent Cabover rear engine World
War II surplus V-12 Allison and Rolls Royce Merlin powered monstrosities known
as the “Blue Blaster” and the “Beer Wagon,” dueling for supremacy opposite of
the finger piers of the Stan Sayre’s pits, where Miss Budweiser, Atlas Van Lines
and the Pride of Pay ‘N Pak all left their indelible mark as Seafair victor’s, Gold Cup winners and
National High Points Champions.
As luminary drivers like Bill Muncey and Dean Chenoweth
immediately come to mind, not to mention Mickey Remund, Jim Kropfield, Tom
D’Eath and local hero Chip Hanauer to name a few.
While everybody fought to beat the sport’s
Kingpin owner Bernie Little and His dominant Miss Bud! During a time When yearly
contestants named the Squire Shop, Miss Rock (KISW 99.9FM), Oh Boy Oberto and
Miss Madison were local Fan favourites…
And thus, although I no longer live in the Jet
city. Seafair always signals to Mwah the zenith of summer in the Pacific Northwest.
As the annual Seafair Hydroplane Regatta on
Lake Washington, for which I enjoy remembering as the Fat Albert Cup in
deference to a past title sponsor – when it was the Albert Lee Appliance Cup. Caps
a month long’s celebration of events including the landing of the Seafair
Pirates on alki Beach. The Torchlight Parade and the piece de la resistance,
the fabulous Blue Angels. For which I first witnessed Wayback’ when they flew
the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks before upgrading to the McDonald Douglas F/A-18
Hornets at the end of 1986, their 40th Anniversary season.
Boeing was then awarded a $12 million contract
to upgrade the “blues” to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, which they began
performing in in 2020.
Presumably still flying out of Boeing Field in
Seattle, which triggers another memory of when yearly, I and my co-workers got
to witness them up close and personal from behind the flight lines chain link
fence!
Not to mention their transport plane that
carries support personnel and spare parts is aptly nicknamed Fat Albert…
Whilst in its heyday, I fondly recall the
Goodyear Blimp making its yearly trek to Seattle during the 1970’s and being
stationed at the Sand Point Naval Air Base. Which I witnessed in earnest two
summers while practicing as a member of Seattle’s All-city Marching Band.
Seafair ’77, which apparently was then simply
known as the Seafair Trophy race stands out for several reasons now some 47
years later. Most notably for the death of the Squire Shop’s Jerry Bangs during
Heat 1A. As Bangs death would pave the way for Chip Hanauer to truly make His
mark as one of the sport’s All-time greatest Unlimited Hydroplane drivers.
As I’ve just
rediscovered the fantastic Hydroplane History website, and watched my first
video from it’s cavernous archives, which Y’all can watch below. But beware,
the video clocks in at 24mins…
https://hydroplanehistory.com/races/1977_seafair_trophy_video_1977_seafair_trophy.html
As it’s hard to believe that its taken me
nearly some fifty odd years to learn which of two years Seafair races is so idyllically
burned into Thy memory banks. When that dastardly Pride of Pay ‘n Pak beat the
Miss Budweiser by mere feet during the 1973 UIM World Final Seafair Trophy race. Being perhaps a
boat length or less distance, Aye Karumba!
As I tend to recall that The Seattle times
headline the following day proclaimed that the Miss Budweiser would have won if
the race had been a further 100 yard, Yikes!
Yet instead, I lost to my pops tomas Senor who
was a Pay ‘n Pak fan. Whilst I was rooting for the Miss Budweiser, with the legendary
Dean Chenoweth at it’s tiller. And losing the bet, had to wash the family car,
Urgh!
Fast forwarding
some four plus decades, into the 21st century. I must confess I further lost
my admiration for the sport of Unlimited Hydroplanes and Seafair upon the local
CBS affiliate KIRO7 pulling the plug upon its yearly tradition of day long live
Hydroplane coverage in 2017! Which little did I know, would be the final
Seafair event I “watched” live from the Emerald City. Which I scribbled about
here upon No Fenders seven years ago. Hmm, what’s that ‘Ol saying about Seven
year Itch, Eh?
http://www.nofenders.net/2017/08/hydros-hot-air-hazy-skies-blanket.html
