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he roar, or high-pitched whine, of outboard hydroplanes will fill the Pearrygin Lake basin this coming Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 4-5) as the Whidbey Island Roostertails club returns for their 30th year, ending their racing season at the Pearrygin Lake Regatta. The regatta is co-sponsored by the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce and NAPA Twisp Auto parts.
Boats and racers from around the Puget Sound region and some eastern Washington locations will skim across the waters of the local lake northeast of Winthrop starting at about 11 a.m. each day. Racing on Saturday runs until about 5 p.m., Sunday usually wraps up by 3 p.m.
Classes of C-stock hydroplanes, runabouts and the J-stock (junior class) hydroplanes, as well as a class of tunnel hulled boats known as Outboard Performance Craft (OPC), will be on the schedule and feature veteran outboard racers, upcoming junior racers and perhaps even one or two of this season’s H1 unlimited hydroplane drivers.
Most of the drivers and crews are hobbyists, in for the joy and thrill of racing on water. While the speeds won’t be anywhere near the 180-200 miles per hour reached by the turbine-powered unlimited hydroplanes, they still will reach speeds upwards of 70 mph on the straightaways and throw impressive roostertails off of their skid fins as they skip around the corners, deck to deck.
The pit area is located at the Pearrygin Lake State Park West Campground where one can view the boats up close and chat with the drivers and crews face to face. Parking in the state park requires display of a valid Discover Pass or a self-registered daily fee permit ($10).
methowvalleynews.com
Boats and racers from around the Puget Sound region and some eastern Washington locations will skim across the waters of the local lake northeast of Winthrop starting at about 11 a.m. each day. Racing on Saturday runs until about 5 p.m., Sunday usually wraps up by 3 p.m.
Classes of C-stock hydroplanes, runabouts and the J-stock (junior class) hydroplanes, as well as a class of tunnel hulled boats known as Outboard Performance Craft (OPC), will be on the schedule and feature veteran outboard racers, upcoming junior racers and perhaps even one or two of this season’s H1 unlimited hydroplane drivers.
Most of the drivers and crews are hobbyists, in for the joy and thrill of racing on water. While the speeds won’t be anywhere near the 180-200 miles per hour reached by the turbine-powered unlimited hydroplanes, they still will reach speeds upwards of 70 mph on the straightaways and throw impressive roostertails off of their skid fins as they skip around the corners, deck to deck.
The pit area is located at the Pearrygin Lake State Park West Campground where one can view the boats up close and chat with the drivers and crews face to face. Parking in the state park requires display of a valid Discover Pass or a self-registered daily fee permit ($10).
Hydroplanes return to Pearrygin Lake this weekend – Methow Valley News
methowvalleynews.com
