TRI-CITIES, Wash.- The 2023 Columbia Cup is July 28-30, the shorelines of the river will be packed as race teams compete for the trophy, but what exactly is an unlimited hydroplane?
Hydroplanes are the fastest race boats in the world reaching speeds of over 200 miles per hour on course straightaways working as part plane and part boat to skim across the surface of the water.
A modern hydroplane is made of aluminum, steel, fiberglass and carbon fiber and graphite composites and must weight at least 6,750 pounds and be 28-32 feet long and 12-14 feet long according to H1 Unlimited, the sports governing body.
Boat or plane?
Unlimited hydroplanes have a unique “three point” design, meaning only three points of the boat have contact with the water while they are running.
According to H1 “runners” under the two sponsons on the front of the boat and “shoes” at the back of the boat are the only parts of the boats actually in the water during racing.
Skimming across the surface of the water allows for faster speeds than sitting fully on the water and driving through it. Air under the boat allows for maximum race speeds and the “three point” contact system and a skid fin keep the boats on the water.
The skid fin is a metal blade mounted behind the left sponson that digs into the water helping the boats turn and stay on the water.
Although they are designed to skim along the surface of the water like a plane, getting too much air under a hydroplane is never a good thing and can result in flips or “blow over” accidents.
The canard or front-wing of the boat controls how much air gets under the boat while running and is controlled by the driver.
The driver controls the canard with their left foot and can raise or lower the wing to fly the boat or to help prevent flips.
Pushing the rear edge of the canard down creates lift by raising the nose of the boat according to H1, while raising the rear edge lowers the nose of the boat if too much air is getting underneath.
So are unlimited hydroplanes more plane or boat? Come to the 2023 Columbia Cup and decide for yourself.
