Hydroplane racing in Silverdale

Yesterday I went to the Port of Silverdale to watch the final race of the Silverdale Thunder hydroplane races. The photo above is from the Kitsap Sun article in this morning's paper about the race.

Thinking theologically, where is God in hydroplane racing? I'm not sure, but I'll offer some thoughts.

Hydroplane racing is a lot like stock car racing. It's noisy, thrilling, and dangerous. The boats go so fast that they literally become airborne, fluttering and bouncing over the surface of the water, barely in control. One boat even flipped. Yesterday's winner averaged over 94 miles an hour.

There was a good crowd of various ages at the waterfront park, and I would say it was similar to the crowd at a stock car race. Beer gardens seemed to be the most popular vendors.

The race was somewhat confusing to watch, even with an announcer giving a relentless moment-by-moment account of the action. The boats leave the dock several minutes before the start of the race, and they throttle around the buoys jockeying for position. At the appointed time, they begin racing in earnest, throwing up great sprays of water as they skitter around the curves and barrel down the straightaways.

The winner was a woman, 20-year-old Kayleigh Perkins of Issaquah. Even in traditional male venues like hydroplane racing, women have shown their determination to succeed.

Hydroplane boats are fueled by enormous engines using high-test fuel. Blown engines and high fuel bills are just part of the business. The sponsors of the boats tend to be hard-working blue-collar firms (think Graham Trucking).

So...speed, power, danger, noise, and consumption. It's a cultural phenomenon that came out of the late twentieth century. But as petroleum costs continue to escalate and we begin to value quietness, efficiency, and a smaller carbon footprint (or wake), I wonder what the future of hydroplane racing will be?

After all the fuss is over, I'll put my kayak in the water at the same dock the hydroplanes used. But I'll navigate the waters silently, under human power.