H1 Unlimited

H1 Unlimited
Category Unlimited hydroplane racing
Country or region  United States
 Qatar
Inaugural season 1946
Drivers 15
Teams 15
Engine suppliers Lycoming Engines
Last Drivers' champion Dave Villwock
Last Teams' champion U-96 Spirit of Qatar
Official website h1unlimited.com
Current season

H1 Unlimited is an Unlimited Hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA), and Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). Until 2009, the series was known as ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane, in turn renamed from APBA Unlimited Hydroplane in 2004. The H1 Unlimited season typically runs from June through November, consisting of six races.

A hydroplane (or hydro, or thunderboat) is a very specific type of motorboat used exclusively for racing. One of the unique characteristics about hydroplanes is that they only use the water they're on for propulsion and steering (not for flotation) - when going at full speed they are primarily held aloft by a principle of fluid dynamics known as "planing", with only a tiny fraction of their hull actually touching the water.

Contents

History

The series for unlimited hydroplane was founded in 1946 when the unlimited class of boats was allowed to compete following the war and its subsequent accessibility to aircraft engines after it was barred from competing since the 1922 in favor of the newly introduced "Gold Cup Class".[1]

The boats was initially restricted to 625 cubic inches, later increased to 732 cubic inches. Hulls with "steps" or "shingles" on the underside were outlawed.[1]

One of its reason for the rule change was to end the domination of its star driver, Gar Wood, who had won five consecutive Gold Cups from 1917. One of his win in 1920 in his twin Liberty L-12 powered Miss America, averaging 70.412 miles per hour in the 30-mile race over a 5-mile course, broke the race record that stood until 1946.[1]

the first boat racing superstar. "King Gar" had entered fifteen Gold Cup heats during those pinnacle years. He finished first twelve times and second three times. In 1920, at the wheel of his , Wood averaged a phenomenal Final Heat on a 5-mile course. The record would stand until 1946.[1]

Throughout the years, only two boats showed up to challenge Miss America, one of those was George, his younger brother in Miss Chicago. Another reason for the rule change was to make racing more affordable.[1]

Alternatively in 1929, the 725 Cubic Inch Class was introduced by the Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association (MVPBA), the majority of these were powered by Hispano-Suiza 8 aircraft engines, alternatively the Curtiss OX-5 was also used. These boats were popular in the South and the Mid-West but did not have the media attention the expensive and exotic-looking Gold Cup Class counterparts had.[2]

In 1946 after hiatus due to the war, the MVPBA was absorbed into the APBA,[3] as a result, the 725s and the Gold Cups merged to become the APBA Unlimited Class.[2]

Today

The H1 Unlimited (prior to the 2009 Oryx Cup, known as ABRA Unlimited (American Boat Racing Association) since 2004[4]) class is sanctioned by APBA, its governing body in North America and UIM, its international body.

Unlimited Hydroplanes are fast boats capable of 200+ MPH on the straight-a-ways and qualifying average lap speeds from 130-165 MPH. They are 28–30 feet in length and weigh a minimum of 6750 pounds (3062 kilograms).

The modern turbine-powered Unlimited Hydroplane is derived from the 3-point prop-riding hydroplanes of the 1950s. These were the first boats to ride on a cushion of air trapped between "sponsons" mounted on the sides of the front of the boat, and the bottom half of the propeller, which was all that touched the water.

They were called "Unlimited" because they were the only class of boat racing the APBA that had no restrictions on the size of displacement of their piston engines. The designation Unlimited has stayed with the class in the turbine era even though there are restrictions on the turbine engine and its fuel.

The Lycoming T55 L7C, originally used in Chinook Helicopters, is the only turbine engine currently allowed in the sport.[5]

Past National High Point Champions

Team Champions

Year Team Engine Owner Wins
1946 Tempo VI Guy Lombardo 1
1947 Miss Peps V Walt Dossin
Roy Dossin
Russell Dossin		 3
1948 Such Crust Jack Schafer, Sr. 2
1949 My Sweetie Ed Gregory
Ed Schoenherr
Horace Dodge, Jr.		 4
1950 My Sweetie Horace Dodge, Jr. 2
1951 Miss Pepsi Walt Dossin
Roy Dossin		 4
1952 Miss Pepsi Walt Dossin
Roy Dossin		 3
1953 Gale II Joe Schoenith 1
1954 Gale V Joe Schoenith 4
1955 Gale V Joe Schoenith 1
1956 Shanty I Bill Waggoner 3
1957 Hawaii Kai III Edgar Kaiser 5
1958 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 3
1959 Maverick Bill Waggoner 5
1960 Miss Thriftway Willard Rhodes 4
1961 Miss Century 21 Willard Rhodes 4
1962 Miss Century 21 Willard Rhodes 5
1963 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 3
1964 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 4
1965 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 4
1966 Tahoe Miss Bill Harrah 4
1967 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 6
1968 Miss Bardahl Ole Bardahl 4
1969 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little
Tom Friedkin		 4
1970 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little
Tom Friedkin		 4
1971 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little
Tom Friedkin		 2
1972 Atlas Van Lines Joe Schoenith 6
1973 Pay 'n Pak Dave Heerensperger 4
1974 Pay 'n Pak Dave Heerensperger 7
1975 Pay 'n Pak Dave Heerensperger 5
1976 Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey 5
1977 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 3
1978 Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey 6
1979 Atlas Van Lines Bill Muncey 7
1980 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 5
1981 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 6
1982 Atlas Van Lines Fran Muncey 5
1983 Atlas Van Lines Fran Muncey
Jim Lucero		 3
1984 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 6
1985 Miller American Fran Muncey
Jim Lucero		 5
1986 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 3
1987 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 5
1988 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 4
1989 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 4
1990 Miss Circus Circus Bill Bennett 6
1991 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 4
1992 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 7
1993 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 7
1994 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 4
1995 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 5
1996 PICO American Dream Fred Leland 6
1997 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 6
1998 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 8
1999 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 8
2000 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 6
2001 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 1
2002 Miss Budweiser Bernie Little 3
2003 Miss Budweiser Joe Little 2
2004 Miss Budweiser Joe Little 5
2005 Miss Elam Plus Erick Ellstrom 3
2006 Miss Formulaboats.com II Ted Porter 1
2007 Miss Ellstrom Elam Plus Erick Ellstrom
2008 Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming City of Madison
2009 Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming City of Madison 1
2010 Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming City of Madison 3
2011 U-96 Spirit of Qatar Lycoming Marine Technologies 3
2012 TBD TBD TBD TBD

Driver Champions

Year Driver Machine Engine Wins
1946 Guy Lombardo Tempo VI

1
1947 Danny Foster Miss Peps V 3
1948 Dan Arena Such Crust 2
1949 Bill Stead My Sweetie 4
1950 Danny Foster Such Crust
Delphine X		 2
1951 Chuck Thompson Miss Pepsi 4
1952 Chuck Thompson Miss Pepsi 3
1953 Lee Schoenith Gale II 1
1954 Lee Schoenith Gale V 4
1955 Lee Schoenith Gale V 1
1956 Russ Schleeh Shanty I 3
1957 Jack Regas Hawaii Kai III 5
1958 Mira Slovak Miss Bardahl
Miss Burien		 3
1959 Bill Stead Maverick 5
1960 Bill Muncey Miss Thriftway 4
1961 Bill Muncey Miss Century 21 4
1962 Bill Muncey Miss Century 21 5
1963 Bill Cantrell Gale V 0
1964 Ron Musson Miss Bardahl 4
1965 Ron Musson Miss Bardahl 4
1966 Mira Slovak Tahoe Miss 4
1967 Billy Schumacher Miss Bardahl 6
1968 Billy Schumacher Miss Bardahl 4
1969 Bill Sterett, Sr. Miss Budweiser 4
1970 Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser 4
1971 Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser 2
1972 Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines 6
1973 Mickey Remund Pay 'n Pak 4
1974 George Henley Pay 'n Pak 7
1975 Billy Schumacher Weisfield's 2
1977 Mickey Remund Miss Budweiser 3
1976 Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines 5
1978 Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines 6
1979 Bill Muncey Atlas Van Lines 7
1980 Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser 5
1981 Dean Chenoweth Miss Budweiser 6
1982 Chip Hanauer Atlas Van Lines 5
1983 Chip Hanauer Atlas Van Lines 3
1984 Jim Kropfeld Miss Budweiser 6
1985 Chip Hanauer Miller American 5
1986 Jim Kropfeld Miss Budweiser 3
1987 Jim Kropfeld Miss Budweiser 5
1988 Tom D'Eath Miss Budweiser 4
1989 Chip Hanauer Miss Circus Circus 3
1990 Chip Hanauer Miss Circus Circus 6
1991 Mark Tate Winston Eagle
Oh Boy! Oberto		 3
1992 Chip Hanauer Miss Budweiser 7
1993 Chip Hanauer Miss Budweiser 7
1994 Mark Tate Smokin' Joe's 2
1995 Mark Tate Smokin' Joe's 4
1996 Dave Villwock PICO American Dream 6
1997 Mark Tate Close Call 1
1998 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 8
1999 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 8
2000 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 6
2001 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 1
2002 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 3
2003 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 2
2004 Dave Villwock Miss Budweiser Lycoming 5
2005 Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming 1
2006 Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming 0
2007 Dave Villwock
2008 Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming
2009 Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming 1
2010 Steve David Oh Boy! Oberto (Miss Madison) Lycoming 3
2011 Dave Villwock U-96 Spirit of Qatar Lycoming 3
2012 TBD TBD TBD TBD

References

  1. ^ a b c d e http://www.lesliefield.com/other_history/gold_cup_class_revisited.htm
  2. ^ a b http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/historical_calvert_cup.html
  3. ^ http://www.vintageraceboatshop.com/It%27s%20a%20Wonder.htm
  4. ^ http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/sports/70538172.html
  5. ^ H1 Unlimited- What Are Unlimited Hydroplanes?

External links