H1 Unlimited

The unlimited hydroplane racing series was founded in 1946 when the unlimited class of boats was allowed to compete following World War II and the subsequent availability of surplus aircraft engines. It had been disbanded in 1922 in favor of the newly introduced "Gold Cup Class."{{cite web|url=http://www.lesliefield.com/other_history/gold_cup_class_revisited.htm |title=The Gold Cup Class Revisited |publisher=Lesliefield.com |date= |accessdate=2014-07-23}}

The world's first sanctioned unlimited hydroplane race was held {{Years or months ago|1903}} in 1903 in Ireland at Queenstown, and was very modest by later race standards. That race was won by Dorothy Levitt, driving an {{convert|35|ft|adj=on|order=flip|sp=us}} boat, powered by a {{convert|75|hp|adj=on|disp=flip|sp=us}} Napier engine, at an average speed of {{convert|19.5|mph|order=flip|abbr=on}}.[https://books.google.com/books?id=aOIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Mechanics+Science+installing+linoleum&pg=PA61 "Thunderboats..the craft they call unlimited"] Popular Mechanics, June 1976, pp. 61-63.

The boats were initially restricted to engines of a maximum of {{convert|625|cuin|L|order=flip|sp=us}}, later increased to {{convert|732|cuin|L|order=flip|sp=us}}. Hulls with "steps" or "shingles" on the underside were prohibited.

One 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 win in 1920 in his twin Liberty L-12 powered Miss America, averaged {{convert|70.412|mph|order=flip|abbr=on}} in the {{convert|30|mi|order=flip|abbr=on}} race over an {{convert|5|mi|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} course and set a race record that stood until 1946. "King Gar" had entered fifteen Gold Cup heats during those pinnacle years. He finished first twelve times and second three times. Throughout the years, only two boats showed up to challenge Miss America; one of those was piloted by George Wood, Gar's younger brother, in Miss Chicago. Another reason for the rule change was to make racing more affordable.

In 1929, the {{convert|725|cuin|L|abbr=on}} Class was introduced by the Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association (MVPBA). The majority of these boats were powered by Hispano-Suiza 8 aircraft engines or Curtiss OX-5s. These boats were popular in the Southern and Midwestern US, but did not attract the media attention that the expensive and exotic-looking Gold Cup Class counterparts had.[http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/historical_calvert_cup.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725054052/http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/historical_calvert_cup.html|date=July 25, 2009}}

In 1946 after the hiatus due to the war, the MVPBA was absorbed into the APBA,{{cite web|url=http://www.vintageraceboatshop.com/It%27s%20a%20Wonder.htm |title=It's A Wonder - Page 1 |publisher=Vintageraceboatshop.com |date= |accessdate=2014-07-23}} and as a result the 725s and the Gold Cups merged to become the APBA Unlimited Class.

Following the protest-ridden 1956 APBA Gold Cup at Detroit, which took 85 days to settle, the Unlimited Class severed all but nominal ties with the APBA. In 1957, the Unlimited Racing Commission (URC) was formed. In the 1990s, the URC was renamed the Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association (UHRA).{{Cite web|title=Unlimited Hydros - Back on Track|url=https://thunderboats.ning.com/page/unlimited-hydros-back-on-track|access-date=2021-07-16|website=thunderboats.ning.com|language=en}} In 2001, HYDRO-PROP, Inc., bought the licensing rights to the Unlimited Class from the APBA and managed the unlimited class through the 2004 racing season. The American Boat Racing Association (ABRA) was formed in 2005 and was renamed H1 Unlimited in 2009.[https://archive.today/20120909183906/http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/sports/70538172.html American Boat Racing Association changes its name to H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Unveils new international brand – Auburn Reporter]

The turbine engine was first used in competition by the U-95 "Whiz-per" in 1974, which sank that August at Seattle.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3B9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6880%2C1607664 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pak rates Gold Cup boat pick |date=August 4, 1974 |page=2, sports}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3R9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7294%2C1971334 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pay 'n Pak wins rugged Gold Cup |date=August 5, 1974 |page=13}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=01NOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6805%2C4080356 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=Pay 'N Pak will sport experimental engine |date=July 25, 1980|page=28}} The next entrant with turbine power was the Pay 'n Pak in 1980 on the Columbia River at Tri-Cities, but it flipped 2½ times in a test run prior to the Sunday heats.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1lNOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6782%2C5629895 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=Flip: Pay 'N Pak's 2½ somersaults electrify hydro race crowd |date=July 28, 1980|page=17}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EnVhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=P_kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6783%2C3558675 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Race goes to Muncey; Pak flips |date=July 28, 1980 |page=22}} It was the sole turbine again the following year,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MfhLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3495%2C3921014 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Chenoweth top qualifier in Miss Bud |date=July 25, 1981 |page=17}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M_hLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6185%2C4840182 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Blanchette |first=John |title=Hanauer's the hydro champ |date=July 27, 1981 |page=13}} but through the 1980s, the turbine gradually displaced piston power.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tlhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fe8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3425%2C5854136 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Lee |first=Greg |title=Quietly riding wave of the future |date=July 27, 1985 |page=15}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JlpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gO8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3918%2C4695301 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Bunch |first=Jeff |title=When you say Bud, you've said it all |date=July 25, 1987 |page=B1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pFtWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-u8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4595%2C8370768 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Bunch |first=Jeff |title=Wet, wild and very dangerous |date=July 30, 1988 |page=B1}}

Over the years, the number of major historic teams have disappeared. Miss Budweiser was discontinued after the 2004 season, and after 12 championships following the end of the Little family operation, Miss Madison (City of Madison, IN) discontinued its operation at the end of the 2024 season following an incident where the board of the Madison Regatta sold the racing operations.

File:Seafair 2017 Final First Turn .jpg

The H1 Unlimited class is sanctioned by APBA,{{Cite web|title=Unlimited {{!}} American Power Boat Association|url=https://www.apba.org/unlimited-category.html|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.apba.org}} its governing body in North America and UIM, its international body.

Unlimited Hydroplanes are fast boats capable of more than {{convert|200|mph|order=flip|abbr=on}} on the straights and running average lap speeds of {{convert|130|-|165|mph|abbr=on|order=flip}}. They are {{convert|28|–|30|ft|order=flip|abbr=on}} in length and weigh a minimum of {{convert|6750|lb|order=flip|abbr=on}}.

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 were 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 displacement size 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.

Almost all the H1 Unlimited hydroplanes are powered by Lycoming T55 turbine engines,{{Cite web|title=Six hydroplanes set to rip-up the aqua oval on Lake Guntersville|url=https://www.h1unlimited.com/2019/06/six-hydroplanes-set-to-rip-up-the-aqua-oval-on-lake-guntersville/|access-date=2021-07-19|website=H1 Unlimited|date=25 June 2019 |language=en-US}} originally used in Chinook helicopters. The U-440 of the Bucket List Racing Team runs a T-53 turbine. As of 2022, the U-3 Go3 Racing is the only piston powered boat in the fleet, powered by a twin turbocharged Allison V-12.{{Cite web|title=2015 Teams|url=https://www.h1unlimited.com/2015-teams/|access-date=2021-07-19|website=H1 Unlimited|language=en-US}}

Since 1946, the National High Point Championships are awarded to the team and to the driver with the most points at the end of the season. The Martini & Rossi National Champion Perpetual Trophy was first awarded in 1959,{{Cite web|title=Historic Martini & Rossi Trophy to be presented to National Champion|url=https://www.nbcrightnow.com/archives/historic-martini-rossi-trophy-to-be-presented-to-national-champion/article_7540452b-4968-519d-8a0d-19522c92aa5f.html|access-date=2021-07-15|website=NBC Right Now|date=21 November 2009 |language=en}} and the Bill Muncey Trophy was first awarded in 2007.{{Cite web|title=New Trophy Honors Bill Muncey|url=https://thunderboats.ning.com/page/new-trophy-honors-bill-muncey|access-date=2021-07-15|website=thunderboats.ning.com|language=en}}

Source: {{Cite book|url=https://nebula.wsimg.com/602b419877bc6ee2999311acd3e8ea67?AccessKeyId=70613133AF667FDD9A2A&disposition=0&alloworigin=1|title=2021 Hydro Record Book and Statistics|publisher=Unlimited NewsJournal|year=2021|location=Edmonds, WA|pages=36}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://h1unlimited.com/ H1 Unlimited Website]

{{H1 Unlimited Series}}

Category:Racing motorboats

Category:Auto racing organizations

Category:Motorsport in the United States

Category:Hydroplanes

Category:Sports leagues in the United States

Category:Motorboat racing

Category:1946 establishments in the United States

Category:Sports leagues established in 1946