2004 Galleries

Annual Membership Meeting : December 11, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum has come a long way in a year's time. And, this year's Annual Membership Meeting was more evidence as to just how far. This year, the museum was honored to welcome by 2004 Gold Cup champion Nate Brown as our special guest. Following a thrilling video presentation, Nate spoke of his long career in boat racing, and of the 2004 "Race of the Century" in Detroit. While speaking, Nate's Gold Cup ring was passed around for all the audience to see. Nate concluded by presented his Gold Cup winning racing uniform to the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum.

Annual Membership Meeting

December 11, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum has come a long wa ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 2:20pm PST

Miss Budweiser Farewell Party : October 16, 2004. A large contingency of museum members and hydroplane racing fans recently gathered at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum to pay their utmost respects and their fondest farewells to one of the most successful teams on racing history - the Miss Budweiser team. As most faithful unlimited hydroplane fans know, the Miss Budweiser — the winningest boat in the history of unlimited hydroplane racing — will be no more after this season. The Miss Budweiser will leave behind a legacy that will not soon be challenged: 43 years as a sponsor, 367 races entered, 141 races won, 24 National Championships, and 14 Gold Cups. Many member of the Miss Budweiser team past and present were in attendance, including Dave Villwock, Mark Smith, Tom Frankhouser, Dave Smith, Jeff Campbell, Dixon Smith, and many others. Also in attendance were unlimited team owner Jim Harvey and legendary boat designer and builder Ron Jones. On behalf of everybody at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, we want to thank the Miss Budweiser organization for 43 incredible years, and wish everybody involved all the best in their future endeavors. You will certainly be missed!

Miss Budweiser Farewell Party

October 16, 2004. A large contingency of museum members and hydroplane ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 1:20pm PST

Apple Cup, Chelan, WA : October 2, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum's annual Lake Chelan Exhibition has always been great family event. And, this year's exhibition was no different. Warm, sunny weather and calm, clear waters made a perfect venue to demonstrate three of the museum's restorations: the 1960 Miss Burien, the 1975 Oh Boy! Oberto, and the 1980 Miss Budweiser. And, dedicated Museum members who had donated 200 hours of service or more received their well deserved ride in an unlimited hydroplane. Watching these legendary boats thunder around the majestic waters of Lake Chelan was quite a site. What a perfect way to end our 2004 season.

Apple Cup, Chelan, WA

October 2, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum's annual Lake Chelan ...

Updated: Sep 20, 2006 10:21pm PST

Fall Exhibition, Seattle, WA : September 23, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, under the direction of David Williams, had another successful outing as two of the museum's vintage unlimited hydroplanes hit the water on Thursday, September 23rd on Lake Washington. The 1982 Atlas Van Lines, driven by none other than legendary drive Chip Hanauer and the 1960 Miss Burien, driven by Peter Orton and Gale Whitestine, chauffeured a number of hydroplane enthusiasts who had purchased rides at local charities around the Ted Jones race course.

Fall Exhibition, Seattle, WA

September 23, 2004. The Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum, under the direct ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 12:23pm PST

Chevrolet Cup, Seattle, WA : August 8 2004. More than 300,000 spectators lined the beaches of Lake Washington, soaking in the Northwest sun, while watching a spectacular show on the water and in the air at the 2004 Chevrolet Cup & KeyBank Air Show. Included in this weekend of speed were four of the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum's restored thunderboats; the 1956 Hawaii Kai III, 1960 Miss Burien, the 1980 Miss Budweiser, and the 1982 Atlas Van Lines. On Saturday, legendary driver Chip Hanauer took to the wheel of his restored Atlas Van Lines and thrilled the home town crowd as he and Museum director and Miss Budweiser pilot David Williams roared deck-to-deck around the 2 1/2 mile race course. On Sunday, Gold Cup champion Mitch Evans took over the helm of the vintage Atlas for the Classic Colors Race sponsored by Seattle Paint Supply.

Chevrolet Cup, Seattle, WA

August 8 2004. More than 300,000 spectators lined the beaches of Lake ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 9:52am PST

7th Annual Gala Dinner & Auction : August 5, 2004. Legendary hydroplane designer/builder Ron Jones, Sr. was inducted into the Unlimited Hydroplane Hall of Fame during a special ceremony that took place at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum's 7th Annual Gala Dinner & Auction. This year, the annual gala was held at our new facility in Kent, Washington. Over a span of more than 40 years, Ron Jones, Sr. has designed and built many famous unlimited hydroplanes including the likes of Miss Bardahl, Pay'n Pak, Miss U.S., Lincoln Thrift, and Miss Budweiser. He also designed and built many record-setting limited hydroplanes. Jones joins such famous racers as Gar Wood, Bill Muncey, Wild Bill Cantrell, Mira Slovak, Ron Musson, Dean Chenoweth, Ole Bardahl, Lee Schoenith, Bill Harrah, Dave Heerensperger, Bernie Little and a host of others in Unlimited Hydroplane racing's honor society.

7th Annual Gala Dinner & Auction

August 5, 2004. Legendary hydroplane designer/builder Ron Jones, Sr. w ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 1:13pm PST

Columbia Cup, Tri-Cities, WA : July 25, 2004. The world's fastest boats converged on the Columbia River during the last full weekend in July. Over 50,000 fans attended Eastern Washington’s largest weekend event, the annual Columbia Cup regatta. Not to be left out of the Tri-Cities Water Follies festivities, the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum sent three of it's most popular vintage boats, the 1956 Hawaii Kai III, 1960 Miss Burien, and the 1971 Oh Boy! Oberto, over the Cascade mountains to participate in the weekend of unlimited racing.

Columbia Cup, Tri-Cities, WA

July 25, 2004. The world's fastest boats converged on the Columbia Riv ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 11:06am PST

Gold Cup, Detroit, MI : July 18, 2004. This year marked the 100th year of the APBA Gold Cup, America's oldest motor sport prize and the symbol of supremacy in American powerboat racing. In celebration of this milestone, it is fitting that the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum sent the legendary 1951 Slo-mo-shun V and the 1959 Miss Thriftway / Century 21 to Detroit to participate in the Gold Cup festivities. The Slo-mo-shun V was the winner of the 1951 and 1954 Gold Cups. The 1959 Miss Thriftway / Century 21 was the winner of the 1961 and 1962 Gold Cups. From the spectacular gathering of vintage Gold Cup boats to the highly competitive racing of the fastest hydroplanes in the world, the "Race of the Century" was a truly a historic event.

Gold Cup, Detroit, MI

July 18, 2004. This year marked the 100th year of the APBA Gold Cup, A ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 11:48am PST

Pay 'N Pak Reunion : June 19, 2004. Photos from the Pay 'N Pak Racing Team reunion party at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum.

Pay 'N Pak Reunion

June 19, 2004. Photos from the Pay 'N Pak Racing Team reunion party at ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 1:59pm PST

Miss Budweiser Shop Tour : June 6, 2004. Yours truly recently had the enviable opportunity to tour the shop of Hydroplanes, Inc., home of the world famous Miss Budweiser, the most successful team in unlimited hydroplane history. Long time crew member Jeff Campbell was on hand to guide me and several other opportunists through the impressive facility. It appears that all is back to normal at the Budweiser shop after their recent shattering of the kilometer (kilo) World Speed Record. The teams two boat fleet is ready to make a run at another national championship in this, their last season.

Miss Budweiser Shop Tour

June 6, 2004. Yours truly recently had the enviable opportunity to tou ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 12:52pm PST

Grand Opening! : May 29, 2004. What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum Board of Directors were actively discussing a major change of address - the fulfillment of a 20 year dream to create a real, honest to goodness museum worthy of the legacy of our fine boat racing tradition. I can report first hand that is was a lively discussion, one that voiced the passion and vision of each and every member of our Board of Directors. We all felt the weight of responsibility to get it right - to create a first class venue where you could feel that the 'sport that put Seattle on the map' was truly represented.

Grand Opening!

May 29, 2004. What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, ...

Updated: Sep 21, 2006 1:06pm PST