Trout Creek holds annual hydro boat racing regatta
<p>The annual Trout Creek Regatta was held on Friday, Aug. 23rd to Sunday, Aug. 25th. On Friday, the day started at noon with hot laps testing and a boat show that started at 6 p.m. followed by karaoke. Saturday consisted of stock/mod hydros flat bottom races starting at 10 a.m. and a pig roast at 6:30 p.m. Sunday capped off with another stock-mod hydros flat bottom race from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.</p>
TROUT CREEK- The sport of hydroplane racing barreled into Sanders County over the weekend as the annual Trout Creek Regatta took place on the Noxon Reservoir. Thrill-seekers from around the region gathered to test the limits of their machines as well as their nerves in the popular spectator sport.
The high-performance boats that compete in hydro-racing are specially designed for one thing: speed. The hull of the boats is crafted in such a way as to create lift that brings the majority of the craft out of the water reducing drag and increasing velocity.
The key design aspect of the special hull forces water downward during high speeds. Simple physics takes over as an equal and opposite force is exerted upwards lifting the hull out of the water. This process is known as “planing” and keeps as little of the boat in contact with the water as possible.
As water is much denser than air, the drag on the boats is considerably less than if most of the craft were submerged instead of hanging mid-air. The basic hull design has remained unaltered since the 1950s.
The three-day event in Trout Creek featured stock and modified hydro-racing, a boat show, karaoke and a pig roast. The event has been held for nearly 30 years and draws competitors from around the region in addition to the throngs of spectators.