'Offbeat Sports' Series: Whitewater Jetboat Racing

Author's note: In this series, it is my intent to present a basic, concise introduction to a legitimate competitive sport which will not be seen on the five o' clock sports roundup or read about in the mainstream sports pages. Today's subject: Whitewater Jetboat Racing.

Imagine skimming atop the river's surface, like a skipping stone, at nearly 100 mph. You back off the throttle slightly to negotiate a narrow, corkscrew rapid which courses through two rock outcrops 20 feet apart. As you successfully exit the chute, you swing left, throttling up again to exploit the flat water ahead. The bow rises with the explosion of the 400 horses behind you. Suddenly, a gust of wind catches under the hull and all you see is bright blue sky as your river rocket goes airborne...

Welcome to the world of whitewater jetboat racing.

Probably a spin-off of the unlimited monster hydroplane and dragboat racing most of us are familiar with, whitewater racing has left the relative predictability of lake and bay racing, and taken to the ever-changing and unpredictable conditions of the world's great rivers.

Depending on the course conditions, there are two basic formats used in river racing. When water is extremely low or river channels too narrow, a staggered start may be used. Each boat enters the course at, for example, one minute intervals with timed laps determining the winner.

Alternately, when it is judged that river conditions are safe enough, a moto-cross type start might be used and racers compete in the more familiar side-by-side mode. Occasionally, the classic "Le Mans" start is used, in which case the inevitable always seems to happen: a racer is left soaking wet, stranded at the start, kicking his stubborn fiberglass steed.

Usually, in whitewater jetboat racing, there are two occupants - a pilot and navigator. The pilot, with only a throttle and steering wheel, is responsible for controlling the boat. The navigator keeps the pilot informed of water and atmosphere conditions and the position of rival competitors. Other classes of jetboat racing have a single occupant.

Most race organizers allow a time for all racers to preview the course. Experience pays big dividends in whitewater racing, as knowing a particular river with all it's twists and turns is a huge advantage. Even so, the familiar course of a river can change dramatically from year to year.

In jetboat racing, there is no conventional propeller to snag on every sandbar or submerged rock. The principle of propulsion is much the same as a jet engine with the medium being water instead of air. This allows boats to skim through whitewater rapids and shallow bars without producing the expected "pucker" effect. This is not to say however, that jetboats are immune from terrific "thuds" and mechanical breakdowns. Incidentally, most two-passenger boats are equipped with a roll bar. Let the reader use his imagination as to the purpose of such a safety feature...

There are several classifications in whitewater racing. Unlimited Class allows for huge motors and modifications which produce speeds up to 130 mph. Lower classes allow motors in the 350 c.i.d. range with no modification, producing speeds of only 85 mph.

I suggest finding some You tube clips on whitewater jetboat racing to get the feel of being behind the wheel. I'm sure you'll agree this form of competition is indeed a sport in every sense of the word. I hope you enjoy learning about the exciting world of Whitewater Jetboat Racing.

watch video clip:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XgpefTyCJY