Deck2Deck.us: Fantasy Unlimited Hydroplane Racing

As a h1 unlimited fan since the age of 5 I have always wandered what happened to some of the older boats I watched race as a child. I can’t find a website or anything with this information. I was just wandering what ever happened to the older bud boats T1 and T2? Also was curious to what happened to the old Mr Pringles and the Tide boat or the American Spirit? Thanks

Sorry for the delay in response. Jim Sharkey wrote a book about that very topic that chronicles the hulls. I believe it is for sale at HARM website at www.thunderboats.org It’s called “Hydros Who’s Who”

Here is the T1 in 1986:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=plcp&v=hPFzFgCIzzI&context=C373cfa7UDOEgsToPDskK5xQ-PZ4RT8SmhMRBBsVvc&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhPFzFgCIzzI%26feature%3Dplcp%26context%3DC373cfa7UDOEgsToPDskK5xQ-PZ4RT8SmhMRBBsVvc

http://www.thunderboats.org/history/history0246.html

1986

In 1986, the MISS BUDWEISER team fielded its first Lycoming turbine-powered entry, which Jim Kropfeld drove to three race victories (at Miami, Evansville, and Las Vegas) and the World High Points Championship. MISS BUDWEISER (Turbine-1) was the first to use an F-16 aircraft safety canopy, which is now mandatory on all Unlimited hydroplanes.

1987

The new MISS BUDWEISER (Turbine-2) of 1987 was simply overwhelming in much the same manner as her predecessor of 1980-81 had been. Jim Kropfeld won five of seven races with her, finished first in 14 out of 20 heats entered, and raised the world qualification lap record to 155.172 MPH.