The Seattle legendary Squire Shop hydroplane is back! (live in, bill)

[yaya97]

Raised on MI, I was a huge fan of Seafair and the thunderbolts.

While I no longer live in the PNW, my heart is here !

I was enthusiastic when I heard that a small team decided to bring back piece by piece to the water on Lake Washington the 1979 Squire Shop ( one of my favorite boats ).

9 years later … it was back making thunder on lake this week !


https://youtu.be/GHog0QIQm_o

[CrazyDonkey]

I grew up rooting for Hawaii Kai III (The Pink Lady) and Jack Regas, Miss Wahoo and Mira Slovak, Miss Bardahl and Ron Musson, etc., and hating on the Thriftways and Bill Muncey, the Gales and the Schoeniths, etc.

[pnwguy2]

It is difficult to explain but in the 60’s the hydro races were the biggest event of the year. The circuit revolved around the Lake Washington event every early August. I think at one time all three network stations provided live coverage. That didn’t last long and eventually a bidding war brought it down to one. In the meantime the Mariners and Seahawks entered the market in’76-‘77 and Seattle finally was a big city sports market.

[yaya97]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

It is difficult to explain but in the 60’s the hydro races were the biggest event of the year. The circuit revolved around the Lake Washington event every early August. I think at one time all three network stations provided live coverage. That didn’t last long and eventually a bidding war brought it down to one. In the meantime the Mariners and Seahawks entered the market in’76-‘77 and Seattle finally was a big city sports market.

I literally waited ALL year to see the Bud, Squire, Atlas and the Circus Circus go it! Such good times!

[MechAndy]

Many years ago I flew over the Seattle area and saw them race from my window.
That was really cool.

I enjoy watching all forms of racing.

[ScottStielow]

I remember being involved in Fleet Week in Seattle back in 1993. Getting invited to Lake Washington to see the Hydroplane races on Lake Washington, with a number of my Shipmates, it was a blast!! Brought back a lot of memories of the races back in the 1960s

[yaya97]

Originally Posted by ScottStielow

I remember being involved in Fleet Week in Seattle back in 1993. Getting invited to Lake Washington to see the Hydroplane races on Lake Washington, with a number of my Shipmates, it was a blast!! Brought back a lot of memories of the races back in the 1960s

Well hopefully the Seafair spirit will come back to Seattle as it was in the late 70s! It is really a Seattle tradition that needs to stay!!

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by yaya97

Well hopefully the Seafair spirit will come back to Seattle as it was in the late 70s! It is really a Seattle tradition that needs to stay!!

The market has changed. In the 60’s it was the only game in town. No Seahawks, no Mariners. Yes the Sonics did a startup in ‘67, but few noticed.

There is no reason why this event can’t be big again, but realize the sports climate has dramatically changed from 40-50 years ago. Still a fun event, but can’t compete with major league sports today. In 1965 it was 1. Husky football was 2. There was no number three. A different era emerged with the Sonics in ‘67 and within another decade the Seahawks and Mariners. Really a good example of how a city went from minor league to major league in less than a decade.