A blast from the past

MOSES LAKE — Vintage hydroplanes roared back onto Moses Lake this weekend as the Moses Lake Vintage Test & Tune event served as the grand reopening of Connelly Park, which had been closed for months after a powerful storm caused extensive damage earlier this year. 

Despite windy conditions that limited some on-water activity Saturday, organizers, drivers and spectators celebrated the return of both the park and a collection of historic race boats that span decades of Northwest hydroplane history. 

"We had a great weekend, a total success," said Northwest Powerboat Association announcer Jim Olson. "I know the parks irrigation district is pleased, and they're already talking about next year." 

According to Olson, about 30 boats attended the event, with more than 40 drivers taking turns piloting different vessels throughout the weekend. 

Many of the boats on display represented years of restoration work by owners determined to preserve the sport's history. 

John Bosserman brought the E62 Raining Thunder, a wooden hydroplane built in Quebec in 1997 by a 24-year-old builder and his friends. Bosserman said the boat had fallen into severe disrepair before he acquired it. 

"In 2017, we totally started rebuilding the boat," Bosserman said. The painstaking restoration paid off when the boat won a race in the Tri-Cities in 2022 despite competing against newer carbon-fiber boats. "They said it could never win." 

Today, Bosserman primarily brings Raining Thunder out for exhibition runs and special events. 

"She's a good, solid, dependable boat," he said. "Everybody's like, it's the boat that always finishes." 

The event also featured the restored 1959 Miss Thriftway, driven by Mitch Evans. The boat once raced under legendary hydroplane driver Bill Muncey and won national championships before disappearing into storage for years. 

"It sat for 10, 15 years in really serious disrepair," Evans said. "Then Steve purchased it in 2017, and his crew put together a restoration." 

For Evans, the boat's history is part of its appeal. 

"My dad raced against Bill Muncey," he said. "To be able to get in it and drive it now is really, really neat." 

Another crowd favorite was the Hombre F-40, a 1970s-era boat restored by Aaron Olson and his father after finding it for sale online. 

"We found it on eBay in 2019," Olson said. "It was very bad. All wood, rotted. A lot of the boat is completely new." 

Although the event is called a test and tune, Olson emphasized that participants are not engaged in formal competition. 

"This technically is not racing for us," he said. "This is an exhibition. We're just out here to have fun and show the boats from years past that we all love and cherish." 

For many drivers, the return to Connelly Park added another layer of significance. 

"It was really kind of sad. Like, this may not happen," Olson said, referring to concerns after the storm damage. "But they pushed through. When they said this is the grand reopening and we get to come do it, that was really cool." 

Bart Burnison, who owns and drives the Country Girl, also understands the value of preserving hydroplane history. The boat is a replica of a successful family race boat from the 1970s that he and his father built together. The boat, pink and named the County Girl is a tribute to both of his parents – the pink boat represents his dad’s favorite racer and the name Country Girl is attributed to the nickname his dad used to call his mom.  

"My favorite thing is the power of the engine," Burnison said. "We run on methanol. She gets going really, really, really good." 

Burnison has been involved in hydroplane racing nearly his entire life and said the event is as much about community as it is the boats. 

"You get to hang out with some other boaters, meet some new people that I never met before and listen to their stories," he said. "That's been really nice too." 

The camaraderie among participants was one of the first things visitors noticed throughout the weekend. Drivers and crew members frequently assisted one another regardless of which boat they were working on. 

According to Olson, that atmosphere is one of the defining qualities of vintage hydroplane events. 

"This isn't about egos. This is about having fun," he said. "A lot of people will say it's more about the people even than actually being on the water." 

The event also provided a glimpse into a sport that organizers hope to keep alive for future generations. Throughout the weekend, children lined the shoreline to watch the vintage boats make passes across Moses Lake. 

"We need to keep it alive so that people don't forget where it came from and what it's really about," Olson said. 

With Connelly Park reopened and organizers already discussing future races, participants expressed optimism that the vintage hydroplanes will continue returning to Moses Lake. 

"We love coming here to race on the water," Jarvis said. "It's a nice, big, open venue with a really nice, wide course." 

And after months of storm recovery, the sight of historic hydroplanes once again skimming across Moses Lake offered a fitting celebration of both the community's resilience and a treasured piece of Northwest racing history. 

Raining Thunder driver John Bosserman loads onto his hydroplane Sunday. The boat was built in Quebec in 1997 and restored by Jarvis and his friends.

    The Miss Bardahl hydroplane zips across Moses Lake Sunday.
  

    The Country Girl, driven by Bart Burnison, is a tribute to both his mom and dad. The boat, pink, represents his dad’s favorite driver, and the name Country Girl comes from the nickname his dad had for his mom.
  

    Connelly Park, despite some rain and wind Sunday, was full of people enjoying the grand reopening of the park.
  

    Vintage hydroplanes line up in the boat dock; crew members used sticks to prevent the boats from hitting the edge while others were out racing on the water.
  

    Aaron Olson and a member of his pit crew work on final touches Hombre F-40, a 1970s-era boat before hitting the water Sunday.
  

    Driver Ron Musson pulls Miss Bardahl back into the boat dock after completing laps Sunday. Musson prepares the boat to be lifted out of the water with the crane.
  

    The 1959 Miss Thriftway was removed from the water with a crane on Sunday. The flat bottom boats cannot use a traditional boat ramp.
  

    A Red Baron crew member works on engine touchups after the boat was in the water Sunday. The boat, refurbished and now driven by Doc Minnich, had the original drivers uniform on display too.