FAIRFIELD — Nearly 50 powerboat racers from across the country and abroad came to Fairfield this weekend to race in the 3rd annual HydroFest on the Kennebec River.

Powerboat racing has been around since the early 20th century, and has become popular in the United States, with many regattas organized by local clubs and sanctioned by the national American Power Boat Association.

Organizers in Fairfield said 44 racers competed Saturday across 10 classes depending on boat weight, length and engine power, a turnout that was smaller than in previous years because of inclement weather.

The free event on a dreary Saturday drew dozens of people, who watched from the banks of the Kennebec as racers tore across the river, their engines roaring.

Organizers said they hope HydroFest on the Kennebec fuels local interest and becomes a community fixture that draws many more people to Fairfield.

“We could grow this thing massively,” organizer Joe O’Connor said Saturday.

O’Connor, who lives in Kingfield, is a leading member of the South Shore Outboard Association, the local club that organized the event.

He said the Fairfield races have been a hit, drawing participants from as far north as New Brunswick, Canada, and as far south as Florida.

But O’Connor said changes must be made to the Hinckley Boat Launch near the event if it is to continue to grow.

The launch is a ramp, rather than a beach, which organizers and competitors said can be dangerous.

“The river is beautiful, the bridge is nice and you know the course is great,” competitor Tim Noury said. “But the ramp is quite challenging for us. It’s pretty small.”

The South Shore Outboard Association is in discussion with Fairfield officials to fill part of the riverbank near the boat launch with gravel to create an artificial beach, O’Connor said.

“If we could get this ramp thing sorted out, we could grow this thing massively,” O’Connor said. “We want to grow this event. People like it.”

O’Connor said there is a small but enthusiastic community of powerboat racers in Maine. Although there is no money to be made in competing, people participate for the excitement, to keep up the tradition of motor boat racing and for the camaraderie within the racing community, according to Noury, who traveled from Bow, New Hampshire, for the event.

“It’s like a family,” said Bruce Nichols of Pembroke, Massachusetts, who is also an event organizer.

Nichols is 76 years old and said he has been racing for 60 years. The youngest racers on the water can be 9 years old, he said, and South Shore hopes to run a junior class for local children who want to learn the sport.

“The racing is really tough. You’re side by side, separated by a couple inches, supported by a cushion of air,” Nichols said, fresh off the water. “You’re like a cat on a hot tin roof. You’re constantly moving.”

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Flood watch in effect across Maine with more rain expected Sunday

Next »

Torrential downpours expected to cause flooding Sunday into Monday in Maine and New Hampshire