Boat races return to Wakefield

WAKEFIELD—The city of Wakefield is set to welcome race fans to the annual Outboard Nationals Monday through Saturday, Aug. 1.

Considered by the chamber of commerce to be the “Super Bowl of boat racing,” the outboard nationals draws in competitors across the U.S. and Canada to determine who’s the best.

This is the 16th time Wakefield has hosted the nationwide event on Sunday Lake.

On Monday, registration runs from 7:30 a.m. to noon and a driver’s meeting will take place at Indianhead Resort. Throughout the day, competitors will also participate in test day.

Tuesday’s when the real action begins as competitors will race different classes of hydroplanes or runabouts around a course. Racing will continue until the finals on Saturday.

Each class of boats runs two heats of racing to establish a winner. Points are awarded for finishing positions in each heat, then added together to determine the winner.

For safety reasons, only 12 boats are allowed to compete in each heat. At the national championships, however, the number of slots in the final heat varies. The defending champion is automatically qualified. Additionally, up to four division championship are also seeded automatically, leaving as few as seven spots up for grabs.

Each race will include three laps.

Modern hydroplanes are constructed to make contact with the water at three points. There are two points of contact at the front and one at the rear. The boat is designed to ride on a cushion of air and skim across the water.

Runabouts are displacement crafts designed to run through the water, rather than over the surface.

All of the boats competing are registered with the American Power Boat Association. The APBA assigns numbers to each boat owner which can be used on any boat that person owns. Some numbers signify achievements accomplished by the driver.

While heats are going on, social events will take place throughout the week. On Tuesday, there will be a Taste of Region at the Sunday Lake Pavilion. Wednesday through Saturday evenings there will be events after each day’s racing at Indianhead.

“The Wakefield Chamber of Commerce expresses its deepest appreciation to every who competes, supports and attends our national’s events,” a spokesperson said. “We have worked hard to make everyone feel welcome relaxed and at home.”