Crystal Lake Regatta showcases family atmosphere inherent in powerboat racing

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REDWOOD — While scores of participants come to compete in powerboat races like the 22nd annual Crystal Lake Regatta held this weekend, they also come to catch up with friends — ones they’ve made at similar events throughout the country who share their love of racing.

“It’s like going to a family reunion,” said David Woodle, the father of a participant.

Traveling at speeds around 65 miles per hour, the race is an adrenaline-filled experience and one that’s not limited to just adults.

Kids as young as 9 years old are just as active in the sport as their adult counterparts, showing knowledge and interest in not only the competition but also the craft.

Quin Roberts, an 11-year-old from Chester, N.H., is in his third year of racing and said he prefers the runabout boats opposed to the hydroplanes.

“The hydroplanes have air traps and the runabouts don’t have air traps so they slide a lot more and they bounce a lot,” Roberts said. “[The runabouts] are a lot of fun because you kind of drift out of the turn.”

Roberts isn’t the only driver in his family, his brother also races. David Woodle’s son and daughter race, and Scott Smith, a member of the Fisher’s Landing Racing Club, and his son race, too.

Power boat racing is by all means a family sport.

Howie Nichols, President of the American Power Boat Association, is a fourth generation driver and sees the family atmosphere in every event he attends.

“It’s just such a huge camaraderie amongst all the teams and families throughout the whole country,” Nichols said. “And we just get together and all hang out and the kids play with each other and have a good time. The adults hang out and we look after each other’s kids and it’s just a huge family-oriented sport.”

To parents, it’s a fun sport for their kids that teaches many different skills.

“It’s a good wholesome family attitude, most families help each other,” Woodle said. “It’s grassroots and it teaches you dedication to a hopeless cause, it’s perseverance, it’s timing, a lot of skills that if you can succeed in this you can succeed well in most atmospheres.”

Besides competition, another part of the sport is maintaining the boats, teaching kids some mechanical skills as well.

“They’re learning competition, they’re learning respect, they’re learning mechanical skills, they’re learning how to do some wood working, they learn how to turn a wrench and what a wrench even is,” Nichols said. “It really gets them out of the living room and into the open air.”

Part of the what gives events like the Crystal Lake Regatta, which continues through today, such a community feel is the fact that the sport is often spread by word of mouth. Many participants became active power boat drivers thanks to another participant turning them on to the sport years ago.

“I like that it’s independent but at the same time it just feels like a community when you’re with everyone,” Lily Deware, a 19-year-old from Easton, Mass., said. “Most team sports you are a community and what you do affects each other, but with this you’re on your own, your own terms and your own responsibilities but at the end of the day you do feel like a family and a team because you’re all working toward the same goal.”

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/s...acing-20180916