After pulling aside for several more airboats, we finally made it alive to the race area. An amazing variety of boats lined up along the edge of the road to get a good view.

After coming up the back canal, an airboat crossed the road to join the lineup.

You couldn't get a really good view of the races from here, but unless you were actually out on the flats there wasn't any spot that was much better.

Lots of airboats on the Sarno flats getting warmed up and in position.

There seemed to be more professional airboat racers than the last time I had been to the races. The professionals have smaller, one-man boats...and wear helmets. In the past it was just a bunch of good ol' rednecks careening around with more guts than good sense.

I had never seen such a huge rooster tail thrown up by an airboat!

A Swamp Buggy joins the fun.

<<< Sidenote: I got to drive one of these things once. It was a lot of fun, but I wish the owner had warned me about the lack of brakes before we got to the edge of the canal. >>>

Race officials show their colors.


The variety of boats was endless.

The boats above show some of the variety of propellers used on airboats. The boat closest has a car engine and uses props with deep scoops to help catch the air and push the boat along. The farther boat has a narrow, 5-bladed prop. (I don't like them just for the high-pitched noise they make.)

People decorate their boats with fancy paint jobs, "hood" ornaments, and some beautiful airbrushed rudder art. I wanted to get some photos of those, but with the heat and the moisture from tipping the boat my camera locked up on me and I wasn't able to get any more photos.

I'll have to try again another time, but I'm not sure Judy will let me talk her into going to the races again!

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