New Unlimited Hydroplane To Be Unveiled In Spokane Today

A new unlimited hydroplane will be introduced to Spokane at Riverfront Park today.

The U-19 hydro will be on display at the south end of the Howard Street Bridge beginning at 2 p.m.

The boat will arrive from Oakland, Calif., where team manager and driver Tom Hindley picked it up after its arrival from Hawaii.

Today’s display will be the first of many public appearances by the turbine-powered hyrdo as Hindley tries to drum up support from the community for the racing team.

“We’d like to make this kind of like a Miss Spokane project and get the community behind it,” Hindley said.

Spokane campaigned a community-owned hyrdoplane, the Miss Spokane, from 1958 to 1961.

The boat, expected to be named “Spirit of Spokane,” will race July 28-30 at Tri Cities.