This video is made from 8mm film taken on 10-18-1970 at Big Bend on the Colorado River. There is no sound. Note that Buckskin Park in undeveloped.

The start is modified LeMans with drivers sitting at the wheel. The boats were divided into two classes  - Ski Jet (log manifolds & exhaust water) and Unlimited jet (any mods). A 468 was a big engine and the fast guys went about 80.
The early leader of the race is Ron Esposito in a 16 1/2 ft Rogers #309. Another fast guy is Jim Youngblood in the laydown, Lightning hull #320. Both of those guys breakdown and the win goes to Phil Trichler in an 18 Kona with co-rider Mike Snow. The duration of the race was about 20 minutes. Note the victory "spin" (long before Nascar guys did it).

The last part of the video shows Jets drag racing at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Note that the boats ran both directions. The video is too grainy to identify the boats.

That's bad ass!!!

Way cool! Thanks for posting

Sent from my SM-G900V using SoCal Jet Boats mobile app

Very cool! Reminds me of goin out with my pops when I was a lil kid👍👍


Sent from my iPhone using SoCal Jet Boats

Hey Jack.... any of those old super 8 movies have video of me pulling the homemade boats with a stick on the shore.... with a old style beer tab underneath to create a 'roostertail' ?!?!?!?

Phil T Jr

That is one of them Jack.... just don't see the roostertail flying behind...lol.  Might have been an early version pre old school beer tab install......ha.  Thanks for the memories !!!! Remember spending hours joining wood, then cutting to form a v bottom front, flatty rear, painting, installing model engines and having a blast !!  I was only 7 yrs old then pulling my boat in between yours and Dad's races.

Yea, SWTD is a slightly bigger toy  LOL !!  Especially with your one off highly modified R intake and pump doing what it does best !!

Phil Jr