Fraser Valley Drag Boat Club is back at Mission

[Aquaholic]

This club was quite big in the 80's-90's, and recently some enthusiastic drag boat owners have brought it back to life. They have also secured the original race site at Mission Raceway Park. I was a member for a few years, one photo is my boat at the Kelowna Regatta that the FVDBA put on for the regatta association for a few years in the 80's. Do you have a boat that you'd like to race?

Fraser Valley Drag Boat Association - Official | Facebook

The foundation of organized drag boat racing started in BC on Hatzic Lake with a variety of hot lake boats prowling the waters looking to pair up and see who was fastest. The seeds for the FVDBA were...

www.facebook.com

My boat in 1985 at the Kelowna Regatta, city officials would not let us race until noon, just when the winds whip down the hills and bring white caps and rollers. It was a circle racer that I also drag raced with. The club was crazy fun, characters like you rarely meet but always remember.

 

[RiverBoy]

Sponsored by Bud Lite?

 

[Aquaholic]

Sponsored by Bud Lite?

Only the drag hydros can have a trans.

 

[Reel Gone]

Sweet, that last pic is cool

 

[noluck]

can't wait to see it live

 

[Gallivanter]

Definitely bringing the family to that. I remember in the 90’ they drag raced boats in the Harrison mill bay across from Kilby beach

 

[doug78]

I'll be racing my waverunner against the boats again. Worked out pretty good in 2019 when we raced in kilby.

 

[Aquaholic]

I'll be racing my waverunner against the boats again. Worked out pretty good in 2019 when we raced in kilby.

Some photos of you in action at the upcoming race would be great.

 

[Aquaholic]

One more photo. This was the same boat I did circle and drag racing with, after a 20 mile endurance race around the island that Prince Rupert sits on. (Kaien Island) My riding mechanic is checking the puke tank after the run. This photo was right after the race ended in the harbour in Prince Rupert.

 

[Bill 310]

I am back in Ontraio this weekend with my older brother. We were trying to figure out what hull you were running.....?

 

[Aquaholic]

I am back in Ontraio this weekend with my older brother. We were trying to figure out what hull you were running.....?

16.5’ Jones Starfire with a super stock legal 427 Chevrolet. These hulls still hold many APBA records in ERR, SS, SK and maybe PC in circle racing (same as hydroplanes). Set up as a circle boat with a fixed cavitation plate, we drag raced them without any down pedal which made the 1/4 mile run interesting. Plus we sat on the torque side like NASCAR turning left, so in a straight line the drivers weight did not offset the torque from the prop. The black n white photo shows me using body english to the right trying to counter act the boat trying to rotate to the left as it grabbed some air.

 

[Bill 310]

thanks so much we know about Jonsie's boats

 

[Capt_Ed]

We were there back in the 80s at Mission

 

[Aquaholic]

Nice. I don’t know if it will reach the previous heights but this re-birth of boat racing great to see.

 

[Reel Gone]

Great to see it make a come back. I know adrenaline is high but is it as uncomfortable to run those boats as it looks, all hunched over looks awkward as heck

 

[Aquaholic]

Great to see it make a come back. I know adrenaline is high but is it as uncomfortable to run those boats as it looks, all hunched over looks awkward as heck

streamlining for that extra .02 mph.

 

[Capt_Ed]

Great to see it make a come back. I know adrenaline is high but is it as uncomfortable to run those boats as it looks, all hunched over looks awkward as heck

It was the only way to hang on back then. 10seconds and 130mph and your eyes rattling so much you can't see a thing. I've do alot of $hit in my life and been through some harrowing situations on the water in my commercial fishing days but that was the biggest adrenaline rush I've ever had

 

[Fvdba1968]

streamlining for that extra .02 mph.

Hey guys thanks for all the great comments. Yes uphill battle for the FVDBA to get all permits and red tape hoops to jump through. Watch as a teen in the early eighties and I joined this year to help bring this sport back. I ended up on a short straw and thrown into the fire on the executive board lol.
Any positive comments or ideas please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through me or others. Again, thanks and if you think your fishing boats are fast, well, come on out! Lol
I’ll be out in my stroker LS powered old Eagle aluminum Jet, not super fast but still fun to make the other guys look good!

 

[Aquaholic]

Hey guys thanks for all the great comments. Yes uphill battle for the FVDBA to get all permits and red tape hoops to jump through. Watch as a teen in the early eighties and I joined this year to help bring this sport back. I ended up on a short straw and thrown into the fire on the executive board lol.
Any positive comments or ideas please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through me or others. Again, thanks and if you think your fishing boats are fast, well, come on out! Lol
I’ll be out in my stroker LS powered old Eagle aluminum Jet, not super fast but still fun to make the other guys look good!

Any feedback from the island folks with boats that want to make the first race? Will the Alberni/Sproat gang be showing up?

Have you thought of approaching the local motel's and seeing if you can get a rate hold for the out of town racers, or a kickback to the club per room/days booked if everyone uses a certain code or booking number?

Contact Halford and Brough to get on their sports talk show on C-ISL 650 (or any part of the daily sports shows) as they talk about local events, and you could promote the event? https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/halford-brough-morning/ (sooner than later as they need advance notice) Squire Barnes at Global is always looking for local events to showcase.

Good luck with this, nice to see. I suggested an electric class or bracket on your Facebook page.

 

[Aquaholic]

Some self explanatory pics of a few nice photos from the FVDBA years.