Though countless comedians have joked about the rigors of reporting the weather in San Diego, the great Louis Black put it best.
“Nice. Back to you.”
And that explains why Unlimited hydroplanes have been racing there since 1964. That is not a typo. By the time turbine engines began taking over the class in the early 1970s, Bayfair was already 10 years old and—like Seafair to the north in Seattle—among the sport’s most storied venues.
For the record—and the opposite reason—there are plenty of fine jokes about Seattle’s weather, too.
“Bayfair is Southern California personified,” said Steven David. “From downtown to Old Town to La Jolla, it has a vibe that is uniquely its own.”
David ought to know. During his 25-year career, the six-time Unlimited Hydroplane High Points Champion competed in the Mission Bay event 23 times and won “three or four times.”
When you win as much he did and reach a certain age, some details are bound to slip.
Though David is out of the sport and living the good life in South Florida with his lovely wife, Sabrina, the 61st annual event returns to Mission Bay this weekend for two days of Unlimited hydro action and much more. As the name implies, Bayfair is a festival. It’s loaded with all sorts of entertaining diversions.
Plus, it happens in San Diego. Think beaches.
The weather, of course, is predicted to be nice.