GPS technology will be tested in the Unlimiteds in Seattle. It won't be a mechanical voice telling the driver where to turn, but it will note the exact position of the boat on the course and the speed. It will transmit the date - all in real-time - back to the shore.
The information will be used to settle disputes and aid officials in making quick - and correct calls - on the course. Think another boat moved out and failed to hold their lane? The technology will show exactly what they did.
"It tells you pretty exactly the position of the boat, the speed of the boat, and where it is on the track in real time," said Dr. Ken Muscatel, owner/driver of the U-25.
The technology's been used successfully in NASCAR, providing real-time telemetry of speeds and position. And it could take television broadcasting of the hydros to a whole other level. Again, think NASCAR.
"We're going to see if this really works in a violent environment of an Unlimited Hydroplane," said Muscatel.
