This is the definitive guide to high-performance powerboating. It tells the dramatic history of powerboat racing that fueled all the construction, power system and design breakthroughs seen in today's production boats. It covers the latest record long-distance runs by Don Johnson, Chuck Norris, Tom Gentry, and others and the current explosive growth of offshore and unlimited racing. Here are the legendary figures and most memorable stories of this colorful sport. There was Don Aronow, who first created the long needle-nosed racing machines and the sexy macho image that became a signature of these boats. His dramatic success with a succession of six high-performance companies, and his national offshore victories and violent death are told in exciting detail. Boundaries were continually tested by drivers like Lee Taylor, who aimed for unheard-of speeds in his 40-foot stainless steel and aluminum rocket boat. On November 13, 1980, traveling at 330 mph, he toppled over the edge when his boat disintegrated and disappeared under Lake Tahoe's smooth surface. This book tells how to get on the racing circuit and includes advice from professional racers on the special techniques of high-speed boat handling as well as practical guidance on what to look for in a high-performance boat. Here is the latest word as well from the leading builders in the industry on the state of the art in power systems, equipment, hull design and construction innovations, which will be seen on the market in the early 1990s. Included also is a Buyer's Guide, which tells what each manufacturer is making and describes the range of its lines.