[Jeff Higgins]

The only thing with a motor in that terrifies me is a fast boat. Just something about speed on the water doesn't sit well with me.

I grew up here in the Seattle area, and rode my bike to the unlimited hydro races every single day they were still free to attend in the late 60's to the end of the '70's. Loved watching, even got a ride in one when things were't as buttoned down as they are today. I was too young to be smart enough to be scared that time, plus I figured the course must be cleared and inspected for deadheads and such, so we were probably good.

My only other experiences were in a friend's blown 454 powered flat bottom on Lake Washington, with open headers, blasting between Mercer Island and Hunt's Point in Bellevue at oh-dark-thirty AM one morning. I swear that thing was going to kite up and flip at any minute. That, and the deadheads really scared me. The guy told me we got up into the triple digits, and I believe him. Never again.

The other was out on Puget Sound in a friend's twin 500 inch Merc powered offshore boat. Blasting up to, and around, the San Juan Islands at, again, likely triple digit speeds at times. I was sure we were all going to die. Just too much schitt floating around in the Sound. So, again - never again. Of course, in retrospect, I think the most terrifying thing that day was the fuel bill...