Belle Isle scene during hydroplane races...

[Al Publican]

I recall how crowded Belle Isle was in the '70s and '80s on the days that unlimited hydroplanes ran. The island was often shut down to vehicle traffic and the beach area was jammed with folks, some of which showed up on Thursday and Friday to camp out, then, I believe, the only days camping was allowed on Belle Isle.

About ten years ago before I left Detroit, I recall a much thinner crowd at Belle Isle on boat race day. How are the crowds now on boat race days?

Has the party your ass off on race weekend become rather passe on Belle Isle? That was my take in '01 and '02 when I last rode my bicycle over the bridge on race day.

[rjk]

If I recall correctly it was in the early 90's that Coleman Young made some comments the Monday following the race about suburbanites coming to the city and making a mess of BI. I was there and it was messy, but nothing you wouldn't expect from that many people, most of whom were drunk to some extent. The following year they only allowed camping in designated areas. That seemed to be the beginning of the end of the big crowds you speak of.

Also I believe that the race use to be held in early June and there were a few times that you had to wear a jacket because of the cool weather. It didn't help that they started to shift the race to different dates during the summer.

I use to go to the races from the mid 80's to the mid 90's. That was a great time and we looked forward to it every summer.

[Al Publican]

Are the boat races this weekend or later this month? Curious if any piston engine boats are still running. In the '60s, I could hear the piston powered boats all the way over on the NE side around Denby High where I grew up.

[Corn.Bot]

I don't think camping on the island was ever technically allowed for the hydroplane races, though there were a number of years where people like us showed up at 3 am for the coming day's events. We set up our spot [[on the beach) and waited for dawn. Goold ol' CAY used to piss me off with commentary such as noted above, because we were not suburbanites and we did not trash the island, but as we did not fit in his preferred demographic... well, never mind. We did not stop going to the hydroplane races because of him or his muddy mouth. It was more because we could not always get the time off to attend, especially when both of us were gainfully employed.

Camping WAS allowed on Belle Isle one time each year, until just a few years ago, and that was on the 3rd weekend of May when the Wolverine 200 bicycle marathon took place. That privilege came to an end in the early-mid 2000s which was a damned shame IMO.