River debris damages hydroplane during testing - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Debris on the Columbia River damaged the U-88 Degree Men hydroplane Friday. The area is in spring runoff. The river is running high and dirty with sticks and tumbleweeds. Friday it affected the final run for Scott Liddycoat. Also the U-11 Peters & May of JW Myers discovered it had gear box damage after a full run. Meanwhile the U-88 suffered minor propeller shaft bearing damage.

"Everything was feeling pretty good. We were working out some issues all morning and got it running well, and it seems like we hit something. I felt it hit and the vibration follows. To be on the safe side, we shut it down and towed it in, take a look at everything, and hopefully don't do more damage," Liddycoat said.