​There’s fast … and then there’s electric scale unlimited hydroplane racing.

ERCU's Skidfin Solutions Championship Series is the sport at its finest — high-speed, high-skill, and built by racers who live for the thrill of the course. From the first solder joint to the final lap, everything we do runs on passion, precision, and community.

With nearly 120 registered boats and at least a dozen more in development status or yet to be registered, ERCU is one of the two largest scale unlimited hydroplane racing clubs in the world. We are also the largest fast electric scale hydroplane racing club on the planet.

Welcome to the Skidfin Solutions Championship Series for 2026. We officially start the racing season on Saturday, March 14 with a test day at South County Park (Wallace Pond) in Toledo, and the championship series kicks off with the season's first race Saturday, March 28 at Vance Creek Park in Elma when the Champion Spark Plug Regatta gets us started.

Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds (ERCU) is a competitive racing organization dedicated to scale electric unlimited hydroplanes. Inspired by the full-size boats that defined an era of thunder on the water, ERCU carries that legacy forward — clean, fast, and fiercely fun.

• We race hard.
• We build smart.
• And we do it together.
• These aren’t just models — they’re finely tuned machines that demand craftsmanship, focus, and guts at the wheels, sticks & triggers.

We race because nothing compares to that moment.

• The hull settles.
• The throttle rolls on.
• The boat lifts onto plane and flies.

ERCU racers are builders, tinkerers, engineers, and competitors. Yes, we chase speed. But we value craftsmanship, sportsmanship, and innovation just as much as the win. The pursuit of the perfect setup. The late-night tuning session before race day. The handshake after a hard-fought heat.

In 2026, we’re celebrating what truly powers this sport: the passion behind every hull, every lap, and every shoreline conversation.

More Than Racing
ERCU isn’t just about the checkered flag — it’s a community on the water that's about the people standing beside you when the checkered flag waves.

We’re powered by volunteers, families, longtime racers, and first-timers alike. Whether you’re racing, judging, crewing, or cheering from the bank, you’re part of the action. The club is welcoming to newcomers and spectators; focused on clean, competitive racing and good sportsmanship; and built on respect and shared enthusiasm.

There’s a place for you here — whether you’ve been racing for decades or you’re still building your first boat.

Built to Fly
Electric power has changed the game. It brings consistency, innovation, and blistering speed to every heat. In ERCU racing, attention to detail matters — setup, balance, prop selection, battery management, driving skill, and strategy all play a role.

This is a sport where preparation shows up on the water. If you love the process as much as the result — if tuning is as satisfying as winning — you’re in the right place.

ERCU 2026: Powered by Passion. Driven by Precision.

Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds (ERCU), the premier organization for electric RC unlimited hydroplane racing, is proud to announce Skidfin Solutions LLC as the Championship Series Sponsor for the upcoming ERCU racing season.

The series will be known as the Skidfin Solutions Championship Series.

Skidfin Solutions LLC, a leader in innovative strategy and effective marketing and public relations primarily targeted at the motorsports industry. Skidfin also provides a limited amount of pro-bono work annually for nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status. The partnership reinforces ERCU’s commitment to elevating the sport through cutting-edge exposure and strong collaboration within the hobby.

“Skidfin Solutions is a perfect fit for ERCU,” said ERCU board secretary Jerry Dunlap. “Their focus on innovation and proven performance aligns directly with what our racers demand and what our series represents. We’re excited to have them headline the championship and support the continued growth of fast electric unlimited hydro racing.”

As Championship Series Sponsor, Skidfin Solutions LLC will receive prominent branding across ERCU championship communications, season graphics, and event promotions, while playing a key role in supporting racers and advancing the competitive landscape.

“ERCU represents the past and present, not to mention the best, of RC unlimited hydroplane racing,” said Skidfin crew chief & principal Nelson Holmberg. “We are really proud to support a series that emphasizes innovation, sportsmanship, and electric performance. This partnership allows us to give back to the racing community that drives our passion.”

ERCU continues to grow as a national platform for high-performance electric RC unlimited racing, attracting racers, fans, and partners dedicated to the evolution of the sport.

For more information about Skidfin Solutions LLC, visit www.skidfin.biz. To learn more about Electric Radio Controlled Unlimiteds, visit www.ercu-hydros.com.

BALLARD, Wash. - News came last evening that Bardahl, a historic and famous lubricant company and prominent presence in unlimited hydroplane racing, will be the presenting sponsor of the 2026 ERCU Gold Cup.

The race will be known this year as the Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup.

Bardahl Oil Company was founded in 1939 by Ole Bardahl, a Norwegian immigrant to the United States. Ole arrived in Seattle in 1922 as a 20 year old with $29 in his pocket. He became a millionaire by age 39 as a general contractor in Seattle, building homes. After that, he founded the Bardahl Oil Company in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. The company is still owned and managed by the Bardahl family.

The Bardahl product line included over 250 products, including engine oils, motor oil and fuel additives, and specialty lubricants

Bardahl has been involved in racing, using events as proving grounds for its products, as well as for the new technologies produced by the company's research and development arm. Types included Unlimited Hydroplanes, offshore powerboats, unlimited air racing, IndyCars, CART Racing, NASCAR, motorcycle and snowmobile racing.
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Many thanks to Mark Manchester for his leadership and help with making this possible. The Bardahl ERCU Gold Cup will be held Saturday, Aug. 8 on the Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course at Woodland Creek Park in Lacey.

ERCU is happy to announce a new sponsor partnership with Wes Ellet of Ellet RC and Wesley's Custom Graphics.

Ellet RC has more than 300 sets of custom RC scale boat decals available in its catalog. In 2026, Ellet RC will donate a gift certificate for one complete set of decals to an ERCU member at one of our events. 

The race where this giveaway will happen hasn't yet been determined, but stay tuned and we'll announce that soon.

Many thanks to Wes Ellet for his support of ERCU. We're happy to have him on board. We're also grateful for the work of our own Jim McKeon who made this happen.

Thank you for all who participated in the rules process this year. Whether it was submitting suggested rule changes, participating in our December winter meeting when we discussed the proposed changes, voting on the proposals or all of the above, your involvement is appreciated. ERCU is currently enjoying unprecedented member engagement in the club, even in the offseason. That’s very exciting — especially being that we’re just nine weeks away from the season-opening Champion Spark Plug Regatta in Elma. 

The 2026 ERCU Rule Book is now available. It’s three distinct sections, so please read all three by clicking here. 

Changes for 2026 are highlighted in green inside each section of the book.

Here are highlights of the changes. Full details of the changes are in the book:

• A legal heat may now be based on just two boats (heats will be shortened to three laps with a five lap final) — General Rules A. III.
• Flexibility for creating longer courses, allowing for 4-lap heats for 1/10 if the course is too long for the smaller boats — Racing Rules A. X.
• Deletion of the “most recognizable form” rule, with the intent to clear up vague language and allow members to build the versions of boats they want to build, provided boats still achieve the threshold of “the real boats that have attempted to qualify on the unlimited circuit”. — General Rules
• Inspection of motors, a new rule has been included (Technical Manual D) expressing the rule, consequence and inspection process.
• Clarified the propeller rule (hub is part of the propeller) — Technical Manual
• Clarified in 1/7 scale motor rules that bearings and connectors may be replaced at any time — Technical Manual
• Changed strut/shaft rule to allow for all classes/both divisions to have a shaft that does not need to maintain a straight line through the strut — Technical Manual

Please be sure to read this year’s rule book so you’re familiar with the rules and understand the changes for 2026, and consider printing copies to have in the pits with you in case you need them. 

With many thanks to very engaged membership voting on the 2026 proposed rule changes, voting is now closed and we're happy to announce the results.

The seven proposals sent forward from the ERCU competition committee and recommended by the ERCU board of directors passed with easily more than the required .667% of those voting. Club bylaws require a two-thirds (.667%) of the ballot turnout for passage of rules changes.

With the 2025-26 rule change process now complete, the club's rulebooks will soon be updated and posted to the club website, while also being distributed directly to members.

Here’s a rundown of the changes for 2026:
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• Two boats make a legal class: PASSED 18-1 (.947%)
  • NEW RULE: Any class can be officially run with a minimum of 2 boats. If only 2 boats are present, the race will use an alternate format consisting of 3-lap preliminary heats and a 5-lap final. When 3 or more boats are entered, the race may run without restrictions on the number of laps in the preliminary heats.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: This would give a chance for people to show up with a modern boat (typically the class that has lower counts) and still be able to race.  This would also keep the classes separated as is done in 1/10th scale.  Finally this would also encourage the growth of the class and hopefully encourage more participants with a 3 lap race if only 2 present. After the 2026 season this should be re-evaluated

• Motor testing procedure: PASSED 19-0 (1.000%)
  • NEW RULE: Motors may be tested for KV compliance at any event by the board and/or technical inspectors. Motors will be tested by club purchased and approved KV meters only. 
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: The rule book does not currently include any official rule stating how motors would be tested. It is recommended by the Competition Committee that the rule be added. Also the club should own multiple KV meters (2-3) of the same brand and model, just in case of any motor testing over the KV rating. This would eliminate the confusing method of using a drill to test for KV, which currently no one in the club knows how to do. This would also help so any member of the board could test at any time. 
    
    
• 1/7 scale motor requirements: PASSED 18-1 (.947%)
  • NEW RULE: Bearings and connectors may be replaced at any time.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: If the club does test motors, this would eliminate the issue of modifying the motor to have a higher KV than is allowed. The bullet connectors should be allowed to be larger than 5.5mm as if anyone is using any Castle ESC, you are required to use an 8mm connector. This would eliminate the connector issue, which many are not following currently. This would also change the verbiage to be consistent with what is used for 1/10th scale. 

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• Race Course size: PASSED 19-0 (1.000%)
  • NEW LANGUAGE: Modify Race Rules A. VII. X. to the following:
    All heats will be five laps run in a counterclockwise direction. If a race course is deemed too large for 1/10th scale, then 1/10th scales may run four laps. At the discretion of the chief referee a heat may be reduced to three completed laps if only a single boat remains running.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: Do not add buoys for a second, larger, course as it would cause confusion for racers. Also most race courses would not allow for a longer course (Elma, Long’s Pond, Waughop, Ellensburg, possibly others). If we want to have a large course (at Longview, Twin Lakes, Scott Lake or any other lake that you could potentially) we could allow for 1/10 scale to run a 4 lap race instead. This would allow for a larger course to be set up and would eliminate an issue on battery usage for 1/10 scale. 

• Clearing up propeller rule ambiguity: PASSED 19-0 (1.000%)
  • NEW LANGUAGE: Add the following rule to Technical Manual D (1/7 and 1/10 vintage and classic propellers):
    The hub of the propeller counts as part of the propeller.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: In order to not make the rules too ambiguous and make less confusing the Competition Committee recommends to clarify that the hub of the propeller counts as a portion of the propeller.

• Vintage/Classic struts/shafts: PASSED 17-2 (.895%)
  • NEW RULE:  (1/7 and 1/10 vintage and classic struts/shafts) Any legal shaft may be used, and shaft does not need to maintain a straight line from hull exit through the strut.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: This will make the rule more uniform with other classes of racing and with 1/7th scale as well.  It makes the rule book a little less ambiguous and more inviting for members.

• Most recognizable form: PASSED 19-0 (1.000%)
  • ​DELETE: If a club member desires to build and race a boat in any configuration other than “its most recognizable form” a variance will be required. i. The member shall submit in writing the brief history of the boat in question including pictures and a description of why they want to race that boat to the inspector(s). The inspector(s) will review the information and make a ruling within two weeks of the submission. If the request is denied then the member may appeal to the ERCU Board of Directors, which shall make the final ruling. ii. The member shall submit in writing the brief history of the boat in question including pictures and a description of why they want to race that boat to the scale inspector. The Scale Inspector and Technical Inspector will review the information and make a ruling within two weeks of the submission. If the request is turned down then the member may appeal to the ERCU Contest Board, which shall make the final ruling.
    
    Competition Committee's Reasoning: In order to be more inclusive the Competition Committee recommends deleting the following from the rulebook. Instead, simply refer to rules stating it needs to be at an official race. We don’t want to be so technical that we detour people from joining our club. The way the rule currently states, this would eliminate some boats that are currently racing. Example: David Newton’s 2025 Goodman Real estate has a salt water scoop. The real boat raced in five races, but only raced once with the salt water scoop. As the rule book currently states, he would have to take off the salt water scoop. This would open it up for members to make their favorite version of the boat and to be less penalized of what members want to build. Also this would align the rule with NAMBA and other clubs in the area. 

​The first ERCU Winter Meeting of the 2025-26 season is set for Saturday, Dec. 13 at 10 a.m., via Zoom.

The idea of Winter Meetings is to bring together members of the club for fellowship and keeping in touch during the offseason, while also conducting a quick board meeting. If you’re available to jump on Zoom and join in on the fun Wednesday evening, we’d love to have you.

Click here to join the meeting. The Zoom link, meeting ID and password are below in case the link doesn't work for you.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83797939825?pwd=NCAFxmMQzZEnfwvdIe1jCZXIhZeqve.1
Meeting ID: 837 9793 9825
Passcode: 007970

Click here for the meeting agenda.

Like most years, we’ll plan to have Winter Meetings on a monthly basis, so members can stay updated on what’s going on, and keep in touch with one another.

We'll also participate in the annual Roger Newton Memorial RC Boat Show at the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum in February. More information about that event coming soon, as well.

Hope to see you on Saturday morning!