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The second-annual New Martinsville Vintage Raceboat Regatta will kick off Saturday.
Twenty-six boats have registered, and the regatta expects more. Although events are scheduled to begin Saturday at Old Magnolia Yacht Club on Main Street, boats will begin arriving on today for display.
The regatta will start at 10 a.m. and run through 6 p.m., while Sunday's events will begin at noon and last until 6 p.m.
Show-goers can expect to see hydroplanes capable of reaching speeds of more than 100 mph, with some boats able to accelerate to 150 mph. Vintage boats -- those built between 1946 and 1985 -- and historic boats -- those built between 1900 and 1945 -- will be featured throughout the event.
Crowds can expect to see a slew of local talent alongside out-of-state boaters. Wheeling boaters, including Dan Joseph and Chris Cox, will show off their skills this weekend. Dave Kappel also will entertain with his boat, Sin. Kappel owns his boat with Jack Wolf; the pair originally are from New Martinsville.
"It's cool that (the New Martinsville Regatta) is bringing back the nostalgia of the historic boats," Kappel said.
Kappel's cousin and event organizer Penny Morris, another New Martinsville local, is a veteran when it comes to organizing boat shows. She served as the president of the River Heritage Days boat show from the 1970s until 2003. She said Kappel convinced her to revive the show a couple of years ago.
"It's kind of hard to say no to relatives," Morris said.
The vintage F-77 Barracuda, the featured boat of the regatta, will arrive Friday in New Martinsville with owner and driver Tim Settle. Settle acquired the boat from his father, who purchased the early-style Wickins hydroplane when Settle was just 5, he said. Built in 1946, the Barracuda is the only early-style Wickins hydroplane still in existence. It set a new world 10-mile heat record in New Martinsville in 1948. It was then driven by Lou Butler of Zanesville, Ohio, and came in at 68.64 mph. The Barracuda will return to the site of this major feat Father's Day weekend.
Although the river is running high from excessive rainfall in the past week, Morris said he remains confident the show will go on without a hitch.
"The weekend is supposed to be good, and the event will go on," Morris said. "The only thing giving us fits is the river, but plans are going just as expected."
Musical artist Ezra John and his band "The Hit" will perform from 8-10 p.m. Saturday at the Wetzel County Museum. Concessions, courtesy of the American Legion, will be available at City Park.
The regatta is free to the public.