Photos

Not really.  Some drivers get carried piggyback style, while others use a shuttle craft like this one.  It is commonly thought that it is because they do not want the extra weight of the water in the boat.  The real reason is that they do not want the moisture in the cockpit because it causes the shroud or windshield to fog up and can cause dangerous visibility problems on the race course.

This is not a strength test.  When a boat springs a leak, it can take on a lot of water.  Hydroplanes have "drain plugs" in the transom or back of it to drain any water.  If the crane lifts it out off the surface too quickly, the weight of the water can actually tear the bottom right out of the boat.  It is the job of the crew to signal the crane operator to hold it up slightly so that the drain plugs can be removed to allow the water to run out of the boat before lifting it back onto the trailer.

The International orange inside the canopy is a safety feature.  It allows the boat to be seen better when it goes dead on the course.  Because an idle hydroplane sits so low on the water, it is hard to see from another one coming at it in excess of 100 mph, especially on a less than perfect sunny day.  This is required by a new CBF rule.