Speedboat Racing Spectacular Races On Estuary Course

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 17

Speedboat Racing Spectacular Races On Estuary Course

Fast racing, with outboards touching 70 miles an hour on straights, skilful cornering, a driver tossed out of his boat and some blanket finishes provided spectacular entertainment on the Estuary on Saturday. The weather was perfect and with the tide on the turn, water conditions over the five-eighths of a mile course were excellent. Racing was made exciting by cross-currents near the north-east buoy, and the boats leaving the water in long skips and some rolling as well as rocking. Five boats got the flag in a rolling start, crossing the line at zero after a “dummy” minute run. in the New Zealand B class outboard championship race over five laps:

Downbeat (R. Prattley) was last away, moving very sluggishly because of water on the spark plugs. Neutron (J. Maitland), from Lake Kaniere, led out from Buzzard (J. Keig) and The Bomb (T. Ross). Buzzard lost power and Downbeat’s engine picked up. Neutron, cornering well, won very comfortably. Downbeat, although making up a lot of ground, lost the race at the start.

Bel Air (P. Knight) and Ace Hi (A. Indiens). the fastest boats in the race, got away together in the South Island 96 cubic inch hydroplane championship with Kaniva (P. Stokes) third in a field of five. Bel Air and Ace Hi were fighting an interesting duel in front, with Ace Hi cornering more tightly. Flash (W. O’Brien), from Lake lanthe. dropped out in the second lap with water in the carburettors. Ace Hi had a slight edge on Bel Air going into the third lap but it was being chased hard when a bearing ran in Bel Air’s motor and it was out of the race. Ace Hi slowed slightly from then on to win comfortably from Kaniva with Brer Fox (P. Stokes) well back, third. Thrilling Race Moonshot (J Keig) got away to the best start in the championship events, crossing the line at full throttle to get the drop on his opponents in the South Island D class outboard hydro race Moonshot and Neutron (J. Maitland) fought a thrilling duel and were being challenged hotly by Missile (J Andrews) of Lake Kanieri Missile seemed the fastest of the three boats in the straights until some plastic blocked the carburettor intake. The engine lost power rapidly in the second lap and was out of the race. Moonshot and Neutron seemed stuck together until the fourth lap when Moonshot opened up a gap of 25 yards and held on through the final lan to win by 40 yards. Hustler (F. Williams) was half a lap behind the winner for third Missile later showed her speed in a handicap race to head Neutron Once again, the outboards. with engines screaming were touching 70 miles an hour in the straights Ace Hi. running sweetly, showed her speed in the A class inboard handicap Idiens cornered particularly well. P. Stokes was tossed out of Brer Fox when taking the southeast buoy He approached the corner leading three other craft One passed him and Brer Fox bucked wildly in the passing boat’s wake. Stokes was tossed high in the air. He landed clear of the other boats. The race was stopped while he was picked up. "amazed” but unhurt. and was then re-run. The last event, a combined inboa rd-outboard handicap, provided a thrilling finish. Five boats crossed the line, three being judged second equal Tango (A. Hayward) won by a coat of varnish. Results, boats in the handicap events being from the New Brighton club unless otherwise mentioned, were:— CHAMPIONSHIPS New Zealand B Class Outboard—Neutron (J. Maitland i Lake Kanieri, 5:9. 1; Downbeat (R. Prattley). 5:31. 2. The Bomb (T Ross Lake Kanieri). 5:54. 3 South Island 95 Cubic Inch

Hydroplane Inboard.—Ace Hi (A. Idiens). 5:9. 1; Kaniva (R Bunker), 5:15. 2; Brer Fox (P. Stokes), 6:4. 3. South Island D Class Hydro Outboard.—Moonshot (J. Keig), 4:43. 1: Neutron (J. Maitland. Lake Kanieri), 4:46. 2; Hustler (F. Williams), 5:4, 3. HANDICAPS Inboards A Class.—First race: Pow(?rflyte (A. Irvine) 1, Lil Wolf (K. Stokes) 2, Ace Hi (A. Idiens) 3. Second race: Javelin (R. Savage) 1, Powerflyte 2. Grey Angel (J. Peverill) 3. B Class.—Pedro (C. Dakin) 1, Scat Cat (M. Taylor) 2, Thunderbird (N. McVicar) 3. Outboards Open.—Missile (J. Andrews. Lake Kanieri) 1. Neutron (J. Maitland, Lake Kanieri) 2, Hustler <F. Williams) 3. Combined C Class—First race: Comanche (J. Shaw) 1, Joanne (W. Ford) 2. Juella (J. Stokes) 3. Second race: Tango (A. Hayward) 1. Cherlene (B. Bowen), Comanche and Juella (equal). 2. Nachelle (E. Richardson) 3.