Attempts On Speedboat Records

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30209, 14 August 1963, Page 11

Attempts On Speedboat Records

ATTEMPTS on several Australian and New Zealand speedboat records will be made this week-end at a special meeting on the Waihao river near Waimate. The meeting is sponsored by the South Canterbury Power Boat Club. A great deal of interest

will centre on R. Prattley, the Ashburton freezing worker, who will try to better his existing Australian and New Zealand, B class, outboard hydro record of 71.466 m.ph. Prattley will make the attempt in Downbeat, powered by an American Konig

motor. This is the fourth boat, all named Downbeat, that Prattley has built. The class record has been broken three times recently. J. Keig, of Ashburton. raised the record in Moonshot. Prattley raised it in Downbeat to 69.471 m.p.h. On April

27, with D. Davies, his mechanic fellow driver, at the helm, Prattley again claimed a new record of 71.467 m.p.h. This was the first time outside the United States that a boat of Downbeat’s class had broken 70 m.p.h. Prattley’s efforts have attracted great attention among speedboat drivers and supporters in the United States. Two speedboat magazine editors have written from America asking for details in the lifting of the record in successive jumps . because speeds in the class have not been improved by American drivers in the last two years. Prattley has been confident for some months that he can reach 75 m.ph. and this would put him in world class. An interesting clash at Waihao will be between A. Johnson (Christchurch), holder of the 75 cu. in Vbottom New Zealand record in Atom XI, and R. Calvert in his new boat Susie Too. The old Susie Too, now Anita, was a former holder of this record. The record now stands at 56.631 m.p.h. Anita (P. Calvert) and Panther (D. Allsop) will also be having a crack at the record. Maxie (B. Guy) will attempt to break the 75 cu. in, side-valve, New Zealand record of 44.56 m.p.h. held by Grey Angel (J. Peverill). At least five boats from the New Brighton Power Boat Club will be racing at the meeting, and it is probable that other attempts on records will be made. Water conditions on the Waihao river .are excellent during the winter, but if it is very cold this could cause trouble for those using alcohol fuel. As it is, many of the speedboat drivers and their assistants are working hard to get their boats and engines in tip-top condition for the out-of-season record attempts. The commodore of the South Canterbury Club (P. Hayman) hopes to have his boat. Miss Opiro, in the water in time for a record attempt.