Two Speedboat Records Broken

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31346, 17 April 1967, Page 15

Two Speedboat Records Broken

Two New Brighton Power Boat Club speedboats broke New Zealand and Australian records by wide margins in runs over a kilometre in perfect conditions at the estuary on Saturday morning.

Peter Knight, driving his inboard hydroplane, Bel Air 111, was timed at 109.119 m.p.h. This is only two miles an hour slower than the world record set in the United States three weeks ago. John Keig, of Ashburton,, driving the outboard hydroplane, Moonshot 11, owned by his father, J. W. Keig, skimmed over the water at 90.932 m.p.h. to become the fastest outboard driver in New Zealand and Australia. Knight, in his Zephyr 6powered craft, broke the-New Zealand 180 cu. in hydroplane record by 12 m.p.h. He also broke the New Zealand and Australian 155 cu. in record by 15 m.p.h. The New Zealand 180 record of 97.17 m.p.h. had been set by the Auckland driver, G. C. Smith, in FortyFour, five years ago. For being the first to break the 100 m.p.h. barrier on the

estuary, Knight also won the prize of £5O offered by Ransiey Motors three years ago. Knight also becomes eligible to join the New Zealand speedboat drivers’ 100 m.p.h. club—and will be the fourteenth member.

Keig beat the New Zealand C class record of 73.10 m.p.h. established by his father several years ago by 17 m.p.h. His speed of 90.932 m.p.h. is 11 miles an hour faster than the top outboard speedboat record in New Zealand held by J. Andrews, of Hokitika, in Mandrake, at 79.89 m.p.h. Knight’s engine capacity has been reduced to 149 cu. in so that he can compete in the 150 cu. in class at the world championships at Valleyfield, near Montreal, in July. Other Run* Time* for other speedboats over the kilometre were: Grey Angel n (J. Peverill), 55.2 m.p.h.; Atom XI (A. Johnston), 59.8 m.p.h.; Javelin (B. Savage), 57.2 m.p.h.; Voodoo 111 (W. Stoke*). 88.7 m.p.h.; Tlch (B. Cook), 59.3 m.p.h.; Bel Air H (P. Knight), 92 m.pJi.; Golden Arrow (K. Stokes), 31.7 m.p.h.; Mis* Zenith (D. Chun), 44.5 m.p.h.; Hustler <F. Williams), 65.7 m.p.h.; T-Bird (D. Syme), 43.6 m.p.h.; Powerflyte (A. Irvine), 50.7 m.p.h.; Caribbean (D. Ching), 40.7 m.p.h.; Moonraker (W. Richardson), 71.2 m.p.h.