N.Z. Record At Estuary

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31399, 19 June 1967, Page 9

N.Z. Record At Estuary

J. Peverill, driving Grey Angel 11, was timed at 62.13 m.p.h on the Estuary on Saturday morning to set a New Zealand speedboat record for the 75 cu. in side-

valve hydroplane class. Peverill, of the New Brighton Power Boat Club, broke the record set by L. Roberts, of the Lake Rotoiti club, three years ago, in Tally Ho. Roberts’ time was 59.33 m.p.h. The water and overhead conditions were nearly perfect for the record, two-way run over a kilometre, and the hydroplane, powered with a modified Ford 100 E engine, did not miss a beat. Peverill held the New Zealand 75 cu. in side-valve Vbottom record of 44.56 m.p.h. until last February. Then J. O’Kane, of Otago, in Grey Nurse 11, took the record with a run at Invercargill. But Peverill, who had switched to the hydroplane hull, got his name back in the record book with a splendid run on Saturday. Wee Loco (P. Kelly), from Hokitika, was timed at 55 m.p.h. on Saturday in an attempt to beat the New Zealand B class (petrol) outboard record. The record is held by a fellow driver from the Lake Kaniere club, P. Fisher (Shark) at 59 m.p.h. Fisher set the record this season. The third boat to go over the kilo was Moonraker (W. Richardson), and the 75 cu. in hydroplane was timed 72, 80, and 82 m.p.h. in three runs. Moonraker was formerly the North Island boat, Fortyfour, in which G. C. Smith set the New Zealand and Australian record of 97.17 m.p.h. five years ago. Moonraker has a different engine.