Second record under attack

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 24

Second record under attack

Not satisfied with becoming the fastest power-boat driver in New Zealand on Saturday, 1). Cameron, the Nelson driver of Miss Print IV, will attempt to break the Australian and New Zealand record.

Cameron was timed over a kilometre on Lake Rotoiti at 119.13 m.p.h. early on Saturday morning-, breaking the New Zealand record by 19 m.p.h. In a fortnight he will try to break the Australian record of 151 m.p.h. Miss Print IV is shown during the record two-way run on Lake Rotoiti, with Cameron inset. A steering cog broke just after the photograph was taken. “Vibration plus bump after coming out of the kilo,” expained Cameron, who had to be towed back to shore. The weather deteriorated shortly after the record run. It had taken Cameron almost two years to get everything right for his attempt on the New Zealand record, set by the brothers, J. and K. McGregor, of Auckland, in Air New Zealand in 1970. at 130.34 m.p.h. Cameron had Miss Print IV, a 19ft 6in hydro, built for him by J. McLeod, of Auckland. Then he imported

I a 427 cu. in. Chevrolet eightcylinder motor. It runs on pure alcohol (methanol) and ' has Hilburn fuel injection and a special camshaft. It was cold, with mist and I rain—“not ideal conditions” , according to the laconic Cameron—at Lake Rotoiti ' early on Saturday morning. But there was no wind, and the lake was like a millpond. Cameron had been officii ally timed in Miss Print 111, 1 ■’ v-bottom boat, at 94.38 m.p.h. ’’and holds the New Zealand record for that class. He had t four previous runs in his new s boat. > In achieving 149 m.p.h., ’ Cameron not only set a New ij Zealand record, but added .|55 m.p.h. to his previous perI sonal fastest time, and won . the New Zealand Power Boat - Association's coveted 100 - m.p.h. badge. i Cameron said that the t) motor was doing 9500 r.p.m. . —about 500 r.p.m. below liwhat it should do at its tibest. He considers that in .warmer weather at Picton. on , I salt instead of fresh water. II Miss Print IV can beat the fjAustralian record of 154 11 m.p.h. set by the big Sydney ■boat, Stampede, powered with a Rolls Royce engine, in 1970. “It was a bit cold for the straight alcohol fuel at Lake Rotoiti and the revs were down. I think 1 have enough up my sleeve to hit round the 160 m.p.h. I am pretty confident, but you need the weather and the luck as well,” he said.