Courtaulds (1994)

[Scand]

http://media.boatmad.com/gallery/v/g...1994_.jpg.html

Interesting looking craft. Does anyone know the history behind it?

[cfun]

Think they were of Italian origin, they shook up the thinking in 3c back in the day, I watched them race a few times and they were quick but it was said the hypalon tubing kept coming away from the bottom running surface hopefully someone will shed light on these craft ... there is a new incarnation available a guy on fibnet was the dealer for a 5Mish with a 90hp said it went like stink, looks like fun

[cfun]

[QUOTE=cfun; ... there is a new incarnation available a guy on fibnet was the dealer for a 5Mish with a 90hp said it went like stink, looks like fun[/QUOTE]

Just found them they are called Ceaser 5.3m

http://www.ceasarmarine.com/image_ga...spx?BoatType=5

A 6m version would be fun in 3B with a 90hp

[Tony Davis]

Originally Posted by Scand

Interesting looking craft. Does anyone know the history behind it?

It's an "Overwave", built in Italy, I believe Simon WP did some races in it.

[Matt]

And did it go over, or under?

[Woody]

Originally Posted by Tony Davis

It's an "Overwave", built in Italy, I believe Simon WP did some races in it.

Then he sold it to Jonathon Lucas of Forgecraft fame for him to race it with Scott Hodges then later in the season with Adrian Carter.

It was like a blow up bed used to turn up with the sponsons delated then get the pump out and pump them up for the race.

[Cookee]

I'm sure I saw something similar in Viareggio at the worlds or Europeans once?

[southwesthotcat]

Hi.
Photo is I think the Jonathon Lucas livery (91/92?) of the Overwave that Simon Woodpecker imported from Italy (1989?). They were quite a large hull 27 foot long from memory. Simon's raced UK 2L with an XR2 and transom lift. In Italy they were mostly raced with a 2.4L EFI in 4L D class. Raced against 2 of them in the Formia 1989 6/4 litre Worlds. The did over a ton on a good day with a single 2.4L. Needed a bit of airflow to get up and go and not too bad in a bump. Had a strange bouncy landing motion but pretty comfy hull. We did the first 1990 Round Scotland in one and were fairly eating the competition until the 'usual problem' the kevlar running skis at the bottom aft end of the sponsons started loosening and damaged a tube. I always used to admire the design and look of the central tandem cockpit pod.
I do not think that the Caesar cats are quite the same.

[cfun]

Must admit I thought it was earlier that I first watched one race perhaps 87/88 by an Italian team that had come over to challenge our 3c fleet, really liked the idea at the time thought it looked as you say a comfy ride and the other thing that impressed me is as you say the size 27' the same as Bluefins ex/Mumford 3c cat, always thought someday someone would rehash the design with a canopy and using todays better glues come out fighting ... the other thing I recon would be very interesting would be to swap out the hard sponson's on the Lorn 3 pointer's for this more flexible hypalon used in the Overwave, may have been a great way to go for the old 28' tri's as raced by Neil Holmes back in the late 80's with some reasonable success

[Jon Fuller]

There was one in Guernsey in '93 from France, running a Johnnyrude V8 in 4 litre. The geezer looked like an aging rockstar (no, not Miles)

[Woody]

Originally Posted by southwesthotcat

Hi.
Photo is I think the Jonathon Lucas livery (91/92?) of the Overwave that Simon Woodpecker imported from Italy (1989?). They were quite a large hull 27 foot long from memory. Simon's raced UK 2L with an XR2 and transom lift. In Italy they were mostly raced with a 2.4L EFI in 4L D class. Raced against 2 of them in the Formia 1989 6/4 litre Worlds. The did over a ton on a good day with a single 2.4L. Needed a bit of airflow to get up and go and not too bad in a bump. Had a strange bouncy landing motion but pretty comfy hull. We did the first 1990 Round Scotland in one and were fairly eating the competition until the 'usual problem' the kevlar running skis at the bottom aft end of the sponsons started loosening and damaged a tube. I always used to admire the design and look of the central tandem cockpit pod.
I do not think that the Caesar cats are quite the same.

Photo 1 is Jonathans livery for 1994 Season when it was Courtaulds in 1993 it was Cromadex, he incidentally kept Simon's old number C17. Simon Wood-Power raced it in 1990 and before that i think Tony Jenvey had something to do with it.

[Pennpromo]

Yes its certainly my old Overwave. I brought it from Tony Jenvery and Ian Saunders. I raced it in the 2L worlds in Bournemouth with Pete Dredge navigating. Into the wind it was awesome and really flew, it was like balancing a circuit cat on the air pressure in the tunnel. Downwind it was definately underpowered. Was much better, I gather, as a 4 lire boat.
It had a very strange motion as it took out all of the bumps when the hulls compressed but if you hit a wave with the hull already compressed you suddenly got a double bump that threw you out of the back seat !
We always suffered from the hulls delaminating from the tubes, inflation pressures were critical. It was this boat that Miles borrowed from me for the Round Scotland on a bend it you own it basis ...
Jonathan Lucas did buy it and tried for two years to get it going well. No idea where it is now ?

[cfun]

At 27' this seemed to be the largest size of boat in 3c was this as the rules stated back then and possibly now the largest size allowed for that class and as it has been said it ran better as a 4Ltr was it surprisingly well over the min weight limit for a cat as it looked like a light weight compared to some boats ... someone said in the pits to me once, jokingly I assume that it was to be pumped up on a lighter than air gas ... errr Bang was the only thing that came to mind

[caw blimey]

I remember two of them racing in Guernsey and they did pump the tubes up with helium

[southwesthotcat]

Originally Posted by cfun

At 27' this seemed to be the largest size of boat in 3c was this as the rules stated back then and possibly now the largest size allowed for that class and as it has been said it ran better as a 4Ltr was it surprisingly well over the min weight limit for a cat as it looked like a light weight compared to some boats ...

Hi
There was no Class III 'minimum' weight rule until later on on the 90's.
A minimum 'cube' rule was in place and for 2 litre a Min. (6.2m) and Max. (8.4m) length. The 2 litre XR2 powered Overwave was ahead of it's time and near the max permitted length at that time (late 80's early 90's).
With proper offshore/sea courses I never did or will understand the latter day rules for minimum weight limits. I think that it is a neo-luddite progress stopper and as potentially dangerous as a too heavy and/or unbalanced hull. The weight rule could be substituted by a hull strength rule.
In my view - Safe speed has no single top limit - Slow can be unsafe.

[Johnny Rocket]

Originally Posted by southwesthotcat

There The weight rule could be substituted by a hull strength rule.

Just out of curiosity, how do you propose to define and measure hull strength?

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rocket

Just out of curiosity, how do you propose to define and measure hull strength?

..Oh, that's easy... lend it to Stu and Dave... if it don't break, then it'll withstand anything........

[Johnny Rocket]

I think you might have found the solution to making offshore powerboat racing more apealling to TV companies and spectators generally.

Make scrutineering the main event!

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Johnny Rocket

I think you might have found the solution to making offshore powerboat racing more apealling to TV companies and spectators generally.

Make scrutineering the main event!

Why have I got this image in my head?

[Matt]

Oh, look who's come out of the woodwork. Welcome back. Is that cos it's a rib thread, or because they're reducing the medication?