Pacemaker Notes

FLYING FISH · 20-12-2008, 01:11 PM

Trawling through the archives,another episode in powerboat flops appeared.The year is 1978,and apparently this fine craft (The Pacemaker) has found it`s way to Basildon for all to suck air in at.Armed with a good magnifying glass ,hopefully one can digest the attached screed when printed off.
Don Shead was invited to test the said craft,and on returning to shore had some very colouful recommendations.

THUNDERBOLT · 15-01-2009, 01:48 PM

There are some current pictures of the Dynaplane and Lorne Campbell's recollection of her designer on www.classicoffshore.com she has been variously mistaken for an Enfield/Shead and was thought by some to be Marlboro ex Miss Enfield (the first design out of Enfield Marine) because of the colour.
If these problems were experienced no wonder the current owner has left her at Basildon where she slowly fades away.

Mike

FLYING FISH · 16-01-2009, 07:43 AM

Came across the good ship `Pacemaker`,and sailing past the sponsors storage tanks no less.About the only thing it got right.

littlenige · 16-01-2009, 01:06 PM

Finally! I've been looking for pics of this for years. For a long time it was parked up on the British Hovercraft slipway at East Cowes. Thanks Fish.

Johnnyboy · 09-12-2009, 10:28 AM

The Boat is the BP Dynaplane Pacesetter, my father worked extensively on the project, I have a large framed picture of the boat running at high speed and the final high performance stainless steel clipped propeller, craft was last seen at the Basildon motorboat museum, which from the web site looks like it closed about a week ago.

Jon Fuller · 09-12-2009, 11:33 AM

.......

littlenige · 09-12-2009, 01:54 PM

It's a great looking hull. Did the spray rails run the full length of the boat - anybody know?

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 16-10-2010, 05:46 AM

And contrary to the speculation is about to undergo a full restoration, and also contrary to the pundits she does go fast....

It would seem that no one ever saw the test videos except me and the guys who built her....including Eugene Clement who is alive and well and still working, as is her designer Bill Williamsom.

Its not to say she wasnt without her problems during development but then anything that breaks new ground in hull development always will be

her best top end was officially 87mph out of an 850 hp gnome tho Peter Gaydon who did a lot of the test driving told me that they got 103mph on a single run, but refitting with the more powerful 1000 hp gnome will enable her potential average speed to be reliably in the 70-80 bracket...which isnt bad for something that is buit like a battleship out of 4-6mm mag alloy plate and weighed about 5 tonnes on the water.

As for her seakeeping capabilities....she was trialled in everything up to a force 7

I have owned her for the past 18 years as a project pending but time never allowed for her to get back in the water so l have passed the mantle on to someone who will....but be in no doubt....no other high speed stepped hull has had the kind of thinking put into her that Pacesetter did....and its still a work in progress

Various so called experts may have had their 'proffessional' opinions as to the effectiveness of her design but Pacesetter was born out of mathematics and tank testing as well as extensive sea trials that only a few know of.....and not just some pretty assemblage of curves on a drawing board that look fast but needs double the power of pacesetter to achieve it

watch this space

Dave Austin

Ciao · 16-10-2010, 07:40 AM

Interesting to see the report Fish posted from John Walker, "It was found to be sadly lacking in two directions. First it went in two directions, never sure of which it should be and second, it was very, very slow".

I also note the intended navigator was to be Mike Mantle - What ever happened to him?

OOD · 16-10-2010, 10:56 AM

Mr Mantle was the winning Driver at the SCM

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 18-10-2010, 05:34 AM

seems l cant post or everytime l try it gets me back to a sign on page.....am l approved to post ?.....TEST

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 18-10-2010, 06:05 AM

Seems l can

With all due respect to the entertaining article written by the venerable Mr Walker...that is almost all it was.

A lot more successful testing was done subsequently to Pacesetter that was not reported in the boating press. One should remember that this was a BP research project looking into the the development of a power efficient hull form and not the product of a commercial design hoping for sales on the back of good press reviews

Well....it was a research project on paper anyway ...actually it was more of a Jolly for one of the heads of BP research and development...The late Proffesor Dennis desty OBE FRS.....a lovely man, and the epitomy of a true english boffin.

Im hoping to get some Pacesetter VHS digitised.....will upload to youtube and post the link....you will see she went fast enough....and in one direction

Mike Lloyd · 14-10-2014, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER

Seems l can

With all due respect to the entertaining article written by the venerable Mr Walker...that is almost all it was.

A lot more successful testing was done subsequently to Pacesetter that was not reported in the boating press. One should remember that this was a BP research project looking into the the development of a power efficient hull form and not the product of a commercial design hoping for sales on the back of good press reviews

Well....it was a research project on paper anyway ...actually it was more of a Jolly for one of the heads of BP research and development...The late Proffesor Dennis desty OBE FRS.....a lovely man, and the epitomy of a true english boffin.

Im hoping to get some Pacesetter VHS digitised.....will upload to youtube and post the link....you will see she went fast enough....and in one direction

So, four years later, what happened to this project?
ML
.

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 14-10-2014, 09:45 PM

The Long...back in 2011 I sold it to a Mr Richard Knowles.....someone in boaty circles Im led to believe.....and someone who assured me of his best intention to restore pacesetter......which at the time due to personal circumstances I was not able to do....

My interest was in seeing Pacesetter back on the water and I wanted to get her in hands that would do so hence a rock bottom price

but a price on a proviso that (his words below in correspondence to me)

David

It is agreed between the two above parties that :

1. The sum of £ 2000 sterling is paid for the boat, which is of clean title and belongs to the vendor.

2. That should for any reason the boat not be put back into the water in working condition within 18 months then the vendor may purchase the boat back for the sum of £2000 and to reimburse Richard Knowles any monies that he has spent from any subsequent sale. If the monies spent are greater, then Richard Knowles, will accept the loss.

3.That David Austin will have a seat in the first running of the Cowes Torquay Classic of Pacesetter.

4 That David Austin will have a seat on one leg of the 2012 Round Britain Power boat race in Pacesetter.

5.That David Austin is most welcome to participate in sea trials and to have a go in Pacesetter when she is on the water.

Think that just about covers it. Any joy on the museum tel no as I would very much like to shoot up tomorrow and have a look at her.

Could I also suggest that if you are happy with our agreement, that you take the ad of ebay.

Best wishes

Oh and how would you like paying ?

Richard

Happy day of the deal meeting with Mr Knowles saying he would collect pacesetter the following weekend....

But a few weeks after the deal was done the national motor boat museum gave me a call saying that they were going to scrap it if it wasn't removed by Mr Knowles

needless to say I got his attention by saying that 'I' was going to remove it to avoid that happening....subsequently he became somewhat 'shirty' about my intended action threatening to call the police and accuse me of theft....anyway he moved it quick enough after.....but lines were drawn between us from that point on

And the short.... I don't know where pacesetter is

none of the above provisos came to pass and I have no idea where she is.....

I occasionally send out a feeler in attempt to find out where pacesetter is because given the circumstances I would either recover her or damages on the basis of the non fulfilled obligations.....And I certainly want to give Mr Knowles a piece of my mind (at the very least

)

Perhaps I should try a little harder....something like a 42ft aluminium power boat hull isn't that easy to hide unless its been scrapped

Unfortunately no one seems to know the present whereabouts of Richard Knowles ....something I would be most happy to know.

All in all.....very sorry I parted with her ....my circumstances improved and I would have been able to refit her in this time

littlenige · 14-10-2014, 10:16 PM

I hope we can see the digitised VHS footage?

Mike Lloyd · 14-10-2014, 11:21 PM

Richard "bloody" Knowles, there's a blast from the past. I found your last post David very interesting. During the run up to the RB08 we had quite a run in with that young man. He caused all sorts of problems but eventually went away. About three years ago I had some discussions with a women who wanted our opinion of him. She had sold him a boat and was being sued for a considerable sum by him over something quite trifling. He appears to do that sort of thing!
I will say no more, but I in my opinion you need to steer a wide course around him. We burnt a large file on him only two weeks ago otherwise I could have given you his last known address. He did appear to move around a bit but I think he was living in the New Forest up until a couple of years ago. Sorry I can't be of more help.
ML.
.

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 15-10-2014, 05:21 PM

Richard 'bloody' Knowles...ha-ha...I guess that says it all...a prize winning ventral sphincter it would seem from several accounts.

sorry to hear that you don't have last known contact details.....he is still lurking in the south no doubt

he hasn't been a priority target in recent times but I will deal with him when I have nothing better to do...I don't try to avoid people like him.

As for the comment on VHS.....years back I lent it to a turbine guy who used to work out of Manston airport....yet another character....never got the video back....but can hopefully get another copy from Pacesetters designer Bill Williamson

Alacrity · 01-04-2015, 10:40 PM

He she is Classic 40ft Powerboat for sale | eBay

DYNAPLANE-PACESETTER · 02-04-2015, 07:55 AM

If I had known it would come to this I would never have let her go......hope someone buys her ....a lot of effort and a cleverly spent £20k will have a turbine, gearbox and enough utilities in her to go back in the water...its too late for me tho