The Cowes Powerboat Festival 2009

[Norty]

Just as a slight aside on the subject of costs of running this event. All Safety and Marshal boats paid their own fuel and for some this would have been over £250/£300 and without them the race would not have taken place. Some were on station in nasty places from 0900 until 1700.

[Ciao]

New on-board footage added here >>

http://www.britishpowerboatracingclub.co.uk/video.htm

(3rd video down)

Shelley Jory in Team Scorpion.

[RHINO]

i think you will find that video is gordon compton in r3

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by Ciao

New on-board footage added here >>

http://www.britishpowerboatracingclub.co.uk/video.htm

(3rd video down)

Shelley Jory in Team Scorpion.

I would not like to have been in that yacht! Swipewipes keeps out of trouble -just see how up for it Power Products are in the P28!

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by RHINO

i think you will find that video is gordon compton in r3

Yup posted the wrong link - Just as well - Gordon's footage is far better!

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by Norty

Just as a slight aside on the subject of costs of running this event. All Safety and Marshal boats paid their own fuel and for some this would have been over £250/£300 and without them the race would not have taken place. Some were on station in nasty places from 0900 until 1700.

We thank them for their time and £, without them a race would not run.

The first thanks at the CTC prize giving were given by Amanda our saftey officer.

Hopefully all received a Cowes Safety salver, if anyone missed out please PM me.

[Scarron]

Originally Posted by Ciao

We thank them for their time and £, without them a race would not run.

The first thanks at the CTC prize giving were given by Amanda our saftey officer.

Hopefully all received a Cowes Safety salver, if anyone missed out please PM me.

We were very surprised [and really pleased] to receive the salver at the prize giving. It was an absolute pleasure to provide safety and the cost of a tank of fuel was the least we could do in helping out at this marvellous event.

We were made really welcome all weekend by organisers and competitors alike and it was great to be so close as events unfolded [although perhaps a little too close to Wettpunkt at one point on his run back down the Solent].

[Jon Fuller]

On the subject of safety boats, Nick and I would like thank a couple of the safety fleet for waiting for us as we limped home on Saturday. Ian May in his SeaRay was at North Head and ran with us for quite a way, so thanks to him, but extra special thanks to the red Hunton 'Xtreme' who escorted us all the way from Hurst, to Cowes, at displacement speed after our good engine went poorly forcing us off the plane. That is a very, very long slow run home and definitely beyond the call of duty, so a big personal thanks from us to them.

Does anyone know who this safety team is? I've seen the boat name on the safety fleet list for many years, so they're pretty dedicated, but am afraid I don't know their names. I'd like to drop them an email.

[DAVE]

Originally Posted by Jon Fuller

On the subject of safety boats, Nick and I would like thank a couple of the safety fleet for waiting for us as we limped home on Saturday. Ian May in his SeaRay was at North Head and ran with us for quite a way, so thanks to him, but extra special thanks to the red Hunton 'Xtreme' who escorted us all the way from Hurst, to Cowes, at displacement speed after our good engine went poorly forcing us off the plane. That is a very, very long slow run home and definitely beyond the call of duty so a big personal thanks from us to them.

Does anyone know who this safety team is? I've seen the boat name on the safety fleet list for many years, so they're pretty dedicated, but am afraid I don't know their names. I'd like to drop them an email.

Jon, I know it was Trevor and Nigel, they were parked next to us in the marina. I'll see if Shirley can get their names / contact details.

[Jon Fuller]

Originally Posted by DAVE

Jon, I know it was Trevor and Nigel, they were parked next to us in the marina. I'll see if Shirley can get their names / contact details.

Thanks geezer

[Norty]

I was more pointing out the finacial situation and pressures the organisers were under than anything else. Hey, any day on the water is a good day !

Have also now got my silver salver, much appreciated.

[TonyToll]

Originally Posted by OldMan

A great days racing at Cowes yesterday.


Tony Toll's 41ft Apache and Dean Gibbs 39ft Fountain had a great race back up the Solent in the CPC race but even though Tony was trimmed out as far as he could go Dean had 10mph in hand and piped Tony on the line. Both racers very happy though and grinning from ear to ear. Tony has now promised to bring the Apache to Cowes next year for the CTC race. Dean intends selling the Fountain and is looking for something to take on Marcus in Cinzano.

The Honda boats found the big waves at the Needles “interesting” but loved it. They will be back next year in some form or another.

No doubt Marcus will come on here very shortly and give his account of his race and I can assure you it is a fantastic and exciting story. IMHO that boat, although 25 years old, is the ultimate CTC race boat. It’s the right length, it has the right power and its a great sea boat With its top speed of 90mph it has plenty of speed in the bag.

Chris Davies was texting me from the helicopter telling me the positions and when he told me that Mike Deacon in Hot Lemon was leading by 2 miles at Hurst with Cinzano & Hannes neck and neck behind I had a feeling that they would catch Mike and Marcus did and finished something like 11 seconds ahead. Hannes had a fuel problem 2 miles from the finish and simply stopped. A great shame because it could have been such a close race for all three.

I can't help feeling that it can't get much better than that. The race ran in the true tradition of the CTC being a little rough all the way. I feel very sorry for Blastoff who kinked a fuel line and slowed after leading the feet by miles for some time and of course for Scott Younger’s Sunseeker 38 "Driver Dry Berthing" which then took up the lead and was doing so well. This was Scott’s first CTC and he and his team looked very strong and were well prepared. We were very excited when the news came through that they were running in front with Hot Lemon not far behind but again no doubt we will hear their story shortly. I think they lost both engines in Lyme Bay coming home and had to be towed in somewhere by a fishing vessel.

Myles Jennings turned up at Cowes last night at around 11pm dressed in borrowed clothes and looked very funny. His boat had stopped and Myles was trying the clear the filters with the hatches open when a rogue wave hit the stern and swamped the boat. They tried to start the engines but no joy when a second large wave hit them on the stern and that was it. Bilge pumps overwhelmed she began to sink as can be seen.

As usual there are many more stories and I look forward to hearing them.

Roll on next year and the 50th anniversary of the race. It’s going to be a big week of three long distance races so should be fun. We have now applied for the World Championship for Marathon (offshore) boats and we will know in October if that has been granted.. If permission is indeed granted then it should be quite a show.
ML.

.

Mike, this was my first race in 20 years and I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it despite being beaten to the line by Dean in his Fountain. The boat lived up to its reputation and gave us a fantastic ride through the rough in the Needles channel, an experience I will not forget.

A big thank you to you and your team for organising such a great weekend, to confirm all being well we will return with the Apache next year for the CTC.

TT

[Jon Fuller]

Originally Posted by TonyToll

to confirm all being well we will return with the Apache next year for the CTC.

TT

Kinnell!! better start squirreling away gallons of petrol on the company account for that then! ....couple of gallons a day??

Or is big bro still working on that fuel innovation?

[DAVE]

Originally Posted by Jon Fuller

Thanks geezer

Jon you have PM with contact number...

[TonyToll]

I think it's going to have to be the 2 gallons a day and hope the price doesn't keep go up and up in the meantime!

[Mike Lloyd]

Originally Posted by TonyToll

Mike, this was my first race in 20 years and I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it despite being beaten to the line by Dean in his Fountain. The boat lived up to its reputation and gave us a fantastic ride through the rough in the Needles channel, an experience I will not forget.

A big thank you to you and your team for organising such a great weekend, to confirm all being well we will return with the Apache next year for the CTC.

TT

Tony, that's the best news I have heard for a long time. Now my problem is, how do I watch that boat running next year (as everyone knows the Apache is, in my opinion, the best looking powerboat in the world but then I would say that as an Old Man) running when I wil be out in front? I guess a smarter man would stay behind and just watch!
ML.
.

[Markus Hendricks]

Hello and Thank You Everybody!

Lately returned to normal life in Germany.
Office demanding, local festivities involving the children and my fathers 75th Birthdayparty gave no time to comment yet.
So a first quick word.

We made all sorts of plans after the nice weather on the day before the start. It gave us a lot of otions to go for.
Finally I decided for coming home first priority, maybe even taking the long run around the Bay if it would look very nasty.
I just wanted to get the boat home safe this time!
(last and first time ever before in a race and in Lyme Bay we completely sank our seaworthy 8to. craft at the first leg of RB08)

So at the start we went up to the first few fast boats, but when I was catching up on Hannes slowed down, to see what they would do at the Needles. I was warned by experienced racers that you would find 'holes' in the water and it could be wise not to be too fast too early.
As on the two occasions we went to Pool for racing before it was always along Hurst, I had no clue what it would possibly be like...

So we had others passing and it did not help seeing No.8 slowing down and sitting in the water in front of us.

Something in me even wanted to slow down and give them a hand for some moment.
So I went after the bunch of roosters in front of me not willing to go as fast as Cinzano might have been able to, but as fast as the hull would jump on ease and landings would be in pattern with the sea state.

As we carried full Fuel (about 1,5to.; after the finish the gauges still showed 40% full) trimm was difficult and the nose was loaded with 200kgs of Buoancy Airbags, too.

By the time I started to fell comfotable with it, but even Shelly turned up in her slower Scorpion.
So I stayed with her; slightly behind and she gave a good teacher for where to go a bit slower around the heaviest and shorter seas (Anvil for e.g.) and where to go faster.

She did around 43 knots then and this was to be called comfortable at the conditions we faced.

Then we approched Lyme Bay and she seemed to stay inwards, but the bay was feeling better then I expected and lesser then the area we just past, so I did not interfere when Eric and Tim went ahead on the straight line.

Luckily there was a rooster ahead, too. So again I had something to go for.

It took us ages to come closer but it was just when the seas flattened and the moored up Vessels/Tankers gave first shelter, that both of us started to go faster and faster.
We got past them only before we were turning east again. It should have given local spectators some racing shots, too.

Heading out we ran over 70 knots till the first jumps slowed me down again.
Whereas upwind I could reduce overrevving well, downwind the Illmors were faster than the holes in the seas were visible in the gleaming light.

It needed a while to get the trimm optimised and throttles aligned.
Unbelievably the overtaken rib totally diminished.

It was nice cruising down the Bay in Sunshine.
Nobody pressing, nobody to go for and I started thinking we will take Cinzano safe home.

None of us had an idea of our position and we expected Hannes and the likes to sit in the RYS on pimms already, so slow we felt on our ride.

Only when we saw Team 25 sitting around with open hatches a bit of wandering came on again. But as Tim keeps saying, I did not have the 'red mist' coming up, as we were not expecting to gain any success out of pushing harder, because nobody was visible ahead to go for and risk mechanical break down alike Team 25.

It is a shame for them as they always go for it.
I hope they will never buy a faster boat, because I am shure they will squeeze it even harder and that will be killing (Want to have fun with them for long and not play Casiraghi).

Next we saw Team 747 flying towards us and I tell you from my sunken Alan Burnard designed Boat, it was hard to them upwind.
Still looked like they wanted to go in it up into the Sky, misuseing their Boat for their usual Jumbo Jets...

When arriving to the Coast the Sea state became less predictable again and cruise was over. Sometimes it was a lot of spray but still under good control.

Then everything changed!!!

I spotted Hannes under the rocks to our left and we could see them heading towards the the same point as us at Anvil.

This meant to me: we were with the Leader (Sorry Hot Lemon was not in my mind as the sistership of Shelly 's was doing slower and it could therefore only have been Hannes at the front line)

Now the race was on!
I knew from the Buzzi boat that they had to decide for a slow but fast accelerating Prop, as the 82kn one would not push them up the Seas. This was proven at the start sprint, where we came up on them.
So I only had to stay with him on the last rough till Hurst and conveniently take him in the Solent.

It was a real nice race alongside each other and I could see their nose was flying up higher then ours and they were not able to go any faster then they did. We finaly went in front towards the last buoy heading for Hurst.
With the seas Sideways Hannes came up alongside towards Hurst tuning point.

As there were some sailors in our way Hannes took them inside and we outwards (Hope nobody onboard had a Heardattack, it must havebeen totally scary to them).

Then we arrived in the calmer Solent and I fully trimmed out the Legs. The Trimm Tabs stayed at level to fight the chopp).

I did not have time to look for Hannes because accurate trimming is difficult with these slow but very strong Hydraulic pumps and gaining the best means no slip and as high as possible, a fiddling job only possible by watching the revmeters precisely.

Hannes did go with us for a short moment, but then he wasn't visible. Gone!!

This was the moment when I dared think we might win the race.
Can you imagine my utter disbelieve when I saw another Boat in front of us and close to the finish?!

Luckily after Hannes went I did not slow down, but worked on the Trim Plates instead to keep us flying safe and slightly faster.
I thought we would do wise to have a safety margine against Hannes coming back to life, should we miss the finish Line/Buoy again.

I knew this is not impossible from our last race against Drew Langdon where we had lost our Lead for that mistake.

It paid off now to have the speed and we virtually passed Hot Lemon on the Line!

So first ever Powerboatrace in a 38kn Supermarine Swordfish: Sunk
Second time racing, but first use of Cinzano at the Cancer Research Race: Last over the Start line forth in Finish
Third race Needles Trophy:2nd but Class winner.
Now CTC2009

Only Posssible due to:
Very good but old boat,
Very experienced Teammates
and very good Mechnical fittness of the Boat due to
Bluenine Marine (Eric) and Pirtek Hydraulics.


The Team Cinzano
Brgds Markus

(sory of to work now and no Grammar school yet, but maybe time to go for that over the Winter)

[Mark Wildey]

Markus

Really enjoyed reading your account of the race and congratulations on your teams win. Looks like good use of the throttle/trim during the race helped with the excellent performance and reliability of the boat.

Regards

Mark

[FLYING FISH]

I always enjoy reading Markus`s no nonsense reports,and it shows the Cinzano team had a huge slice of luck when Hot Lemon was sighted just before the finish,for up to then they had the willpower to not drive faster than they thought they should do. i.e. Surfury v Telstar syndrome all over again.It`s a tribute to all who worked on the boat that it can do the business after all those years,and Eric especially must be chuffed to hell to have all those long hours of effort rewarded with the big one.It`s been said that the boat has re invented itself after 26yrs when it first appeared,but the design goes much further than that.It was in 1971 the hull lines and scantlings were formulated for Enfield Avenger.This data was used for the Alitalia boats in 1977,and from then on CUV used them for their future craft.So there we have it, a winning boat having a 38yr old design.I wonder if the recently restored I Like it Too (Aeromarine III) would come over from Norway to do a similar job,and then if it won the CTC 2010 it would surpass the design record,as the first Cigarette 36 arrived in 1970.

[Mike Lloyd]

A good report on the race with interviews from Marcus, Mike Deacon and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqNXKLICiYs&NR=1