OFFSHORE! - Powerboat Archive

BRITAN'S BEST SETIJNG MOIOR CRTIISNG MAGAZNE
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OFFSHORE!
Y
A
SEPTEMBER 199I J2.IO
HTING

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BATTLE
RHUROPE
The UK legs of the European Class I season will make or break Angelo Speltas
championship dreams. Oril1l two drivers stand in his way: his son Darnian oinPedrini
(above) and Britain's Steve Curtis. Ray Bulman reports on how the battle is shaping up

THE two fastest powerboat drivers in Class
I - Angelo Spelta and his son Damiano -
are hauling their craft across mainland
Europe to race at Cowes and Guernsey.
They're number one and two in the Championship,
but Damiano is an unhappy man.
The younger Spelta lost the number one
slot to his father when he was arrested halfway
through the Viareggio championship
heat, on July 14. The charge? Polluting the
atmosphere.
Italianpolice pounced after Damiano and
his crew had repaired a minor mechanical
fault that stopped their Isotta Fraschinipowered
Cuv at the first turn mark. Tvo
police launches blocked Damiano's pathas
he rer,'ved his repaired Isottas for a 190-mile
blast to Bastia in Corsica.
Under a cloud of black diesel smoke, the
officers and race crew exchanged a torrent
of angry words. Damiano's race was over.
He and his crew were held for five hours.
No
I
2
7
8
12
15
19
22
23
LI
35
36
38
4L
42
44
55
59
69
83
90
101
103
104
li0
111
119
201
301
2527
M12
M31
M72
M123
R. Flercher (GB)D
B. Palchetti (F)T
A. Spelta (It)D
P.CozziOD
D. Boffi 00D
R. Molinari 0)T
E. Pegazzano (It)T
A. Torriani 0)D
G. Arnaboldi 0t)T
G. Cesura (MG)D
G. Grbelli (It)D
J. Clarke (GB)DI
A. Dall'Oglio 0D
M. Capofeni (It)T
N. Fenetti (It)D
M. Marino (It)T
J. Davey (GB)DT
D. Spelta (It)T
R. Can (GB)D
R. Luglio (It)T
A. Gioffredi 007
A. Ugland (N)T
E. Polli 0t)T
D. Achilli (ItlT
J. Mattila (SF)D
E. Greselin (It)D
B. Coustenoble 0)T
E. De Marco (It)D
S. Curtis (GB)T
D. Cirilli 00D
S. Ganella (CH)D
C. Scragg (GB)D
J. Menetrior (GB)D
D. Allenby (GB)DT
J. Hampton (GB)D
E
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Debenhams
Ferrari
Fresh & Clean
Grana Padano
RossettlVelmont
Iarp
Ottaviani
Co Ge Me
Chesterfield-Missoni
Giesse
Benotto
Clarke International
FassaTeam Daiwa
Sireg
Iceberg
Passlunch
Macavity
Gruppo Dal1e Carbonare-GB Pedrini
Cougar Lamborghini
Johnny Lambs
Paul Picot
Fiat Uno
SDA
Achilii Moton
Finnscrew
GPS Buste Ecologiche
Fortum AudiovisM
Tino Cosma Parfums Sarabga
Bagutta
Unipol
Palace Hotel
Marston Hotels
Menetrior Management
Perfonnance Boat
Spirit of J&B
CONTINUED
while his father headed for the finishingline
and the winner's rostrum.
Now just two races stand between father
and son - the Cowes Classic onAugust 25
and the Guernsey final on September 1.
These events are the only British races to
be awarded European championship status
this year, and mark the climax to the offshore
season.
There have been many changes over the
past 12 months in the way the sport is run,
particularly with regard to safety. The
tragic death of Stefano Casiraghi duringthe
1990 World Offshore Championships off
Monte Carlo last October was the end of
an erzr. The economic recession, which has
affected many top Italian teams previously
floating on unlimited fimds, is a hurdle only
the best will survive. The same applies to
several Mediterranean venues. Finding
those willing to pay the large fixture fees
(uS$50,000) has not been easy this year
RI]NNERS AND RIDBRS
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and is likely to become increasingly
difficult.
By contrast, the quality of the Italian
boats bears little resemblance to that of last
year's fleet. The new safety regulations
have injected crews with a new feeling of
confidence. The modifications have still to
be put to the test in a serious accident, but
will certainly save lives at current speeds.
The new safety rules, which make Class
I and II craft appear more like military
fighter planes than fast pleasure boats, have
been eagerly accepted by the sport. Even
the less competitive Class I and II craft in
Britain, unlikely ever to achieve the performance
levels seen in Europe, have come
into line.
Ever-increasing awareness of safety has
also led to a certain amount of overcautiousness.
Some British crews even lobbied
organisers for helicopters with paramedic
support until it was pointed out what
Power Marine
Cougar
Apache
Cunninghan
terTefil
CoWar
Offshore
Codecasadue
Stain
Cuv
HishAch
Cuv
Cougar
Codecasadue
Cuv
Cougar
Allround
Tornado
MIP
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lamborghini
Isotta Fraschini
Lighhdng
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Isotta Fraschini
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Merllin
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lamborghini
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it would mean in terms of increased entry
fees - in some Grses as much as 500 per
cent.
Safety problems are also affecting this
year's Round the Island race, which is run
concurrenfly with the Cowes Classic. Due
to the difficultyof finding sufficientrescue
boats on the seaward side of the Isle of
Wght, this particular race will now be held
over a return course between Cowes and
Poole so utilising the rescue fleet patrolling
the main event.
Expensive modifications to the safety
rules aside, pre-season hopes remained
high throughout Europe. Confidence was
also high in Britain. Despite fundings fears,
the backing was produced to enable the
1991 Cowes Classic event to go ahead, and
the United Kingdom Offshore Boating
Association (JKOBA) - Britain's leading
offshore organiser - to give its members
Fresh & Clean scored in all but one ofthe roundr This
consishncy has ma& Angdo Spelhcharnpiomhipleark and
h\nuritf.
an excrnng race progEtmme.
There was a strong belief that 1991
would at last see Britainwith a worthy fleet
of perhaps five Class I boats, instead of the
regular pair - or even, on some occasions,
just a solitary contender.
Some of this optimism was rewarded
when Cougar Marine announced the building
of a Lamborghinipowered Class I contender
for Richard Carr, but there has been
disappointment and pessimism in other
areas. Apart from Carr's new boat, Britain
is no nearer becoming a genuine threat
against the offshore might of Italy. But even
in Europe all was not well.
The firstblow came when the failure of
Air Europe and its associated travel companyrobbed
the openingrace of the European
Championship, due to be held in
Majorca, of vital sponsorship. There was
no alternative but to cancel, leaving St Tiopez.
three weeks later to launch the 1991
senes.
British hopes in Europe rest solely on
Steve Curtis. Steve. who won the world title
in 1987, is throttleman aboard Bagrtta, a
40ft I^amborghini-povrered, state-of-the-art
Cougar catamaran belonging to the Lamborghini/Polli
team. The craft is driven by
Vincenzo Polli whq unforturntely for Steve,
colleits the championship points.
Although23 craft lined-up off StTiopez
for their season's baptism on relatively
calm waters, few of the early leaders lasted
the 135-mile course. Nine survived to collect
points, with a very disappointed Steve
Curtis aboard Bagu.ttareinng early due to
a sheered driveshaft.
This low finishing rate continued for the
next three rounds o{ the championship.
While all the craft in the line-up obviously
have the capability of reaching very high
speeds on the sea, they are doing so at the
cost of mechanical reliability.
As well as the contest between the crews
themselves, European offshore racing provides
an excellent platform for those
expounding the merits of low power-toweight
ratio petrol engines, usually Lamborghinis,
against the heavier but often F

WATIHING FROM THE WATER
There is little doubt that the best place
to see the action at Cowes and Guernsey
is afloat, but only if certain basic
rules are followed.
Offshore racing drivers need a clear
path and, at nearly two miles a minute,
cannot take avoiding action if another
craft suddenly cuts across their course.
For a close and safe view, the best plan
is to takeup stationinside a knownturning
mark, making sure not to obstruct
its position to oncoming race crews.
Other inshore viewing areas can be
found near the start/finish lines which
are patrolled by official waterborne marshals.
Obey their instructions at all time.
They are in radio contact with the
organisers and are there to ensure your
safety.
Once in a safe position, monitor VHF
Channel 10.
more reliable diesels, usually Isotta
Fraschinis.
Angelo Spelta used Isottas to power him
to championship victory last year, and they
performed well at St Tiopez. However, the
race was won by Damiano in GB Pedrini.
Angelo followed up close behind in the
slightly shorter Frah & Clean - another
Isotta-powered Cuv - and Duilio Boffi
added to the diesel bonanza by finishing
third in Rossetti-Velmant (Isotta/Cuv). Some
time was to pass before the first petrolpowered
craft, Iceberg (Ferretti/
Lamborghini) driven by Norbeto Ferretti,
hove into sight holding fifth place.
The resr.rlt certainly gave diesel power the
edge, despite the work carried out by Lamborghini
during the winter to increase
power output. While output has certainly
risen, the problems suffered by Steve Curtis
in Bagttta - who also happens to use
a three-speed gearbox varying the thrust
to changing sea conditions - seemed to
'6
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1
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3
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5
6
7
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D. Spelta
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D. Cirilli
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D. Achilli
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A. Ugland
M. Marino
6 o
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DUROPE'S T1OP DOZEN
Fresh & Clean
G.B. Pedrini
Bagutta
Rossetti-Velmont
Unipol
GPS Buste Ecologiche
Fassa Team Daiwa
Sireg
Achilli Motors
Iceberg
Fiat Uno
Passlunch
CONTINUED
One to watch - Sireg, driven by Italian Capoferri, scored at Jesolo and managed third at Viareggio.
prove that it could now be too much for the
transmission to handle.
Meanwhile, with the second round in
Nice originally scheduled for May replaced
by Cannes on June 16, the Italianresort o{
Jesolo. south of Venice, became the fleet's
next stop.
The punishing seas here contrasted with
St Tiopez. Only seven of the 32 starters survived,
most others retiring with hull or
mechanical damage.
The opening lead here was taken up by
Edoado Polli in SDA (Codecasadue/Alioni
Subaru), but with four 12-rylinder Formula
I Boxers reliability can be a problem. SD,4
broke down, leaving son Vincenzo Polli
with Steve Curti s aboard Bagalta to take up
the challenge. They built up a commanding
lead over the fleet before a shaft
coupling protested at the enormous Lamborghini
power.
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The retirementof Bagrl.ttaleft St Tiopez
winner, Damiano Spelta to take the chequered
flag once again. Second place went
to Duilio Boffi inRossetti-Velruvrl, and third
to Angelo Spelta in Fresh & Clean.
Total points from these two rounds put
the Spelta family in the championship lead
- Damiano ahead with 800 points and
father Angelo holding second place on 25.
But their luck was to change completely in
the third round off Cannes on June 16.
Poor visibility and the disputed position
of a turning mark all but annihilated the
fleet. Only three boats, less than ten per
cent ofthe starters, completed the course
led by Domenico Cirilli in Unipol - a44ft
Baudouin diesel-powered Codecasadue
catamaran, which had finished ninth and
last at St Tropez. But it was a good result
for Britain, at least as far as Steve Curtis
in the Polli boat was concerned.
Within a few miles of the start the fleet
began heading in all directions as they
searched for a race mark laid far offstation.
Many wasted so much time and fuel they
headed back to Cannes and retired. Others,
including Polli and Curtis in Bagttta, eventually
found the elusive buoy.
Tt:rtl

throttleman were allowed to protest their
disqualification. Fortunately, the race jury
eventually found in their favour, handing
them 300 points and an overall fifth placing
on the championship table.
Over 30 boats and their crews moved
back to Italy for the fourth round off Rimini
on June 30. Again, the race was no
walkover.
Rough weather forced the organisers to
modify the original offshore course to three
lS-mile laps in the lee of the land but even
with this modification less than 50 per cent
reached the finishing line.
The race marked the first victory for the
petrol-fuelled Lamborghini marque in the
1991 European series. Vincenzo Polli and
Steve Curtis drove Bagutta into a leading
position at the first mark and never looked
back. They built up an impressive lead over
Domenico Achilli in Achilli Motors
(Stainrlamborghini) who finished second,
three minutes astern. It was as if the testing
sea conditions had added that little
extra challenge where speed was no longer
the criterion and where the lighter weight
petrol-engined craft at last had the edge.
Angelo Spelta maintained his second
position in the championship by finishing
thirdin Fresh & Clean while seventh position
for his son Damiano in GB Pedrini
produced 71 points - sufficient to keep him
in prime position with a total of 871. But
now they had Polli and Curtis snapping at
their heels in third place with 700 points.
Hopes were high that the fifth round in
Viareggio would at least see a break in the
domination of the Spelta family or at least
more rewards for Lamborghini but it was
not to be.
The pre-season calendar had included a
round in Monte Carlo, but due to the tragic
loss of Stefano Casiraghi, it was obviously
an uncertain fixture from the outset. A
few weeks before St Tiopez took place,
the UIM announced its cancellation and
substituted the new venue of Opatija in
Croatia.
International politics has a far greater
voice than powerboat racing and within a
couple of weeks of Croatia's declared
independence from Yugoslavia the UIM
postponed the Opatija race and then cancelled
it.
This tbuch of fate could well make the
forthcoming Cowes and Guernsey fixtures
the most exciting offshore contests in the
history of the sport. This excitement is
enhanced by the entry of Richard Carr and
his new Class I Cougar. Richard is still relatively
inexperienced compared with those
leading the current series and while he
enters too late to be a contender for the
European crown, he has taken a serious
approach to the sport. Therefore, with the
experienced Peter Carrington sitting alongside
as throttleman, Richard Carr and his
Cougar Lamborghini are certainly in with
a chance of being well placed.
Earlierthisyear, the RYAs Offshore Racing
Committee voted against the Cowes
Classic having European championship
status in 1992. Instead, its points will be
allocated to the Royal Motor Yacht Club
Needles Tiophy.
ORC Chairman and organiser of the
Guernsey race, Richard Ridout said: "I
don't like seeing any major classic lose out
in this way, but the vote was taken
democratically. Britain is only given two
championship rounds by the UIM - the
international authority - and ORC
delegates represent all clubs. However, I
feel the loss of points is unlikely to have any
effect on the future of the race."
This opinion is not shared by many
powerboat followers - particularly the
Cowes Classic organisers. The last-minute
support of Allied Leisure only just
prevented the cancellation of this year's
Domenico fuhilli's Couger cat has been on disappointing
form this season. Bui ii came in second at Rimini, three
minutes behind Curtis and Bagutta.
event. Without European Championship
status, and the overseas entries that
attracts, the CowesTorquay could possibly
become a memory. Its loss would have a
dramatic effect on British offshore racing
as a whole, in the same way that the loss
of Bristol has all but erased top-class inland
circuit racing in the UK.
With the future of the great Cowes Classic
now very much in doubt it would be a
fine tribute to its founder, the late Sir Max
Aitken, if a British team in the last race
were to match 1bmmy Sopwith's winning
performance in the first. n