Untitled - Powerboat Archive

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Tommy Sopwith's 25ft'Telstar'ran faultlessly to victory at 

an,average speed of 33.06 kts. Daily Exqess photo 

The 1968 International Daily Express Offshore 

Powerboat Race which was run on Saturday 31st 

August was the roughest and most gruelling battle 

since the f irst race in 1961 . For that first race, too, the 

conditions were rugged and Tommy Sopwith drove his 

Christina, 'Thunderbolt' to Torquay and victory at an 

average speed of 25mph. For the 1 968 event the course 

was given a new look and the fleet was required not 

only to make its way to Torquay, but to fight its way back 

to the finish at Cowes. lt was somehow appropriate 

that the winner over the new course seven years later 

should once again be Tommy Sopwith. Wind speeds 

rose from Force 4 to Force 7 at times during the race 

yet Sopwith and Charles de Selincourt brought their 

25ft Don Shead designed, Souter built 'Telstar' back to 

Cowes to take the winning gun having averaged over 

38mph. 'Telstar', powered by a single 600hp Daytona 

Scarab petrol engine was the first single engined boat 

to win the Daily Express race. 

Second boat home was 'Surfury" last year's winner 

and driven by Charles and Jimmy Gardner. They 

averaged just over 32mph and, right up to the finishing 

line were convinced that they were in first place. Third 

came'U.F.O.'driven by Tim Powell and Norman Barclay. 

Of the 54 boats to cross the starting line, only 23 

comoleted the round trio and five of these did not finish 

within the required time limit. The very tough conditions 

dealt severe punishment to hulls, machinery and crews 

and, although there were a number of breakages, 

several boats were pulled out of the running simply 

because their crews considered it unwise or too 

uncomfortable to continue. lt is also interesting to note 

that although several of the well-prepared out-and-out 

race boats turned in creditable performances, the boats 

which acquitted themselves best of all perhaps, were 

the near-standard all-weather family cruisers which 

have been long established as production craft. 

Last year, the few Class lll entries gambled on being 

able to put up a good performance if the going was 

smooth. They won their gamble then, but this year the 

bumpy going caused them all to think that their sights 

might have been set a shade too high. However able 

these boats may be for their size, they are not suited for 

so long a race in very rough open water. 

Rough though the going was, everyone agreed that 

the new course was particularly successful. The needlenosed 

deep-vee boats that had been designed specifically 

for up-wind work proved that they were able to travel 

downhill without frightening their crews. 

Travelling really fast downhill calls for a driving 

technique which differs from that used when trying to 

get the best of a powerboat when going to windward. 

ihe boat must be particularly responsive to both wheel 

and throttle and lack any tendency to submarine. lt 

will be most interesting to see if the new up and 

downwind course changes designers' ideas when they 

are poring over their drawing boards and trying to 

produce race winners for next year's event. 

continued overleaf

518 

runqunv REruRn 

continued 

From Race Control at Cowes, afloat 

in the Royal Naval Patrol craft 

'Brave Boiderer' and'Dark Gladiator" 

and from our own boat in the 

Solent, the Yachts and Yachting 

team of reporters covered everY 

aspect of the gruelling race. 

-1rOM MY Sopwith and Charles de 

r Selincourt won this year's International 

Dailv Express Offshore Powerboat 

Race in Sopwith's new boat'Telstar'at 

an average speed of 33.06 knots 

(38.07 mph). They beat the Gardner 

brothers' ''surfury', last year's winner, 

into second place by over ten minutes 

and in doing so collected the Beaverbrook 

Challenge Trophy and prize of 

f,1000 for the overall winner, the Leeds 

Trophy and f,10o for the first boat past 

Torquay, the Miami/Nassau Race prize 

and the Restricted Class II prize. 

The previous seven DailY ExPress 

Offshore races have terminated at Torquay 

and have been run over a course 

of about 170 miles. This year, for the 

flrst time, the course was from Cowes 

to Torquay and back to Cowes-about 

198 miles. The fleet started eastwards 

from the Royal Yacht Squadron line 

at Cowes at 10.00am. After rounding a 

mark boat off Southsea the course took 

them back through the Solent, into 

Bournemouth Bay along the coast to 

Portland Bill, across Lyme BaY to a 

mark boat off Brixham, round TorbaY 

and back to Cowes with a slight dog 

leg to the north to round North Channel 

buoy before entering the Solent. 

Rugged conditions with winds never 

below Force 4 and gusting at times to 

just under Force 7 took a heavy toll of 

the fifty-five starters. Thirteen had retired 

from the race, due mainly to 

mechanical troubles, before leaving the 

relatively smooth waters of The Solent 

but it was in the open water between 

Hurst and Portland Bill that the greatest 

number of casualties occurred. At Anvil 

Point there were thirty-three left in the 

running and at Portland Bill only twentysix 

remained to face the long haul 

across Lyme Bay, of these five failed 

to pass the check point by the required 

time, 1.30pm. The twenty-three boats 

which made it to Torquay all completed 

the course back to Cowes in good order 

but only eighteen featured in the official 

results list as the last five to finish had 

failed to reach one or other of the 

seven timed check points within the 

prescribed time limits and were disqualffied 

even though they completed 

the course within the overall time limit 

of 8.30pm. 

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Yachts and Yachting 

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Daily Exptess Photo

September 13 1968 

An early battle for the lead took 

place between 'Tornado', 'Surfury' and 

tDelta' with 'Maltese Magnum ll'challenging 

just before Portland. 'Delta' and 

'Maltese Magnum II' dropped out before 

the flog across Lyme Bay and'Surfury' 

settled down to a long battle across 

the Bay with 'Tornado'. This battJe 

petered out when 'Tornado' stoPPed 

about five miles short of BerrY Head 

leaking badly. She settled slowly in the 

water and sank after the crew had been 

rescued by the Royal Navy's fast patrol 

boat 'Brave Borderer'. The Gardner 

brothers then thought that they were 

on their own but 'Telstar' had slipped 

oast to the north and went round the 

Torquay marks five minutes ahead 

which was far enough for the dark 

blue, twenty-flve foot hull to be out of 

sight in the tumbling white waters. 

'Telstar' doubled her lead on the run 

back to Cowes. 

MCE PREPARATIONS 

In past years on the day before the 

race the works and slipway facilities of 

trairey Marine at Hamble have been 

fllled with competitors and would-be 

competitors making frantic last-minute 

adjustments and alterations to their 

boats and engines. This year matters 

seemed to be better organised 

Maurice Hardy was giving his 'Wicked 

Lady's' Daimler engine a last-minute 

run on dry land before going to Cowes 

for scrutineering, the two Gardner 

boats, 'Surfury' and 'Delta' arrived to 

top up with fuel. 'U.F.O.' was wheeled 

sedately to the water behind a Fairey 

tractor and Don Pruett checked that his 

propellor nuts on 'Tornado' were tight. 

In the hangar Clive Curtis was making 

Iast minute adjustments to Lady Arran's 

'Badger 4' and the only large-scale job 

under way appeared to be on the red 

Italian 'Partenocraft 40', a team of 

swarthy mechanics working frantically 

over an array of crankshaft, supercharger 

and oily trays of parts. Michael 

Morris' new Ian Driver-designed 'Burlinetta' 

was in trouble and scratched 

from the race with water pump failure. 

Apart from a few exceptions therefore 

the scene at Faireys was one of quiet 

preparation for the big day, even Chris 

Tremlett who in past years has been 

seen building boats and engines up to 

the last minute, was missing. 

At Cowes preparations appeared to 

be at an equally advanced state. This 

year the scrutineering took place alongside 

pontoons at Souter's yard and here 

it was Tony Needell and his team 

checked the entries, their equipment and 

documents. The scrutineering did not 

go well as many boats failed to meet the 

requirements. At the briefing which took 

place in the evening the numbers of no 

fewer than twenty-three boats were read 

out as not having passed the scrutineers 

but all but four of these had put matters 

to rights before the stari of the 

race. The team of scrutineers worked 

hard, long hours both before and after 

continu€d overleaf 

{*1-- 

(above) 'Surfury last year s wLnner fn shed second. ten minutes behind 'Telstar'. 

Here she is seen creaming weslwards driven by her owners, the brothers Charles 

and Jimmy Gardner. (below) 'U.F.O.'crewed by Tim Powell, Norman Barclay and 

Paddy Hopkirk was ninth at Southsea and dropped to eleventh by Anvil Point 

but pulfed up to third at Torquay and held this position till the finish. Daily Exprcssphotos 

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r0Rqunv REruRn 

continued 

the race and were on duty again for the 

Bollinger Trophy event held on the 

Sunday. There are many items which 

reouire the attention of the scrutineers 

and for this reason their task is 

arduous. To present a boat for scrutineering 

which is lacking certain obligatory 

items - all of which are clearly 

listed - is surely inconsiderate. To go to 

the extent of passing such items as life 

jackets and distress flares from one boat 

to another to enable each to pass 

scrutineering is nothing short of cheating. 

Not only does the scrutineering 

team have the responsible job of ensuring 

that all the entries comply with 

the rules and are carrying the necessary 

safety equipment but they have to waste 

their time watching to see that competitors 

are not trying to 'pull a fast 

one'behind their backs. This behaviour 

must be discouraged in the interests of 

the sport. Disqualiflcation should be the 

penalty for an offence of this kind. 

The morning of Saturday, August 

31st broke overcast and with the promise 

of plenty of wind to come a little 

later on. Visibility was moderate to 

poor and the grey waters of the Solent 

were already tumbling restlessly as 

though the waves were flexing their 

muscles in preparation for an orgy of 

boat-breakine. 

'Melodrama' driven by Mike Campbell and Brian Hendicott 

finished in 7th position and was the sole outboard powered 

cratt to finish. The hull is identical to 'Telstar's'. Daily Exprcss photo 

At 9.50am when the south westerly 

wind had risen already to Force 3 to 4 

.HMS 'Brave Borderer' b€gan gathering 

her fifty-flve chicks about her in the 

marshalling area just to the west of 

Egypt Point and the ten minute maroon 

soared skywards from the Squadron to 

detonate with a flat report high over 

the heads of the spectator throng 

packed along the sea front at Cowes. 

As the last few minutes ticked away and 

tardy competitors scuttled to clear the 

penalty area to come under starter's 

orders, the vast armada of spectator 

boats reluctantly allowed itself to be 

sheoherded to the north of the course 

that would be taken by the race boats 

just as soon as they were unleashed. 

The Royal Marines did the best job 

they could, considering the enormous 

number of spectator boats trying to 

shoulder themselves into advantageous 

positions right on - or over - 

the 

edge of the spectator area. 

The second maroon burst and 

'Borderer' whined and whistled as she 

lined herself uo to start her 20 knot 

run to the line. There were a few last 

moment bursts of activity among the 

racing fleet as drivers decided that 

another patch of water might give them 

a clearer run to the line. 

With just three minutes to go to the 

starting gun, 'Borderer' was beginning 

to cream for the Squadron line where 

HMS 'Arethusa' was doing duty as an 

outsize distance mark. 'Borderer's' 

howling turbines were drowned in the 

crackling bellow of exhaust song as the 

race boats strung themselves out 

abeam. The smaller boats with high 

power/weight ratios were already up 


and planing and straining at the leash 

as their drivers resisted the temptation 

to kick their mounts across the starting 

line too early. Many of the more 

heavily laden boats squatted sulkily 

while their skippers desperately tried to 

use every wave to help them lumber 

over the hump. 

Faster and faster the fleet approached 

the line and then in a few brief 

moments, a crescendo of sound and a 

fine mist of flung spray the leaders were 

past and on their way towards the first 

mark off Southsea pier. 'SurfurY', 

'Magnum Tornado' and 'Delta' quickly 

extricated themselves from the plunging 

crush and began to lengthen their stride 

as they arrowed to the east. By the time 

these three together with Tommy Sop' 

with's 'Telstar' and Bill Shand Kydd's 

'Ultimatum' were streaking past Osborne 

Bay, the back markers were still 

trvins to heave themselves across the 

lirie io start the flrst leg. J. Robertshaw's 

'Venus' had already blown a 

oiston and was later to retire to Cowes. 

For the spectator boats the exciternent 

died for a few minutes as they lay 

tossing in a confused ginger beer of 

a sea kicked up by the passage of 

24,498hp. Out of sight to the eastward, 

however, the leaders were rapidly closing 

Southsea travelling at about 60mph. 

First round the mark boat was Don 

Pruett and Vincenzo Balestrieri in 

'Magnum Tornado' only just ahead of 

the Gardner brothers' flying 'Surfury'. 

Third was Shand Kydd's 'Ultimatum' 

one minute astern of the leaders but 

closely followed by 'Telstar'. 

continued on page 522 

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HOW THEY RAN 

The graph shows the progress of the race from 

start to finish. Each spot indicates a retirement. 

521

522 

roRqunv REIURn 

continued 

Already the casualty list was beginning 

to grow. F.H.Child's 'Kitten Kat 

III' broke her port drive shaft onlY 

iust after she had crossed the starting 

iine; Alf Bullen's 'seafury' dropped out 

with trouble in the starboard engine 

and J.Campfleld's'Bewitched' retired 

because a fuel tank came adrift. 

From the mark boat off Southsea the 

boats were forced to put in a dog leg 

to the North Sturbridge buoy before 

flashing back to dive through the milling 

spectator boats off Cowes and then 

head west towards the Sconce buoY. 

Just 22 minutes after the start a hurtling 

ball of spray announced the arrival 

of 'Surfury' back at Cowes and 

she whipped close across the bows 

of the Southampton ferry so as to take 

an inshore course and hug the Island 

shore. 'Magnum Tornado' was still in 

very close attendance and both these 

boats led 'Delta' by about 1] miles. 

Fourth was 'Telstar' and fifth, 'Ultimatum'. 

Sixth past Cowes was 'Partenocraft 

40' which, last year, ran as 'Delta 

Synthesis'. Next came Mike Campbell 

driving'Melodrama' the first of the outboard 

powered boats and hammering 

on her way to be the first outboard 

powered boat to finish the 1968 event. 

'Melodrama' is a sister ship to 'Telstar' 

as far as hull shape is concerned and 

she is pushed by three Mercury 125hp 

units. At this stage in the proceedings, 

Tim Powell, Norman Barclay and 

Paddy Hopkirk were touring in eighth 

slot aboard'U.F.O.' As yet it was still 

not too rough for the Class III boats 

that had decided to chance their luck in 

competition with the heavier metal. 

Lady Arran's 'Badger 4', F.Shaw's 'Red 

Alligator' and Jensen's'Scavenger' were 

lying l2th, 13th and 17th as they passed 

Yarmouth. The conditions a little further 

west, however, forced them to pull 

out of the hunt. 

From the Sconce buoy just inside 

Hurst narrows which had to be left to 

starboard, the course clipped close 

round Hurst Point to the North Channel 

buoy and from there to Christchurch 

Ledge. As far as the North Channel 

buoy the lumpy sea kicked up by a 

Force 4 to 5 wind was on the beam. but 

as soon as the boats rounded this buoy 

and set a course for Christchurch Ledge 

they experienced the full effect of the 

waves. At this stage 'Surfury' was leading 

'Tornado' by a couple of hundred 

yards with 'Delta' a similar distance 

astern. These three leaders had averased 

over 50mph in the Solent but now tlieir 

speed came crashing down, watching 

them in line ahead as they fought their 

way through this first piece of rough 

water, there was no doubt that each of 

the drivers had a very healthy respect 

for the size and force of the sea. 

Records were obviously not going to 

be broken and this was soon borne out' 

for by the time they reached Anvil 

Point their average speed had dropped 

to about 43mph. Astern fortunes were 

changing fas[.'Ultimatum' dropped 

from sixth at Yarmouth to seventh at 

Anvil Point and finally retired into 

Weymouth and'Partenocraft 40' having 

held sixth position since Southsea retired 

after seizing a bearing in her starboard 

engine. 'Maltese Magnum II' 

pulled up from seventh to fourth, passing 

'Telstar' which was just ahead of 

'Ultimatum'.'U.F.O.' dropped from 

eighth to eleventh in Bournemouth Bay 

suffering from lubricating oil trouble. 

The manual topping up pump failed and 

for the rest of the race the oil had to 

be topped up by hand from a can every 

fifteen minutes. 

Further back in the fleet positions 

were changing rapidly as many of the 

smaller entries found the going too 

rough and turned tail for home whilst 

the slower but more seaworthy boats 

climbed up the fleet. 'Scavenger' lying 

seventeenth took one look at the sea 

and decided that it would be ridiculous 

Her crew safely aboard 'Brave Borderer', 'Magnum Tornado' slips 

to her watery grave five miles easl of Berry Head. At this stage 

in lhs race the boat had been lying second io 'Surfury'- DailY Exprcss photo 

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to continue; Lady Arran in 'Badger 4' 

turned back to Hamble with a broken 

spray rail; the sole South African entry, 

'Meteor II' dropped out with plug 

trouble when her crew decided that she 

would not keep within the time limit 

and 'Seahunter' did likewise after having 

trouble in maintaining engine revs. 

'Paper Tiger' also had trouble with engine 

revs and retired just before Anvil 

Point: 'Missus Smith' retired with the 

port engine overheating and 'Screwdriver'turned 

back to Cowes after passing 

Anvil Point. 'Ultra Violet' which 

was twenty-second through Hurst retiring 

before reaching Christchurch 

Ledge buoy with a split fuel tank and 

one engine lifting off a bearer. In the 

same area the French entry, 'Seabird 

Stiletto' started to filI with water. The 

crew were rescued by HMS 'Dark 

Gladiator' and transferred to a motor 

cruiser which took the swamped boat 

in tow. Later at Yarmouth, the owner 

Jean Besnard was so fed up with the 

proceedings that he gave the boat away 

to the flrst Derson he met but later reclaimed 

the engines, three 125hp Mer- 

I


curies. Altogether there were sixteen 

retirements between Hurst and Portland 

Bill. 

As soon as they hit the rough water 

the bigger boats came into their own. 

Sir Max Aitken's 'Gypsy Girl'was only 

nineteenth at Hurst but had climbed to 

ninth at Anvil Point and passed Portland 

in sixth place; a position which 

was maintained to the finish. The Keith. 

Nelson 'Horatia' went from thirty-first 

to eighteenth between Hurst and Anvil 

Point, and Bob Bolton's 'Finandandy' 

from thirty-fourth to seventeenth. 

Others to climb the scale were 'Gee', 

'Spirit of Ecstasy', 'Flower Power', 

'Fiducia', 'Michelle S', 'Fairey Huntress', 

'Tremor' and 'Seahunter'. 

Rounding Portland Bill just after 

noon, 'Surfury'just held the lead from 

'Tornado'. 'Maltese Magnum II', which 

had been going very well since leaving 

Hurst and had kept further to seaward 

after St Albans Head looked like takine 

the lead but had to retire to Weymoutfi 

with a snapped manifqjd. 'Delta' which 

had been chasing the leaders in the 

early stages also retired to Weymouth. 

Soon after Portland Bill 'Tornado'took 

the lead and there followed a close 

tussle out into Lyme Bay with 'Surfury' 

keeping tight astern. 'Tornado' tried 

short bursts of speed in an effort to 

throw ofl'Surfury' but was unsuccessful 

and in the middle of the Bav 'Surfurv' 

took the lead. With tables iurned the 

chase was resumed. Soon after this, 

'Tornado'started taking the seas rather 

awkwardly and became difficult to trim, 

her crew tried flooding the forward trim 

tank but this did not improve matters 

so Don Pruett lifted the engine hatches 

and saw water in the bottom of the 

boat. It was soon apparent that the boat 

was sinking. presumably having suffered 

damage to the bottom through pounding 

in the seas. HMS 'Brave Borderer' 

rescued the crew and continued on her 

way leaving 'Tornado' to sink. 

Whilst the fight was going on between 

'Tornado' and 'Surfurv'. 'Telstar' had 

played her trump card. She had been 

about two miles behind the leaders at 

Portland and, in the prevailing conditions, 

was almost certainly out-of their 

sight. The leaders had taken a course 

slightly north of the rhumb line but 

Tommy Sopwith steered 'Telstar' far 

north of the line and only a mile or two 

off the beach. Here, although there was 

no protection from the south westerlv 

wind to start with the sea was smoother 

and it became increasingly smoother as 

Torbay was approached. 'Telstar' was 

able to maintain a far higher speed than 

the boats which took the course straieht 

across the bay and also had the adva-ntage 

of taking the lead without the 

knowledge of his rivals. Once round the 

mark at Torquay 'Telstar' was able to 

choose her course for home without the 

distraction of other boats snapping at 

her heels. 

'U_.F.O.' picked up three places across 

the bay to round the Torquay mark 

continiled overleaf 

I w$ 

g#*ffi'** 

Robin Bateman's little 'Screwdrivgr' snakss past Hurst Poinl on her wav to the 

Nortfl'Channel buoy. 'Screwdriver'bounced as far as Anvil Pornl belore her crew 

d€cided that discrotion was the b€tter pari ol valour and thev returned to Cowes. 

** f"L" : 

(above) 'Broad Jumper'smashes her way westwards lhrough the Solent. Here she was in 20th place. 

but shs was to linish elovenlh. (below) The Honorable Edward Greenall's'Gee'blasts her way 

across Lyma Bay. She was lhe first diesel boat to finish and was placed lourli. Daily Exprcss photos. 

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523

524 

BOATS AND OWNERS 

Full details of the fifty-four starters, their owners, builders and power units. 

Place Boat Name 

No. 

FINISHCRS 

Countty OwneilDilver Builder/ Designer 

Loa Engines/ 

ft in Total BHP 


Avercge 

Speed knots 

1 400 Telstar G.B. T. E. B. Sopwith Souter/D. Shead 25.O 1 Daytona 600 

2 111 Surfury C. E./R. E. Gardner Souter/R. Levi 36.0 2 Daytona 1050 

3 123 U,F.O. G.B, T. Powell/N. Barclay Thunderbird/Wynne Walters 28.3 2 H and M Ford 900 32 

4 185 Gee G.B. Hon. E. G. Greenall Souter/J. Wynne 40.0 2 Cummins lndiana 1000 30* 

5 010 Gypsy Girl G.B, Sir Max Aitken Souter/8. Hunt 40.0 2 Cummins 1000 29+ 

6 114 Spirit of Ecstasy G.B. S. C. Macey Dorset Lake/A. Hagg 42.0 2 Rolls Royce 920 27 

7 021 Melodrama G.B. M. Campbell/8. Hendicott Souter/D. Shead 3 Mercury 375 zct 

I 606 Sea Spray G.B. J. A. Freeman A. V. Burnard 28.10 2 Ford 300 25+ 

I 711 Sea Fox G.B. A. V. Burnard A. V. Burnard 27.11 2 Perkins 290 

10 023 

11 666 

12 119 

13 333 

14 103 

Delta Tornado 

Broad Jumper 

Finandandy 

Fairev Huntsman 

Italy 

G.B. 

V. Balestrieri/A. Guidi 

P. J. Goddard/K. Raybould 

A. S. Bolton 

L. S. Dawkins/C. Currey 

J. W. Robertson 

Cantiere Anzio 36.0 2 Mercruiser 900 

Formula Marine/D. Aronow 27.6 2 Ford Interceptor 800 

FreezerlD. Palmer 30.9 2 Perkins 290 

Fairey Marine/A. Burnard 28.10 2 Perkins 290 

Clark/R. Levi 23.O 2 Volvo Penta 250 

25 

24+ 

23* 

221 

15 203 

16 016 

17 139 

18 145 

Flower Power 

Sandpiper Too 

Horatia 

Michelle S 

G,B. 

G,B 

Miss P. Carter 

E. Lacy-Hulbert 

Cdr. P. Thornvcroft 

C. Galliford 

Fairey Marine/A. Burnard 2A.1O 2 Perkins 290 

R. I W. Clark 27.1O 2 Parsons Cummins 447 

Keith. Nelson & Co. 41.2 2 CaterDillar 800 

R. I W. Clark 38.0 2 G.M. 540 

22 

)1L 

20* 

201 

LIST OF FINISHERS AFTER TIME LIMIT EXPIRED 

19 006 Oh Oh Sex G.B, B. J. Jelly Botved/Wynne Walters 24.O 2 Volvo Penta 276 

20 505 Maid Fast G.B. G. E, Marsh Fairey Marine/Hunt/Burnard 28.8 2 Perkins 290 

21 110 Jackie S G.B. J, V. Robinson Clark/Clark - F. G. Cross 34"0 2 Ford lnterceptor 1000 

22 009 Fiducia G.B. E. J. Frost FaireyMarine/Hunt-Burnard 28.10 2 Perkins290 

23 116 Firecracker G.B. J. A. C. Renoul Union Dynamics/B.Campbell 27.0 2 Perkins 290 

RETIREMENTS 

Magnum Tornado U.S,A. D. Pruett/V. Balestrieri Magnum Marine 28.0 2 Mercruiser 900 

Red Alligator G.B. F. Shaw Avenger/D. Shead 21.6 2 Mercury 200 

12 Seabird Stiletto France J. Besnard Seabitd Ind./H. Schoell 25.O 3 Mercury 375 

to Wicked Lady G.B. M. G, Hardy Souter/D. Shead 21.O 1 Daimlerl90 

48 Sea Fury G.B. A. Bullen Tremlett/Stapley/Bullen 23.0 3 Mercury 375 

Kitten Kat lll G.B. F. H. Childi M. Cornforth F. H. Chitd 20.1 2 Mercury 200 

a2 Badger 4 G.B. Countess of Arran Specialised Mouldings/Shead 21.0 2 Johnson 230 

040 Maltese Magnum ll G.B. J. R. Kennerley Magnum Marine/D.Aronow 28.O 1 Mercury 450 

100 Viva Tridante G.B. D. D. R. Smith Clark/R. Levi 23.0 2 Arden Volvo 300 

141 Rebel 1 B N, Ramseyer I L. Norman Maritime Tech./R. Levi 20.3 1 Volvo 138 

149 Heatwave G.B. E. Wagner D. D. Hardingham/E. Wagner 28.0 2 Mercruisers 450 

163 Missus Smith G.B. P. McKiernan Dell Ouay 27.O 2 oMC 400 

168 Bswirched G,B. J. Campfield Kelvins/W. A. Maloney 20.6 2 Johnson 200 

200 Paper Tiger W. R. Eberhardt Bertram/R. Hunt 25.9 'l Mercruiser 310 

201 Just Dandy G.B. D. R. Mines/A. E. Freezer Freezer/D. Palmer 27.O 2 Perkins 290 

?05 Tornado G.B. K. Bogeberq W. and J. Tod 27.11 2 Perkins 290 

221 Hydroski 1 u.6. H. H. Snowball SudoimDort Moscow 27.11 1 Sudoimport 77 

235 Sea Huntor G.B. T. Howells Fabricated Plastics/J. lddon 23.O 1 Chrysler Fury 235 

Screwdriver G.B. R. H, Bateman Souter/D. Shead 21.8 1 Aero Marine 325 

250 Meteor ll S. Africa K. R. SteDhans Couftley 22.0 2 Mercruiser 450 

267 Tremor G.B C. W. Tremlett Tremlett/C. Tremlett 25.O 2 Mercruiser 160 

300 Partenocraft 40 Italy l. Garguilo/G. Lattaro Partenocraft/R. Levi 40.0 2 Daytona 1200 

303 Fairev Huntr€ss G.B. A. R. Sibley/P. Twiss Fairev l\4arine/Hunt-Burnard 23.0 1 Perkins 145 

325 Partenocraft 25 Italy l. Garguilo/M. Trimming Partenocraft/Trimming 25.O 1 BPt\it 400 

330 Thunderfish G.B. M. Keane Halmatic/R. Hunt 25.0 2 Dearborne 800 

345 Tolstar G.B. C. A. Toll/1. Toll Tolcraft/C. Mudie 21.0 1 Mercury 310 

404 Venus G,B. J. D. Robertshaw Tremlett/C. Tremletl 29.0 2 Aston Martin 700 

6nn Ullimatum G.B. W. Shand Kydd Magnum Marine/D. Afonow 23.8 1 Daytona 500 

541 

Scavenger G,B, R. M. D. Jenson Souter/D. Shead 21.6 2 Mercury 200 

Nimrod G.B. G. F. Brooks R. & W. Clark 38.0 2 Parsons Cummins 360 

Ultra Violet G.B. Lady Aitken Halmatic/8. Camobell 25.O 2 Rolls Royce 440

September 13 1 968 

runqunv REIURn 

continuecl 

third, fourteen minutes behind 'Surfury', 

and was followed by 'Gee' and 'Gypsy 

Cirl'in fourth and fifth position respectively. 

Sixth was the first outboard 

oowered boat. 'Melodrama' with 'Delta 

tornado' and 'spirit of Ecstasy' taking 

the next two places. There were two retirements 

during this stage, 'Fairey 

Huntress' driven by Peter Twiss - one 

time world air speed record holder - 

retired as she would not have reached 

the Torquay mark within the time limit 

and 'Tremor' driven by her builder and 

designer Chris Tremlett retired, due to 

burnt out wiring, to the Exe, where 

Tremlett most conveniently has his 

yard. 

For the twenty-three boats which 

COMMENTS 

by Jack Knights 

I}VEN in the Solent, 'Telstar' made 

L one or two frightening leaps out of 

the water and had to be slowed down. 

Even in semi-sheltered water, 'Surfury', 

'Magnum Tornado','Delta 28','U.F.O.' 

and then 'Maltese Magnum'were leaving 

her behind. In the Bollinger Goblet 

race 'Surfury' had no trouble frorn 

'Telstar', whilst 'U.F.O.' got by her in 

the rough water near Bembridge Ledge. 

All of which makes 'Telstar's' win 

the rnore amazing. Just how did she 

come back home, at around 40 mph, 

through the tidal races off Portland 

Bill and St Albans Head. somehow 

keeping her needle nose above waves 

running ten feet or more? 

'Telstar' is the flrst single engined 

boat to win this race. Another single, 

John Kennerley's 28ft 'Maltese 

Magnum-a big boat in which to fit 

a single 450hp Mercruiser-was 

actually leading, when she had to quit 

with a split manifold, a couple of miles 

short of the Bill. She had caught 

'Magnum Tornado' and'Surfury' from 

behind, but unlike Sopwith, Kennerley 

elected to keep far out where the 

waves were more savage. 'Maltese 

Magnum' to,ok a terrific pounding 

before she broke down. 'Ultimatum', 

Bill Shand Kydd's 24ft Magnum with 

a single Daytona, was very close behind 

'Telstar' at this stage, before she 

too had to turn around. All of which 

helps conflrm my theory that in rough 

going engine weight matters almost as 

much as engine power, with the consequence 

that one engine is often faster 

than trilo. 

reached Torquay the run home was relatively 

uneventful. Amongst the first 

five there was no place changing; 'Spirit 

of Ecstasy' picked up from eighth to 

sixth between Torquay and Yarmouth 

and 'Fairy Huntsman' driven by Charles 

Currey and crewed by Sid Bowles, who 

has seen no fewer than fourteen thousand 

boats through the Fairey production 

line and was keeping a pretty close 

eye on this one, climbed from sixteenth 

to thirteenth. 

Rough though the conditions had 

been west of the Needles Channel, 

Tommy Sopwith and Charles de Selincourt 

were expected to bring 'Telstar' 

flashing across the Squadron line at 

about 4.00pm. Once again the spec' 

tator fleet churned up the water between 

Egypt Point and the Squadron 

line as the boats jostled for best viewing 

positions. 

Now the sun was shining and taking 

a little of the bite out of the fresh 

south westerly wind. Binoculars and 

shaded eyes scanned the western horizon 

and then, almost exactly on cue, 

Two engines, weighing, say 1,0001bs 

and working at half power, will be 

giving the boat a far harder time as it 

climbs over the seas than one engine 

of 500lbs developing the same total 

output. The saving is even greater when 

you consider the fuel consumption. 

Under water, too, the single screw, 

shaft and brackets will cause much less 

drag. By contrast, the heaviest engines 

are the big diesels such as the 500hp 

Cummins in 'Gee' and 'Gypsy Girl'. 

However strong and seaworthy these 

two big hulls, the engines they are 

called upon to carry must vastly increase 

the 'g' forces, the inertia, the 

impact, call it what you will, when a 

boat hits a wall of water. If ever there 

was to be a day for the big boats, 

August 31st was it, yet 'Gee', the best 

of them, was only fourth. The questionable 

reliability of these uprated diesels 

was underlined the day after when 

'Gee' limped home with one engine 

out. minutes after the start of the 

Bollinger Goblet. Last year, 'Gee' was 

a non-starter because of engine trouble. 

Remem'ber too, Dick Bertram's dieselpowered 

'Moppie' which won in 1965 

and not long after sank off the Florida 

coast in a race. 

I believe the heavy diesels have been 

finally outclassed. 'Telstar' has nailed 

the lid on their coffin. 

It's odd how the British prefer the 

turbocharged version of the marinised 

Chevrolet V8 car engine, called the 

Daytona, whilst the Americans m'ore 

conservatively prefer the normally 

aspirated versions put out by Kiekhaefer 

under the Mercruiser label. This 

may have more than a little something 

to do with Kiekhaefer's active 

but usually anonymous sponsorship of 

race boats. Once the Daytonas are 

properly installed and prepared, their 

rec,ord seems excellent but both 

525 

'Telstar', that bouncing blue chip of a 

boat came skipping up the Solent beneath 

her attending flock of spotter aircraft. 

Sopwith, still unaware that the 

victor's laurels were almost his, saw the 

size of the waiting armada and hurled 

'Telstar' across the line well out in 

Cowes Roads having averaged 33.06 

kts. 

The crack of the winning gun drew 

cheers from the craft gathered to welcome 

home the victor and 'Telstar' 

slowed, dropped off the plane and circled 

gently to tie up in the winner's 

berth alongside the berthing pontoon 

moored opposite the Gloster hotel. 

Next home. some eleven minutes astern 

of 'Telstar' was 'Surfury', aware too 

late that she had been outwitted and 

was no longer in the lead, she averaged 

32.13kts. Two minutes astern of 'Surfury' 

came 'U.F.O.' with an average of 

31.97kts and then followed a fourteen 

minute gap before the diesel powered 

'Gee' took fourth position, herself fourteen 

minutes ahead of Sir Max Aitken's 

'Gipsy Girl'. 

'Surfury' and 'Telstar' had many early 

headaches. 

Jim Wynne hit the nail on the head 

when he said to me, on the Cowes 

ferry, that the real trouble with offshore 

racing today is the lack of new 

engines. Why build a new boat when 

there are no new engines to put in it? 

It is rumoured that Enzo Ferrari is 

shortly to rnarket a 7 lttre road car. 

There might be possibilities there. But 

carrying the theory about engine weight 

further, isn't it high time we saw some 

turbine engines in British offshore 

powerboats? Though their size limits 

are not yet strictly defined, they are 

categorically allowed. One hears that 

turbines are being developed in the 

States for use in trucks. Helicopters, 

light planes and racing cars now use 

them. They revel in constant h.igh 

throttle 'openings (though their slow 

.response might be a problem). And do 

not overlook the Wankel rotary engine. 

Already it is in commercial production 

for a much praised family saloon 

car. NSU, the car's manufacturers, 

have oromised a marine version in 

1969. In,offshore racing the reciprocating 

internal combustion engine has 

been repeatedly shown to be more 

fragile than the boats in which it is 

installed. 

The needle-nosed, 'Delta' shaped 

boats had no more trouble downwind 

than those with deeper forefoots. Those 

able to get to the Bill in the flrst 

place were all able to handle Lyme 

Bay both upwind and down. Had there 

been a real ground swell, the ride home 

may have been more difficult. 

If the weather for the ExPress race 

had been any worse the race would 

surely have had to be cancelled. Old 

campaigners such as Bob Bolton and 

continued overleaf

526 

runqunv REruRn 

continued 

Charles Currey (who had competed in 

all eight, finishing seven times) reckoned 

this was the toughest ,of all. Yet 

none of the OP2 crews came to any 

physical harm. Surely there should be 

no question now about including them 

next year. They have proved their 

ability and hence their suitability. 

Increased costs are thinning the starters 

in Class I, Jim Wynne told me that 

interest in the big boats is down in the 

USA this year. We badly need the OP2 

boats to breathe new life into the game. 

Some crews gave the scrutineers a 

hard time this year, swapping fire extinguishers 

and fog horns and crash 

helmets amongst each other, when confronted 

by the scrutineers. The scrutineers 

had every reason for reacting 

harshly but actually did all they could 

to get doubtful cases admitted. Would 

it break their backs if one more requirement 

was suggested . a compulsory 

eye, built into the stemhead, and an 

integral part of the 'boat, strong enough 

to take the boat's weight. I was aboard 

HMS 'Brave Borderer' when we pulled 

the crew of 'Magnum Tornado' from 

the water just short of Berry Head. 

Had there been such an eye we could 

have put a hawser through it and saved 

their boat. For lack of a substantial 

attachment point the boat was lost. An 

eye of this nature would be invaluable 

for towing, trailing and mooring. Don 

Pruett refused a cash offer of $18,000 

for 'Magnum Tornado' (the night before 

dr 

Maurice Hardy, chairman ot UKOBA, sitting 

in his OPll class boat 'Wicked Ladv' at 

Faireys on the day before the race. 

she sank-uninsured). He plans a new 

boat, ab,out 4ft longer. 

The question of eligibility for World 

Offshore Drivers points might well be 

more closely scrutinised. Vincenzo 

Balestrieri, the Italian has been getting 

all the points 'Magnum Tornado' wins 

and his tally of 51 guarantees him the 

'68 title. Yet it was his Arnerican companion 

Don Pruett who was doing all 

the hard steering on August 31st. 

It is difficult to see why, with an onshore 

wind, the waves should be easier 

the nearer one approaches the shore. 

Yet this held true for the Express race. 

Sopwith won because of this. Cornmander 

Peter Thornycroft und,oubtedly 

lost ground because of it too. Making 

use of his radar he took his 41ft patrol 

boat 'Horatia', outside Portland race 

altogether, passing some miles to seaward 

of the Bill. And the further seaward 

he went, the rougher it got, till 

even they had to throttle back for fear 

that their Caterpillar diesels might drop 

through the bottom. They finished 

seventeenth and created a world record 

what other boat has completed 

-for an offshore chamoionshio race with a 

crew age totallin; 282 years? Teddy 

Haylock and Bill Luard accounted for 

half of this. 

Sopwith made a coastal passage of 

the race and won. If it is to be truly 

an offshore race, perhaps the course 

should be laid to the south of the 

Shambles lightship and the Lyme Bay 

buoy. Crews would still find it paid to 

pass close to the Bill. 

The B'ollinger Goblet race, coming 

after the marathon, was inevitably an 

anticlimax, attracting only 27 starters. 

Now that there is no problem of having 

to return from the West country 

the day after the race, why no,t run the 

Goblet on the Saturday and the big race 


on Sunday and make over the Goblet 

to Class III exclusively, taking pains to 

see it becomes their main event of the 

calendar. There would be no anticlimax 

then. 

This was the first Express race Don 

Shead has missed, yet the weekend 

brought him more success than ever 

before, which isn't to say that he is a 

better designer than driver but that 

driving is more at the mercy of luck. 

'Telstar' and 'Melodrama' were first 

and seventh on Saturday and second 

and third on Sunday, 'Melodrama' being 

flrst outboard both times. 

'Scavenger', 'Red Alligator' and 'Screwdriver', 

all Shead designs, all did well 

on Sunday, in fact the Earl of Normanton's 

'Wet Bob' was about the only non- 

Shead boat to be placed. There is a 

rumour that Shead is already at work 

on a 33 footer for Soowith which 

might feature a cockpit enclosed beneath 

a translucent canopy so that boat 

and crew can continue functioning when 

completely immersed. And I bet that 

this boat, like the great 'Surfury' and 

the less successful 'Delta 28' (both 

Renato Levi designs) will have twin 

engines linked to a single screw. 

Boats from some yards were splitting 

and leaking but the products of 

Wilf and Mike Souter handled the 

rough conditions with aplomb. Five 

of the first seven were Souter built. 

Souter boats have now won the last 

three Express races. That is a proud 

record and one which the Timber 

Development Board should duly note. 

And for my money, four years after 

she was built, 'Surfury' remains the 

world's best offshore racer, thanks be 

to the design genius of Renato 'Sonny' 

Levi. 

continued on page 528 

Also pictured at Faireys the crew ol U.F.O. 

Paddy Hopkirk (lelt), Norman Barclay (centrs 

wearing cap) and Tim Powell (right).


The twin 100hp Mercury outboards which power 

R.Jensen's Shead-designed'Scavenger' which retired 

atter Yarmouth after lying fourteenth at Southsea. 

A Daytona jig-saw puzzle belonging to 'Partenocraft 40 spread oul 

in a corner of Faireys hanger twenty hours before the 

start of the race. The boat starled but retired after Yarmouttr. 

The transom and stern gear of Maurice Hardy's'Wicked Lady'. 

Note the welded slainless steel bracket wh ch carr es the 

wedqe-sect,on daq_aer rL,rlder N,eil r't i-.i lhe t' t's^''r 

The three N4ercury 1250s atlached to the stern of the Ffenclr 

'Seabird Stiletto'which was given away by her owner in disgust. 

The horizontally set transom flaps are particularly ineffective. 

527

528 Yachts and Yachting 

r0Rqunv REruRn 

continued 

BOLLINGER 

GOBLET 

-fHE Gardner brothers set out to 

r prove the true speed of'Surfury" 

when they drove her to an easy win 

in the race for the Bollinger Goblet.the 

day after the Cowes/Torquay/Cowes. 

Originally planned to be a rage anticlockwise 

round the Isle of Wight, the 

rough weather experienced the day 

before persisted and with the forecast 

of a Force 7 the organisers were forced 

to modify the course within the conflnes 

of the Solent between Lymington 

Spit and Bembridge Ledge. 

Absentees caused by the retirements 

from the major race were more than 

made up for by the Class III outfits 

which were allowed to compete in this 

event. 

Crossing the Squadron line at 12.30 

pm, Tommy Sopwith's 'Telstar' accelerated 

into the lead and but for a 

few of the slower production Class II 

cruisers, the majority of the Class III 

fleet were soon left behind in the rough, 

The Hon. Edward Greenall's 'Gee', 

which had proved suited to the conditions 

on the day before, was forced to 

retire soon after the start sufferine from 

a fault in her transmission. Bv th1 time 

the leading pack reached th-e western 

end of the course, 'Surfury'had overtaken 

all and established a lead of over 

a mile. Passing Cowes on their return, 

the three leaders were those of the 

previous day, but in a different order, 

'Telstar'lying second and 'U.F.O.', now 

being driven by Keith Schellenberg, 

The Fronch 'Seabird Stiletto' retired near Christchurch Ledge 

buoy when her motor well became flooded and seas began to slop 

over the tank compartment hatches. (below, left) Her crew pass 

ovsr items of gear to a rescue motor cruiser and (below) her owner, 

Jean Besnard, is hauled from the water on board H.[,4.S. DarK 

Gladiator having fallen in when attempting to jump from his own boat. 

.@ @: 

Waies from the crew of'surfury'as she streaks past the North 

Ryde Middle buoy on her way lo win the Bollinger Goblet. 

third. The leading Class III boat was 

Maurice Hardy's Souter/Shead'Wicked 

Lady' lying fifth at this point, but with 

worse weather to come at No Mans 

Land Fort, he was forced to retire 

with engine trouble and his place was 

taken by Fred Shaw's 'Red Alligator'. 

Navigation on the part of some competitors 

in all classes was of poor 

standard considering the short distances 

involved and perhaps it was for this 

reason that Martin Jensen's 'Scavenger' 

overtook 'Red Alligator' near North 

Ryde Middle buoy to take Class III 

honours. Nevertheless, the sea conditions 

at this end of the course were the 

reason for several place changes, in fact 

'UFO'missed North Ryde Middle com- 

tn 

pletely and took second position from 

'Telstar', to be disqualified later. But 

'Surfury' could not be caught and she 

more than proved her superiority by 

finishing easy winner by about two 

miles. The results were: 

lst overall and OPI 'Surfury' (Gardner 

brothers). Znd and 1st OPII 'Telstar' 

(T.Sopwith). 3rd and. 2nd OPII 'Melodrama' 

(M.Campbell) 4th and 2nd OPI 

'Gypsy Girl' (Sir Max Aitken) 5th and 

lst Cla:ss III(E) 'Scavenger' (M.Iensen). 

6th and 2nd Class III(E)'Red Alligator' 

(F.Shaw).7th and 3rd Class III(E)'Wer 

Bob' (Earl of Normanton). 7st Class 

III(A) 'FIy Guy' (W.Neivens).7st Class 

III(C)'Teao-Beht' (D.Brighrman). No 

finishers in Class III(B) and III(D).

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