,.-'rr'"'"' - Powerboat Archive

P[]WEHBON
APRIL 1971 2op
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0ffshore Powerboat Raein$
A oobirdosoo eye view of the sportby
Lady Violet Aithen
Powerboat racing is utterly
incomprehensible to anyone who has
never driven an offshore powerboat.
When people ask about it, and you
try to explain, you invariably confirm
what they have suspected all along
people who race powerboats
-that are quite, quite mad. One agrees
that a powerboat race consists of
being shaken, bruised, soaked with
sea water, blinded by spray,
deafened by the noise of the engine
and frightened. One admits that it is
very costly and that there is no
possibility of winning even one's
expenses. But it is when you add:
"lt really is great fun" that people
tap their heads and give speculative
looks. However, before the plain
van arrives to take me away, it might
be interesting to try and put on
paper something of the fascination
of powerboat racing and the
extraordinary spell it casts over even
the most practical, down to earth
people. Also to try and explain the
attraction which it has for women.
In fact, the woman's view of
powerboat racing is no different
from a man's. Contrary to the
general impression, it is not a case
of a few women trying to gatecrash
a man's world in order to make
some feminist point. I am sure that I
can speak for all the other women
concerned (most of whom are far
more competent and enterprising
than myself ) when I say that we
compete in powerboat races because
we enjoy doing iU no more and no
less. I would not think that any of us
go much on Women's Lib.-
speaking personally I simply do not
understand the point of it. To my
way of thinking, refusing an offered
seat on the Underground, and not
wearing a bra, are two ways of
making life uncomfortable. No-a
much more likely reason for
enjoying powerboat racing, and this
applies equally to men, is because it
is for real. So much of life is artificial,
we are so protected and cossetted,
that powerboats represent a real
challenge; and of course the sea is
the biggest challenge of all.
However wet and uncomfortable and
frightened one gets, racing a
powerboat is exciting; however
physically exhausted one gets, there
is a sense of achievement even in
finishing a race, however far back.
You could say that for a woman,
powerboat racing is a nice change
from the kitchen sink-and you
would not be far out at that.
I am sure that the reason that
there are so few women powerboat
drivers is financial, not physical.
Anybody who has owned a boat, let
alone a racing powerboat, knows the
considerable expense involved. lf
there is a boat in the family
obviously, and rightly, the husband
will drive iU and there are very few
"two boat families." Also there are
difficulties and extra expense for a
woman in getting the boat together.
In the unlikely event of her being a
racing mechanic, she would probably
be all right. But most women have
to depend on boatyards, paid
mechanics, or whatever time their
husbands or boy friends can spare
to get a boat organised. These two
things, finance and mechanical
knowledge, seem to me to be the
limiting factors on women
powerboat drivers.
That there are not more women
drivers is assuredly not for lack of
encouragement and support from
the men. During eight seasons of
powerboat racing I have received
nothing but kindness and a very
great deal of assistance from the
other drivers and crew. Far from
resenting me, on more than one
occasion I would not have even
reached the start had it not been for
the unselfishness and practical aid
given me by my race opponents. I
have also had unstinting help from
my navigators, crews, and
mechanics at the boatyards.
Another attractive aspect of
powerboat racing is the cameraderie
between the competitors. However
cut-throat the competition, shared
experiences-usual ly break-downs
or sinkings!-make a bond between
drivers and crews that creates a
happy atmosphere. In spite of all
the technical improvement and more
professional approach in recent
years, powerboating remains a gay
sport, probably a bit like the early
motor-racing days. This was amply
illustrated during the Round Britain
Race in 1969-when all the
competitors ended up firm friendswhether
helping each other to
complete the course, or ganging up
against authority! lt would be
difficult to find another sport with
such a bunch of characters-with
the possible exception of the
National Hunt jockeys. In fact
several Steeplechase jockeys have
taken part in powerboat racing. One
uras heard to remark that riding in
the Grand National was a picnic
compared to the Cowes-Torquay in
a powerboat. Admittedly his driver
was Bill Shand-Kydd, who has only
ever heard of two speeds-stop and
flat-out, mostly the latter. I have
been lucky enouqh to race with and
against most of these characters.
and there have been some
marvellous incidents-too many to
recall here, but all illustrating the
sort of inspired dottiness that is
tvnical of powerboat racing. The
tales about Keith Schellenberg alone
would fill a book. but I have
oarticularly endearinq memories of
him racing in Class lll, invariably
hammerinq his boat together as he
was being launched ready for the
start with ten minutes to go before
the "Off". And aqain in the Round
Britain race-every day his boat
pourinq out more and more clouds
of black diesel smoke with Keith
oerched on the driving seat looking
like an aouatic Black & White
Minstrel.
12 POWERBOAT, April

Peter and Jane Hicks were a
great husband and wife racing team.
ln the Cowes-Torquay race one year
they were speeding across
Lyme Bay when Jane looked bacl<
and remarked how lucky they had
been to miss some wooden planks
floating in their wake. "Wooden
planl