June 2010 - Boating Industry Association of NSW

Tim Fenwick – Born to Race
Tim with Southern Cross.
Chances are there’s more saltwater than blood flowing
through the veins of Tim Fenwick.
Son of Andrew Fenwick, of Fenwick’s Marina
fame and currently serving his fourth year as an apprentice
shipwright with Andrew Botting Traditional Shipwrights, that
may seem a logical supposition.
Tim is also a more than handy man to have at the wheel
of a very quick boat.
Showing skill and experience far beyond his tender years
(he’s still a teenager, at least until October when he turns 20),
Tim has made his mark well and truly in powerboat racing.
Driving the 1800 Bullet Southern Cross (co-owned with
father Andrew) and powered by a Mercury XS 250hp outboard,
Tim has already shown he has what it takes.
He only started racing in November, 2007 and is a member
of the Upper Hawkesbury Power Boat Club.
In May the following year, he contested his first Bridge to
Bridge powerboat race in the SMOC (Standard Motor Open
Cockpit) class and came home a highly creditable third
place, covering the winding river course in 45 minutes, 55
seconds.
Last year, Tim lined up again for the event and not only
won SMOC, but set a new class record of 41 minutes, 28
seconds at an average speed of 151km/hr (94mph).
Tim has also joined up with the Australian Formula
Powerboat Championships, contesting the Sports Mono
class.
After competing at Taree, Grafton and Geelong, he now
heads the leader board for the Sports Mono class.
In July he will be at Port Macquarie and in August, Penrith
where he will attempt to become the 2010 Sports Mono
champion.
Recently, Tim competed in the 74 th running of the famous
Bridge to Bridge and he again proved triumphant in the SMOC
class, covering the 100 kilometre (approximately) distance
in 40 minutes, 16 seconds, 72 seconds inside his previous
record.
While that itself may seem a very significant achievement,
there’s more; Tim’s time meant he finished seventh overall
and in front of entrants in both Unlimited Outboard and MOC
(Modified Open Cockpit) classes.
More than 100 of Australia’s quickest boats contested the
race, with contestants flagged away in waves of six in their
respective classes.
With thousands of horsepower ‘at war’ the start of a Bridge
to Bridge is not place for the faint hearted.
Tim topped the ‘magic ton’, 100mph (160km/hr) during
the race, showing to all and sundry that when it comes to
powerboat racing he is of ‘the right stuff.
Bob Wonders
BIA of NSW LOGBOOK June 2010 - 23