HUNDREDS of people packed the shores of Lake Boga to watch some of the state’s most powerful speed boats in action on Saturday.
After more than 30 years, the Victorian Speed Boat Club (VSBC) returned to the lake with more than 40 boats hitting the water across 11 classes.
The sight of the bigger boats that travel over 200km/ph was a sight to behold even before they hit the water, with those boats launched into the water via crane.
The big race of the day came when the fastest boats competed for the inaugural VSBC Perpetual Trophy.
The Desperado team took out the chequered flag and driver Liam Holland said it was a thrill to race at Lake Boga for the first time.
“I’ve driven past here plenty of times, but it’s been exciting to finally race here,” Holland said.
“It was pretty rough at the start, but the wind started to clear out as the day progressed.
“The crowd came out in force, so it’s great to see the town support and I’m glad we were able to put on a good show.
“Hopefully we can build on this crowd again for another event next year because they’ve supported us greatly and we want to continue giving back.”
The 24-year-old is currently racing in his eighth season and has climbed up the classes to currently be competing in the 6 Litre Hydroplane Open category.
“I’ve won all I can in the 6 Litre Hydroplane Open class now and there is one more step for me (Unlimited Open), and hopefully I get there one day,” he said.
Holland followed in the footsteps of his father, Greg Holland, and said he wouldn’t have had so much success without the friends he’s made.
“Dad introduced me to a lot of people and the sport becomes an obsession you can’t get out of,” he said.
“Nobody has any idea as to how much work goes into it and it’s not just one person.
“I look after everything inside the cock-pit, we have two engine mechanics, one builder, one tuner and then all the support crew — everyone plays their distinct part to keep the boat going.”
The event did not go without a couple of hitches with one of the boats flipping during a warm-up, with the driver fortunately walking away with only minor cuts and bruises.
Unlimited Open’s GP1 boat, one of the most powerful boats of the competition, which competes overseas, also had oil pressure issues which forced it to withdraw.
But Victorian Council of the Australian Power Boat Association’s vice president of inboards Lee Kavanagh said safety had improved drastically over the years.
“I remember when I used to race and all we had was a helmet, jacket and a parachute to slow us down in case of emergency,” Kavanagh said.
“But after a few major accidents, they made it mandatory for all boats travelling over 105 miles per hour to have a cell (cock pit).
“Now when we see accidents at 200 plus kilometres an hour, we just see them open the cell and they’re fine.”
Kavanagh also works as an engineer for a few of the boating teams and said each little tweak to the boat was important.
“As an example, the hydroplanes are basically an aeroplane on water with a wing shaped design and they’ve got to lift at the right spots without flipping over,” he said.
“The driver plays a vital role, particularly in terms of trim (angle of the propeller shaft relative to the boat) based on the water and the corners.
“Speed is lost or gained based on that and each wave.”
The event was originally planned to run in Lake Eppalock before a lack of water forced a change in venue.
Swan Hill driver Ryan “Dooie” Nicholls was a driving force to the change to Lake Boga and put on a great performance for his home crowd.
Nicholls finished second overall in the 1.6L Hydroplane class with a third-place finish in his first race before placing second in the final race.
“I was leading in the last race before water on the distributor impacted my revs and I finished second,” Nicholls said.
“It was still a great result and I was pretty emotional after the race meeting because it means a lot to have the races back here.
“It’s been great the amount of positive feedback we’ve received as well.”
Kavanagh said the local support has assured their return next year.
“I raced here back in 1981 and 1982 and it’s a great spot,” he said.
“The club plans to make this an annual event and the people in town and council have been fantastic, with very few regional areas giving the support this town has.
“Despite the lack of time we’ve been given to promote the event, the crowd numbers are excellent and we’ll be sure to build on that in future years.”
