Goolwa Aquatic Club - 15th of April 2012

[Bob Vic]

Totally endorse all the previous comments about the Goolwa event... it was first rate and proved to be a magnificent showcase not only for the CAWPBA wooden boats, but the classics of all shapes & descriptions. Glen Traeger and Dave Drewer did a fine job in bringing it all together – such an event sure is a mountain of work. I for one certainly appreciate your work and also the workers on the day from the safety guys to tractor drivers etc etc.

Let’s hope that the organising committee at the GAC can develop the event into a regular festival, maybe in the alternate years when the Goolwa wooden boat show doesn’t happen. I’ll watch with interest to see what develops and we can best support it.

As far as Rebound was concerned, I had an absolute ball. The boat has never run better and I put it all down to the water being a bit rougher than we experience at Narrandera. And it was great to see all the skiffs on the water with hopefully more on the way.

Finally.... for those running the APBA, look at the Goolwa people and learn from all that they achieved in event number 1. Learn also from the American Power Boat Association where the classic boat division is the fastest growing and best supported division.

Bob

[Paul SA]

Well i would have to agree with all posts it was a great weekend and as bob said the water was good for rebound and it worked the same for ol skool the boat has never sat so good. Have got a few bruises from the deck and my co pilot tells me he is very sore on places he never gets sore and has got bruised coming out every where. I told him it was him driving Cherdith that made him sore. I must say that when i told him to go for it he took it to the next level and i have never seen a boat so far in the air and the bloke on so much of a mission but it was fantastic to see and it was a pity he only did one race due to a brake down.It was good to catch up with a few members and put a face to the names so i say bring on the next one and those of you that missed it get ready for the next one you wont be sorry.
Paul

[Hifi]

Awesome weekend at Goolwa.well done to all involved.Cant wait to do it again.... scott

[DaveD]

Thanks for the words of support. There was a small team of people involved with getting the boat side of things happening. Most of them had prior experience with the old Goolwa powerboat events, either as competitors or organisers and this certainly helped.
Here's a link to a website with info & more photos. Some very good video of the Skiffs in action.
Thanks Dave
http://www.fixationracing.com/news/late ... uatic-club
http://www.fixationracing.com/new...-hi ... s-aquafest

[bootlegger]

Got home safe and sound. Pulling the head off in true ford fashion ended up being a project. The head bolts dont have enough meat in them to fit the socket properly so around half the head bolts rounded off. I ended up welding a socket to the stud to get them out. I thought I was being bodgey until the engine machinist said they had to make a special tool to cut the heads of the bolts off.
The engine guy did the head while I waited.
I took It back to colins and we screwed it back on. By 10 pm the engine was running. It didnt take long to realise their was a massive oil leaK out the timing case.
By now I was over it but I decided to drive home anyway.
I left colins and drove till 2.30 in the morning stopping at renmark.
I found a nice spot to sleep by the murray.
I woke up at 6.30 watching people jog right past me.
Hit the road again. Stopped at balranald and had a cuppa with andy griffith.
Drove the rest of the way only stopping for fuel.
The engine bay of my car is totally covered in oil.
Thanks everyone for their help.

Dave where is the link to the videos. Dave

[hookster]

Glad to hear you got back alright Dave. I assume you went up the Mallee Highway? I went that way from Goolwa, having never driven it before...there's a lot of nothing out that way, I don't know how some of those little towns exist.

Bob your comment re classic boats drawing a crowd, and the interest in them growing rapidly is spot on. I still get goose bumps when I think of you guys in the skiffs the other day at Goolwa. I was standing on the boat ramp, and you wouldn't have heard the reactions from the onlookers, but I did!!! From the moment you floored it when you left the ramp (nice wheelstand by the way!!) you guys had the crowd totally in awe. It was a great display and just what everyone wanted to see, and then some: Classic old boats with attitude, being driven in ways that the average Joe just does not believe. Friggin well done.

[Darren]

Thaat be true matey aargh
What about that first run with the runabouts!
HiFi and leaping Cheridith now that was hilarious and awesome if it's
Possible to have those two together.
The crowd were riding every wild leap
If you look at it, those guys in Cheridith were equipped with block jackets and a smile.
4 laps of the most incredible stuff I've seen, then to almost sink the boat and still be
Laughing at the ramp.......that's entertainment
Darren

[viteau]

Dave, Does that mean that the Falcon will do one more trip too Narrandera? Chris

[bootlegger]

Mate I got up this morning and chose to walk to the barber to get a hair cut rather than drive that piece of poo. I went to a couple of car yards this morning also. This is the fourth head gasket to go on two seperate engines.

[viteau]

Wise idea, I take it that you will be walking straight past anything with a blue oval badge....