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Mike Bontoft, Northwest outboard racer and electric speed record holder, was visiting in England last week. This true story is way better than fiction. In Mikes words at http://www.boatmad.c...t=13438&page=19
I arrive in England with no definite plans, made my way over to Cougars, had a good chat with Pete Currington, he directed me over to Drivers. When I entered the yard I could see I was definitely in the right place, race boats all around and many teams scurrying away making final preparations, I recognized a few faces, one being Jon Fuller and I introduced myself, I am sure a few thought, who is this stranger at Drivers very inquisitively eying all the race boats. Well it wasn't long before I found myself in a bilge working on motors, two mercruiser 600 SCI's one with a bad cough, nicely install in Dean Gibbs 42 foot Fountain, beside me a very friendly and competent Dave Brown. We spent the next two days preparing Deans boat for Cowes and making numerous runs out of Drivers to test our work. It was my first time in a offshore race boat in 29 years which I neglected to tell Dean as me and Dave shot up and down the channel at 80 mph plus in his Going Lean fountain race boat. One might think that would be enough excitement for the week but pushy as only a desperate person can be and with the help of a couple of new found friends I was able to talk Dean into letting me race the boat with him. Next thing I know I'm in the drivers seat.
We did not have sufficient fuel to compete in the CTC so elected to compete in the CPC race, I completed all the paperwork and hastily borrowed safety equipment. As the green flag dropped at the rear of the red high speed ferry it was a little hectic, drives out a little, tabs level, 80 ish, sailing boats everywhere and we're off to the Needles and welcomed in by some pretty big holes and after a few of these we decided to knock it down a few clicks and let Apache flatten out some water. We had a great race with them and managed not to let them get away in the rough stuff. Over the last few miles we came along side and put the supercharged Mercruisers to work getting her up to about 93 mph and won the race. It was a fantastic week for me and there were definitely a few times I needed to pinch myself to make sure it was real. I want to thank everyone for being so friendly towards me and my wife Brigitte, I am not good with names but Dave Brown, Dean Gibbs, Jon Fuller, Scott ????, Denise at race control and many others that helped, I am very grateful.
Needless to say "I will be back" in 2010.
That's Mike with the beard in the white shirt.
Lohring Miller
I arrive in England with no definite plans, made my way over to Cougars, had a good chat with Pete Currington, he directed me over to Drivers. When I entered the yard I could see I was definitely in the right place, race boats all around and many teams scurrying away making final preparations, I recognized a few faces, one being Jon Fuller and I introduced myself, I am sure a few thought, who is this stranger at Drivers very inquisitively eying all the race boats. Well it wasn't long before I found myself in a bilge working on motors, two mercruiser 600 SCI's one with a bad cough, nicely install in Dean Gibbs 42 foot Fountain, beside me a very friendly and competent Dave Brown. We spent the next two days preparing Deans boat for Cowes and making numerous runs out of Drivers to test our work. It was my first time in a offshore race boat in 29 years which I neglected to tell Dean as me and Dave shot up and down the channel at 80 mph plus in his Going Lean fountain race boat. One might think that would be enough excitement for the week but pushy as only a desperate person can be and with the help of a couple of new found friends I was able to talk Dean into letting me race the boat with him. Next thing I know I'm in the drivers seat.
We did not have sufficient fuel to compete in the CTC so elected to compete in the CPC race, I completed all the paperwork and hastily borrowed safety equipment. As the green flag dropped at the rear of the red high speed ferry it was a little hectic, drives out a little, tabs level, 80 ish, sailing boats everywhere and we're off to the Needles and welcomed in by some pretty big holes and after a few of these we decided to knock it down a few clicks and let Apache flatten out some water. We had a great race with them and managed not to let them get away in the rough stuff. Over the last few miles we came along side and put the supercharged Mercruisers to work getting her up to about 93 mph and won the race. It was a fantastic week for me and there were definitely a few times I needed to pinch myself to make sure it was real. I want to thank everyone for being so friendly towards me and my wife Brigitte, I am not good with names but Dave Brown, Dean Gibbs, Jon Fuller, Scott ????, Denise at race control and many others that helped, I am very grateful.
Needless to say "I will be back" in 2010.
That's Mike with the beard in the white shirt.
Lohring Miller
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