Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club

March 2007
Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club
A branch of the Australian Hovercraft Federation Inc (Vic)

Dear Air Cushion Vehicle enthusiast,
The Queensland branch held a planning meeting at the SAAA hall at Archerfield Aerodrome on Tuesday, 20^th March 2007 which was attended by Des Goss, Phillip Audsley, Arthur Stead and Steven Odgaard.
Visitors to the meeting were John and Jenny Noble with their son Michael from Deception Bay.
Michael has built an air cushion pad capable of lifting his weight powered by a vacuum cleaner motor and he is interested in joining the club. If he decides to join, Michael would be our youngest member.
Cruise report - Tweed River, Chinderah - Sunday 4^th March 2007.
The March cruise was held on the Tweed River in northern New South Wales on Sunday, 4^th March with 5 hovercraft in attendance. Neville Bennett, our northern most club member from Magnetic Island in Far North Queensland joined us for the cruise, and we met at 10:00 am at the boat ramp near Waugh Street, Chinderah. Taking part in this cruise were:-

Neville Bennett in his Turbo Vortex,
Des Goss in his Turbo Wedge 225,
Peter Ledwoch and Ann Dickinson in a Simple Cyclone,
Angus Kerr & Dave Brookes in a white Turbo Wedge 240 and
Steven Odgaard in the Billy Baker 2
Neville, Des, Peter, Ann, Angus & Dave travelled upstream from Waugh Street, Chinderah through the maze of channels and swampy islands to Tumbulgum and Steven met the small fleet near the Terranora bridge. Neville made a short trip up the Rous River.
A NSW boating and fisheries officer warned us of noise level restrictions at Tumbulgum upstream of the Terranora bridge and also at Condong bridge near the sugar mill. Des, Angus and Dave travelled to Murwillumbah and returned safely.
Steven retrieved at Tumbulgum boat ramp and all other craft returned to Waugh Street. Neville Bennett made an early departure for Evans Head. Des, Angus and Dave enjoyed some tasty tombstone piklets served from the back of Des’ ute.

4 craft at the ramp

Peter Ledwoch

Peter and Ann

Peter, Ann and Steven enjoyed a fish dinner at the seafood shop opposite the ramp before departing. The boating officer rang me at 2:30 pm and reported noise complaints received from both Tumbulgum and Condong areas and unfortunately he will need to enforce compliance with a 75dBa level measured at 30 metres if we are considering future cruises along the Tweed River.

Club News:-
Des Goss, our chief cruise planner, will be away for May and June so a volunteer with a good reliable craft is required to fill this important roll during his absence to keep the monthly cruise schedule at 12 per year.
NSW News:-
The NSW club participated in Camp Quality held at Myuna Bay on Lake Macquarie south of Newcastle on Saturday 10th March 2007. Karl and Judy Bowman and Eugene and Robyn Zanozin stayed at the Sports and recreational reserve in cabins by the Lake.
Peter Hardi and Steven Odgaard met them on Saturday morning and at 9:00 am we all drove to the Myuna Bay foreshore and began giving rides to approx 30 - 40 children and adult carers from Camp Quality.
Everything went remarkably well up until morning tea. After morning tea the Bill Baker suffered a split primer bulb causing an air leak in the troublesome fuel line for the front lift engine and only made one further trip before retiring. Karl’s Revtec Renegade, Eugene’s Revtec Renegade and Peter’s Viper all performed well for the event and every child received at least 2 rides each.
The Newcastle Camp Quality presented the NSW club with a token gift of appreciation, a speech by one of the young children and a round of applause in the dining hall. We were invited for another camp in September or October 2007.
Peter Hardi used his black mean machine 4WD to tow trailer & Bill Baker 2 from the sandy beach then made a quick getaway to avoid the afternoon traffic heading back to Sydney. Karl, Eugene and Robin went for a long distance cruise in Lake Macquarie while Judy enjoyed a well deserved afternoon nap back at the cabin.
Steven packed up and departed at 3:00 pm EDST driving to Halidays Point near Taree for a refreshing swim in the sea water pool by the surf club, stayed at Coffs Harbour on Saturday evening and made it back to Bris Vegas by lunch time on Sunday.
Total fuel bill for car and craft was $445. (98 Octane)
Karl, Judy, Eugene and Robyn spent another relaxing night in their cabin before departing on the trip to Sydney on Sunday morning.
National News:-
The Australian National Rally will be held at Lake Cargelligo every second year, with Lake Narracan or possibly a venue in NSW being selected in the intervening years.
International News:-
At the WHF Board meeting in 2006 held in France, Norway made a provisional offer to hold the World Hovercraft Championships in 2008. It was indicated by the meeting that subject to some minor changes being made and the offer was formalised the WHF would be pleased to accept it.
As part of the lead up to this it is essential that their proposed organisation and facilities are "tested" by holding a major National or International event at the site. These arrangements are now firmly in place and the WHF eagerly await Norway’s formal offer to host our 2008 Championships.
Norway now has until April 2007 to confirm their offer. If it is not forth coming by that date, invitations to host the 2008 Championships will be invited from other member countries.
Tony Drake,
President of the WHF
Next club cruise:-
The next club cruise will be held on Sunday 1st April 2007 around the Clontarf, Brighton and Redcliffe area.
Meet at Pelican Park, Clontarf for a 9:00 am launch.
Plan B.
If the sea is too rough we will use Shultz canal at Nudgee as an alternative launching site.
Contact for the event is Steven Odgaard on 0400 798 404.
Next Queensland branch meeting:
7:30 pm - Tuesday, 17^th April 2007
SAAA hall at Archerfield Aerodrome.
Beatty Road Qld 4108.
Regards
Steven Odgaard
QSH secretary