November 2011
Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club
A branch of the AUSTRALIAN HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION Inc (Vic)
Dear Fellow Hovercraft Enthusiasts,
The Queensland branch of The Australian Hovercraft Federation held a planning meeting on Tuesday,
15th November 2011, at the RC primary school, 350 Mortimer Road, Acacia Ridge.
This meeting was attended by:-
| President:- | Peter Venn |
| Vice President:- | Des Goss |
| Treasurer:- | Phillip Audsley |
| Secretary:- | Steven Odgaard |
Other members attending were Arthur Stead and Bill Toppin.
Visitors for the evening were Rita Chaffey and Kerri Audsley.
Cruise report - Muriel Street, Redland Bay, Saturday 5th November 2011.
The last club cruise was held on Saturday 5th November 2011 from 96 Muriel Street, Redland Bay
courtesy of Peter Venn.
Those attending the cruise were:-
Don Venn - Cruisecraft Outsider 510 powered by a 110hp Yamaha outboard.
Peter Venn - Turbo TP6 powered by a Subaru 1800 & Honda twin cylinder.
Arthur Stead - Revtech Renegade powered by a 20hp Honda 2 cylinder.
Des Goss - Simple Cyclone powered by a Yamaha PE485 51hp 2 stroke.
Stephen Venn - Expo Turbo powered by a Yamaha PE485 51hp 2 stroke.
Steven Odgaard - Billy Baker 2 powered by a 44hp Chaparral engine (static display).
This cruise was a safety training session in Lagoon Passage using a recovery vessel to tow various craft on tow mats in fast flowing tidal currents in response to the various dramas that occured during the October cruise. We had two tow mats to try out with ACVs.
Stephen Venn came across from Russell Island and simply tied a thin blue tarpaulin under the white Expo Turbo. Don Venn was able to tow this craft at 13 kilometres per hour with Stephen Venn in the craft and then at 22 kilometres per hour when Stephen transferred to the towing boat. The other air cushion vehicle to be towed was the low hull Simple Cyclone. Des Goss initially tried to attach the fibreglass pole across his bow but struggled to find the strength to tie off the 3 hitches required to keep the pole out of the water.
Steven then took his place and managed to tie off the third hitch without capsizing the small craft.
With Steven in the Cyclone Don was able to successfully tow at 13 kilometres per hour. Steven used
his body weight to alter the angle of plane so as to prevent water entering the rear plenum jets.
We were not as confident in towing the Cyclone empty. We did not want to risk a repeat of last
month’s submersion of Des’ Yamaha powerplant.
After the towing exercise was over Des Goss took the Cyclone off the tow mat under its own power, but Des had to beach it on a steep muddy slope on Lagoon Island to help drain some of the sea water before attempting planning speed from a deep water start. Apart from this the Simple Cyclone performed very well on the short runs along the Lagoon Passage and traversed the steep boat ramp at low tide with relative ease.
After lunch, supplied by Elaine Venn and Judy Stead, Peter and Stephen Venn took 2 ACVs over to Russell Island to pick up David Penaluna. It was good to have a short visit by Mick Rutterman who was on his way back from Bonogin where he had looked at the V8 powered Hoverguard 800 for sale by Peter Darcy-Evans. Mick sold his Turbo Vortex a couple of years ago, but has decided it’s time to buy another ACV. He only called in to see Peter Venn, but was delighted to see the club in action.
Arthur Stead showed off his whisper quiet Revtech Renegade which can skim across the smooth waters powered only by a 20hp Honda 2 cylinder 4 stroke engine. Bill Toppin, Samantha Penaluna, Rita Chaffey and Rafe Whitaker were there at the boat ramp to witness the technique of towing a hovercraft in a tidal current. We all departed by 4:00 pm Saturday.
Report from Western Australia:-
Hi Steven,
Sounds like you guys had an adventure. Had one of my own.
I flew to Sydney last Wednesday at 6:00 am. Collected a car (bought sight unseen) in Sydney and
drove to Nowra to collect my new Viper 5.
Drove from Nowra to Perth, arriving Friday night at 8:30 pm.
It was a 6,000km journey. Needless to say; it is never a trip without incident, however we made it
with Viper in tow. I should have it up and running for summer.
I have started putting it together, she is dressed with all her skirts on.
So watch this space for bigger adventures here in WA.
regards
Jeremy Ludlow
Hovercraft required to restore:-
Hi Steven,
I don’t know if you recall who I am, but I contacted you a few years ago re joining the club, I just live
on Montessa Street down the road from you. Anyway I’m sure you have heard this story a million
times, but I have always vowed since I was a kid to own a hovercraft.
I contacted Peter Venn and he took me for a quick spin on the Logan River on Saturday and now I’m hooked. I have been considering building a craft for sometime but with the pressures of 2 small kids and my own business it would take too long to complete. Hence the reason for this email.
Please can you pass my details on to your club members as I’m chasing a hull for restoration preferably looking for something like an eagle 1, ASV E2, Superwedge, or Flying Fish and Expo88 size or similar. The worse condition the better the more work the better and less parts the better. I have fibreglass experiance and want to claim I have done something when it is finally restored. I will also consider aluminium craft if they are out there as well as I was a boilermaker by trade. Trailers and engines are not required really as I’m going to build a trailer to suit and fit a new engine but will consider anything. Please call me !
So I would be grateful if you could forward this email to your members who may have too many
projects or an old Superwedge in the long grass behind the garage and take pity on me.
My contact details are Ben on 0421 142 339 or 0401 630 638 or email bigbangben77@hotmail.com
Also please could you give me details on how to join the club and also I own a 5.5m 90hp boat which I
would love to provide as a safety boat if you’re having a trip out in the southern bay area.
I look forward to hearing from you shortly,
regards
Ben Woodhead
Next club cruise:-
The next club cruise will be held on Saturday 17th December 2011 at Muriel St, Redland Bay.
Meet at 9:00 am at Peter Venn's place at 96 Muriel St, Redland Bay for a launch into the Redland
Bay Channel and a run around the southern bay islands.
This cruise will also be the clubs Christmas barbeque.
UBD Reference - Map 267 B9.
Contact for the event is Steven Odgaard on 0400 798 404.
Next Queensland branch meeting:
The next club meeting will be held on Tuesday 17th January 2012 at 7:30pm.
It will be held in the Staff Room at Our Lady of Fatima RC primary school, 350 Mortimer Road Acacia Ridge.
Hope you can come. All welcome.
Regards
Steven Odgaard
QSH secretary