May 2013
Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club
A branch of the AUSTRALIAN HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION Inc (Vic)
Dear Air Cushion Vehicle enthusiast,
The Queensland branch of The Australian Hovercraft Federation held a planning meeting on Tuesday,
21st May 2013, in the Staff Room of the RC primary school, 350 Mortimer Road, Acacia Ridge.
This meeting was attended by:-
| President:- | Peter Venn |
| Vice President:- | Angus Kerr |
| Treasurer:- | Phillip Audsley |
| Secretary:- | Steven Odgaard |
Other members attending were Bill Toppin, Dale Baxter and Neil Budworth.
Visitors for the evening were Rita Chaffey, Kerri Audsley and Dave Brooks.
Special guest for the meeting was Ivan Pullen from Flying Fish in the UK.
Ivan had good technical advice on the new engine used by Peter Venn in the white Expo Turbo
and interesting facts about Flying Fish craft in the UK.
Ivan was in Australia only briefly until 9th June 2013.
Cruise report - Muriel St, Redland Bay - Saturday 4th May 2013.
The last club cruise was held on Saturday 4th May 2013, launching from 96 Muriel Street,
Redland Bay courtesy of Peter Venn.
Those attending the cruise with craft were:-
| Peter Venn | Turbo TP6 powered by a Subaru 1800 EA81. |
| Angus Kerr | Viper powered by a Subaru 1800 EA81. |
| Brandon Bull | Turbo Wedge 225 powered by a 1600cc Subaru. |
| Neil Budworth | Turbo Wedge 265. |
| David Venn | white Expo Turbo powered by a 35hp Vanguard Briggs & Stratton. |
| Steven Odgaard | blue Expo Turbo courtesy of Peter Venn. |
| Dale Baxter | Commodore V6 powered swamp boat. |
Regular visitors for the cruise and morning tea were Ann Torrance, Danielle Kerr, Treasurer Phil Audsley and Kerri Audsley, Anna Marie Webster, Thomas Venn, Elaine Venn and May Venn, and in the late afternoon Peter took Don Venn for a ride in the 4 stroke powered white Turbo Wedge 240. Neil brought his wife along for her first social cruise with the club.
The May cruise was held at 96 Muriel Street and launch took place from Peter and Elaine’s private boat ramp into the Redland Bay Passage. We had 8 craft on the estuary terrace and 7 on the cruise. Peter Venn took Evan Hodgson for a run in the TP6, Angus took Lucas and Cameron Kerr in the Viper, Brandon Bull took Amelia Torrance in the Yellow Turbo 225, Neil and Libby Budworth travelled in their Turbo Wedge 265, David Venn took the modified white Expo Turbo powered by a 35hp Vanguard Briggs and Stratton engine and Dale Baxter planned along in his flat bottomed swamp boat powered by a Commodore V6 engine driving a 6 foot carbon fibre 2 bladed propeller named Passing Wind.
Steven Odgaard and Rita Chaffey caught up in the blue Expo Turbo, but only after Brandon had a flat battery on a sandbank near the western tip of Karragarra Island. Peter and David returned to collect a battery pack and Steven returned with them. Due to the 30 minute wait, Dale Baxter and Angus Kerr decided to pass the time of day by a small speed challenge. The Viper was overtaken by Passing Wind until the Viper made a bee line for the group on the sandbank and went straight over the shallow crest at high speed. Dale had to peel off to starboard and skim around the sandbank in ankle deep water. The Viper than refused to start, but this was quickly rectified when the ignition points were reset with a small screwdriver.
We all cruised south between Russell Island and Long Island and returned to base via the Logan River. Dale in the swamp boat was able to keep up with the hovercraft by shear speed and occasional skimming and fish tailing over soft mud. It was an interesting variation and Dale took several joy rides before packing up.
Other News from Queensland:-
Arthur and Judy Stead are currently travelling around far north Queensland and have
rendezvoused with Sam Waugh and Lorraine Brighton near Ingham.
Jack Hickmott reported seeing 4 craft at Moranbah operating on the Isaacs River. Jack has a Hoverstar LC and has recently moved from Strathdickie to Telia Street Proserpine Qld.
Peter & Elaine Venn will be travelling interstate with the TP6 in tow, so I hope to have a report on more discoveries of regional hovercraft in remote places of Australia.
News from Western Australia:-
Neil Kentish joined as a new member on 6th May 2013. Neil has a Mariah 42S Executive craft and
was encouraged to join up by Jeremy Ludlow. Jeremy is working hard to restart the HCWA and
until they muster enough members to form a quorum, we are offering assistance to this merry
band of hovercraft enthusiasts from far away on the opposite side, yet similarly close, coming from
the two most northern capital cities in Australia (Perth and Brisbane) each with low population
density and good all year round weather for aquatic cruising. wwwhovercraftwa.com.au
Australian Hovercraft Federation News:-
On the weekend of 28th & 29th of September 2013, the NSW Sporting Hovercraft Club
will host the Australian National Rally at Wyangala Waters, about 3½ hours west of Sydney.
This should be a great rally so if you are thinking of coming, check the details from the link on the
Home page of this site, book your accommodation early (its the middle of the busy school holiday
period), and remember to register online.
Brief from the Australian Hovercraft Federation AGM:-
8:00pm (SA 7:30pm) (WA 6:00pm) Wednesday 22nd May 2013.
Excellent attendance with representation from 5 states.
Vic - Peter Streader, Rachel Smithson, Colin Dainty, Paul Moody, Flemming Jensen.
NSW - Eugene Zanozin.
SA - Kevin Dixon, Bruno Davids.
WA - Jeremy Ludlow.
Qld - Angus Kerr, Bill Toppin and Steven Odgaard.
Rachel Smithson was asked to take on the role as treasurer, but declined, however she expressed an interest in the role of secretary and would be pleased to learn more about the responsibilities that this job entails throughout the next 12 months.
Colin Dainty explained that the role of public officer in Victoria has been dissolved and that the duties of incorporation now lie with the federation secretary.
| AHF Executive remains unchanged | |
| President:- | Peter Streader |
| Vice President:- | Eugene Zanozin |
| Treasurer:- | Colin Dainty |
| Secretary:- | Steven Odgaard |
Flemming Jensen is president of HCV Vic branch.
Guest speaker Paul Moody promoted a new forum for the AHF and its members and offered
training for the AHF webmaster or committee.
Name of forum to be decided by email correspondence after the AGM.
Forum scheduled to be running by August 2013 in time for the national rally.
Eugene and Robyn Zanozin and Karl and Judy Bowman are visiting Wyangala Waters State Park
on Friday 14th June 2013 to arrange a permit to stage the national rally on 28th and 29th
September 2013. Cost of permit is $88.
Eugene requested another phone conference to discuss any issues arising from the permit
application and is happy to receive information or advice.
Meeting closed at 9:30pm est (SA 9:00pm) (WA 7:30pm)
Next club cruise:-
The next club cruise will be held on Sunday 16th June 2013 on the Logan River at Eagleby.
Meet at 9:00 am at the Eagleby boat ramp near the Pacific Motorway bridge.
There is car parking for 44 cars with boat trailer, so based on rising attendance levels over the last few years, here’s a toast to the thought that we may one day fill this lonely little piece of council real estate with cars trailers and amphibious craft capable of launching from the silted ramp at low or medium tide.
Unfortunately, there is a 6 knot speed limit frequently enforced by a resident who lives by the pontoons on the southern bank. He will take your photo if you go too fast. Be warned! Best to keep to sub-hump speed if you decide to venture downstream from the ramp. The cruise is upstream so there should be no reason to upset the local riverside resident.
If we launch on time, then a cheap breakfast is available at Fitzy’s Waterford in the Bistro.
Sunday buffet $14.95 or $12.95 for Bistro members. 8:00am till 10 closing at 10:30am.
UBD Reference - Map 264 A12.
Contact for the event is Steven Odgaard on 0400 798 404.
Next Queensland branch meeting:
The next club meeting will be on Tuesday 18th June 2013 at 7:30pm.
It will be held in the Staff Room at Our Lady of Fatima RC primary school, 350 Mortimer Road Acacia
Ridge. Use the staff car park.
Anyone with an interest in air cushion vehicles is welcome to attend.
We discuss technical topics and plan cruises.
Regards
Steven Odgaard
QSH secretary