January 2016
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,
19th January 2016, at the Coopers Plains Library in Orange Grove Road.
This meeting was attended by:-
| President:- | Peter Venn | Treasurer:- | Phillip Audsley |
| Secretary:- | Steven Odgaard |
| Publicity Officer:- | Steve Stephens |
Other members attending were Arthur Stead, Dale Baxter, Dieter Reniesch, Les Taylor, Dwayne Morgan, Kim Allen, and Gunter Prischl.
Visitor for the evening was Kerri Audsley.
Apologies from Bill Toppin and Michael Stephenson.
Cruise report - Muriel St, Redland Bay - Sunday 17th January 2016.
The last club cruise was held on Sunday 17th January 2016, launching from 96 Muriel Street, Redland
Bay courtesy of Peter and Elaine Venn.
Those attending the cruise with craft were:-
| Peter Venn | Turbo TP6 Expo Turbo Hoverjet |
|
| Steve Stephens | Turbo Wedge 240 | - No Wheel Drive. |
| James King | Revtech Renegade | - Merln. |
| Les Taylor | Turbo Superwedge 235 | - Phoenix. |
| Michael Stephenson | Turbo Wedge 240 | - Baffle. |
| Ben Woodhead | Turbo Vortex | |
| Cle Sheck | Turbo Wedge 235 | - Seaspray. |
Other club members and visitors attending were Steven Odgaard, Phil & Kerri Audsley, Angus, Lucas, Danielle & Cameron Kerr, Arthur & Judy Stead, Kim & James Allen, Dieter & Fallon Renish, Dwayne Morgan, Bill Toppin, Dale Baxter, Elisha King, Jean Smith, Aven Sheck, Ian Lind and Elaine Venn, making a total of 28 people and 9 hovercraft for the event. A good turn-up as usual.
Our rally however was a pretty windy affair with distant scattered showers threatening to come closer, but barely making it. James & Elisha left Hervey Bay at 5:30 am for the 4.5 hour trip down to Redland Bay for todays cruise. Ben Woodhead launched the Turbo Vortex at 9:30 am, followed by Cle Sheck in Seaspray and Michael Stephenson with Dieter & Fallon Renish in Baffle. James King launched the Renegade at 10:15 am shortly after arriving.
A morning cruise to Pannikin Island started at 10:50 am with Peter Venn in the TP6, Les Taylor in Phoenix, James King in Merln, Cle and Aven Sheck in Seaspray and Steven Odgaard in the Expo Turbo. Cle suffered a broken rudder link near St. Clair Island and a repair was made on the mudflats. All craft returned to base for lunch at 11:50 am.
Afternoon short cruises.
James King in Merln 12:30 pm.
Peter Venn in the Expo Turbo at 1:45 pm.
Les Taylor in Phoenix at 1:45 pm.
James King in Merln again at 1:55 pm.
Peter Venn in the Hoverjet at 1:55 pm.
All craft returned safely by 2:10 pm.
There were a few break-downs (as usual), to keep us entertained during the days cruises, so
preventative maintenance and thorough pre-flight scrutineering are becoming more important.
Remember: "Check yer nuts & connections!"
 James King & Cle Sheck |
 The Line up |
 Les Taylor |
Australian National Rally:-
The main focus of this evenings meeting was to finalise the location for the 2017 Australian National
Rally being hosted by the Queensland Division. After some discussion on each of the half dozen or so
lakes in southeast Queensland in contention as the rally site, it was unaminously decided that Lake
Coolmunda near Inglewood wood be ideal. The dates chosen for the rally are the 7th, 8th & 9th of July
2017, the middle weekend of Victorian school holidays and the last weekend of Queensland school holidays.
Lake Coolmunda (28° 25.32'S, 151° 13'E.) is 13 kms east of Inglewood on the Cunningham Highway, about 256 kms southwest of Brisbane and has a well equiped Caravan Park on site. The lake was checked by 35 club & family members with 11 craft on 14th - 16th August 2015 and received glowing reports from the group. The rally website (rally.qhover.com) will be revived as an information and registration centre over the coming months.
Queensland State Rally:-
In preparation for the Australian National Rally, the club will hold the 2016 Queensland State Rally at
Lake Coolmunda on 9th & 10th July this year, also the last weekend of Queensland school holidays.
A large cordoned-off area has been booked for us to camp next to the waters edge, safely away from
the general public camping area, and there are also the caravan park & cabins less than 500m from the water.
Maquarie River Run:-
Charles (Buck) Rogers has planned another cruise between Dubbo and Wellington NSW, for the
Australia Day long weekend 23rd & 24th January 2016.
Next club cruise:-
The next club cruise will be held on Sunday 14th February 2016 at Muriel St, Redland Bay.
Meet at 9:00 am at 96 Muriel St, Redland Bay for a launch into the Redland Bay Channel.
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 16th February 2016 at 7:30pm.
It will be held in the Coopers Plains Library at 107 Orange Grove Road, Coopers Plains.
There is plenty of parking at the rear of the library building via Bosworth Street off Orange Grove Road.
UBD Reference - Map 200 D13.
Anyone with an interest in air cushion vehicles is welcome to attend.
We discuss technical topics and plan cruises.
Regards
Steven Odgaard
QSH secretary