July 2017
Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club
AUSTRALIAN HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION Inc (Qld Branch)

Dear Air Cushion Vehicle enthusiast,
The Queensland branch of The Australian Hovercraft Federation held an extra-ordinary meeting on Saturday, 1st July 2017 at 2:00 pm at Peter Venn's residence at 96 Muriel St Redland Bay.
This meeting was attended by:-

Vice President:- Kim Allen
Secretary:- Steven Odgaard

Other members attending were Arthur Stead, Les Taylor and Peter Venn.

Apologies: Dwayne Morgan due to funeral arrangements for 2 relatives. Ben Woodhead in the UK.

Discussion at the meeting included:

Meeting closed at 4:21 pm.

The Queensland branch of The Australian Hovercraft Federation held a planning meeting on Tuesday, 18th July 2017, at the Coopers Plains Library in Orange Grove Road.
This meeting was attended by:-

President:- Ben Woodhead
Vice President:- Kim Allen
Treasurer:- Phillip Audsley
Secretary:- Steven Odgaard
Publicity Officer:- Steve Stephens

Other members attending were Les Taylor, Arthur Stead, Dieter Renisch, Gunter Prischl, Dwayne Morgan, Angus Kerr, Peter Venn, Michael Stephenson, Dale Baxter, Larry Franks, Tim Barker, Herman Ferreira and Chris Grobler.

Apologies: Ross McLeod.

Cruise report - Australian National Rally - Lake Coolmunda, Friday 7th to Sunday 9th July 2017.

The Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally was held from Friday 7th July to Sunday 9th July 2017 at Lake Coolmunda near Inglewood in south-east Queensland.

Sam Waugh

The rally was attended by 77 AHF members and families with 26 craft from across Australia including Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, plus the safety boat.
For some, it was time to finally put faces to names after many e-mails and forum posts on the AHF website.

The weather over the weekend was beautiful but cold, with clear days and only a touch of wind on the Sunday and some cloud on Monday.

Those attending the Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally with craft were:-

Victoria
Peter Streader Red Baron - HV 23
Paul Moody Revtech Renegade IQ - AHC 785N
Rachel Smithson Turbo 265 Pink Duct - HV 37
Ron Marshall Hoverflyer 580 - PM945
Tony Moretti Sevtec - HV39
Ivan Price Turbo Wedge High Side - HV44
Reece Isaac Turbo 265 - HV047
Rodd Westwood Revtech Rocket Green Duct - HV80
Frank Reynen Hurrican - RO 43
Stuart Barber Turbo Superwedge Extra - HV008
New South Wales
Rob Waugh Revtech Renegade - CUSHN
John Mendham Revtech Renegade - HOVVERN
Eugene Zanozin Viper 4 Cruiser - BUZZZZN
Charles Rogers Turbo 235 Superwedge - AFE554N
South Australia
Kevin Dixon Hovertek - T1564
Western Australia
Jeremy Ludlow Black Rhino Tempest - FY876
Queensland
Ben Woodhead Turbo XP 960 - ZC359Q
Peter Venn Turbu TP6 - 30197QE
Peter Venn Expo Turbo 240 - VT940Q
Angus Kerr Viper 4 Cruiser - MZ227Q
Karl Bowman Viper 4X - X0458Q
Michael Stephenson Turbo Wedge 240 - WT787Q (Baffle)
Dieter Renisch Turbo Wedge 225 - YX938Q (Places to go)
Les Taylor Turbo 235 Superwedge - XK938Q (Phoenix)
Lucas Kerr Custom Renegade Plywood - UN945Q
Larry Franks

 Universal UH18SPW - XB484Q (The Norm)

Craft participating in the 2017 Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally

Peter Streader - Red Baron


Preparation
The 2 Steves arrived on Tuesday with witches hats, floats, safety boat, caravan etc. Steve Odgaard (“#1”) then returned to Brisbane to bring down Peter Venn's original Expo Turbo from World Expo 88, while Steve (“#2”) then proceeded to collect the bollards and public address system from the Goondiwindi Regional Council in Inglewood before laying out the separate areas for hovercraft activities, marquees, camping area, and trailer parking. The cabins and powered sites at the caravan park were starting to fill up, but most competitors were camping at the nice big, flat, mowed grassed area (more than 100m wide by 250m deep), which had been reserved for us. There were a big selection of mobile homes, camper vans, and tents appearing by Thursday.

Friday 7th July 2017
Friday night saw many arrivals already well set-up and huddling around the camp fires when Peter Streader later arrived with his flash new 'remote controlled' off-road camper, complete with queen-size inner-spring matress, stainless steel slide-out kitchen bench (complete with 'soft-close' drawers), large slide-out fridge/freezer, diesel heater, and newly installed slewing jib hoist to lift his hovercraft from the top before using his 'key-fob' wireless remote control to erect the 'home away from home'. Impressive!


Judy Stead
Winsome Anderson
Ben Woodhead
Peter Streader

Later still, a phone call hailed the imminent arrival of Jeremy and Miranda Ludlow in their four wheel drive with 2 children, the family dog, trailer, and the fabled 'Rhino' beastie hovercraft. They received a standing ovation as they struggled in without the family's mobile home which had a major hernia after crossing the Nullabor Plain from Perth to South Australia. A gang of AHF members soon erected their large multi-segment tent, before our President; Ben did an impressive swan-dive into the ground when he accidentally found the almost invisible guy-ropes. Plenty of entertainment, laughs, drinks, and toasted marshmallows around the camp fires till we eventually retired in preparation for tomorrow's start.


Panorama over the Lake Coolmunda site for the Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally

Saturday 8th July 2017
Official Rally Opening:-
At 8:30 am, when everyone had gathered at the marshalling marquee on the shores of lake Coolmunda, the President of the Australian Hovercraft Federation Peter Streader gave a tribute to Sam Waugh who passed away unexpectedly on 10th October 2015. Sam was a legend amongst the hovercraft fraternity and is sadly missed by all, and this rally is dedicated to the memory of Sam.

Peter handed over to Ben Woodhead, The President of Queensland Sporting Hovercraft who declared the rally officially open, then followed up with a drivers briefing going over a few rules and guidelines to assure that we would have a safe and successful weekend.


Hovercraft enthusiasts gather for the opening address by Peter Streader and Ben Woodhead

The Fly-By:-   co-ordinated by Ben Woodhead
The Fly-By is not just a photographic opportunity, it's an opportunity for craft in an organised fashion to manoeuvre past the spectators and public on the shore, showcasing their skills and the wide-ranging and diverse types of hovercraft owned and operated by hovercraft enthusiasts!

Sixteen craft lead by Ben Woodhead headed out for a couple of attempts at a Fly-By, and once again it resulted in the usual fun and chaos while proving it is not an easy task to get 16 hovercraft skimming across the lake in a perfect straight line formation!

The Lake Cruise:-   co-ordinated by Kim Allen
The Lake Cruise was an ideal occasion for participants to get to know the area during a leisurely 20 kilometre cruise in an anti-clockwise direction around the coastline perimeter of Lake Coolmunda, with a bit of general exploration thrown in as well.

Fifteen craft headed out for the cruise lead by Kim Allen with Michael Stephenson in the Baffle. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the fastest 'leisurely cruise' ever with way too much emphasis placed on racing rather that cruising! It took less than half the scheduled time due to craft overtaking the leader and taking many short-cuts.

The Cork Scramble:-   co-ordinated by Steven Odgaard
100 floats made of environmentally friendly Portuguese cork, each numbered from one to one hundred, were scattered in an 'L' shape over several hundred metres of the lake before the competitors eventually left from the waters edge and craft headed off in all directions as the scramble started. All were eager to begin the search for as many of the floating corks as possible, and maybe even finding the cork with the lucky number.

Many hands improve the chances, however too many passengers may be a disadvantage. Some skill is required in estimating the best hand and finger count. Too many and the craft will be slow to manoeuvre, too few and valuable corks will be fumbled and left behind as your craft glides past what at first seems to be an easy target. This is always a popular event at rallies for participants and spectators, and one in which both driver and passengers can expect to end up very wet.

Results:-
1st Gowan Woodhead with Ben Woodhead - Turbo XP960 - 32 corks Qld
2nd Danielle Kerr with Angus Kerr - Viper 4 Cruiser - 31 corks Qld
3rd Karl Bowman and Lorraine Brighton - Viper4X - 13 corks Qld
Lucky cork No 19 Ivan Price and Frank Beamish - Turbo High Side HV44 Vic
Long-lost cork returned by Reece Isaac - Turbo 265 HV47 Vic

Sausage sizzle on the waterfront:-
Saturday lunch: Angus and Ann Kerr, Judy Stead, Elaine Venn and Amelia Forrest.


Winsome Anderson
Judy Stead
Sausage sizzle
The Line-up

Unfortunately, Ron Marshall retired at 10:00 am on Saturday morning with his Hoverflyer 580 PM945, when Rustie Lassam became quite ill and they decided on an early departure. Kevin King returned to Brisbane for business commitments on Friday with Angel de la Cruz, after setting up the caravan for Winsome Anderson, and returned on Sunday to continue the holiday up the Qld coast after the rally. Judith visited on Sunday just in time to see the last Cork Scramble. Other tourists commented that they heard about the rally, and came to Lake Coolmunda to see what it was all about.

Point to Point Time Trial:-   co-ordinated by Peter Venn
Co-ordinated by Peter Venn, the Point to Point Time Trial is a 'competitive timed event' where craft individually make their way from a starting point, through a series of checkpoints, and then return back to the starting point. The challenge is to complete the event with your closest 'estimated time' verses the 'actual specified time' given to each craft for the duration of the event.

Craft left the home point at one minute intervals, and because this is an event that requires the crew of each hovercraft to estimate the total elapsed time in their head, strictly NO timepieces of any description were allowed to help them determine this (i.e. watches, stopwatches, phones, navigation systems, electronic sources etc).

Results:-
Specified time as determined by Peter Venn 19.00 minutes
1st Karl Bowman - Viper 4X 19.15 minutes Qld
2nd Rob Waugh - Renegade 20.27 minutes NSW
3rd Peter Streader - Red Baron HV23 20.89 minutes Vic

200 metre Straight Line Sprint:-   co-ordinated by Steve Stephens
In the 200 metre straight line sprint event, competitors with similar powered craft paired off and made a frantic dash (from a standing start) between a couple of buoys marking the extremities of the course. Steve Stephens flagged the start of each race, while Steven Odgaard and James Allen determined which craft crossed the finish line first. If the finish was close the pair would race a second time, or even a third time if this was deemed necessary. The winner then paired off with another craft for another sprint, and the losing craft was eliminated from the event. This process continued until only one craft remained.

Results:-
1st Peter Streader - Red Baron HV23 11.63 seconds Vic
2nd Jeremy Ludlow - Black Rhino Tempest 12.50 seconds WA
3rd Paul Moody - Revtech Renegade IQ 12.68 seconds Vic

Annual General Meeting:-   chaired by Peter Streader
The Australian Hovercraft Federation AGM was held in the marshalling marquee on the shores of Lake Coolmunda starting around 4:00 pm. Present at the meeting were the Executive Committee voted in at the last AGM, delegates from each state and a number of members of the various State and Regional branches.


Annual General Meeting held at the Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally
After the minutes from the last AGM were tabled by Steven Odgaard, and the Treasurers Report and Public Officers Report were tabled by Paul Moody, all Office Bearers positions were declared vacant and the new Office Bearers for the Australian Hovercraft Federation for the coming year were determined as follows:-

President Rachael Smithson Vic taking over from Peter Streader who has bowed out of another term due to work commitments
Vice President Ben Woodhead Qld replacing Rachael Smithson
Secretary Steven Odgaard Qld breaking records for hovercraft administration duties
Treasurer Paul Moody Vic continues as Treasurer (as well as AHF Web Master)


President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer

AHF Saturday Night Dinner:-
The local Bennetts buses were used to travel the 13 kilometres between the lake, caravan park and the Inglewood Bowls Club for the AHF Saturday Night Dinner, carrying 51 grateful passengers.

Driver Chris:-
John 'Mendo' Mendham, Larry Franks, Marice Mills, Joy Sligar, Rob Waugh, Lorraine Brighton, Ben Woodhead, Narelle Woodhead, Gowan Woodhead, Calum Woodhead, Dwayne Morgan, Daniel Morgan, Michael Stephenson, Paul Moody, Karl Bowman, Judy Bowman, Stuart Barber, Frank Beamish, Vickie Beamish, Winsome Anderson, Ivan Price, Beth Price, Steven Odgaard, Eugene Zanozin, Robyn Zanozin, Peter Venn, Elaine Venn, Kim Craig, Hayley Allen, James Allen, Steve Stephens, Tim Barker, Claire Barker, Callum Barker, and WiI Barker - 35 passengers.

Driver Dolly Bennett:-
Peter Streader, Jeremy Ludlow, Miranda Ludlow, Jericho Ludlow, Aurora Ludlow, Buck Rogers, Allyson Neave, Tony Westwood, Rodd Westwood, Les Taylor, Michael Parker, Reece Isaac, Cristina Isaac, Frank Reynan, Carmel Reynan, Jackson Reynan - 16 passengers.

By car to Inglewood:-
Rachel Smithson, Abigail Smithson, Aleksandra Smithson, Tony Moretti, Teresa Moretti, Kevin Dixon, Christine Dixon, Michael Girdler, Joan Pagonis - 9 people





Back at the rally Parking Lot:-
Dieter Renisch, Jean Smith, Arthur Stead, Judy Stead, Angus Kerr, Ann Kerr, Lucas Kerr, Jeremy Torrance, Danielle Kerr, Cameron Kerr, Dylan Forrest, Amelia Torrance, Indi Forrest, Hunter Forrest, Dave Brooks, Mick Rutterman, Jayne Weir. 17 people.

Sunday 9th July 2017
The Slalom Run:-   co-ordinated by Les Taylor
The Slalom Run event is a timed event contested by two craft at a time, starting off-cushion behind the start/finish line and on the right-hand side of the starting bouy. After the start signal is given, each craft zig-zags along the line of bouys, around the end bouy, and then zig-zags back down the line of bouys to cross the finish line on the right of the finishing bouy. Penalty points are awarded for jumping the start, touching a bouy and passing on the wrong side of a bouy.

Results:-
1st Rachel Smithson - Turbo 265 HV37 37.14 seconds Vic
2nd Reece Isaac - Turbo 265 HV047 37.45 seconds Vic
3rd Ben Woodhead - Turbo XP 960 ZC359Q 38.33 seconds Qld

Slalom State of Origin:-   co-ordinated by Les Taylor
To facilitate a 'State of Origin' event, no extra or team runs are necessary. All times recorded for the slalom (including penalty time) are aggregated for the participants of each state and then divided by the number of participants from that state. This is then the average time for that state and all states/regions are evenly graded so even a single craft (eg. W.A.) can win.
The ACV slalom 'State of Origin' award trophy was made by Les Taylor:

Results:-
1st New South Wales team averaging 41.6 seconds
2nd Queensland team averaging 44.86 seconds
3rd Victorian team averaging 50.14 seconds

Orienteering Time Trial:-   co-ordinated by Steven Odgaard
Orienteering is an activity that requires navigational skills using a map and a compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed or in a competitive minimal time scenario.
After the briefing, each craft commander must register at the Marshalling marquee where they will receive the first jigsaw piece of the map and a complete map of the lake. This jigsaw piece of the map contains the GPS position for the first control point for this event.

There are four control points at the four extremities of the lake. At each control point there is a glass jar with jigsaw pieces of the map showing the GPS position for the next control point. The jigsaw piece of the map at the last control point shows the GPS position for home base.
After collecting all five pieces of the map, return to the Marshalling marquee and show your completed jig saw map of Lake Coolmunda to the officials and have your total time for the event recorded.
The prizes are awarded for the best times to return with all five segments.

Results:-
1st Michael Stephenson & Kim Allen - Turbo Wedge 240 Baffle 33 minutes Qld
2nd Karl Bowman & Lorraine Brighton - Viper 4X X0458Q 35 minutes Qld
3rd Les Taylor & Michael Parker - Turbo Superwedge 235 40 minutes Qld
 
Others returning with a full 6 piece jigsaw of the map of the lake:
John Mendham & Marice Mills Revtech Renegade 43 minutes NSW
Buck Rogers & Allyson Neave Turbo S/wedge 235 53 minutes Reg
Eugene & Robyn Zanozin Viper 4 Cruiser 54 minutes NSW
Rodd Westwood Revtech Rocket HV80 54 minutes Vic

Hovercraft Thrust Test:-   co-ordinated by Angus Kerr
After each craft returns from the Orienteering Time Trial, there is an option to participate in a Hovercraft Thrust Test conducted by Angus Kerr and his helpers. The purpose of this test is purely to measure how much thrust your craft can safely produce for a short period of time in an effort to compare hovercraft engineering variables.

Results:-
1st Peter Venn - Turbo TP6 30197QE 135.1 kg-force 1325 Newtons Qld
2nd Stuart Barber - Turbo Superwedge HV008   96.0 kg-force   942 Newtons Vic
3rd Reece Isaac - Turbo 265 HV047   91.1 kg-force   894 Newtons Vic





Presentations:-
We were honoured to have the prizes presented by MP Lawrence Springborg, Queensland Member for Southern Downs, Mayor Graeme Scheu, Councillor Lachlan Brennan, (Sport Recreation, Parks, Youth and Education), and CEO Carl Manton, all from the very supportive Goondiwindi Regional Council. These people are setting a good example of how to promote a region to attract tourists and inter-state events like our rally.





Megan Long, the Goondiwindi Regional Council Community Development and Events Coordinator was pivotal in helping to make things happen. Her help and advice is greatly appreciated. We also had plenty of friendly help from Lester and Heidi Dawson of the local 'MacIntyre Gazette' paper, Penny and Debbie from the Inglewood Visitors Centre.

Last but not least, all the help and catering supplied by the Lake Coolmunda Caravan Park owners Troy and Idalia Herbert and their team of helpers. The very popular home-made pizzas coming out of Troy's home-built oven were accompanied by lots of food coming off the gas-fired barbeques nearly as fast as they were eaten by the crowd.





Our own ex radio announcer, Winsome Anderson handled the public address system and conducted interviews with MP Lawrence Springborg who gave a detailed talk about the Southern Downs area, and several other people were also enticed to say a few words.

Novelty Presentations:-
Quietest Hovercraft Tony Moretti Sevtec HV39 $50 Gift Voucher Qld
Best Presented Eugene Zanozin Viper 4 Cruiser $50 Gift Voucher NSW
Wettest craft Stuart Barber Turbo Superwedge Vic
Driest Craft Peter Streader Red Baron Vic
Oldest craft Peter Streader Red Baron Shawls & Knit book Vic
Garden Gnome award Dieter Renisch Turbo Wedge 225 Garden Gnome Qld
Beach Mat award Lucas Kerr Custom Renegade Beach Mat Qld
Longest distance travelled Jeremy Ludlow Award Trophy made by David and Peter Venn WA
The craft that nearly flew Larry Franks UH18 SPW Qld





Teenager and childrens prizes:-   prepared by Elaine Venn and Judy Stead
Boys:-
Jericho Ludlow, Calum Woodhead, Jackson Reynan, Cameron Kerr, Hunter Kerr, James Allen, Daniel Morgan, Gowan Woodhead.

Girls:-
Indy Forrest, Abigail Smithson, Aurora Ludlow, Aleksandra Smithson, Angel de la Cruz, Hayley Allen, Danielle Kerr.

Wrap Up:-
Thanks to all the AHF members who travelled the long distances across Australia for a very enjoyable weekend. Especially Jeremy Ludlow, who crossed the Nullabor 3 times to get here! (First attempt was in the mobile home which spat the dummy near the South Australian border. 2nd trip was by plane back to Perth. 3rd trip was the long drive back toward S.A. in his four wheel drive to pick up the craft and family who were stranded half way to Queensland. Now that is dedication!

I think that just about wraps up another successful AHF National Rally. There were many comments about the suitability of this years facilities and planning is already underway to hold the 2018 Queensland Sporting Hovercraft State Rally here from the 6th to the 9th of July.
Thanks again for lending your support and promoting hovercrafting as a great recreational sport.





Next club cruise:-
The next club cruise will be held on Sunday 13th August 2017 from the Jacobs Well boat ramp.
Meet at 9:00 am at the Jacobs Well boat ramp for a cruise to the Pimpama and Coomera Rivers and across to South Stradbroke Island.

UBD Reference - Map 121 N-3.
Contact for the event is Steven Odgaard on 0400 798 404.

Next Queensland branch meeting:
The next club meeting will be held on Tuesday 15th August 2017 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 D-13.

Anyone with an interest in air cushion vehicles is welcome to attend.
We discuss technical topics and plan cruises.

Regards
Steven Odgaard
QSH secretary



The 2017 Australian National Rally is dedicated to the memory of Sam Waugh who passed away unexpectedly on 10th October 2015 leaving behind his loving partner Lorraine, his son Robert, and their families. Sam was a legend amongst the hovercraft fraternity and is sadly missed by all.

Sam built his first hovercraft in 1988, although he admitted that it wasn't very good and it ended up on the scrap heap. In 1989 he had his first hovercraft race at Gosford in NSW, and his addiction to hovercraft and passion for racing began.

He attended the World Hovercraft Championships in Luçon, France in 1997 taking Robert with him, where Robert took 7th place in his class. At the championships held in Weston Park in England in 2000 Robert took first place becoming the World Hovercraft Champion in his class and later defended his title at Terra Haute in Indiana USA in 2002 when he again came in first. You wouldn’t have found a prouder man than Sam for his son's achievements.

Sam lived life to the fullest and brightened up our world and we will miss his many stories and exploits - like his founding membership of his beloved Ulysses motor bike club - never ceasing to tell us how many AGM's he had attended in various parts of Australia or how he had always abided by the club’s motto of ‘Grow Old Disgracefully’.

Another adventure story that held front around the campfire was his and Lorraine’s 5 month trip around Australia in 2005 towing a caravan and with his hovercraft rigged up on the back of the ute. Who but Sam would break down in his craft on the furthest isolated extremities of Lake Argyle in Western Australia and have to be towed many kilometres back to civilization.

One of the more adventurous and challenging but thoroughly enjoyable hovering events that Sam experienced in recent times was his 2500 kilometre trip up the Murray River in 2012 with his mates Mendo, Arthur and Pete. Mind you this very successful expedition was only possible with the backup of the girls.

One of the sad things in life is that Sam had been hoping for a very similar trip up the Darling River with these same buddies but he was taken from us before his dream was fulfilled.

A Wednesday afternoon ritual for Sam would be to travel along the lake to Mendo's place for their beer tasting sessions - Lorraine says that the hovercraft knew its own way back home as Sam sure didn't by the end of the evening.

If Sam was here with us today he would want us all to have a successful and enjoyable 2017 event so spare a thought for our old mate as you cruise around the lake during The Sam Waugh Memorial Australian National Rally.