Boat racing in South Africa

[Steve Pinson]

Again , thank you for the update and also helping me clear the cobwebs of time. I was drafted into the army in 1976 and at the time wished I could have done what Bill did but that is all dirty water under the bridge. I am sure you will agree that he was a super chap and a gent and he could go quickly in a boat. His kit car was called an Eagle and I think the mag wheel partner you speak of was Eddie Keizan , owner of a huge company called Tiger Wheels.

I am really going back now but I do believe that Bill came from a Hydro background? We had a series where a couple of Swede's came to SA and ran 3 pointers with Crecent motors . Our chaps all ran 500cc Konig motors at that stage but those sweet sounding crecent engins were very quick and if memory serves, Bill ran a hydro then.

As an aside , I commented on the boat with the square cowling and noted that it may have been an Abbate. However I think you are right about it being a British boat. I had forgotten all about them but a couple of them were raced here and left behind with new owners. The Abbate of Tulio Del Rey was also left here and looked quite similar.

Bill Badsey was a top driver and I am sure he did come from a hydro background as you said` that's how he knew Chris Appelby another hydro driver from that era.He was also a good team mate to me I can remember at the formula 1 OZ World championship race in 1978 held in the UK we were both lucky to qualify for this event which had 4 heats over 2 days. Bill always ran Cougar boats in Europe which at that time were not the fastest boats around.The OMC crossflow were standard race engines we both used and by this time far from the fastest engines in this race which were factory specials all loopers Mercury and Omc` in the third heat my lower unit failed at the end of the race and we never had a spare` well I was lucky enough to be better placed than Bill so he suggested he would drop out of the last race and I borrowed his lower unit and due to his generosity finished in fifth place overall and first private entry.

[toby]

The little E class boat was called a 'Flying Fox' and the picture of Graham Campbell's Molinari 3 pointer is comming into the ramp at Loch Vaal

[smittythewelder]

Very interesting thread! I wish we could get more such conversations going for racing in other countries around the world (Aussies, Japanese, Swedes, Chinese, South Americans, where are you??!!). From time to time we do get good reports out of Equador on current racing events, not much history. Anyway, Keith, Steve, Toby, would you tell us about the present state of boat racing in the areas (South Africa and Rhodesia) where your old photos were taken?