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Editor’s note So, finally we will be saying goodbye to the RYA and hello to the British Powerboat Association, our new governing body. Only time will tell if the new organisation can work towards and achieve all the things the RYA failed in. We wish the new organisation well for the coming season and look forward to what new developments take place.
Published by Fast On Water Publications 2018 All articles and photographs are copyright All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission.
Contents
Editor Roy Cooper
Contributors David Parkinson Bob Williams Roy Cooper
Cover photo: Johnson Stinger, Cardiff 1975 From the Charlie Sheppard Archive Photo credit needed.
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David Parkinson
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National Championship Results 1972
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Amsterdam 3 hour 1972
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Paris 6 hour 1972
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Bristol NE boat test
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Windermere Records 1972
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Windermere Grand Prix 1972
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Johnson Evinrude Bruges 1972
Major Figures in Circuit Powerboat Racing David Parkinson In 1978 David Parkinson created the international Canon Trophy powerboat race series for craft with large capacity outboard or stern drive engines. In 1981 this evolved into the FONDA World Grand Prix Series with 2 litre outboards, backed by the drivers’ association and sponsored in the late 1980s by Budweiser. The series in turn became the official UIM F1 series in 1990. Formula 1 drivers including the top Americans…..’
The idea of the first series began in a bar in Paris during the classic 1977 Paris Six Hour race, in the shadow of the Eiffel tower. Parkinson was in PR and one of his clients was Mercury. He had taken a group of journalists to watch the race. Taking a break with Gary Garbrecht, Director of Racing at Mercury Hi Performance, the two of them wondered why there was no major international series for top outboards. Garbrecht said Mercury would back David if he could create a worthwhile series.
Mercury provided engine support at races via engineer Steve West (in a fully equipped support vehicle) and when appropriate, by local Mercury engineers. Also part of the travelling team was FM Television which issued half hour race videos, news packages and magazine features (Trans World Sport and Gillette World Sport Special) to a combined total of more than 100 countries with an estimated global audience of approximately 500 million people. This was in addition to national TV coverage for most races.
Parkinson then visited the organisers of six of the leading European events and they all welcomed the chance to be part of the plan. They were the Bristol Grand Prix, England; Casale Monferrato, Italy; Dramen, Norway; Berlin, Germany; Amsterdam, Holland, and Paris, France. Canon Business Equipment was another of Parkinson’s PR clients and it agreed to support the new venture and give the Canon title to the series. In 1980 Barcelona, Spain and Parker, U.S.A., joined the race venues.
The Canon series had been created without the official knowledge or sanction of the Union International Motonautique, the world governing body of the sport, and initially relationships were rather strained. But with its success, the UIM soon gave the series recognition. Circuit racing was and is his first love but David eventually served on various UIM committees and again Gary Garbrecht was involved. Gary was Chairman of the UIM Offshore Commission responsible for offshore racing world-wide and also for the Class 1 Sub-commission responsible for the big expensive top class of offshore boats. He made Parkinson secretary
Press reaction was favourable. Typically, the prestigious ‘World of Yachting’ yearbook in its comprehensive 1979/80 edition said; ‘…the Canon Trophy was an immediate success….The Canon Series is the only one of its type in the world and hence attracts all 1
for both committees. When Gary retired as Chairman he was followed by another American friend, Mike Jones, the then President of the American Power Boating Association. Mike asked Parkinson to continue as secretary.
the operation appointed Parkinson’s company to handle its European PR. When David retired from running the UIM Formula One series he handed over to Nicolo di San Germano who is still the current F1 promoter. However, he still kept involved with power boating when from1997 to 2000 Motor Boats Monthly commissioned him to use his considerable international contacts within the sport to attend and provide full reports on selected circuit and offshore races on both sides of the Atlantic After more than a decade away from the sport a happy and unexpected pleasure was in December 2012 when Nicolo di san Germano invited David to the final race in Doha in that year’s F1 series, to be enrolled in the UIM F1 Hall of Fame.
At the end of the 1993 series David retired after sixteen years organising and running powerboat race series which had included well over 100 events in 23 different countries. These were as far afield as the U.S.A and Singapore, Russia and South Africa. Drivers from all continents competed and nicknamed the series ‘Parky Tours’. Steve Kerton described the races as: ‘Gatherings of a truly international family of friends off the water but with no favours expected or given on the water at 120 m.p.h.’ Another big boat involvement had been as part of a team organising an unsuccessful attempt on the trans-Atlantic speed record in 1978. This was in a specially designed 36ft boat designed by Don Aranow, powered by four large Mercury engines and sponsored by Citicorp, the huge American finance house. Unfortunately, after battling heavy seas for 40 hours it had to be rescued by an American navy frigate. Don Aronow was America’s leading offshore designer, builder and racer of his generation but was tragically murdered outside one of his Florida factories. The management team taking over
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David with his Formula One family
If you care about the history of circuit powerboat racing and want to see it preserved, then join us and let’s make it happen.
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You can support Fast On Water by becoming a Friend. Friend’s membership is £25.00 per year (26.50 by Paypal or Debit/Credit Card) We are now at the stage where we can begin to approach various organisations and funding bodies with regard to financing the setting up of the raceboat museum.
fastonwater@live.co.uk
We really need your support
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1972 National Race Results
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Windermere Records 1972
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2019 will see the restored John Hill Formula One boat be officially unveiled and it is hoped that Steve Hill will be there to take it out for its inaugural run.
We have been passed various pieces of memorabilia over the last few months. Steve Pinson supplied his original 1968 RYA certificate and Lincolnshire Speedboat Club rule book
We would also like to get the Nordica Seebold back on the water where she belongs, after so long on dry land. She is in amazingly good condition and has needed very little work.
Bob Williams has lent us some great photos of racing at Coombe Cellars (see page 18) and Teignmouth in the 1960s and Brian Kendal kindly donated the Paris and Amsterdam pennants below. We are looking for powerheads, gearboxes and trim pumps for both boats and also a centre section for the John Hill boat. If anyone can help with this it would be much appreciated. Please contact Roy Cooper or Steve Kerton via fastonwater@live.co.uk
If You have any items that relate to the history of circuit powerboat racing, which you would like to pass on, so that it will be preserved for future generations to see, please get in touch by emailing us at fastonwater@live.co.uk We would like to thank all those who continue to support the work we are doing to save the heritage of circuit powerboat racing.
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