April 2012 by 'Sarah Gill

HOVERCRAFT Light

The official magazine of the

Hovercraft Club of Great Britain www.hovercraft.org.uk

April 2012

The Hov Pod is a 3-seat factory assembled personal leisure cruising hovercraft No kits available, sorry. Commercial craft available.

For further details Web-site www.hovpod.com Email sales@hovpod.com

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www.hovercraft.org.uk

April12 inside

March saw the 2012 AGM come and go, with the racing trophies already decided, it was the time for everyone to make there way to Northampton and throw on their glad rags… And what a great night once again it was!

April normally brings that feeling of dread, that time of the year where we all have a peek in the garage and think ‘maybe its time I started those fibreglass repairs, tune the engine, fix the skirt…’ and generally panic as your some five weeks from taking the trek north to Charlies for the curtain raising first National meeting of the season! Sadly due to extremely bad planning on my part, we probably won’t be in attendance with the impending birth of our second child!!!!

After months of planning, organising and anticipation, we can unveil The Big Lake Extravaganza arrangements!!! Being part of Team Nationwide Fire, I can whole heartedly say, Keith Rhodes has gone to great lengths to firstly acquire the use of the land, and to organise a jam-packed 8 days of events, action and general partying!! Including a National Meeting, a European Meeting, a World Endurance Race and World Record speed attempts…. Along with a cruise event and a treasure hunt, there is something for everyone! Included in this issue: our monthly contact with our friend over the pond, Dave ‘ Hovertrekker’ Reyburn, where Dave keeps us up to date with hovercraft news from America.

Also Tim Stevenson gives us an interesting insight into the world of model hovercraft. Finally Daniel Turnbull introduces you to the birth of Little Scrapper 2!! With plenty of other interesting information stuffed in between, its time for me to zip up and let you read! Final note, please keep your articles coming into us; we are interested in hearing from all club members!!! Get scribbling/typing! Regards Darren

04 Diary

10 Round one

20 Model Hovercraft

05 Chairman’s Desk

11 Round two

22 Bulletin Number 30 Tony M. Drake JP

12 The Big Lake Extravaganza

24 HOVER NEWS

It’s a date

Magnolls Farm

The latest update from our chairman

06 The minutes

44th Annual General Meeting

07 Thank you

Keith Rhodes

Brian J. Russell

17 America

Letters from across the pond

Granville Spedding

08 AGM 2012

Rother Valley

Tim Stevenson

18 Little Scrapper 2 (part 2)

Jo-Anne, Del and the team

Dan Turnbull

Cover Pic: Rear of the year (Bernie Hook) Photo: Jessica Rowland

www.hovercraft.org.uk

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Diary 2011/12 JANUARY 28

Council meeting www.hovercraft.org.uk

FEBRUARY 12

Popham HoverIn www.hovercraft.org.uk

MARCH 10-11

AGM Northamton www.hovercraft.org.uk

APRIL 21

Cullompton College Hovergo Day www.hovercraft.org.uk

APRIL 21-22

Possible race meeting TBA www.hovercraft.org.uk

MAY 5-7

National race meeting Magnolls Farm, Lancs. www.hovercraft.org.uk

MAY 19-20

JUNE 2-4

JULY 27-28

JUNE 5-8

JULY 26-6 AUGUST

JUNE 9-10

AUGUST 11

JUNE 23-24

AUGUST 25-27

JULY 7-8

SEPTEMBER 12-16

JULY 21-22

SEPTEMBER 29-30

National/International race meeting “The Big Lake” - Nottinghamshire www.hovercraft.org.uk Hoverfest at ‘The Big Lake’ and environs, Nottinghamshire www.hovercraft.org.uk EHF Race meeting - ‘The Big Lake’ Nottinghamshire, UK www.hovercraft.org.uk National race meeting Hackett Lakes, Notts www.hovercraft.org.uk National race meeting Claydon, Aylesbury www.hovercraft.org.uk National race meeting Towcester www.hovercraft.org.uk

EHF Race meeting - Prudhomet, France www.hovercraft.org.uk The Irish International Hovercraft Event 2012 www.hovercraft.org.uk Asda Charity Day, Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome www.hovercraft.org.uk National race meeting Gang Warily, Southampton www.hovercraft.org.uk World Championships Saalburb, Germany www.hovercraft.org.uk Possible race meeting TBA www.hovercraft.org.uk

National race meeting Rother Valley, Sheffield www.hovercraft.org.uk

Whilst every attempt is made to keep calender items up to date, some calender items may alter after print or the Editor is not made aware of changes--please check relevant UK or European websites for most up to date calenders. If you know of any changes or updates, or wish an event to be listed, then please contact the Editor at magazine@hovercraft.org.uk

LightHovercraft Published by The hovercraft Club of Great Britain Ltd www.hovercraft.org.uk Editors Darren Clarke Sarah Gill Distribution Roger Allman Tel: 07765 303755 Contributions Last date for contributions is the 20th of a month.

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Printed by ADH printing 2 Boyne Rise Kingsworthy Winchester Hants SO23 7RE Advertising Rates Issues 1 3 Size 1/4 pg £9 £26 1/2 pg £17 £49 Full pg £33 £95

12 £95 £184 £357

Contact the Editor for details at magazine@hovercraft.org.uk

Small adverts are free to HCGB members and run for three issues unless reqested otherwise. The opinions expressed in any item or article in this magazine are those of the contributor. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain Ltd. The entire contents of Light Hovercraft are copyright and permission to reproduce any part must be sought from the Editor. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, we do not accept any responsibility for any inaccuracy.

www.hovercraft.org.uk

The Chairman’s Desk Chapter Eleven, Energise

After a terrific AGM weekend, a huge thank you must go to the organising committee more commonly known as ‘The Meercats’. We had great fun and those who missed it should have been there. Ross, Neil and crew produced an awards presentation that was described by some as similar to the Oscars. The venue was large enough for those who wanted a quiet corner to find one. I was told by some that the business end of the weekend was the quickest on record. It may have been but we still covered all the salient points. There should be a copy of the minutes in this magazine. I was disappointed that we only had one new candidate to stand for a place on the Council. Welcome to Council Carla. According to the constitution, we need a minimum of six members to run the business, so I asked for volunteers to co-opt to achieve this minimum. We had more than required and so this choice will form the first item on the new Council’s agenda. The successful candidate will be notified shortly. As part of the increasing fun element of the club, more hovercraft events that will be non-competitive are being organised. These are recreational/social events that will enable members and families to enjoy the use of a hovercraft and a social gathering afterwards. The Challenge to Youth project is progressing. John Scriven has been promoting it to Scouts and Cadets around the South of London. If you need some printed flyers and information to do this in your area, please contact me. Inviting groups to come along to the Nottingham week at the big lake is an ideal way for them to find out more about hovercraft and the club. Most parts of the ‘Hoverfest’ are falling into place. Russ Hudson and Jon Spedding are researching the River Trent cruise element. The race events are being sorted. The speed trials timing system is being built by Keith and David. The WHF Endurance race has been advertised world-wide. The website booking is available in the club shop area. Welcome to a busy hovercraft year. If you wish to discuss anything, my contact details are at the back of the magazine. Chris

job vacancy

REVISION TEAM FOR THE CLUB’S MAIN PUBLICATION The Club Book “Hovercraft: Constructor’s Guide” first produced by Jeremy Kemp in 1987 has been reprinted regularly and revised twice in 1994 and 2002 is now badly out of date. The Hovercraft Club seeks a “Revision Team” to look at the book and bring it in line with the current state of the art of Hovercraft design and build. It is envisaged that there will be a series of editions dealing with the different aspects of hovercraft design, e.g Hulls, First Principles; Available Engines, Tuning and Adaption; Engine Frame Construction; Skirt Design and Build; Controls; etc. We are seeking one editor and the expertise of members to deal with the various sub-divisions of Hovercraft Construction and Design. Ideally this revision would be completed within the year and available as downloads or printable copies if needed. www.hovercraft.org.uk

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The minutes of the 44th Annual General Meeting of the HCGB Ltd The minutes of the 44th Annual General Meeting of the Hoverclub of Great Britain Ltd held at The Hilton Hotel, Collingtree, Northampton on Saturday 10th March 2012 at 3:00pm. The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. There were eighty eight members present. 44.1 Apologies of Absence Apologies were received from Barry and Charlotte Oakley and Graham Nutt 44.2 Minutes of the 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Hoverclub of Great Britain Ltd. Published in the Annual General Meeting Booklet Proposal of Acceptance: Tony Broad Seconded: Tony Drake. Carried 44.3 Matters Arising There were no matters arising from the Minutes. 44.4 Chairman’s Report. Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. One year ago you elected me to take my place on the Council for the Hover Club of Great Britain. You put your faith in all the Council members doing the best for this club and its members. We are all unpaid volunteers and you are the owners of this club and have the right to vote any of us out of these positions. You also have the right to stand for election to any of these positions. Many years ago Granville Spedding put himself forward and has willingly given his time and effort for the betterment of your hovercraft enjoyment. Chris Barlow has also served for a long time on Council. Both have taken the decision to step down this time and make way for others to put themselves forward. They will both be continuing their non-Council activities. I would like to thank them for all the effort and time they have put in. Roger Morton has put himself forward as Club Secretary and his position should be ratified today. Kevin, Jim and I will continue our work. The last year has seen a good level of alterations and enhancements of the club’s activity. We have a new and vibrant magazine editorial team of Sarah Gill and Darren Clarke who are already hard at work trying to improve on Nick Drew’s record of the last three years. I would like to thank Nick for his great tenure, and both editors for taking on the challenge. Sarah is an excellent role model to the other young club members. John and Maeveen Scotney (aided by Beryl Wiles) have finally passed the shop keys on to its new keepers. Thank you LightHovercraft 06

for your many years of work. Finally you may see some of the events that you attend. This year saw the start of two Hovercraft Challenges. One is targeting the under 16’s and the other for the College students.There have been many trials and tribulations but we must congratulate Conrad Beale and his committee for the progress of the junior one. Les Bran and Ian Richardson have produced a prototype hovercraft and this will be used for the build manual and marketing of the project. Jim Lyne is assembling his team to co-ordinate the senior version. Most of the technical detail and working models are already available to promote it. We are still chasing sponsors / mentors / participants and volunteers to enhance what could be a life changing involvement by young people. By the end of the 26th June last year one exhausted family and friends sat down to an evening meal. The Rhodes family and friends (with some help from the Midlands Branch) had ambitiously laid on a brand new hovercraft weekend for the club. Keith had generously donated some of his company’s time and resources, raised sponsorship, and worked extremely hard to produce the Hackett’s Lake event. There are some maps posted on Facebook which show some of the miles of leaflet posting done by the team. Kevin Foster has been on the end of a telephone most days through the past year. We discuss ideas, problems and solutions for the Hovercraft Club. Most members do not know about the many, many hours of dedication he puts in so others may enjoy hovercraft. We hear little about the smooth running of the Competitions Committee under his chairmanship. He is also the Insurance Officer of the club and negotiates his way through that minefield. This past year has also seen some excellent painstakingly technical and political work by a team lead by Jamie Lewenden, Conrad Beale and Darren Wallace. For the first time the WHF, EHF and HCGB racing construction regulations are nearly running parallel. This move must have been greatly aided by Jamie taking on the huge task of Technical Director for the WHF. Bob Beech has been responsible for the very first hovercraft drive by a large number of members of this club. Over the past year a re-invigorated Bob has lead a recruitment drive to revitalise the flagging membership levels. My efforts to reimburse his fuel expenses are

often thwarted by his apparent financial memory failure. The club now has an overall membership of around 70 people more than this time last year. Retention of members has been high on the website improvement agenda. Chris Barr, Louise Beale and Jon Pert have all been heavily (sometimes frustratingly) involved in the complex nature of creating a more user friendly Hover Club of Great Britain website. Carla Thomas has also put her skills to the task of producing the Hovercraft Challenge websites. This coming year we are going to be busy. The calendar already has plans for 8 rounds of the National Championship, One European Championship meeting, three Hover-ins, three cruises, a weeklong Hoverfest, a WHF Endurance race, a WHF speed trial, and several private events and there is still a trip to Germany for the World Championship to consider. Kevin Foster (Insurance Officer) and Carl Smith (Heath and Safety) will have done sterling work for most of these. All these events take huge dedication from the organisers and they need support. At any of the branch organised events we have hovercraft enthusiasts gather from all over the country. Consideration should be given to providing an area and/or time (paddock open) for non-racing hovercraft to be driven. Driver training and other Hoverin type activity could take place to involve recreational use of all forms of hovercraft. We have several members whose young children would love to drive their cadet craft. We have several members who build stunning operating models. As the Hovercraft Challenges evolve this year there will be a number of hovercraft builders who would want to bring their craft along for senior members to offer their advice. In this age of political correctness, hovercraft minorities should be encouraged. The new shop keepers are Jo Driscoll and her team of Meercat volunteers who will be running the trailer and are creating several plans to develop it. The club should be able to offer a far greater range of products with HCGB logos on them. The ability to buy these products over the website will be created. The trailer will carry a live website link wherever it is operating. Three members who are owners of commercial Hovercraft driving experience companies (Benn Bristow, Marc BradleyUpton and myself are all considering a plan to offer club membership with www.hovercraft.org.uk

a hovercraft experience. Again Carla Thomas will be involved in running the administration of this plan. This could raise considerable club funds to put towards projects such as the Challenges as well as generate new members. The creation of an Instructors Certificate or similar qualification is in process. This will enable suitably competent people to obtain an HCGB qualification that does not require you to take part in a race or cruise event. There are several members who no longer do, or have never done, either, but are highly skilled at hovercraft use and transferring that knowledge. There are plans to update the build manuals that were originally produced many years ago and now need modernising.

44.8 Ballot for Council Members There were three resignations, namely Chris Barlow, Kip McCollum and Granville Spedding. Roger Morton (co-opted during the years as Secretary elect) and Carla Thomas stood for election. They both received the sufficient 50% of votes required, and were duly elected to the Council. Unfortunately Council now had only 5 members, a further co-opted member will be sought to bring the membership of Council to the required number. 44.10 Ballot of Members for Competitions Committee The four members ending their terms of office were re-elected: Jake Cooper, Mike Lambert, Daniel Newton and Carl Smith.

I would like to thank the membership for an extremely interesting year. Proposal of Acceptance: Louise Beale Seconded: Kevin Foster. Carried

44.11 A.O.B 44.11.1New Recreation Committee: Comments received. Basic need for Insurance for Club members. Insurance Officer replied that HCGB Recreation events are covered by the Club Insurance. Benn Bristow mentioned cover available through Basic Boat Liability for recreation outside Club events. Details to be exchanged with the Club Insurance Officer.

44.5 Annual Accounts and Auditors Report. The accounts for the year ending 31st October 2011 show a loss of £2,973 compared to a profit of £5,179 in 2009/2010 and a loss of £2,848 in 2008/2009.

It was suggested a clear aim for the NRC was needed. (Perhaps the RC Constitution needs revision) Perhaps one part of the NRC remit could be to organise non-racing activities at race meeting for members of the public, alongside what Bob Beech already does.

Membership income has decreased from last year. Mail order and shop sales have decreased from last year. The club insurance charge has remained consistent with the previous year. The accumulated fund of the club is around £37,000; of which around £15,000 is required for day-to-day cash flow in running the club. A further £5,000 sits in reserve funds for branches to utilise, with £9,000 in the World Hovercraft Championship 2010 reserve. The Race Series reserve is now £0 due to a loss made this year

It was acknowledged that the public attending meetings or other events need more involvement (hands on) with hovercraft to help enthuse their interest and possible membership.

Financially the projected increased revenue streams from membership, event participation and the shop sales should enable us to maintain and develop this club on a stable footing.

44.5 Re-appointment of Auditors for 2010/2011 financial year. Mr Derek Smart proposed, and Mr Jim Lyne seconded the proposal that the present auditors, McGregors Corporate, 53 Water Street, Birmingham B3 1EP, be appointed for the coming year. Carried.

44.11.2 Holiday Insurance Kevin Foster mentioned that there is a “holiday insurance” available at very reasonable cost for those wishing to use hovercraft for personal use on. Used by Conrad Beale effectively last year. Details from Kevin.

The AGM was a resounding success A very big thank you goes to Jo-Anne and her Meerkats team for the superb organisation which gave us a very happy and successful weekend together, with one of the largest gatherings of members for the Annual Presentation Dinner. Good to see so many to receive their awards. (Read the AGM report elsewhere) But there was also a very unexpected event at the AGM. I was aware that something was on the cards as I came to the end of my time on Council after almost 20 years including time as the Club secretary. But the extent of the tributes left Dorée and me rather awestruck. Dorée received a magnificent flower arrangement, and I had much more than I deserved. A lovely standard Bay Tree full of photos and tributes from appreciative colleagues and friends; a photo album put together by Louise and North West friends (itself a marvellous work of art) and the gift from the Club of honorary life membership. I was really overwhelmed and therefore whatever words I write will never be able adequately to express my thanks for these tokens. It has been a privilege and pleasure to serve the Club in some capacity for 40 years, but as I said in reply at the presentation, the Club has given much more to me, than I could ever give to the Club. Thanks to all for your support and care over these many years. Granville Spedding (still Information and Publications Officer – but all can be done from home!)

44.12 Vote of Thanks A vote of thanks was proposed for the honorary secretary’s work over the past years. Proposed: Bill Baker. Agreed all round. The Secretary brought the meeting to a close at 3.35pm

44.6 Branch and Members Resolutions None received. 44.7 Branch Resolutions None had been received this year

www.hovercraft.org.uk

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AGM 2012 Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that attended the AGM and also to the very long list of people who offered help, support and advice both before and on the day.

A total of 64 surveys were distributed, with 14 completed ones being returned. The main highlights being socialising with friends, the prize giving dinner, Jamie’s tech talk, Wouter’s HoverAid presentation, seeing men in suits and the numbers attending. Things considered needing change included an earlier check-in time, the air conditioning (the hotel have apologised for this and did move us on the Sunday), bar prices and a shorter prize giving. As you can tell it is impossible to please everyone but the vast majority of people seemed to support the efforts made. From the questionnaire feedback the following points where given on a scale of 1 (poor) to 3 (average) to 5 (excellent) :-Booking process 10/14 excellent -Check-in 10/14 excellent -Room 10/14 excellent -Food Quality 6/14 excellent 7/14 good

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-Food Service 7/14 excellent 5/14 good -Bar 2/14 excellent 7/14 good 3/14 average -Overall Value 9/14 excellent 2/14 good 3/14 average With regard to the hotel facilities, the following feedback was given:Did you use the following:-Spa 5/14 yes 8/14 no -Gym 2/14 yes 10/14 no -Restaurant 10/14 yes 3/14 no -Bar 13/14 yes 0/14 no -Location change 2/14 yes 5/14 no Other feedback comments included guitar player and screens make a much better evening, bar /wine prices are too high, HCGB branding on napkin rings and name labels was great, more dance music earlier in evening would be good. The bar prices where discounted in the evening by 15% but this is one thing that is expensive in all hotels. We may be able to negotiate corkage charges and bring your own wine in future. Overall your feedback has been positive and helpful. We are aware of a few problems but would like any other thoughts or comments as to

how things could be improved from you, so we can start the process off for next year. If you would like the opportunity to organise the AGM 2013, with help from us if required, please let us know, or if you are available to help look for a venue or negotiate with your local hotel please let us know accordingly. If you did not attend what would encourage you to come along for the next AGM? Any feedback gratefully accepted Regards Jo-Anne, Del and the team.

Dear members of the HCGB, HoverAid Madagascar is very grateful for the support received from the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain during the “AGM”. Above all we may thank you on behalf of the people we are serving, the population of the remote parts of Madagascar. The gift will be used for flying the hovercraft in the project areas. To reachthe unreachable. The hovercraft really add value to what we do and where we are able to go. Peter van Buuren Country Director Madagascar Greetings, Wouter Castendijk www.hovercraft.org.uk

F1 1st F1 2nd F1 3rd

Dan Turnball Team Nationwide - Tristain Rhodes Team Nationwide - Lee Willars

F1x 1st F1x 2nd F1X 3rd

Team Nationwide Lee Willars JR Racing Team Nationwide - Damian Rhodes

F2 1st F2 2nd F2 3rd

Team Goldney Kevin Eastwood Team Polfrey

F503 1st F503 2nd F503 3rd

Team Drew Team Vortex Team Beale

F3 1st F3 2nd F3 3rd

Venom F3 Racing Tony Broad Francis Morales

F35 1st F35 2nd F35 3rd

Phillip Tattershall Kevin Thomas High Cross Racing

Open F1 1st Open F1 2nd Open F1 3rd

Team Nationwide - Keith Rhodes Team Loopster Team Nationwide - Tristan Rhodes

Open F2 1st Open F2 2nd Open F2 3rd

Section 4 Team Drew Team Polfrey

Open F3 1st Open F3 2nd Open F3 3rd

Storm F3 Racing Team Finch James Limburn

Open F35 1st Open F35 2nd Open F35 3rd

Team Baker Kevin Thomas High Cross Racing

Open Overall 1st Section 4 Open Overall 2nd Team Drew Open Overall 3rd Storm F3 Racing Branch Trophy Best Newcomer Concours D’Elegance Best Race Official Best Driver Geoff Harding Innovation Trophy Sir Christopher Cockrell Cup Martyn Scott Trophy (A Passion for Hovercraft) Chairmans Cup The Hovercraft Noise Reduction Award Drivers Rear of the Year Dutch Award for a Marshall

South Downs Stick Bernie Hook Team Beale Carla Thomas Bernie Hook Bob Beech Rob Trussler

Kevin and Carla Thomas Keith Rhodes

Keith Oakley Bernie Hook Zoe Dellow

www.hovercraft.org.uk

Event - AGM/Presentation Evening Location – Hilton Hotel, J15 M1, Northampton The 10th March 2012 saw Competitors, Marshalls, Council and friends and family of the members of the HCGB descend from all corners of the United Kingdom (and a far, in the case of Wouter!!) to the Hilton Hotel in Northampton. Once again our prestigious event was expertly organised by Jo Driscoll, Del Smart and Team Meerkat, and again they managed to deliver a fantastic evening at a fantastic venue, all angles covered, from the pumping tunes meeting the trophy winners to the club logo on the napkins!!! Welldone Team Meerkat!!!! This being my fourth AGM, I still find it amusing to see my fellow competitors all suited and booted, in there Sunday best and posh frocks, normal attire for most of us are race overalls or orange tops, all of which generally stinking of petrol, resin or itching from fibreglass fibres!!!!! Now to whom won what: - If I covered all the trophy winners here, this would fill the whole magazine!!! So I’m going to pick out a few winners (my apologies to those not mentioned). Starting in no particular order; ex Bearwood Team driver, Phil Tattershall took the F35 overall and Ricky Goosey of Venom F3 Racing taking the F3 Overall trophy. Nick Drew for Team Drew taking a very well deserved F503 overall trophy and the dominant Team Goldney taking yet another F2 overall win. Daniel Turnbull held off the determined challenge of Tristan Rhodes and Darren Wallace to retain his F1 Crown for another year and Lee Willars driving in Team Nationwide colours, took the honours in F1x.The Open races overall Champions were Section 4, which rounded off a great night for Kevin Eastwood, whom collected a total of 4 trophies, well done Kev.

Whilst on racing trophies, a special mention goes out to Bernie Hook, whom won a ‘hat-trick’ of coveted trophies, those being- the Comps Committee decided ‘Best Newcomer’ award, the ‘Best Driver’ award, voted for by his fellow drivers, and the not so PC but highly acclaimed ‘Rear of the Year’ Award voted by the Race Officials. I think I speak on behalf of everyone in congratulating Bernie!! However there was a steward’s enquiry on the ‘Rear of the Year’ award, as some people seemed to think Keith Rhodes dressed in his pink lacy thong at Jakes Place should have edged Bernie…!

The Branch Trophy went to the South Downs Stick, with Team Beale collecting the Concours D’Elegance trophy. The Best Race Official, again voted on the evening, went to a very shocked looking Carla Thomas, with husband Kevin collecting the Martyn Scott Trophy (A passion for Hovercraft). The Sir Christopher Cockerell Cup was presented to Rob Trussler. Rounding off the trophies The Chairmans Cup was presented to Keith Rhodes. Keith Oakley collected the hovercraft noise reduction award, for his continued work in monitoring, maintaining and reducing noise levels. March 2012 also saw the end of an era, The Reverend Granville Spedding decided, after 40 years of continued service, to retire from his position on Council. Granville and his dear wife, Doree joined Club Chairman Chris Daly on stage to be presented with a maple tree, decorated in cards signed by their many friends from the HCGB. Joining them in the presentation was son Jonathon. I am certain you will all join me in thanking Granville for all the considerable time and effort he has put into the HCGB over the last 40 years! However something tells me we haven’t seen the last of him!!! LightHovercraft 09

ROUND ONE MAY 5-7 Magnolls Farm

Magnolls Farm Haslingden Old Road Oswaldtwistle Accrington Lancashire BB5 3RF

PADD O

CAMP

US T A THR T ARE TES

Leave M5 at junction 29 Leave M65 at junction 5, left at exit Third left at next roundabout to School Lane (B6231) Continues over M65 and becomes Duckworth Hall Lane Left at the roundabout into Haslingden Old Road Half a mile on, just before the bridge over the motorway, immediately left (signposted) Follow the road, turn right under the bridge into the farm Through the farm into the camping area

ING A

REA

A mostly land based course with a small lake. This course features undulating terrain with quite steep inclines. A fast flowing course with the notorious ‘Telegraph Pole Hairpin’ to catch out even the most experienced drivers! Public Admission Prices: Adults £3 each Children £1 each Refreshments available on site all day A BBQ is planned for the Sat evening at Magnoll's Farm, it will be a nice big platefull as last year ! £6 a head - no child rate Could you please confirm numbers to Charlie Peach, text or ring 07970190262 or email charliepeach&#64;msn.com

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www.hovercraft.org.uk

ROUND TWO MAY 19-20 Rother Valley

From any direction you need to be heading for junction 31 on the M1 Come off the M1 at junction 31 onto the A57 for 1.5 miles, then turn left onto the A618 and follow the brown signs for Rother Valley Country Park

CAMPING AREA

The second round of the Championship takes us to the Rother Valley Country Park on the outskirts of Sheffield.

Rother Valley Country Park Mansfield Road Wales Bar Sheffield S26 5PQ TH R TE UST ST AR EA

PA DD

This mostly water course with two short sections of land really separates the men from the boys. With high speed straights and sweeping corners craft control is tested to the limit. Entrance gates will close at 8.00pm on Friday evening. Any person looking to arrive later than this time should contact Lee Willars, no later than the 16th May, 2012. Email address willa494@aol.com Visitor Information One payment allows all day admission with the presentation of a valid wrist band.A comprehensive range of Watersports equipment including sailing dinghies, windsurfs, rowing boats, pedal boats, rafting sets, cycles and a variety of different canoes are available, both for hire and for use on courses. Wetsuits and buoyancy aids for all ages and sizes are kept in stock, although you are welcome to use your own if you prefer. For those people requiring a more active form of watersports the southern end of the main lake now provides a Cable Water Ski system! The Rother Valley Golf Centre provides a variety of facilities including a challenging 18 hole course, a par 3, nine hole course suitable for the less experienced, as Owner description: well as a floodlit driving range and clubhouse. Rother Valley Country For visitors interested in cycling Rother Valley offers 6 miles of tracks and Park consists of 750 access roads suitable for bikes, most of it traffic free and ideal for acres of parkland. children. Cycle hire is available from the Watersports Centre and the It includes areas park connects directly with the Trans Pennine Trail, which currently of open water, provides 11 miles of traffic free cycling between Beighton and grassland, woodland as well as footpaths, Chesterfield. bridleways and cycle All of these tracks are also equally suitable for walkers, who also enjoy routes. A haven for the use of a network of public footpaths in the Rother Valley, and link into wildlife, as well as a the wider countryside. centre of excellence for Education, Watersports and other Outdoor Pursuits

www.hovercraft.org.uk

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The Big Lake Extravaganza 2012 2nd to 4th, 7th and 8TH and finally the 9th to 10th June Opposite the National Water Sports Centre, Adbolton Lane, Nottingham, NG12 2 LU RACING STARTS AT AROUND 1.00PM EACH DAY

Public admission Public are welcome to come along as spectators and watch the racing, enjoy the food and drink facilities, the toilets and the bar. Visit the pits during intervals and meet the drivers. You can even have a go on the public time trial rally circuit and see if you can set the fastest time for ADULT or CHILD. See how you match up to the PRO fastest lap times!! Entry fees are just £10.00per car (£5.00 on 7th and 8th) – free parking –free toilets. Drinks, food, ice cream and a bar are all available for you to purchase, or you can bring your own. LightHovercraft 12

Spectators in the public viewing areas Make a day of it bring your own table and chairs even your own BBQ!

Public have a go at hovercrafting

This might end in tears! See the thrills and spills of super fast action racing www.hovercraft.org.uk

FULL RACE PROGRAMME FOR VISITORS – ACTUAL RACING STARTS AROUND 1.00PM EACH RACE DAY AND FINISHES AT AROUND 5.00PM 2nd, 3rd and 4th June Round 3 of the UK national championships. SATURDAY 08:00 Course Inspection (Assigned Officials Only) 08:30 Scrutineering 09:00 Marshals Briefing 09:15 Drivers Briefing 10:00 - Practice Sessions Formula 3/Formula 35 - 15 minutes Formula 2 / 50 - 15 minutes Formula 1 - 15 minutes Novices - 20 minutes Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) - 15 minutes Juniors - 20 minutes PADDOCK OPEN TO PUBLIC 13:10 - First Set of Races Novices Formula 50 Formula 3/Formula 35 Formula 1 Formula 2 Juniors Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) PADDOCK OPEN TO PUBLIC 15:50 - Second Set of Races Novices Formula 50 Formula 3/Formula 35 Formula 1 Formula 2 Juniors Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) SUNDAY & MONDAY 08:30 Marshals Briefing 09:00 Drivers Briefing 09:30 - Practice Sessions Novices 20 minutes Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) - 20 minutes Juniors - 20 minutes PADDOCK OPEN TO PUBLIC 11:30 - First Set of Races Novices Formula 50 Formula 3/Formula 35 Formula 1 Formula 2 Juniors Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) PADDOCK OPEN TO PUBLIC www.hovercraft.org.uk

14:20 - Second Set of Races Novices Formula 50 Formula 3/Formula 35 Formula 1 Formula 2 Juniors Open (F35, F3, F50, F2, F1) 7TH AND 8TH JUNE –WORLD HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION ENDURANCE RACE AND WORLD HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION WORLD RECORD SPEED ATTEMPTS Timetable Day 1Thursday 7th June 8.00 Course inspection 9.00 Marshals briefing 9.15 Drivers briefing 10.00 Practice ER 10.30 Practice ER 10.45 Break 11.15 Time Trials ER 12.00 Speed Trial practice runs untimed 1.30 Heat 1 ER 2.45 Speed Trial timed sessions until 3.30 3.45 Heat 2 ER 5.00 Speed Trial timed sessions until 6.30 Timetable Day 2 Friday 8th June 8.30 Marshals briefing 9.00 Drivers Briefing 9.30 Practice ER 10.00 Practice ER 10.15 Speed Trial practice runs untimed 11.00 Heat 3 ER 12.15 Speed Trial timed sessions until 2.15 2.30 Heat 4 ER 3.30 Speed Trial timed sessions until 6.30 9th and 10th June UK round of the EHF CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday • 07:30 - 10:00 Scrutineering • 09:00 Course Inspection • 10:00 Marshalls briefing • 10:30 Drivers briefing

• 11:00 - 11:30 F1 / F2 / F50 / FS practice • 11:30 - 11:45 Junior Practice • 11:45 - 12:00 Novice Practice • 12:00 12:15 F1 / F2 / F50 / FS Practice • 12:15 - 12:30 Junior Practice • 12:30 - 12:45 Novice practice 12:45 - 13:30 Paddock Open • 13:30 - 15:00 Novice Race Junior Race FS Race F50 Race F2 Race F1 Race 15:00 - 15:30 Paddock open • 15:30 - 17:00 Novice Race Junior Race FS Race F50 Race F2 Race F1 Race Sunday • 09:00 Marshals briefing • 09:30 Drivers briefing • 10:00 - 10:15 F1 / F2 / F50 / FS Practice • 10:15 - 10:30 Junior Practice • 10:30 - 10:45 Novice Practice • 10:45 - 11:00 F1 / F2 / F50 / FS Practice • 11:00 - 11:15 Junior Practice • 11:15 - 11:30 Novice Practice • 11:30 - 12:30 Paddock Open • 12:30 - 14:00 Novice Race Junior Race FS Race F50 Race F2 Race F1 Race 14:00 - 14:30 Paddock Open • 14:30 - 16:00 Novice Race Junior Race FS Race F50 Race F2 Race F1 Race • 16:15 - 16:45 Free play time • 17:00 – Prize Giving

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The social programme for HCGB Members and Hovercraft Club followers Note that the water based events will be hosted by the National Water Sports Centre – just across the road from us. You might want to cycle across to these activities as it’s a very big site! Thursday 31st May - site set up commences arrivals permitted from 12.00 noon Friday 1st June - site and course set up - beer sampling in the evening at the hovverinn

Tuesday 5th June - alternative options day for visitors - At 10.30 – family cycle ride along the river Trent into Nottingham see the famous Trent Bridge, Robin Hood, Nottingham castle and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem including a tour of the caves (£2.50 charity donation) expect to be back at our hoverfest site by about 15.30 - On site hover in during the day – explore the massive site area of over 200 acres

Saturday 2nd June - evening - music and entertainment at the hovverinn Sunday 3rd June - evening - live band at the hovverinn Monday 4th June - evening - QUEENS JUBILEE BEACON EVENT FROM AROUND 7.30 PM - BEACON BONFIRE – ONE OF SOME 2000 BEACONS PLANNED ACROSS THE UK - MASSIVE £10,000 FIREWORK DISPLAY - FOOD AND BEER VENDORS - LIVE MUSIC - HOVERCRAFT DISPLAY AND ON WATER DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF EXPECTED CROWD OF 20,000 LOCAL PEOPLE - FREE ENTRY TO HCGB – MEMBERS BY INVITATION OF THE NATIONAL WATER SPORTS CENTRE

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- Try out your own speed trials on the hovercraft rally circuit and see if you can set the fastest PRO time!

- White water rafting £12.00 takes about 3 mins! All day open to anyone - Water skiing / wake boarding £20.00 2 hour session all day open to anyone - Under 16’s full day discovery (sailing etc ) £30 inc lunch 09.30 to 15.30 In the evening entertainment at the hovverinn Wednesday 6th June - Off site cruise up the River Trent towards the north sea – expect to leave site at 09.00 - On site hover in during the day – explore the massive site area of over 200 acres- open all day - Try out your own speed trials on the hovercraft rally circuit and see if you can set the fastest PRO time! Open all week - White water rafting £12.00 about 3 mins – open all week open to anyone - Water skiing / wake boarding £20.00 2 hour session open all week to anyone - Under 16’s full day discovery (sailing etc ) £30 inc lunch 09.30 to 15.30 - Dads and lads assault course at 6.00pm £17.00 per team about 30mins duration over all teams - Dragon style bell boat racing for under 16’s at around 4 pm. Prebooking is essential for this event

www.hovercraft.org.uk

£8 per entrant we will need 16 or more entries for this to run. Will last for about a hour and a half by the time full briefing etc is done

SATURDAY 8TH JUNE – WORLD HOVERCRAFT SPECIAL BBQ AND LIVE BAND EVENT from 7.30 PM till very late

EVENING DINNER AND LIVE CONCERT AT THE NATIONAL WATER SPORTS CENTRE

We have a specialist BBQ provider who is laying on an evening of treats the like of which you have never tasted before – famous for their product this team lay on events for the rich and famous.

After a long hard day sit back and enjoy freshly cooked cuisine from the restaurant, then relax at the bar and watch the energetic live band THE SCORE- very popular last year at Hackett’s lake and back again to entertain us all. Thursday 7th June - Cider Tasting Evening! After a hard days endurance racing and speed record attempts – join your friends at the hovverinn for an evening of cider tasting and live entertainment

Friday 8th June – EUROPEAN WELCOME BEERFEST NIGHT AT THE HOVVERINN We welcome our guests from across Europe with an evening of continental lagers, special shots and wines. Special deals on unusual tasty beverages from far flung outposts you have never heard of.

http://www.bbqunique.co.uk/ movie.html On stage will be the live band IDLE HANDS a very professional and accomplished top ranking group playing a subtle blend of blues and rock from their own albums along with their rendition of all the great classics – a truly top quality band – don’t miss it.

“Phenomenal vocals… accomplished musicians... Spread the word, British Blues doesn’t get much better than this” Blues Matters Magazine “British Blues Rock at its best” Blues in Britain Magazine The hovverinn will be on hand to provide all your refreshment requirements throughout the evening and night. PREBOOKING IS ESSENTIAL FOR THIS EVENT Sunday 10th June – Unwind –once we have the site more or less tidied up, those who wish to stay overnight for a relaxing post show BBQ – just bring along your own food and drinks and share the ups and downs of the week with Keith and Kristina. Feel the calm still midnight with the moon shining off the water, with a chilled glass of wine in one hand and a 3 day old burger in the other!! THE SITE WILL NEED TO BE VACATED ON MONDAY 11TH

Live entertainment will give the evening a full gala feel

www.hovercraft.org.uk

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SITE, TRAVEL AND LOCAL INFORMATION FOR ALL The site is a restored gravel extraction facility. It has no mains services so we will be bringing in water, power and toilet facilities for public and entrants. There will be a charge for electric hook up per unit (families of up to 6 people). Multiple take offs from one hook up will not be permitted – this temporary supply is a significant cost to provide and we need to try to reach break even by all who use it paying fairly please! The National Water Sports Centre is partnering us on this event. They are providing hotel facilities for us along with use of their showers from the 4th June onwards. Each shower will be charged for. The ground is fair, grassy and level. There are no difficult or abrasive areas for hovercraft to fly over so damage will be limited to how often you crash! Sheep graze on the land but there will be penned in out of our way for the event. Pets are welcome but clean up after them. Sheep chasers are to be kept on leads please (both human and pets!) How to book – most fees will be collected via the HCGB web site – a special event page has been set up for your use. The midweek activities will be paid for as used although we need commitment for some of the features see the booking pages on the HCGB site.

SOME VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL SITE USERS SHOWERS You will have a token for each shower you purchase, you can use the token on any day from 16.30 on Monday 4th June. YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED ACCESS TO THE WATER SPORTS CENTRE CHANING AREAS WITHOUT A TOKEN. There will be children taking part in the centres own activities who may not be accompanied in the changing areas and so security will be tight. Anyone found attempting to enter the changing and shower areas unauthorised may be detained!!!!! YOU HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY WARNED! LightHovercraft 16

SITE SECURITY The landowner will be running the gate and accepting all entrants to the site. The people on the gate will not know who you are and will refuse access to anyone who does not have the correct wrist pass. There will be a minimum entry fee of £10.00 for anyone without a purchased pass from race control (at first entry - a copy of the sales transaction will be needed to get on the site). The entrance gate area will be manned 24 hours and there is no other way on or off the site with vehicles so once on site your property will be relatively safe. Respect the gate staff who have a job to do – it’s for your benefit. Arrivals and departures between 02.00 and 06.00 to be avoided please. HOTELS THE NATIONAL WATER SPORTS CENTRE has 60 bedrooms Single £26 Twin £46 Triple £60.50 Breakfast £7.00 Evening dinner from£6.00 Contact NWSCSALES@ NOTTSCC.GOV.UK WWW. NWSCNOTTS.COM 0044 1159821212 LOCALLY A VERY GOOD HOTEL THE SWANS HOTEL They have put together some packages for your competitors. If they wish to book any of these rates they will need to call or email the hotel directly on 0115 981 4042 or enquiries@swanshotel.co.uk as these rates are exclusively for you and not available online. The weekend 2nd/3rd/4th is slightly more expensive as it is a premium weekend but we have still discounted all the rates for you. The packages offer savings of up to £60 for those staying multiple nights. 2nd/3rd/4th - Hovercraft Rates: Double or Twin Room - (Our Standard rate for this weekend is £75) 1 Night - £65 (Saving £10) 2 Nights - £130 (Saving £20) 3 Nights - £180 (Saving £45) 5th/6th/7th/8th /9th /10th/ – Hovercraft Rates: Double or Twin Room - (Our Standard rate for this week is £65) 1 Night - £60 (Saving £5) 2 Nights - £110 (Saving £20) 3 Nights - £150 (Saving £45)

4 Nights - £200 (Saving £60) All rates are per room and include free breakfast, free parking & free Wi-Fi. Rooms for the 2nd/3rd/4th may fill up fast due to the rowing event on the same weekend so I would encourage people to book early. Rooms for the 5th/6th/7th/8th I anticipate will not fill up until closer to the date, however early booking is always advisable. If there is anything else you require please call us at the hotel and ask for Colin the manager. Swans Hotel T: 0115 9814042 E: enquiries@swanshotel.co.uk W: www.SwansHotel.co.uk OTHER LOCAL AMENITIES Local shops are within 1 mile easily reached by cycle and car and not on main routes. West Bridgford is 2 miles away and has plenty of pubs, restaurants and Nottingham is also only 2.5 miles away and has a very cosmopolitan variety of everything you could need from over 50 nightclubs to 3 casinos, 2 massive shopping centres and a major regional hospital to help you if you try to visit too many pubs! TRAVELLING TO THE SITE From the south or south east - M1 junction 21A to A46 then A606 toward Nottingham - OR A1 Northbound to A52 Nottingham FROM THE NORTH OR NORTH EAST - M1 J26 and just go straight through town centre - Don’t bother with the outer ring road - From the centre follow signs A60 SOUTH and look for National Water Sports Centre Crown signs - They are all over the place - A1 -TAKE A614 Nottingham at Worksop then A6097 at Blidworth to A46 Bingham onto A52 towards Nottingham FROM THE WEST ANY Direction which avoids the A453 between the M1 and Nottingham is good! Try to head towards Leicester and pick up the A46 - OR get onto the A52 between derby and Nottingham and go ring road south - signs for A52 Grantham www.hovercraft.org.uk

Letters from across the pond...

Well not much hovering going on around here this month! This is usually the season where we’re waiting for the temps to warm up and the rain to go away so we can start cruising again. However with summer like weather here already in Mid March, I’m caught off guard. My winter project to re-engine my Neoteric started in November and is still dragging along slowly. A few more weeks maybe?? I love working on the hovers but I’d much rather be out on a river enjoying them.

Of course the other thing on my mind now is the upcoming race season. I’m an avid racer, but more recently became a race event organizer. Last year we found the perfect place for hovercraft racing and had a great inaugural event there, and were looking forward to another great race season there, but how quickly things can change!! I recently found out the land had been sold in a Sherriff sale to the bank that owned the mortgage. Apparently the landlord had decided to make a career out of losing his fortune and embroiling himself in lawsuits for doing little things like fraud, not making payments on loans, cheating, lying, etc, etc. Just another reminder of what happens when wealthy people do bad things with their money. It affects everyone around them. So it’s back to the hunt for new race venues again. It seems like we do this every year. Our goal is to have 4 race events, but we’ll settle for 2 or 3 if that’s all we can find. A far cry from the HCGB race program perhaps, but we’ll get there. Having tried to make a go of racing with a 15 year old design and a 20 year old design, I was doing ok, but the equipment was always breaking down, was too heavy to be competitive, required too much maintenance, etc. (I know - excuses, excuses). When I was at the last World Championships I remember listening to two F1 drivers discussing what it takes to win a championship. “Well you’ve got to have the right equipment, but you’ve also got to have the right driver too” he said. That’s it! I thought to myself, I need new equipment because it couldn’t be the driver!! So time to get something newer! I’ve decided to import two new (and competitive) race craft kits from the UK. And after several months of building, but they should finally start making their way across the pond in a www.hovercraft.org.uk

few weeks via ocean freight. In the mean time I’ve had to navigate the minefield of ocean shipping, and freight forwarding companies, and come to grips with terms like, FCL vs. LCL, Harmonized tariff codes, Bunker Adjustment Factor…. What????????? And hopefully I’ll have at least 2 weeks to put an engine in and sew a set of segments before the first race on May 5. Isn’t that how it’s usually done?

So from racing to event organizing, oh yes, and trying to grow the Hoverclub and keep members happy. I wear a few different hats in this club. This month I’ve had two members threaten me and the other Directors on the Board with quitting the club, simply because something happened which caused a perceived insult, so smoothing things over with one caused the other to be upset because they can’t get along. I’m thinking we may have to add the official title of “Club Babysitter”, although I don’t really want that job. Hmmmmm…. Does that happen over there (on the other side of the pond)? Hey if you’d like to keep in touch, my email is dreyburn@bnin.net and I can also be found wasting valuable time on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DavidFReyburn Cheers, Dave Reyburn aka “HoverTrekker”.

(from left to right) Travis Reyburn, Dave Reyburn, Susie Lemieux (my sister) and long time family friend Sheelagh Leslie.

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Little Scrapper 2. Pt2 bringing it all together As previously stated the intent of this project is to build a new craft as a replacement for ‘Little Scrapper’ to be made available for new members to get their first taste of racing. The first stage was the cannibalisation of Jake Cooper’s original 447 powered Eagle at the race meeting in September, The retrieval of the craft from the high platform in one of the barns commenced once we had finished putting the racecourse up, and involved quad, trailer, JCB fitted with 9ft fork legs, and half a dozen helpers. Once lowered to the ground and transported to the paddock I spent the rest of the day taking off and cleaning all of the components that would make the beginnings of a new craft, leaving the hull and duct complete with guard, rudder, handlebars and skirt as an exhibit that now adorns the entrance to the main field. Engine, frame, exhaust and steering cable plus accessories will be recycled and reused and were given a quick clean before the lighter objects were placed in my garage loft. The engine and mounting frame being too heavy to lift into the loft are tucked up under a dust sheet having had all exposed orifices blocked with rags and will be stripped down and cleaned before finally being installed in the new hull towards the end of the project.

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Whilst in the loft I retrieved my moulds for the straightner vanes I first used in 1991 in my TZR powered F3. Both the moulds and the model for the moulds will be used to form the single skin vanes in the new duct, and will be mounted to a reduced diameter version of our 12 blade centre body later in the project. The hull and duct had been laminated by Les Bran using the moulds loaned by Dave Polfrey. The plan was to collect hull mouldings and duct from Les’s workshop nr Banbury in October en route to the branch liaison meeting, but as the meeting was cancelled I set off at a more sociable time and took the kids as well for a bit of a family day out. As we drew up to the workshop we were greeted by Les, his cat and a welcome cup of tea. After a bit of a chat the hull and duct was secured to the trailer, although the presence of a second duct intended for Andy Collins meant that both ducts had to be lashed to the hull as they wouldn’t fit in the car. With some resin and hardener also loaded we bade Les and his cat farewell and travelled carefully to Jake’s to leave the extra duct there for Andy, keeping a keen eye on the precarious load in the rear view mirror. Nothing came loose en-route and we arrived at Jake’s to find Andy already there. We unloaded the extra duct, which unfortunately also

needed to be lashed to Andy’s trailer with his new ‘outlaw’ floor and top deck which he was collecting from Jake’s barn, whereas ours would now fit in the boot. The trip home could be made at a quicker pace and the hull and duct safely delivered home and loaded into the garage for the next stage. Once home I found a round disc of the correct diameter and banged in into the duct to force it round. I’ve tried a number of methods of keeping the duct round once in the hull, all rely on adding material to deepen the outer section of the duct increasing the stiffness of the inner skin. In this case I used foam pipe lagging slit into two semi circular sections and stuck to the outer surface of the duct by glue gun at the approx position where the fan will be running. Roughing up the duct surface either side of the foam with sand paper, and degreasing with acetone allows the first layer of chopped strand matt to bond to the duct. This was followed by a layer of 600g/m2 woven roving which soaks up any excess resin from the first layer and adds strength to the duct and stiffening rib. Whilst still wet a final layer of CSM was added and worked with brush, and vaned roller used to consolidate the laminate. With duct now round attention turned to preparing the hull for assembly. An 8x4ft sheet of 4 inch polystyrene foam www.hovercraft.org.uk

sheet was acquired from the local builder’s merchant for the princely sum of £15 and drew some interesting looks as it was transported back to the garage on the roof of the car. Positioning the top deck upside down the polystyrene was cut using a std wood saw and then shaped with an old bread knife and surform file to fit snugly between the top deck and planing surfaces. By the time this was complete it looked as if the first snowfall of winter had occurred indoors and only a third of the original sheet was left for other projects, there is no way this craft will sink. The polystyrene was then secured around the cockpit with 10mm parcel strapping tensioned by cable ties and then glued in place with aerosol expanding foam. At last the planing surfaces could be offered up and shaped to fit around the underside of the cockpit. This was easier said than done and needed a few iterations to get the shape right using an angle grinder with a cutting disc before a good fit and a smooth profile to the underside of the top deck could be achieved. The underside of the top deck and the lower section of the planing surfaces were then sanded back to bare glass using the angle grinder this time driving a flapper sanding disc, resulting the second snowfall of the season. Removing the plentiful quantities of dust generated with a dust pan and brush, the old hoover and finally acetone soaked rag then allowed the lower section of the planing surfaces to be attached to the underside of the top deck www.hovercraft.org.uk

by 3” wide pre-wetted CSM strips. Once hardened these form a seamless connection between the two mouldings and allow the next few layers to be built up without fear of relative movement. Before the floor was laminated another strip of pipe lagging was glue gunned down the middle of the centre tunnel to provide another stiffening rib for the cockpit and then the industrial scale fibre glassing was started as a layer of CSM followed by 550g/m2 glass and carbon cloth was applied with roller and bucket of resin. The main joints and wear surfaces were re-enforced with a few layers of Kevlar making sure that layers were built up from the back to the front of the hull so that any joints face rearwards and are unlikely to catch and tear off during operation. A couple of hours, a few blisters and a crick in my back later and the hull is now ready to be turned over and the edge strip applied. But that’s for another time, meanwhile I’m off for a hot bath to contemplate the next stage and where to source the outstanding bits still required to make this a working hovercraft.

Top deck and planing surface, seat and duct, Engine and frame in the background. Looks nearly finished but in truth is barely started.

Duct, with disc fitted to keep it round whilst the insulation is attached and then glassed over to form a stiffening rib.

Polystyrene buoyancy fitted to the upturned top deck before being strapped and foamed into place.

Thanks to everyone for offers of help or bits provided so far and particular thanks to Jake and Les for supporting this stage of the build.

Floor fitted and glassed to the upturned top deck. Kevlar to provide abrasion resistance at likely contact points.

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An introduction to Model Hovercraft I have been lucky enough to see HCGB members racing round at high speeds in performance craft and it’s very impressive. It is easy to forget that for as long as there has been hovercraft there has been model hovercraft. The development of the early sea-going hovercraft such as the SRN1 would not have been possible without testing the theory through the use of models. These days, with the advent of CAD and computer modelling, the need for development models is gone, so now we make them for the fun of it. So you’re looking to get into model hovercrafts? There are a number of sources of information around to help you get started. The first one to mention is the Model Hovercraft Association (www.modelhover.org) of which I am a member, and which was formed in 2004 to bring some organisation to the world of model hovercraft and to promote development and education; up to that point it had been supported only by isolated pockets of individuals. We have lots of knowledge in the club and are always willing to help. Other sources of information can be found both online and via a few publications. For instance, Mark Porter’s website offers free plans to build a 1/10 scale Griffon 2000 hovercraft (http://modelhovercraft.com/2000tdx/2000tdx.html). The model is built from thin birch ply on a balsawood framework and is a great start to model hovercraft. Any good local model shop will have all the supplies you will need to build the model. If you can’t find any local shops then a quick Google search should get you what you need. Below is a photo of my Griffon 2000 SABVABAA on the snow in the recent cold weather.

Model hovercraft normally use bag skirts for ease of construction. The wear is nothing like the same as for full size crafts, so they will last a long time. Making the skirt can put some people off, but a LightHovercraft 20

pre- stitched skirt can be bought for the above model from a manufacturer of model hovercraft kits, Palaform, so you just need to stick it on. If you don’t fancy scratch building a model, then how about a kit? Examples of two kit producers include Palaform (http://www.modelhovercraft. co.uk/) based in the UK, and Flexitech (http:// www.hovercraftmodels.com/) in the US (but will ship to Europe). I have got three Palaform kits and all are great; nice and easy to put together and perform well. All are single motor/engine design familiar to anyone used to racing craft, so this saves on the cost and complexit of the model. Palaform do an option for an IC model for all you petrol heads, but be aware there are often restrictions on where you can use these due to the noise and pollution. IC Gemini from Palaform Flexitech (otherwise known as Hovercraftmodels.com) sell a wide range of kits as well as supporting information. They do a nice range of scale craft that perform well.

If you really want to get into scale models, then you can scratch build a model of something like a SRN5 or 6. Plans or brochures from many manufacturers of the past are available from the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-Solent, but it may be difficult to obtain detailed information for current commercial craft such as the AP1/88 as used by Hover Travel. One of the leading lights in model hovercraft is Mark Porter; he has designed and built many models, both scale and none, since the 1980s. His website gives much useful information and plans for models, as well as showcasing his extensive model collection. No matter which of the following options you choose, you will need to control your model unless you fancy running after it. The latest thing in the model world is the 2.4 Ghz system. This clever digital control system rules out any chance of frequency clashes with other model operators around you, as was a common hazard with the traditional FM based radios. A simple radio transmitter and receiver set can be bought for www.hovercraft.org.uk

to work very well for most applications. There are no wing type fans available at the typical scales involved for model hovercraft, so if you are used to seeing these on racing and other full size craft, get used to not seeing them on models!

about £50, with more advanced sets costing well over £150. This may seem expensive, but it’s a one off cost as you can use it for as many other models as you like. As I have said there are problems operating IC models in some areas, so a better option is to use electric power. Modern battery technology is improving now with the use of lithium polymer or LiPo batteries, which are lighter than the traditional nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride style batteries common only five years ago. These provide a high power discharge but require using a special LiPo charger. Most modern chargers will have the right setting for charging these types of batteries as well as the older NiMH types, and the instructions that come with the charger will tell you how to do this. In terms of the power unit for electric model hovercraft, the motor of choice these days is the brushless out runner. This type of motor benefits from having no commutators, which means they have less internal friction than a traditional DC motor and are therefore more efficient. In addition, with the use of strong neodym magnets, these motors can be surprisingly powerful. However, in order to use brushless motors, you need to use some fancy electronics to control them. Up to a few years ago, the brushless speed controllers were expensive. Thanks largely to Chinese imports; the cost of both motors and controllers has plummeted so that they are now the standard for all types of radio controlled models including hovercraft. The motor will typically drive one or two fans, which at model scale are normally standard aeroplane propellers for their ease of availability and of their adapters/ fittings. Some modellers have gone to the trouble of manufacturing their own centrifugal fans for larger models, but model propellers tends www.hovercraft.org.uk

The final consideration for model hovercraft is where to run them. It is often easiest to start out by joining a local model boat club that has an agreement to use a lake for boats, but make sure they are open to the idea of hovercraft – not all clubs welcome them with open arms. The MHA provides a Google Map showing locations of boating lakes around the country which can help identify a suitable venue. Apart from these options, check out if there are any water sports lakes nearby that wouldn’t mind sharing their space with a model. If you do choose to run on water on your own, it is as well to have a rescue boat handy – a toy tug boat is ideal – just in case you run out of puff at the crucial moment. If you intend to run on saltwater (e.g. a lagoon or harbour), do make sure all your electronics and batteries are properly waterproofed as many of the components will not suffer a dunk in the brine. On the other hand, being multi surface vehicles, you don’t need to run them on water of course. However, at most typical scales, model hovercraft do not run well on grass, so your only other option is asphalt. If you are wily, you can usually seek out a municipal or supermarket car park that is accessible when the shops are shut and thus essentially car free, but it is best to check with the owner/ council first. On the subject of operating your model, you will need some insurance. Most model boat clubs will have this for the lake they use, but the Model Hovercraft Association’s insurance covers you for use anywhere in the UK whether with us at one of our events or on your own somewhere. Insurance is covered in our membership fees. Finally, it is always worth joining a club of like-minded individuals who can share their experience and knowledge, and the Model Hovercraft Association is probably the best place to start. Insurance is covered in our membership fees. Joining is easy – visit their website (www. modelhover.org) to find out more and to download a membership form – and this year the subscription is on special offer, so there’s never been a better time to join. Written by Tim Stevenson

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Bulletin Number 30 WORLD HOVERCRAFT FEDERATION EVENTS 2012

March 2012

I am pleased to send you this short Bulletin in which you will find details of the forthcoming World Hovercraft Federation Speed Trials and Endurance Racing which will take place in Great Britain in June this year followed by the World Hovercraft Championship 2012 BGS Sport Event in Germany in September. The World Hovercraft Federation Speed Trials and Endurance Racing are part of a week long â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hovercraft Extravaganzaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which will include among other activities a Hoverclub of Great Britain (HCGB) National Championship round and a European Hovercraft Federation race meeting. These WHF events will compliment the WHF World Hovercraft Championships which will follow in Germany in September. The World Hovercraft Championship 2012 BGS Sport Event speaks for itself! All in all a very exciting year ahead and I hope to see you at one or both of these events. Kind regards,

Tony M. Drake JP. President of the World Hovercraft Federation. P.S. As usual this Bulletin will be circulated to as many people as possible but please pass it on to anyone who you think may be interested.

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www.hovercraft.org.uk

Hovercraft Extravaganza ~ Great Britain The Hovercraft Club of Great Britain is pleased to announce that they have now put all the details for this event on their web site. They are calling it ‘The Big Lake Extravaganza’. All the details can be found at www. hovercraftraceevents.co.uk . There are links from this to their registration pages but if you wish www.ekmpowershop12.com/ekmps/shops/ hovercraft/the-big-lake-extravaganza---2-10-june-2012-72-c.asp will take you straight there. If you have any further enquiries about this event please do contact Keith Rhodes from the HCGB at karhodes@ btinternet.com who will be pleased to help. World Hovercraft Championship 2012 BGS Sport Event As previously reported the 2012 WHC World Championships will take place at Saalburg, Germany, from the 12th to the 16th of September. They will be called World Hovercraft Championship 2012 BGS Sport Event to acknowledge their German sponsors. You can now make your reservations at http://www.hovercraft-wm2012.de/en/registrationform-drivers-and-officials.html If you have any further enquiries about this event please do contact Susanne Bösche at s.boesche@bgs-event.de who will be pleased to help. News ~ The Hovercraft Club of Great Britain’s youth development project The Hovercraft Club of Great Britain is embarking on an exciting project to reinvigorate their popular Formula Junior. We attach a leaflet they have prepared for this purpose which is being circulated very widely in Great Britain. The WHF would urge you to consider something of this nature in your country ~ after all, the youth drivers are our future. We are sure that the HCGB would be very pleased to offer you any advice should you need it. It is hoped that in the fullness of time the HCGB scheme could be expanded into Europe and ultimately across the world. And finally we will continue to circulate all our communications as widely as possible and always to your Countries Delegates. For your information our Member Country Delegates are: Australia (2) Belgium (2) Canada (2) Denmark (1) France (2) Germany (2) Great Britain (2) Indonesia (1) Ireland (2) Italy (2) Japan (1) Japan (1) Lebanon (1) Mauritius (1) Netherlands (2) Norway (1) Poland (2) Portugal (1) Slovakia (2) Slovenia (0) South Africa (1) Sweden (2) Turkey (0) USA (2)

Peter Streader Jos Vanderhoven Ross Wease Uffe Andersen Denis Ragot Michael Rausch Chris Barlow Soegiarto Soejatono David Ryan Michele Scanavino Kazutoyo Matsuda Japan Hovercraft Ass. Houssam Chamseddine Siegi Scherrer Christel Martens Ornulf Ostbye Jakub Furmanski Mario Gonzaga Ribeira Jaroslav Balaz Alex Muha Francois Malan Magnus Ivanoff Tayfun Sert Kent Gano

peter.streader@thomson.net Jos,Vanderhoven@gmail.com rwease@gmail.com uffeandersen@hovercraftclub.dk rpm@wanadoo.fr rausch@luftkissen.de chrisbarlow@vfast.co.uk soejatono@yahoo.com hoverireland@yahoo.ie mikiscanavino@libero.it matsuda7@mb.infoweb.ne.jp jhover@hovercraft.or.jp calaw@cyberia.net.lb hovercraft@intnet.mu martens.hovercraft.nl@wxs.nl hovercraftunion@bluezone.no biuro@pudoszkowce.pl fpm@fpmmotonautica.org info@vznasadla.com info@hovercraft-club.si f.malan@hotmail.com magnus@hovercraft.se tayfun@tic.at kentgano@bellsouth.net

(*) number of votes each country has. Please inform our Secretary, Christel Martens, if your country has made any changes. Franciscusstraat 41 6681 VP Bemmel The Netherlands Tel: +31 481-450471 worldhovercraftfederation@planet.nl www.hovercraft.org.uk

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HOVER NEWS by Brian J. Russell B Sc (Hons) MRINA Project Involving New Design of LCACs is Started The project is based around Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) ships, which will join the three Maritime Pre-positioning Force (MPF) squadrons that are strategically located around the world, to enable rapid response in a crisis. It is a new way of operating which allows pre-positioning of ships to offload equipment and supplies to the MLP for trans-shipment to shore by other vessels. Authorisation for the start of building the first MLP was given by the US Navy in June 2011. This was after a production readiness review and a statement to Congress that the design of the MLP was more than 85% complete. A contract for US$115 million was awarded to General Dynamics NASSCO, for long lead material and for advanced design efforts.

The MLP Will Become an Important Part of the Maritime Pre-positioning Force The keel laying of the first MLP was at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard in January of this year and delivery is scheduled for May 2013. The ships are 223m long, the first being named Montford Point. The platform will use float-on/float-off techniques and add-on modules will support a vehicle staging area, port side ramp, large mooring fenders and up to three LCACs. Additional future roles include medical, command and control and mission planning. Additional equipment might include a vehicle transfer system, a connected replenishment system, a container handling crane and an aviation operating spot.

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MLP Construction Underway Earlier in 2011, the US Navy successfully completed an at sea exercise to demonstrate the transfer of vehicles from a ‘surrogate’ MLP and a larger Medium Speed Roll-on/Roll-off (LMSR) ship. The test was part of a risk reduction effort for thr MLP and demonstrated a self-deploying ramp system installed on the surrogate MLP, Mighty Servant 3, and a new self-deploying port side platform installed on the LMSR USNS Serdeman. Personnel and vehicles were successfully transferred between the ships in high sea state three and low sea state four, during days of testing in the Gulf of Mexico. Vehicles transferred included High Mobility Multipurpose Vehicles with and without trailers, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements, Logistic vehicle System wreckers, Amphibious Assault Vehicles, MSS tank recovery vehicles and M1A1 Main Battle Tanks. LCAC Replacement The first quarter of this year will see an announcement of the winner of the Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) replacement, the Ship-to-Shore Connector. Textron/L3, MMC/Boeing and VT Halter Marine/Raytheon are competing to provide a vehicle similar in size and concept to the existing LCACs, to operate from the MLPs. The requirement is for a total of 72 vehicles, with the initial order being for nine.

www.hovercraft.org.uk

Crafts 4 sale

447 Moto Racing Craft Brand new Moto hull fitted with a brand new 447 engine, the hull is orange and metallic sliver. Complete with engine manuals. Brand new skirt fitted Ready to jump into start of season and GO!! Perfect for all the family, race in every formula apart from F1. Great value for money. Grab a bargain at £3750 F3 Venom Racing Craft (No. 131) Two time national champion winning craft, Fitted with highly tuned TZR 250 engine. This is a venom hull with red and white strips. This will be fully rebuilt from last season with a brand new bottom floor. Brand new set of skirts fitted. £4000 F3 Meteor Racing Craft Fully recondition hovercraft currently being carried out, available in any colour that the customer would like, integrated hull fitted with standard TZR 250 engine. Brand new set of skirts fitted. This can be built to any spec wanted. Price depends on spec wanted. From £1700 upwards Call Ricky Goosey: 07875335702

local branches

most of the local branches meet regularly, normally in a pub, to sit around and chat hovercraft or organise an upcoming meeting or event. feel free to contact them and they will be more than happy to welcome you along to the meetings.