The Waitemata Harbour will be the venue for the NZ Offshore Powerboat Final
Auckland will become the City of Power as a fleet of 100mph-plus powerboats roar beneath the Harbour Bridge next Saturday.
The powerful speedsters will be competing in the eighth and final round of the 2010 Rayglass New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Championships and, with titles up for grabs in virtually every division, the racing is sure to be fierce.
Most eyes will be on the "glamour" division, the Superboats, where the battle has become a transtasman one. Current series leader Doosan, crewed by Aucklanders Cary Gleeson and Sam Filmore, are the favourites but they need to finish third or better to be sure of the title.
Their arch-rivals are Australians Pete "Mudguard" McGrath and Steve Nugent in Team 3. Lying just 261 points behind, they will clearly be aiming to take the chequered flag - and will hope Doosan strikes trouble.
It is a reasonable hope: the often-choppy waters under the Harbour Bridge and in the upper harbour are not usually kind to these powerful catamarans. In last year's race, the top Superboat, Profloors, found a "rogue" wave and flipped dramatically - before racing had even begun. She was not the only one; Superboat Lite contender Cat Attack, now class leader NZ Blokes, flipped off Kauri Point and had to be towed to safety.
This year's course is unlikely to be any easier. Racing begins under the harbour bridge with the fleet racing down harbour to a buoy set off the Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf. The racers then turn 180 degrees and head back up harbour to a turn buoy off Birkenhead's Kauri Point. Even with the harbourmaster closing the course to other traffic, the water in this enclosed area is almost certain to be choppy, and possibly quite ugly.
While the race crews may be cursing the conditions, those on shore should be in for an exciting spectacle. There are good vantage points right along the Westhaven breakwater, from Herne Bay in the west to the end of the carpark in the east. Those on the northern shores will also get a good view from under the harbour bridge and from Northcote and Birkenhead wharves.
Both the Superboat and Superboat Lite classes run 160km races (in powerboat racing all measures are still imperial) so there should be between 10 and 15 laps of close racing.
Both classes are capable of speeds over 100 knots (190km/h): the Superboats, which are up to 34ft in length, powered by twin 525hp inboard engines, and the Superboat Lites, up to 28ft in length powered by 600hp worth of twin outboards.
Unlike other forms of motorsport, both on and off the water, offshore powerboats in these top classes are driven by a team of two. The "driver" steers the boat and is constantly looking in the distance for the next mark, while the other (the throttleman) concentrates on powering the boat over each wave.
Action in the Superboat Lite class is also expected to be intense with series leader NZ Blokes, crewed by Bob Smith and Andrew "Flea" Koolen, leading Tony Carson's Red Steel by just two points. Defending champion, Rayglass, crewed by father-and-daughter team Grant and Kelly Smith, are too far back to retain their title but could play a spoiler role.
Although the main race does not get under way until 1pm, the organisers have arranged an action-packed day. At 10.30am, a Big Boat Race has been planned for production boats driven by local boat owners. It begins with a standing start alongside the Hilton Hotel. The race circuit heads under the Harbour Bridge and back to the Hilton before turning back and finishing off at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron.
Boats have to be over 11m and have engines with a minimum of 500hp to enter (entries are apparently still open and those interested can find an entry form on the NZOPA website: www.nzoffshore.co.nz).
With the harbour closed to other traffic and no speed restrictions, this is a rare chance for owners to see how their boats perform against other models.
Following the Big Boat Race, the action shifts to "hot laps", with competitors in the Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Final trying to set a speed record. While much of the attention will naturally focus on the two glamour classes in the 160km race, some of the closest and most exciting racing will take place among the smaller classes, which race over a shorter 97km course.
Of these, the AB Marine Formula Hondas are the most popular. A true one-design class, all entrants are 19ft Sonic boats with identical 150hp Honda outboard motors.
To further even the field, the class numbers all of the propellers and then holds a draw on the morning of the race to allocate each propeller to a particular boat.
In this class, less than 200 points separate the leaders, with Mike Knight and Yael Pook in Honda Marine just ahead of Mike Smith and Matt Hopkins in Rayglass.
Other classes in the 97km race are the Super 60s, the Sports 60s, Sports 60 Restricted and the Classic Class.
Super 60s run single 250-300hp engines and include both contemporary looking boats and the rather odd-looking Batboats.
The Sports 60s run a single engine up to 225hp with the main contestants this year being two Skater boats (which look rather like smaller versions of the Superboat Lites). The Sports 60 restricted runs a single engine up to 200hp.
Classic powerboats are one of the most exciting classes. These restored boats have often raced previously and many are past champions. They are not permitted to have a canopy and are also limited to 80mph.
There is a strong incentive for them to keep the limit, however. A GPS is fitted to each boat to measure its speed on each lap and those that exceed the limit are penalised.
The class has a strong following and this year many are hoping to see veteran speedster Jesse James again take to the water. Built in 1983, she won the American Offshore series in 1984 and 1985, set a world speed record of 101.3mph and was the World Class 2 Champion in 1985. More recently she won the National Open Class in the 2005 NZ Offshore Championship.
WATER WARS
What: Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Final
Where: Waitemata Harbour
When: Saturday, May 8
Start times: Big Boat Race: 10.30am; Main race: 1pm
Entry to pits: Free
Boats on display: From 10am (in the Westhaven Marina carpark by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron)
Best viewing: From Curran St, under the Harbour Bridge, to the carpark by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
More info:
* www.offshore.co.nz
* 88.3 FM (for commentary before and during the race)
Contact Marine editor Mike Rose on (09) 483 8284; 021 735 015 or email: mrpr@xtra.co.nz.
