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Engine blow out halts record shot

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Water speed records were set on the Mersey River on Saturday, but unfortunately the most prestigious of them ended in an expensive mess of broken metal and engine oil. Devonport powerboat racer Chris Palmer was attempting to break both Australian and Australasian records and came agonisingly close before destroying the engine block in his boat Outlaw.

The attempts were witnessed by hundreds of spectators who lined numerous vantage points along the Mersey, waiting patiently for the action to unfold in perfect water conditions, with only a slight breeze. The club's canteen sold out early and NWPB officials said the crowd had been the biggest for an opening day of the powerboat season in more than 30 years, boosted by the interest in the record attempts.

Palmer made two runs in each direction over the flying kilometre course, from Patrick's Bay opposite Horsehead Creek to a turning buoy about 500m north of the Bells Parade weir. On his first run Palmer recorded an average speed of 212.02kmh, just 3kmh below the Australian record for unlimited displacement hulls. However, it did break the Tasmanian record, held by his brother Nigel. Palmer's second run, about an hour later, looked faster on the out leg, but his return literally ended with a bang just 150m short of the finish line, meaning the attempt would not be recognised because an average time over two legs was not achieved.

The engine block, heads and sump on his supercharged Chevrolet engine were extensively damaged, leaving Palmer with an expensive repair bill. But he vowed to have another crack at the record in the next 6-12 months. "To say I'm disappointed is an understatement," Palmer said. "We changed the prop (propeller) for the second run and the engine was working hard - the boat was riding a little better, but it was still not good," he said. "We need to do more work on the hull."

"Even though I broke Nigel's Tasmanian record in the first run, it was disappointing because I was so close to the Australian record - the engine was running strong, but I just couldn't get the boat to do the speed." Palmer said he would prepare more thoroughly before his next speed record attempt. "I ran out of prep time - next time I will do more prep work and go in to it knowing I can get the record," he said. "The budget is also abig part of that and after today it's not going real well." 

23 Nov, 2009 09:02 AM NEW


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