oulton broad powerboat racing history

• Search forums
• Motor Boat Forum

Club on the Park - the history of motorboat racing at Oulton Broad

• Thread starter MGW
• Start date 5 Sep 2012

This book - originally published by the Lowestoft & Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club in 1985 - it has seen a major revision and now features over 200 photographs. Produced in a larger format, it chronicles the 100-year history of motor boat racing on Oulton Broad, from the first steam launch race in August 1903 and the formation of the original motor boat club in 1933. New chapters are devoted to the pre-war influence of Brooke Marine and the enthusiastic support of Daily Mirror director Guy Bartholomew and the American Treglown family. The story continues throughout the post-war era, which saw huge fields of inboard and outboard hydroplanes, and the popular sports runabout's of the 1960's. Their demise resulted from the introduction of the twin-hulled catamaran which would revolutionise powerboat racing leading to the formation of the factory 'works' teams led by East Anglian's Tom Percival and Bob Spalding. This 114-page book concludes with the successful organising of world and european championships on the Broad, plus a 11-page appendix listing the achievements of LOBMBC race competitors at both national and international level.  

Members online

• Irish Rover

Share this page

• CPA British Championship
• Test Sessions
• Records Week
• 2024 ROUND 1 – LOBMBC
• 2024 ROUND 2 – SWSC
• 2023 ROUND 1 – LPRC
• 2023 ROUND 2 – LOBMBC
• 2023 ROUND 3 – SWSC
• 2023 SPRINTS
• 2024 STANDINGS
• 2023 STANDINGS
• 2022 STANDINGS

CIRCUIT POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION

Lowestoft & oulton broad motor boat racing club.

The inaugural motorboat race meeting was held during Oulton Broad Regatta Week on Thursday 20th August 1903 as part of the sailing programme organised by the The Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club, under the auspices of the Norfolk Automobile & Launch Club. This was the third race meeting to be held in East Anglia, the two previous having been held during the Wroxham Broad Regatta. Six motorised launches competed in the single heat handicap race which was won by the steam launch Monarch driven by Mr. T. Jary.

In the same time a proposed offshore race off Lowestoft was cancelled due to rough conditions, but it eventually took place the following year. In 1905 this event was moved inshore to Oulton Broad and organised by the British Motor Boat Club. This first meeting entirely devoted to motorboats was won by Mr. F. Shepherd in his 19ft launch Betty powered by a 20hp Brooke inboard who took home the W. Brooke & Co. Trophy.

All racing was terminated on the outbreak of WW1, and it was not until September 1929 that offshore racing was resumed at Lowestoft with the first running of the Daily Mirror Trophy, but due to rough conditions the event was postponed for several years.

The Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club was founded in 1933 by local dentist Charlie Nichols and organised its first race meeting in September of that year. The Mirror newspaper was again persuaded to sponsor the trophy with a £100 first prize, and it was transferred to Oulton Broad in 1936. The starting gun was fired 4000 miles away in the USA from outside his boathouse by world water speed record holder Gar Wood, the sound being transmitted by transatlantic telephone. The winner was George Treglown in his 250cc Johnson powered hydroplane Black Magic. The American Treglown family, who lived on the edge of the Broad, were prominent pre-war racers and members of the first British team to compete in overseas outboard events in Europe and the USA during the late 1930’s. Edward Treglown also organised speed record attempts on the New Cut at Haddiscoe, setting a national 350cc B class record of 37.07 mph. In 1937 the Club organised its first international race which attracted a 3-boat team from Germany for the Daily Mirror Trophy. For the 6pentrance fee a crowd of 10,000 saw a fantastic speed of 32.23 mph reached by the winner Geoff Holt, a member of the Lancashire Club, who beat 23 entrants heats driving the 350cc Johnson powered Jeep.

Around 1948 one of the best known craft of the local racing scene appeared on the Broad Toby Suttons Lycoming powered Whisso-Bang. Her fame spread far and wide attracting visitors en-masse to the park. Whisso was superseded by another spectacular inboard hydroplane Rooster. This fiery boat was probably one of the biggest influences of many drivers. Big, noisy and fast, it had everything to appeal to spectators.

The Club received a boost at this time when Guy Batholomew, a director of the Daily Mirror newspaper, became interested in the racing whilst on holiday in the area. Keen to revive racing after the war, he commissioned Alan Darby to build six identical single step hydroplanes powered by British Anzani 350cc engines. These craft were hired at £10 for the season to local businessmen during the early 1950s. The idea proved a tremendous success because the following year these drivers went out and bought their own outfits. The popularity of inboard racing continued into the 1960’s thanks to the Albatross Marine concern at St Olaves who produced a range of aluminium runabouts.

By 1970 inboard runabout racing had disappeared although the Albatross is still very popular with members of the Classic Motor Boat Club. The inboards were superseded by outboard runabouts which were easily to maintain with numerous craft being constructed by the Yarmouth based Toby Marine (of Rooster fame) and by Yarecraft at Gorleston, owned by Frank and Francis Holmes. The 1960s also saw the introduction of inboard hydro racing with Nigel Bilton dominating the 1000ccImp powered category, finishing runner-up in the World R1 Championship at Nottingham in 1981.

At this time the runabout class saw a major change of direction in hull design when the first catamaran appeared on the Broad, when Pat Atkinson from Yarmouth acquired Akamo from Austrian boat builder Dieter Schulze. He was later joined by Bob Spalding and Tom Percival who went on to gain international success as works drivers for the major engine manufacturers. Bob became the Club’s first World Champion when he won the Formula 1 series in 1980. A major milestone in the Clubs history occurred in 1985 with a visit by Her Majesty the Queen and H.R.H. Prince Philip, who watched a drive-past of racing boats.

The outboard hydroplane section was revitalised in 1980 when Rex King introduced the 350cc Yamato motor from Japan, a class later adopted by the UIM (the world governing body) for international competition. Having organised several ordinary international races over the years, the Club was finally awarded its first major U.I.M. titled meeting when it successfully organised the World OSY.400 Championship in 1998. Competitors from as far afield as China, U.S.A. and Estonia competed in a outstanding event, with the overall title going to Marian Jung from Slovakia. The Club organised as second World OSY.400 Championship in 2007 with local driver Sean Barnard taking the title in spectacular style.

Cumbria House, Broad Street Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 2AB

[email protected]

01539 446832

©  2024 CIRCUIT POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION. Built using WordPress and the One Page Express theme .

Lowestoft & Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club

Affiliated to the british power boat association.

– Race Info –

Oulton broad is the oldest motorboat racing venue in the world and the only venue to hold weekly race meetings..

The Oulton Broad Club is one of the few which caters for Hydroplanes, Catamarans, Monohulls and Juniors. Each category will race over 3 heats, 6 laps for Hydroplanes, GT30 and GT15 (over the short circuit) and 9 laps for Catamarans.

HANDICAPPING

Due to the variety of boats and engines competing, most races are started on an individual computer calculated handicap basis. This allows for the smaller and possibly home built craft to compete with larger and more powerful outfits. It may be that the slower boats will be well into their second or third lap before the scratch boats enter the race. Theoretically the handicap should allow the entire field to cross the finish line a dead-heat – a rare occurrence! Some hydroplane events are calculated on a group handicap basis, with boats starting in batches according to their engine capacity.

RACE CONTROL

The racing is controlled from the Clubhouse where there is a large diameter clock facing up the Broad  which is synchronised with our new computer timing system. Two minutes prior to the start of the heat a siren will sound and a series of coloured lights are displayed from the start-line. Three numbered discs are also displayed, these are turned at minute intervals. The clock commences to revolve one minute prior to the start, and continues to turn until the entire field has started. Competitors starting before their allocated handicap time may be disqualified or penalised a lap. Points are awarded to all competitors who receive the chequered flag.

THE CIRCUIT

The 2-buoy course is 1069 meters in circumference. The Wherry Buoy near the Yacht Station requires considerable throttle easing whilst the Top Buoy can be taken at a slightly faster pace. A very high tide may necessitate a shorter circuit.

Club Merchandise Caravan

Starting Clock

Clubhouse & Pits