IMAGINE, if you will, balancing half a ton of boat quite literally flying at 150 kilometres an hour on less than half a meter of hull, kept there by operating rocker switches on a tiny steering wheel while taking a kidney-shattering beating from a choppy sea and thinking all the while about tactics, watching sea conditions and the position of other racers. To say the very least it takes skill and practice and a whole lot of nerve.
When the Formula 2000 powerboat racing teams visited Jeddah’s Obhur Creek last week for round three of the world championships as part of Eid festivities, the huge crowds knew they were in for something of a treat. They got it.
The whole event, glamorous and spectacular as it is, has much the air of a travelling circus. Behind the scenes and away from the fierce and very real competition on the water, there is a relaxed air of companionship among men who are sure of their skills and comfortable with their talents. Far from the strutting heroes that the publicity machine makes of sportsmen when one gets behind the scenes, their disarming charm and modesty contrasts sharply with the public image.
Equally fascinating is that many of the teams competing are not the huge factory-financed teams the like of which has become the hallmark of Formula 1 car racing. Many are private entrants with a passion for the sport and ‘day-jobs.’ Competition is between individuals but there is good-natured patriotism judging by the national flags on the pit-tents and boats. What keeps it competitive and exciting is that F2000 is a stock class. That means that within slight modifications the boats all use the same engines and hulls; the skills of the driver and the preparation of the boat are what make the difference.
Ted Jelf, an unassuming and quietly spoken man of 75, travels the world with his two sons — and their two boats competing in F2000. He has spent most of his life building a garage business in southern England and indulging his passion for fast boats.
“I’ve always liked boats — been my life for the last 30 years really,” he mused unable to put his finger on exactly why he has dedicated so much of his time to building, racing and scrutineering offshore powerboats and now Formula catamaran racing craft.
Colin, currently World Champion and leading the points this year, and his brother Owen a past world champion who is lying second, follow their father’s footsteps in the need for speed and the passion for powerboat racing. His wife Jenny acts as team manger — much to the surprise and then warm smiles of Saudi officials on site. “It’s in the blood,” said Ted. “It must be.”
Until three years ago Ted Jelf built Formula 1, 2 and 4 boats. Owen Jelf, who started racing at 18 and won his fast world championship at 20 in Formula 4, said that they had given that up as it took up a great deal of time and the technology was becoming increasingly sophisticated. What building the boats had done, though, was give the Team Jelf a huge amount of knowledge and experience in design and modification of these very difficult sensitive craft. Ted’s lifetime as an engineer dealing with high performance engines provided the profound knowledge of the two litre Mercury racing engines that provide the power.
Physics dictates the shape of the craft; it is a subtle science. A catamaran design the shape of the two sponsons (the twin hulls) is critical. Owen explained: “The angle of the sponson, how deep it is in respect to the bottom of the boat or the wind tunnel through the middle, how wide the boat is, how much angle there is between the front and the back of the sponson — all that affects the lift.”
The term “lift” indicates that secret of the speed of these boats. They actually fly, their propellers just under the surface of the water. Too much lift and you flip over; too little and the boat is just not fast enough. “The top of the boat needs to be aerodynamic but the really important part is the bottom of the boat and how much you want to fly it over the water,” Owen said “The engine is in and out of the water all the time.” The driver continuously alters the angle of entry of the propeller in the water. “The propeller is remarkably important,” Owen said. “ 8,500 — 9,000 rpm in the water. There is some slip, but that is an equivalent speed of 160mph (257kmh). I remember working it out once!” All this is delivered through a beautifully engineered stainless steel propeller no wider than a double hand-span. “Essentially, it’s all about power weight ratios. The 225 horsepower output in these boats is powerful.”
“And the preparation,” chipped in team engineer Billy Nairn who is a noted powerboat driver himself on the British circuit. “Very often the race is won in the workshop.” When racing, the trim — balance — of the boat becomes critical. It has to be responsive but have perfect aerodynamic balance; slip out of trim, nose-dive and you become an 185kph submarine. Usually you back-flip, as if that were any comfort!
Even with the best preparation in the world, gremlins can and do strike. At the start of the final race for championship points, Owen Jelf’s engine misfired and started on second push of the starter. That split-second delay was critical, allowing several boats to accelerate past him. Colin’s boat roared off pole position and he went on to win. “Heat,” pondered Nairn. Sometimes waiting a little too long on the start line for the green light does it.”
Owen was phlegmatic. “In life stuff happens,” he shrugged. “Everyone faces the same possibility.” His sixth place was, however, enough to put him in second place in this year’s championship behind brother Colin. Racing is in the blood; the world championship is still in the family.
