Take three crazy dudes, some beer bludging crew and a couple of billion bucks and what do you get?? Not only a boat, but also the crew, driver, mechanic & owner of the GrOoVy Hydroplane, Shamrock! The below piccies are proof that when guys grow up and have to leave there Technics Toys behind, there will always be a new and expensive toy like Shamrock for them to play with-and/or break!
These pics were stolen from Yarrawonga, New YearS Day 98'.
Below is Mobil One..
*..Races..*
Over the years, Shamrock has had her fair share of change, from whe she looked rather like the picture to the left, to her appearance now.RepOrtS -
as seen through the eyes of an unknowledgable girl..
Let me begin by thanking the marvelous crew behind the cleanest boat out there this weekend, 'Alcatraz'. Dragula came in second with cleanliness as she bairly touched the Lake...but that's another story! In my opinion, Grifith had one of the best turn outs for GP Hydroplanes, with 'Shamrock', 'SpellBound', 'Radical Rat', 'The Wizard'-which incidently is winning the series so far, 'Cheap Trick' and 'Dragula'.
However, the 4.2 Ltr Hydro's were undoubtably the most interesting races to watch! I stress however that the GP's are still my favourite to watch due to speed, loudness, size and ofcourse because of 'Shamrock'!
Back to the suBject! During the first race, when 'Alcatraz' was at her cleanest, Terry Hill Driver/Owner) and Paul Cunninghams new 'Aquanaut' were neck and neck for the first 3 (I think?) laps until Terry...
'misjudged'the corner and well..forgot to go around the bouoy.
However, for me, dinner that night was the real 'Excitement'. It was less than boring, infact, it was soo un-eventful that after my two course Maccas Meal (In a Chinese Restraunt) I cracked out my CD-Diskman and hummed to Greenday the intire night! Somehow, dirty old drunk men scoffing about who has the fastest boat isn't appealing to me! I wonder why..?
Did I mention I was up at 7.15 on Saturday morning..?? Not neccesarily because I like to kill myself by getting up that early, but simply to prove apoint that girls are CAPABLE of doing such things as sitting around all morning getting burnt and cleaning boats!! Once again, I would like to acknowledge that 'Alcatraz' was the cleanest boat all weekend!
To sum up the weekend, it was hot, surprizinly not too sticky, abit ..long at times, but all round pretty good fun!
*- * - * - *
However, Unlike Shamrock, Latimer Lodge *right* doesn't seem to have changed much at all since 1989. 
Ofcourse, like any sport, boat racing isn't always accident free...! 
I've no idea who was driving the boat to the left...however, I am certain that the picture below is of Plus One shortly before my Dad (Pictured) rolled her at a boat meet... He, obviously, survived - unfortunatly the boat was not as lucky!! As far as I know, peices of Plus One could still be found floating in a Lake somewhere..!
© Gwennie. 1999
