IF YOU’VE ever wondered why the Southern 80 is such a major event on the sporting calendar, just sit down for a chat with Neil Donald.
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A committee member of the Moama Water Sports Club (MWSC) which organises the waterskiing event along the Murray River, Neil first competed in the Southern 80 as a driver in 1985.
‘‘And I’ve raced them all since,’’ he said.
But why does he keep coming back each year to race? Why this event?
‘‘There’s nothing like it in the world,’’ is Neil’s answer.
‘‘It’s a tough course and with those tight bends, there’s no time to sit and relax.
‘‘All four (driver, observer and two skiers) are working hard.
‘‘It’s the most demanding of all the races — the tightness and narrowness of the course.
‘‘You’re buggered at the end of it. You have to have your wits about you all the time.’’
The tight corners of the Southern 80 course is what prompted Neil to invest in a racecraft hull in 2000.
Called Sonic Racing, the boat has been fitted out to the way Neil likes it.
‘‘It was built in 1991 and was the manufacturer’s own personal boat so I knew it was a good boat,’’ Neil said.
‘‘It was built in Sydney by one man who is nearly 80.
‘‘It was in Rockhampton and I bought it off another skier who only had it for six months.
‘‘He had an engine in it but I bought it minus the engine. It was the type of hull I wanted.
‘‘This type of hull was popular about 10 to 15 years ago but now it’s a bit old school.’’
Neil is only the third owner of the boat and admits it was pretty plain when he brought it home, except for the Sonic Racing (hedgehog) emblem on the side which Neil decided to continue with.
Neil has completely refitted the boat, rewired it, installed new engine mounts and brackets and all the powder coating.
‘‘It had all this unpolished aluminium on it as well,’’ Neil said.
‘‘It’s had a couple of different motors in it since I’ve had it.’’
One of those earlier motors was a 454ci but in 2006 he put in a 572ci Big Block Chev engine.
‘‘It’s naturally aspirated, it’s not supercharged. There’s no forced induction so it’s got big carbies (carburettors) on it,’’ he said.
‘‘It puts out 905 horsepower and can hit 105mph towing two skiers.’’
Neil even went to the United States with his engine builder to ensure they got the engine they wanted.
‘‘We went to Anaheim, California and bought all the components we wanted straight from the manufacturers and had them shipped over here,’’ he said.
‘‘It took about a month to put together. The engine builder did all the machining and grinding and assembling of the motor, matching the manifolds to the heads.’’
Neil said Sonic Racing was more a cornering boat.
‘‘It can do 105mph on the straight but then loses only five or 10mph on the corner which is good for this event (the Southern 80).
‘‘There is no rest on the corners. Even experienced skiers get quite a shock at how fast it goes round corners.’’
‘‘That’s where it has the edge on the bigger supercharged boats.
Sonic Racing runs on Avgas and has a 280-litre tank, burning about two litres of fuel per kilometre.
The 20-foot hull has a V-drive gearbox and Neil says it is easier and cheaper to maintain than the big steam-drive type boats.
‘‘I do preventative maintenance. I replace parts every 12 months before they become a problem,’’ he said.
‘‘I spend a lot of time after a race looking over the boat.
‘‘Even before the return leg in the Mildura to Robinvale race I gave it a going over, looking for the most basic thing.
The boat won the fastest local boat event 10 years ago in a time of about 36 minutes.
Five years ago it started the dash in 29th place and started the Sunday in 23rd.
‘‘So we made up six places and beat quite a few of the big turbo boats because of its good cornering speed.’’
For Neil, his love of ski boats started 30 years ago when he was going to the races with a mate who was skiing.
‘‘I was going to ski too and ended up in the driver’s seat,’’ Neil said.
He’s been driving boats ever since, watching his skiers graduate from tadpoles to superclass.
‘‘I’ve towed skiers who started in under 16 and under 19 who are now in superclass,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m happy to bring them up through the ranks and then pass them on to the big boys.’’
That tradition continues this weekend when Neil drives his outboard motor boat The Contractor in the Under 16 Girls Expert class.
‘‘The Contractor is a locally built boat here in Echuca. It’s based on another design but just improved.
‘‘It was built for racing on rough lakes. It has a 300hp Mercury motor on it.’’
He will be towing Jaymi Clancy and Jasmin Payne with Claire Lee as observer.
‘‘I’ve been towing them for three years and when it gets too slow for them then we’ll move up to the big boat,’’ Neil said.
‘‘We go a couple of mph faster each year.’’
Sonic Racing raced in the Southern 80 three years ago but has competed in Sydney’s Bridge to Bridge event, the Mildura to Robinvale event and the South Australian titles last year.
‘‘It will be back in the Southern 80 next year when the kids want a bit more speed,’’ Neil said.
‘‘They’re keen to get behind it but we’ll see what the parents say.
‘‘We’re just easing them into it.’’
He said racing the Southern 80 was always enjoyable.
‘‘Getting down the course and just finishing is a task on its own,’’ he said.
Neil has been on the MWSC for 25 years, served as president for five years and is a life member.
In the lead up to Southern 80, he is out cleaning the work boats, marking the course, preparing editorial content for the program and a host of other jobs as well to ensure the smooth running of the event.
It’s a passion that doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.
‘‘I can’t stop now. My daughter Corrine has got the same passion.
‘‘She’s skiing on the social short course and on Sunday she’s skiing with a UK skier in the Open Women’s Expert.’’