The Shade - 4/6th May 2003

Welcome to a new season............... We, Team Eagle that is, have made some changes to last years hull (the construction pages of this site detail them). Delivery of the new lift engine was late so that hoverising the engine in time was out of the question. Accordingly we had to use the original Rotax lift engine in direct drive mode which had ramifications for the weekend, as I had to back off significantly on the first transitions to avoid a "plough in" thus leaving me disadvantaged at the start of the drag up the hill. But more of that later.

The course was anticlockwise. This is unusual, most UK National courses are run clockwise. We weight the Eagle Mirage asymmetrically to counteract thrust, by locating the large fuel tank on the left side (looking from the rear). The craft is only balanced level under half power or more with full fuel. On a clockwise course the weight is on the "high" side, on this course it is the opposite. When I say large fuel tank, I mean large. You really don't want to know how much fuel an 809 burns !!!!

 From the dummy grid a sharp right hander on an adverse camber led to a left hand transition to water. Not too much room after a start, better when the traffic had thinned. After a short hop across the water the land transition was pretty much as you chose. Either a launch pad, on the left more direct route or smoother to the right which opened the door for someone to take the inside line to the hill hairpin. There was a mown line up the hill to assist the lower powered craft, in F1 this didn't come into play. Dodging thrust air and fighting for the line into the hairpin were the priorities. The course from the first transition to the execution of the hairpin was really the only overtaking zone, given no mistakes from the opposition. From the first transition to land, up to the hairpin, was a steep uphill drag into the prevailing wind. Horsepower and nerve counted here.

The tumble down the hill to the left right chicane was technically interesting. Going downhill into a tightening chicane at 55 mph,  was fun. The second transition to water was taken sideways with a quick blast to the second transition to land which again was smoother on the left but more direct and much hairier on the right where the craft was launched upwards and into a roll if you didn't jump on the left front corner of the craft.

The remaining land section wasn't demanding as keeping to the racing line more or less kept others from overtaking.

The weather on Saturday was cool and very blustery with some showers, Sunday warm and sunny but with some breeze. Monday was overcast and threatening but stayed dry. The wind shifted slightly, blowing up the start finish straight rather than down the hill from the hairpin.

1st Race

Robin Brickles flipped his craft going up the hill to the hairpin on the first lap. He caught the full blast of Dan Newton's 809 which blew the super light Meteor craft of Robin's away, literally. This was worrying for me as I was directly behind Robin and left wondering which way the craft would go and whether I could take avoiding action....

On the restart Tony Goldney got a bit airborne at the apex of the first corner, slowed, and I ended up tagging him which put us both out of position for the transition and left us with no option but to pull out, spin round and rejoin down the order. Tony in last position.  Since we were second and third respectively to start with, this was painful. Sorry Tony.

From there on it was a battle to get past the field. The main overtaking spot was up the hill, since all the F1's were on full power all the way up the incline, avoiding a blow over in the thrust air was a real issue and contributed to the difficulty in planning and placing the craft for any overtaking manoeuvre.

The battle ended on the last lap when the thrust engine stopped on the first transition to water. It happened just as the commentator was saying how reliable the Eagle had been last year. My Father had not allowed for the increase in fuel consumption that has occurred as a result of increased performance this year and had short fuelled the craft!! With the craft level we were able to restart and drive back to the paddock (fuming).

2nd Race

I spent the first part of the second race paying penance for race one. Starting from down the grid I was in Tony Goldney's thrust air all the time and as he was taking a tight line everywhere round the course there was little I could do about it. I even tried overtaking on the outside of the hairpin bend (with the inevitable effect of being blown wide). Overtaking on the outside of a corner, particularly in F1, is rarely a good idea in hovercraft racing, but I really was frustrated at not being able to move up the field.

At this point Daniel Newton tagged a bale on the apex of turn one and fell out of the craft. The engine cut outs activated and the craft parked itself across the racing line, leaving Daniel Turnbull nowhere to go. Dan T ran over the front of Dan N's craft and launched into a barrel roll, landing, judging from the state of Dan T's crash helmet, mainly on his head. Fortunately no major injuries but it did cost Dan T a new helmet.

On the restart I was able to get past Tony after he went wide left after the first water transition. This left a chase after Dan N and Luke Sedzikowski. I was pushing Luke who in turn was pushing for first. This was close and fun racing which ended when I caught Luke's 779 air and went for a pirouette. After which I had to settle for third.

Race 3

Nice sunny day and a good start for once, away behind Daniel Newton. For the first couple of laps Daniel Turnbull was occupied by Tony Goldney but once past he soon started knocking on my door. I shut it on several occasions. We collided once. I knew he had tagged me but really didn't feel the impact. Dan eventually got the inside line on the first water transition and that was him through on the inside line up the hill. Dan T then chased Dan N all the way to the flag, with me behind with a grandstand view.

I really am looking forward to the new lift engine, being fitted for the next meeting. On paper it has double the power of the Rotax 253 in direct drive configuration that we used this weekend. The 253 is reliable but simply not up to the job for a relatively heavy F1 craft. I am hoping the extra lift will enable the Mirage to be much more competitive on water, particularly on transitions from land which at the moment I have to take with some caution.

Race 4

Not a happy race this. Tony Goldney got his usual good start. Daniel Turnbull with the advantage of a smaller grid number was able to take the first corner and get away. Dan Newton and I were next. By the time I was at the top of the hill I knew that I had lift engine problems. Mathew Drake overtook on the drop to the chicane. On the water the lift engine packed up altogether and I was only just able to power it to the bank at get it off the racing line.

I was subsequently able to get the craft back to near the paddock and run like hell for tools to redo the wiring which had a failed connection. I rejoined the race several laps down but qualified as a finisher.

Daniel T also dropped out from the lead on the penultimate lap. The details and the rest of the race I don't know due to my sprints to and from the paddock and "running" repairs.

Race 5

With a poor result in race 4 I was well down the grid and on the first lap managed fifth behind Mathew Drake. Mathew is an experienced driver who did not compete much last year, this year with a new engine the craft is much quicker. A driver who keeps a tight line and can aim thrust air at the following competitor is a real mission to get past. I spent the first half of the race getting past, eventually doing it on the drop down the hill to the chicane. Once past I was able to pull away.

The two Daniels were battling it out for the lead, from my vantage point both were trying as there were some hairy moments for both of them.

Race 6

I got away in fourth in this race. In front Dan N , Dan T, Tony Goldney. My craft was very slightly "off" for this race. Not the normal power at all. I couldn't put my finger on it but certainly the lap times confirmed a difference.

Luke was going well in this race and got past on the second lap by a straight forward drag up the hill. He eventually got past Tony Goldney to finish 3rd. I tried to play catch-up to Tony for the rest of the race to finish fifth. This result placed me fourth on aggregate behind Daniel's N, T and Tony.

Good weekend, The first day of the season was hairy, I hadn't driven an hovercraft at all since last August so had a steep re-learning curve, fortunately some other drivers were in the same boat (?). Nevertheless I enjoyed the start to the season and I am definitely looking forward to a revamped craft for the next event in three weeks time which will be on my "home" track in Southampton. See you there.

The course was fairly tight with few overtaking opportunities. The Lap Times were around 1 minute plus a few seconds.

Robin got blown over by the breeze and Dan Newton's 809. I am following and at this point wondering which way I should dodge!!

This tumble cost Dan Turnbull (the one still in his craft but about to have it land on top of him) a new helmet.

T

The run from the hairpin meant that we arrived at the chicane at 55mph still going downhill. To slow the craft we were virtually going backwards or air braking to maintain control.

The second transition was smoothest on the left, more direct and problematical on the right. Here I add the benefit of Tony Goldney's thrust air to a potential barrel roll initiated by the transition.

I am in the process of tagging Tony Goldney as I try to change direction. Both of us were then out of position and attitude for the transition and therefore had no choice but to pull out of the pack and rejoin down the order.

Both Tony Goldney and (here) Mathew Drake were up for some good scraps during the weekend.