Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Monday 6 February 1933, page 15


Conditions Suit Tortoise

When Tortoise jumped to the front with a dazzling burst after a perfect start, and, at the end of the first lap, was seen to have a decisive lead, the

crowd cheered excitedly. Cettien was built with only speed in mind. On flat, still water, and over a long straight stretch it Is possible that her pace! would be too much for Tortoise. She I planes very flat on the water with two-

thirds of Her bottom on the surface. Tortoise, however, has no more than a quarter of her length submerged at speed. Consequently it was seen that, running with the tide and wind on the northern stretch. Cettien was inclined to dig her nose into the waves at times and lose pace, while Tortoise rode the waves with her forepart sometimes high in the air. Yonng Driver's Skill Arthur Rymill, the 25 years old pik* of Tortoise, although it was his first race, showed that he had the knowledge of tactics and ability to handle the two ton craft with its 450 h.p. engine that gave his father the victory in many previous contests. Mr. H. McEvoy. the Sydney ownerpilot of the Cettien, fought grimly against the adverse conditions. His cornering was perfect, but Cettien would not round the buoys as well as Tortoise, which gained a little at every bend. Tortoise gradually increased the lead she had obtained at the start of the first heat, and finished 14 seconds ahead of the challenger. The times for the 20 miles were:—Tortoise IT, 19 mm. 9 sec; Cettien, 19 mm. 23 sec. Pilots and mechanics immediately began to give their craft a thorough overhaul in preparation for the important second heat. It was necessary to tighten the packing of the water pump in Tortoise, which had worked loose in the gruelling race. Arthur Rymill also revealed that despite their coj:fident win. he and Alex Ross, the mechanic, had had an anxious time when the oil pressure dropped from 25 lb. down as far as 18 lb. This was caused by the oil becoming heated and thinning out. "We watched the gauge despairingly/ tie said, "and for a while thought that it was all over. The pres-

sure did nol drop below 18 lb., bowever, and vee were able to keep her flying along-" Clever Handling As the rivals were speeding up to the start of the second heat, Mr. McEvoy. by a clever dash and sudden turn, gave Tortoise the powerful wake from the Cettien. Rymill did not appear to be worried, however. He cut sharply across the wake, and roared up level with Cettien for a perfect start. The boats were fighting neck and neck up to the first turn, but when they came back again Tortoise was in front. She gradually increased the lead up to the fifth lap. when she v.as a quarter of a mile in front. Tortoise took the comer more slowly this time, and did not start up the etraigr.t with her usual dash. It was learned subsequently that the ignition wire had broken. This, of course, would have puc her out of the race instantly had it not been for foresight on the part of Mr. Rymill, sen., who had taken the precaution of installing a spare set of batteries wired up in readiness. Alex Ross immediately switched over on to the reserves, and very little distance was lost. Meanwhile Cettien was having its share of trouble. The engine appeared to be misfiring, and the craft was slightly slow in picking up. As the speed boats came into view on the final run. the crowd roared as it saw Tortoise a clear half mile in the leaa As it flashed past the flag a great cheer went up. and every vessel in the vicinity sounded its siren. Tortoise had done the course one second more slowly than in the first heat, and Cettieu's time was 19 mm. 42 sec.

When the craft bad moored alongside the Avocet, the mother ship ot '.Tortoise, the two pilots shook nands and smilingly exchanged congratulations and condolences-Mr. McKvoy explained that the misfiring in liis engine was caused by a cylinder failing. He had completed the race on eleven cylinders. "Not mat it would have maae me slightest difference to file result," he added. "The better boat won." Mr. A. G. Rymill was a -doubly happy man. His conscience not only in nis boat, but also in the capabilities of his son. had been fully justified. "I knew they could do it," he said. The huge 12 cylinder Liberty aero engines, with which both boats are fitted, used an average of 16 gallons of fuel in each 20 miles heat. It is a special mixture of aviation petrol and benzol, and costs 2/6 a gallon. Terrific Strain On Crew Few can realise the terrific rafrntetl and physical strain placed upon the driver and mechanic, of a big Hydroplane. At the end of the first neat, Rymill, who is a strong young athlete, was almost exhausted, and nad his arms massaged to bring them back to normal. When he had completed the second heat he had raised a blister as big as a two shilling-piece in the palm ot his right hand; it had burst and the skin was torn away. The hardest part of the course was the bend in the river opposite the Yacht Squadron shed. In a continual pull to starboard for more than h?'f a mile he 'had to put every ounce of his strength into the wheel to keep it over, and bad to block it with his knee to keep it there. In addition there was the mental strain of watching about a dozen indicators to ascertain if the huge piece of machinery were functioning properly."Tortoise "Tortoise has the nasty habit of spittins back through the carburettor and catching fire, and I was watching for it all the time." he said. Ontboards Cause Laughs In between the serious business of the day seven tiny outboard motor boats kept the crowd in a simmer of excitement and amusement. They bounced and scuttled over the course, stood on their tails, and made about twice as much noise as the two more powerful craft. The races resulted: -First heat. Koondee (M. L. Mitchell), Miss Francis <W. Green >, Typhoon ?A Behrens); second heat. Vixen (W. Hart), Miss Francis, Pegasus <J. Gosse); final. Vixen. Miss Francis. Koondee. Dinner To Visitors A feeling of good sportsmanship existed at the dinner given to the visiting hydroplanists and for the presentation of the Griffith Cup at the Oriental Hotel on Saturday night. A fine gesture of comradeship was the handing of his driving helmet to "LuaT Rymill by H. McEvoy. skipper of Cettien. Among the visitors at the dinner, which was presided over by Commodore T. C. Angove, were Messrs Mc-Evoy, J. Hocsborough (mechanic ou Cefcien), A. G. and A. C. Rymill, A. Boss (mechanic on Tortoise), H. Hendrickson. and N. Blackwood. of Sydney, and the chairman of the South Australian Harbors Board (Mr. £ A. Farquhar). There were cheers when the commodore handed the Griffith Cup to Mr A. G. Rymill. The secretary of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (Mr. C. S. Inkster) said on Saturday night thai about 2,000 tickets were sold for the enclosure on the Outer Harbor wharf. The profit of between ISO and £60 would go towards defraying the expense of conducting the Forster Cup and Stonehaven Cup races at Semaphore and Large next Saturday and on the following week.

?Xum" Rymill sets ont with Tortoise IL in the first beat of the Championship.