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EXAMPLE BOAT FEATURE - 'SEABREEZE'
BRUCE EVERINGHAM CIRCUIT RACEBOAT
A book on Aussie skiboats would not be complete without an Everingham. Bert Everingham started it all and created a dynasty that included wooden and ‘glass ski- and race-boats being built for decades on the banks of Sydney’s Hawkesbury River. However, by the time I was testing boats, Bert had largely retired and his son Bruce was building the boats – mainly circuit raceboats. So I never got to test an Everingham ‘social skiboat’, but I did report on this raceboat in November 2001.
Henry Eitz has been racing boats for many years and has strung together an enviable record of wins and championships. Twelve years ago Henry started an association with Bruce Everingham that led to a partnership in which Bruce provided a boat and Henry both built the engine and drove the resulting combination. That worked fine - Bruce and Everingham received publicity for the boat's performance, and Henry got a great boat with which to race and win.
This 18-foot vee-hull Everingham was built in 2000 and Henry put together a 365 cubic inch (six litre) Bowtie-block Chev to power it. Inside the Chev are mainly Crower components (crank, rods, valves, camshaft, etc) with other high performance parts including Duggan heads, JE pistons
at a 13:1 compression ratio, a Duggan fuel injection system, and magneto ignition. Henry was reluctant to reveal how much power the Chev delivers, but it's good enough to push ‘Seabreeze’ to nearly 180 kph (110 mph). All of Henry's personal boats have been called ‘Seabreeze’, the same name used by his Dad when he raced boats.
The V8 runs on methanol and drives through a Haines and Hellyer vee-drive with an 18 per cent step-up ratio to spin a two-blade prop with 11.5 inch diameter and 16 inch pitch.
Henry likes the looks of the Everingham and appreciates the way it handles in tight racing, as well as its proven potential for speed and winning. Henry has raced all over the country, although liking Windsor best. Getting Henry to mention his racing successes was hard work. For all his achievements, he's just about the most modest and unassuming raceboat driver I've ever come across. Trying to coax him to tell me more about his boat and himself was like the proverbial getting blood out of a stone.
So we asked around and found a bit more, including from the NSW President of the APBA who believes that Henry's record of race wins makes him the Peter Brock of circuit racing.
Henry has won no less than fourteen Australian Championship titles in his career, and is the current six litre class record holder for the Sydney Bridge to Bridge powerboat race. Known Australia-wide for his driving abilities, as well as for his skill in rigging raceboats and his knowledge of Chevs, Henry is one of those people who will always lend a helping hand or find a part for you. Many a circuit racer has approached Henry for advice and guidance, and he is held in very high regard for his professional approach and the assistance he willingly provides.
Henry has often pioneered new trends or developments, including the use of a splined drive instead of a universal. He's also well known for keeping things simple as typified by his usual dash layout of just a tacho and oil pressure gauge. Henry reckons there isn't time in a race to look at more gauges than the two that matter most.
