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The
Cowes-Torquay, Della Valle, Diesels
and Cats 1982 to 1990
Before we start the history of
this decade it must be noted the
Cowes Torquay was undergoing
drastic changes to suit A, the
speeds now encountered. B. the
changing face of the sport. C.
the diminishing fields as costs
spiralled and D. the fading
away of the class that
represented Max Aitken’s
original purpose of the race, to
promote safety at sea for all,
in cabin cruisers and seagoing
craft of a certain type….the
pleasure boat!.
The 80’s saw many changes, which
resulted in a split between the
American and European race
organisers. There would also be high
profile accidents resulting in
death’s, which would damage the
sport, this would result in stricter
regulations that drove out the
privateers. On the technical side
many advances were made but the
Catamaran would only dominate in
America due to the European seas!
The Italians concentrated on their
mono hulls and the cat was not
successful on the European circuit
until the middle of the decade when
it began its resurgence. On the
engine front the once mighty
Mercruisers dominance was toppled by
Lamborghini and the mighty Isotta
Fraschini diesels a relative of the
CRM Petrol engines that powered
Tramontana in 1962 and steerable
surface drives.
1981….and
the Cowes Torquay was still drawing
the best names to the Bank Holiday
Spectacular ! and the crowds. It was
also the year that the Italians
started their dominance of the race.
The current sponsor was now Toyota
and the 214 mile race was again
subjected to the unpredictable
weather, it seemed that any year
ending in 1 had the monopoly on
ROUGH! And ’81 was no exception. Ted
Toleman was the British flag flyer
and American Paul Clauser was
chasing points to secure the
Harmsworth Trophy but it was also a
low pointing the race history only
12 entries including OP2. The entry
included Goldrush, Mike Doxford and
Tim Powell in Peter Stuyvesant 1,
Romans Sabre and Robin Cook’s
Aquaglide. Within an hour of the
start the forecast good weather
turned sour and knocked out half the
fleet, Toleman within 10 mins and
favourite Della Valle in Ego lost a
drive shaft. The surprise winner was
Italian Alberto Smania in Rombo a
38ft CUV at a speed of 47mph.Smania
would go on to win the European and
Italian championships and Renato
Della Valle would dominate the Cowes
races over the next 4 years.
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Peter Stuyvesant 1981
courtesy Graham Stevens. |
Toleman Group 1981 courtesy
Graham Stevens. |
1982
The year started badly when the
sport lost Cougar founder and
designer James Beard to Leukaemia,
the catamaran design which he had
championed with veteran Clive Curtis
would dominate racing in the States
but never attained the same level in
Europe due to our “rough sea’s”. The
Italian’s still preferred the deep V
and so it was for the Cowes Classic
which would not run to Torquay this
year but sponsored by PETER
STUYVESANT, be based in the Solent
and surrounding waters of the
I.O.W., a course distance of 205.9nm
and yet again the weather played its
part!. Ted Toleman was again our
leading contender in the 38ft
Bertram named after the race sponsor
with Clive Curtis in the 38 cat PS2,
there were 5 Italian teams including
Della Valle in his 38 CUV Rothmans
and Smania in the similar Marlboro
plus Al Copland from the US in the
Scarab “Popeye's”. Again it was a
poor fleet in terms of entries 14 in
total OP1 and 2. The race was a
brutal test of seamanship with boats
sinking, catching fire and retiring
with broken engines, six foot waves
at Christchurch ledge added to the
drama which in the end had Della
Valle in Rothmans beating Toleman by
sec’s at a speed of 65 mph taking
the Sam Griffith trophy to boot!
1983
and thank goodness it was back to
Torquay with the Italians dominating
the entries yet again, another low
entry though with 10 OP1 and 2 OP2.
Della Valle was back with Rothmans
Ego, Smania with Marlboro and
Buzzi’s Red Iveco driven by Maurizio
Ambrogetti. Only 2 OP1 boats
finished the 192 mile course Della
Valle in Rothmans Ego/Ego Nooxy (2
names given for same boat) followed
by Smania who took the European
title. The only crumb of comfort for
Britain was the redoubtable Lady
Aiken and the Countess of Arran
winning the cruiser class!
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1984
The year of the second
Round Britain Race in
which a certain Mr Buzzi
registered his future
intent on the offshore
world with not only his
designs but also his
engines……The Cowes
Classic was still
sponsored
by Peter Stuyvesant and
the 192 mile course cut
out Torquay. Entrants
from the Round Britain
made up some of the
fleet of 16 OP1 and 2
and a revival of the
cruiser class ran their
own course. Among the
big names were Bill
Bonners Supercat and
Gervaise-Braziers Jaguar
the Legend and of course
that man again Della
Valle in Cinzano .Yes he
won the race again,
equalled Tommy Sopwith’s
3 wins but in
consecutive years! His
speed 76 mph and just
for a change it was the
smoothest water known
for the race. |
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White
Iveco 1984
courtesy Graham Stevens. |
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1985
Was barely into its stride when
the sport lost more of the names
that made powerboating what we
knew and loved….first it was
Francesco Cosentino then
American and Cowes supporter
Merrick Lewis and the biggest
loss of all Sir Max Aitken. All
in the year, when the race was
to celebrate its 25th
anniversary.
The Cowes Torquay was back with
a vengeance though with a new
format out to Torquay a 1hr
stopover with refuelling. then
back to Cowes.
The regeneration sparked an upsurge
in entries all quality and still
Italian dominated but the Brits had
some good boats if not the luck! A
total of 19 OP1 and 2 plus 7 Cruiser
class filled the entry list, top
Brit was Ray McEnhill in Outsider a
giant mono from Stain with 2250 hp
from 3 Isotta Fraschini diesels, Ken
Cassir was back in Ideal Standard a
leased 38ft CUV……The Italians again
were led by you know who, a certain
Mr Renato Della Valle, with 2 720hp
Lamborghinis in the CUV’s engine bay
and the Spelta family came with
Nooxy, the big surprise was the big
Buzzi mono driven by Len Bylock from
Sweden…also on the list but did it
appear? was “Telstar”…….
Outsider 1985
courtesy Graham Stevens.
The Race was run in moderate
conditions with the Giant Buzzi mono
taking honours at Torquay , the
first Swedish win hotly followed by
Nooxy Fresh and Clean, on the turn
around Della Valle swept into the
lead ,the Spelta’s were left with
flat batteries losing time hunting
for replacements and Len Bylock’s
Buzzi was sinking at the
dockside. Della Valle sped back
to Cowes hotly pursued by Outsider
who unknown to her crew was shipping
water with her speed falling with
every mile, the Spelta’s meanwhile
had found their required 24 volt
batteries and set off in hot pursuit
of Outsider and Cinzano Bianco but
once again it was Renato Della
Valle’s race and another record set
of 4 consecutive wins!
McEnhill finished 2nd and
the Spelta’s 3rd. |
