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TRAMONTANA II |
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Tramontana II was built for the 1963 Daily Express
International Power Boat Race and was raced that
year by Dick Wilkins who had won the race in 1962
with Tramontana I.
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| Tramontana II - 1963 |
After winning the 1962 race Dick Wilkins suddenly
found to his cost that Tramontana was outlawed by
the race organisers and rule makers, Tramontana
had been built to the maximum specifications that
the rule book of 1961 had specified. The sport was
in its formative years, little did anyone think
after the initial race that such strides forward
would happen so quickly. There was uproar about
her engine size and capacity the organisers hurriedly
drafted new regulations, reducing the petrol engine
size and the total horsepower to a maximum of 1000hp
way below Tramontana’s original 2,300hp monsters.
Undeterred Dick Wilkins went back to Vospers and
ordered a new craft for the 1963 race. The engine
bay was to contain 4, E-type Jaguar engines, race
tuned to produce 250hp taking her capacity to the
maximum allowed 1000hp. Peter Du Cane and his design
team produced another beautiful craft with a striking
wheelhouse very much in Jaguar style. She looked
stunning in her Mustard Blue and White colour scheme
and again as she tested on the Solent her competitors
were right to be very concerned.
The 1963 race turned out to be run in flat calm,
conditions not suiting the 40 foot craft although
she made a good showing finishing 3rd only to be
disqualified for missing a mark. This was the year
the Italians in the form of Sonny Levi and A’Speranziella
made their mark.
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| Tramontana II Dock - 1964 |
Tramontana 2 was entered again in 1964 minus her
wheelhouse using instead a sweeping cockpit coaming
and ran under the number 40 with Tommy Sopwith at
the helm.
Tramontana was a favourite with the spectators and
raced on for several more years in the hands of
Tim Powell, the following extremely interesting
article was written by Rod Green and gives an insight
into how powerboats survive all that the sea and
circumstance can throw at them.
OVER TO ROD,
My involvement with Tramontana II, started in 1964
when I was employed as Works Manager at a Jaguar
Main Dealership in Chichester, West Sussex. I was
approached by Tim Powell and Peter Ricketts, wanting
to know if I would be interested in helping them
restore the boat to race condition, in particular
the Jaguar engines.
I had previously known Tim when I worked for Coombs
of Guildford a renowned Jaguar Dealer where I was
involved in Jaguar repairs and modifications and
prepared Jaguar 2.4, 3.8 litre saloons and lightweight
’E’ Types to race, driven by Graham Hill and Roy
Salvadori.
Tim, Peter and myself went to inspect the boat,
which was moored at Vospers Yard at Portsmouth.
It looked in a very sorry state and possibly as
though there had been some kind of fire in the engine
compartment. They agreed that it could be restored
so Tim and Peter purchased it. She was towed back
to Birdham Shipyard as she was a non-runner at the
time. Once back there she was floated onto a cradle
and pulled into a large shed.
The four engines and all ancillary equipment, drives,
clutches, heat exchangers were removed. The engines
were transported to Chichester Automobiles where
they were completely stripped to the last nut and
bolt. The engines were rebuilt to race specification,
crankshafts and con-rods polished and cylinders
rebored. Other modifications were carried out as
required during the rebuild. The engines were then
transported to Vospers Yard at Porchester where
they were each in turn put on a Dynamometer to run
and tune and also set up each of the three double
choke Weber Carburettors on each engine. Each engine
produced approximately 250 HP, which gave us approximately
1000HP from the four engines.
The boat was completely repainted interior and exterior.
The engines, drives, clutches were all re-installed,
heat exchangers, electrics, propellers, instruments
overhauled and refitted, throttle linkage adjusted
(this was quite complex with 12 carburettors).
The boat was then refloated and first start up was
carried out, the noise was ear shattering from 4
open exhausts about 3” in diameter. By this time
it was well into the middle of 1965 and our first
race was the Cowes Torquay in September. From this
time on many hours of testing were carried out in
The Solent, trying spark plug combinations (24 plugs)
slipping the boat to try different props. It all
came together and we were ready for our first race.
The day dawned bright and sunny but windy which
was good as Tramontana II was a good rough weather
boat. The first part of the race went well without
any real problems until we reached Lyme Bay where
it became very rough. About half way across the
Bay one of the heat exchangers on the port side
broke loose and punched a hole through the topside,
we managed to lash this with a rope, which I held
for the rest of the race to prevent further damage.
We completed the race and were 4th overall out of
55 starters and won the All British prize in a time
of 5 hours 20 mins at an average speed of 37mph
for the 172 miles.
During 1966 we competed in many races with a great
deal of success, but this was marred by what might
have been a tragic accident. During the Cowes Torquay
race that year we had an exhaust pipe break, which
we did not know about above the general roar of
the boat. I was at the helm and we were heading
into Lyme Bay, the situation only came to light
when I passed out due to carbon monoxide gases leaking
into the cockpit and two other crew members on the
verge of collapse as they sat in the cabin. Peter
Ricketts managed to drag everyone clear then strapping
them to the engine covers to recover as he took
sole control of the boat.
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| Tramontana II - 1967 |
1967 again was a round of races, testing and maintenance
as we were preparing to take the boat to the Bahamas
500 Race. We were testing in The Solent at the time
we were just off Langstone Harbour, unfortunately
we did not spot a wreck buoy and ploughed straight
into the wreck doing mortal damage to the boat by
ripping out the transom. The boat sank within about
10 minutes and we ended up in the life raft. Luckily
we were picked up by a fisherman and taken back
to Langstone Harbour.
The boat was recovered and taken back to Birdham
Shipyard where another complete strip down and rebuild
was carried out. We had the boat ready for the 1967
Cowes Torquay and again it was fairly calm all the
way which did not suit Tramontana. However we finished
in 11th place out of 57 starters and won the All
British prize again in a time of 4 hours 54 mins
at an average speed of 35.14mph. In all a very eventful
4 years.
Today Tramontana 2, is now owned by Wolter Groenewold
in Germany, where she is currently undergoing another
full restoration. If I hopefully have got my facts
right when Tim Powell ceased racing her the original
Wheelhouse/ cabin was restored to the hull. She
was shortened to 36ft overall after the sinking
and fitted with Mercruiser Inboard / Outboards.
Once in new ownership she was also trial fitted
with a Gazelle gas turbine, which proved too powerful
for her, then with 3 outboards and is now to be
fitted with 2 high power diesels during her restoration.
Unfortunately contact with her owner is erratic
but if and when information does filter through
be sure that you will see it here first.
Many thanks to Rod for this fascinating insight.
Mike James
22/07/09
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