New Season New Outfit
The 2009 powerboat racing season got underway with a practice session at Stewartby Lakes during the weekend and it was a chance for the JC Racing Team to test out their new outfit.
During the winter months Julian had purchased a brand new hydroplane hull designed by American boat builder Gary Pugh, who raced hydroplanes internationally during the 1980’s. With the international experience gained in 2008 and witnessing the dominance of the GRM and VRP engines, the JC Racing Team also reluctantly moved from 350cc Konig and Konny power to a 250cc GRM engine.
This may sound a strange choice dropping from a 350cc to a 250cc engine but the 250cc GRM engine if set up properly would still give more top end speed than the 350cc Konig and would also give the JC Racing Team the chance to compete at either 250cc or 350cc level.
Changing engine manufacturer would result in 2009 being another steep learning curve for the team and the initial test a Stewartby saw the new GRM powered Pugh hydroplane look quick but not generating the RPMs it is capable of.
It was identified that the electronic ignition was the cause and despite being replaced twice during pre season testing it continued to hamper the team into the start of the season. This problem was finally resolved with the help of Pavel Konny by fitting his own electronic system to the GRM Rossi engine.
With the engine issue resolved the JC Racing Team could look forward to the start of the season, club racing on their local circuit of Oulton Broad.
The outfit proved to be increasingly quick in a straight line but at the tight circuit of Oulton Broad it soon become apparent the hydroplane was designed for the wider international circuits and not the tight corners of Oulton Broad, as team driver Julian struggled to get the boat round the famous Wherry turn.
For a driver who had previously held the lap record at Oulton Broad it became frustrating to see the team’s new outfit be so uncompetitive as they approach the first national meeting of the season.
