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Boating is better at 80 miles per hour Imagine speeding over the waters of a mall lakeatSOmiles per hour with the wind streaming passed your face and youll know bow a local man feels cry time he races I know what Id do without the sport said Derek Hodgson who has been skimming over he waves since he was nine earsold It s addict ve competitive eihllarating and I ve been involved with the sport for most of my life continued Hodgson The 19year old RR Acton man admitted that the sport can be dangerous especially when winning means more lhan the risk of wiping out but despite two fatalities in the sport th year and numerous accidents hell be back this summer competing against Derek Hodgson in action when he was nineyears old racing in the hydroplane class Derek graduated to racing Sport class boats when he mas The Sport E boats are capable of speeds up to BO miles per hour and they can turn ISO degrees while travelling miles per Rod Leech was the legion off champ Barb was the only player on hand from Hie Legion ladles darts playoffs and league champion team to pick up the award Saturday nigh Other members or the team included Barb Leech Mildred Debbie Perrira and Ann Sunders Guy drew the winning hockey lot ticket numbers Saturday J and T Sports The winner was Mary Davis of Georgetown she gets 000 Jo Brabant who sold the ticket receives The was 1004 Next Saturday draw is at p at Hills Furniture and of the fastest boats in the province Constructed of oneeighth Inch marine plywood on the decks with a onequarter inch thick hull Ibe boats are extremely light remarked Hodgson weighing only ISO pounds The craft is powered by a horse power Mercury outboard motor be added and the way they are designed they will out accelerate a Formula racing car coming out of a turn When you re cornering in one of these boats you can go into a degree turn at miles per hour and come out of the turn doing miles per hour explained Hodgson and when youre making one of those turns you hang on as tight as you can When racing the boats are all required to cross the starting line within a of seconds and being early or loo late to cross that line will disqualify the boat from the race said Hodgson Almost immediately after crossing the starting line the boats go into the first turn and it at that turn where most of the accidents occur The first few times that I raced in the S class I was terrified to see my com petitors only six inches on either side of me and one mistake would mean disaster said Hodgson Several limes Hodgson has collided wilh other boats and at speeds of GO miles per hour or better the thin hull will disintegrate Sometimes the damage is above ho water line and the boats can continue lo the finish 1 but more often the boats are put right out of the race It not a cheap sport to become Involved with either said Hodgson the boat costs around BOO American the trailer will run around a gas tank and lifejacket arc and on top of that the engine will cost around On top of those costs the driver must in elude two different propellers One propeller is a little smaller for increased and quicker on in short races and another larger propeller is used for the long distance races Propellers cost between 500 and and quite often the props are modif ed for the races which also add on the cost remarked Hodgson The way the boats are designed they are a cross between a boat and an aircraft The boats have tunnel hull design which allows air to How underneath the craft when high speeds are achieved When the air lows under the boat it lifts It up off the water bo that only the boat a propeller and the back of the boat touch the water said Hodgson Hodgson a father introduced him to the sport many years ago when he too found racing boats irresistible Derek a father was also the Commodore of the Canadian Boating Federation When Derek was nineyearsold be began in the seven foot hydroplane class with a six and one half horsepower Mercury engine that would power the boats to around 30 miles per hour When he was Hodgson had outgrown the smaller boats and began competing in the Sport class In his first year of competition Derek placed third In the National High Points competition and second in the National Sprint Event The method In which winners are deter mined Is rather complex explained Hodgson There are 13 races per season and each competitor is awarded a number of points depending on how he finishes At the end of the season the driver with the greatest number of points is the winner Also at the end of the season are the National Sprint finals in which the com arc awarded double the points they I would receive for finishing In a regular season race Normally the winner of a race receives points second place receives third gets points and so on Hodgson said At one time there were boat races on Fairy Lake noted Hodgson but with the large number of competitors and the higher speeds attained by the boats Fairy Lake became too small to be safe place to race Currently most of the Canadian races are held on small lakes like Gull Lake near or on St Lawrence River near Picton Hodgson said he t been racing for the J past couple of yean though because he sold his boat but he looking for a sponsor to set him up in the sport again If he cant find a sponsor Hodgson said hell likely buy his own boat next year and get right back into the sport he loves CREDIT RIVER BOAT CO WO Boats Retlt Motors Traitors WE ARE ALSO YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR Dora Boat ScoHCanoes IMORVAL Manns Accessories 8465000 WOMENS RECREATIONAL SOCCER for women and over MEETING REGISTRATION THURSDAY MAY 3rd 800 PM JOSEPH GIBBONS MOORE PARK SCHOOL Registration Fee Playing Members Non Playing Members FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL 8776068 Fourth placeinlgloncribleagueptoy this Team members are left to right Allan Hayes Jim Waller Ken Kevn Merrill Jim Absent for the Saturday night presentations was Peter Firemen B took fifth place In Legion crib play year Left to right are Jim Thornhill Art Ford Larry Bill Doug DobbieFrinellaodDouglord Condo readies for 84 So far three teams are signed and ready for tho Condo League season opener May The league had cons dered going to pitch this season said spokesman Dave McLean but a lack of interest prompted the league to remain playing fastball We hope to have four teams by May remarked McLean so if there is anyone interested in forming another team they give Mr McLean a call at The games are scheduled for Friday nights at Prospect Park and Sunday at U Z Bennett There are usually 14 to players per team and anyone between and old can join The League is for people who want play baseball for fun because we as com pet 1 1 as the Industrial Leagues added McLean McLean said he is anticipating a good sea son and the learn and the Acton Aces formerly the Spirits will be returning this year This is the seventh season the League has been going McLean also noted GEORGETOWN TIRE SALES LTD Over 24000 ndes Its tine to yaw brakes checked BRAKE SERVICE BRAKE SPECIALS J0JL FROKTOMC BRAKES Turn Roto rirtq RCA DRUM MAKES nUfmB 9vtmn Phono for appointment now GEORGETOWN TIRE SALES LT0 345 St Georgetown or 1606 ACTON HIGH MALE ATHLETE OF THE M0KTH JOHN KWIATKOWSKI John 19 just wrapped up a season with the basketball squad and now he getting ready for the baseball The grade student said be is involved in most sports and enjoys coaching and as well Acton is the athlete hometown and he be returning to next year to complete his grade 13 courses Kwiatkowski said his hobbies include music and dancing LUMBER 316