Classic raceboats return to Lake Mulwala

Members of the Classic Australian Wooden Powerboat Association (CAWPBA) will showcase a fleet of golden oldies as part of the spectacle at the Lake Mulwala Power Festival on November 28-29, 2009.

The occasion will celebrate a time when Chevrolet and Chrysler powered timber powerboats would descend upon Yarrawonga for the annual Boxing Day/New Year’s Day powerboat racing festival, although this time the “old girls of the 1960s” will take it easy.

Amongst the participating wooden boats will be classic family skiboats and inboard raceboats, including a very fast and noisy 1968 raceboat called Rebound that once raced the waters of Lake Mulwala.

Rebound is a classic Lewis clinker skiff powered by a 327 (5.4lt) Chevrolet Corvette engine. This boat is just over 16ft long, with the driver sitting aft, right behind the screaming Chev.

Today, the 41 year old Rebound is still loud and fast, and while she has been fully restored to her original race trim (complete with 427hp Chev engine), she’s long been retired as a race boat.

“We are more than happy to display our boats and put them on the water for demonstration runs,” said Association committee member Bob Carter.

“Our boats have aged gracefully and they had their day at the top many, many years ago. To go out and push them hard now would be both dangerous and disrespectful to the heritage of a classic Australian race boat.

“As a young boy I used to read about the Yarrawonga festival in the boating magazines of the day,” added Carter. “Then as a teenager I actually got to go to Yarrawonga for the powerboat races at Christmas. The excitement, noise, speed and spectacle of the great boats from Melbourne, Sydney and beyond was just amazing. I was absolutely hooked on the sport.”

The Lake Mulwala Power Festival will be held on November 28-29, 2009. Visit www.yarrawongamulwala.com.au or call the Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism office on 1800 062 260 for further information.