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From London to Monte Carlo
fitted with governors which stopped them from revving too high when the props came out of the water on big waves and consequently straining all the transmission parts on re-entry. It gave us an advantage over the crews who had to do this manually. Mike: We knew the second half of the race would be calmer so we did what we could to extend our lead while the conditions were in our favour. What was the highlight and lowlight of the race for you? Eddie: The highlight of the race for me was the presentation of the gold cup by Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco. Mike: The low points of the race were the fog on the Lisbon-Portimao stage (when Eddie had been out partying all night), and then the massive waves we encountered rounding the Pyrenees and trying to cross the Gulf of Lyons on Stage 13. Where did life take you after the race? Are you still involved in powerboat racing? Eddie: I raced on many different boats, notably Penthouse, a cougar cat boat that won the Miami to Nassau Cup. I also went on to complete several powerboat races in the UK, like the Cowes Torquay Cowes race and the Round Britain race. Powerboat racing was a hobby for me though, and I also had a professional career in maxillofacial surgery. Mike: I carried on running my boat business, and I still work in it today, having become a major distributor of marine transmissions and parts for the older British marine diesels that I distribute worldwide. We meet up at powerboat events and at the annual Cowes Torquay Cowes race, where I use my 45ft Sunseeker as a fast patrol and rescue boat.
How did you meet Mike? Did you know each other at the College? Eddie: I did not know Mike at the College as he was older than me, but I met him by chance in 1966. I had bought a house and boat in Shoreham-by-Sea, and we were both launching our boats into the river Adur when I spotted his OA tie. Mike: Eddie forgets that I was Head of Seniors in Ivyholme when he was a junior there, and I had to inspect his hands before tea in the evening. How did you come to be involved with HTS and the London to Monte Carlo Powerboat Race? Mike: Ralph Hilton was a customer at my dad’s tyre business and so knew about our house on Shoreham Beach. He was interested in having a weekend place so he bought a house just along the road from us. I had just started a boat racing club and a boat business and he bought two boats from me. The three of us all raced there, and we were also on the national powerboat racing circuit. I had HTS built for Ralph for us to compete in the first ever Round Britain Powerboat Race in 1969; we both raced with him, winning the Inverness-Dundee stage. Eddie: The HTS was entered into the London to Monte Carlo race, but Ralph was unable to race due to business reasons so I became the driver, Mike the skipper and navigator, and Jim Brooker, Ralph’s top truck fitter, the on-board engineer. HTS was never the favourite to win the race. What do you think it was that gave you the edge? Eddie: HTS won the race because of the tender loving care of the engines by Jim and Mike’s expert navigational skills, as well as his determination to finish without breaking the boat. He only had a map and compass to get us to the finish. I was just the driver, though quite a good one really. The boat also had an advantage in rougher weather as the engine power would automatically cut out whenever the boat was lifted out of the water. The engines were
In 1972, OAs Mike Bellamy (46-52) and Eddie Chater (50-57) accomplished a remarkable feat, and one that remains unrivalled to this day. Along with factory foreman Jim Brooker, they won the iconic 2,560-mile London to Monte Carlo Powerboat Race, organised by the Offshore Powerboat Club of Great Britain and often described as the greatest powerboat race in history. The course was punishing, consisting of 13 stages and lasting some 14 days. Mike, Eddie and Jim crewed HTS, which was owned by Ralph Hilton and named after his highly successful transport company, Hilton Transport Services. Despite an assortment of adverse weather conditions, HTS averaged 35.76 knots, and at the end of the race had a margin of eight and a half hours over the other competitors. We spoke with Eddie and Mike about what the experience was like.
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