My new view is just a little piece of The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
A New Chapter
Yes, I am again getting the website up to speed and in turn, bringing news – interesting and controversial - to the Blog. The fact is I have been through a few changes, including relocating again. And while I have maintained my powerboat engineering passion - which I always seek to share - the focus has changed somewhat. You will find updates on every page, some of which are still ‘Work in progress!’ So watch this space to keep up to date and, as always, I welcome comments on the FB page, or ‘in confidence’ by email.
Note: For those communicating by email ‘in confidence’ - past or future - while I may use quotes in articles and posts, my sincere promise is that such quotes will remain anonymous and your views and trust, will remain secure.
As the updates will clarify, there are some aspects of life that have disappointed, frustrated and depressed me – not least, the moral integrity of people and governments! However, I ultimately have to admit that in one thing at least, I have been blessed. I live in a place that’s not only a tropical paradise, but has been completely Covid free throughout the pandemic. That is not to say we or this community, is complacent. Caution has been exercised constantly and vaccinations are now under way - having been delayed by Federal Government incompetence! So, we are now feeling a little more confident to travel – at least within Queensland!
Changing the flavour of the website has been influenced by, what I consider to be disappointing and sometimes despicable, developments in the sport. More significant, is my firm commitment to the application engineering needed to bring practical, low-carbon, net-zero and ultimately carbon-negative fuels and power sources to the planing hull segment of the marine industry.
I will continue to observe offshore powerboat racing, give encouragement where justified, and maybe engage in some way if I feel comfortable. But my passion has been dampened by the way its amateur status has – despite some good intentions - enabled it to steadily degenerate. Coincidentally, and for much the same reasons, I have exactly the same feeling toward Australian Federal, and to a ‘slightly’ lesser extent, State Government Politicians.
Countering this, and despite such negativity, there is positive progress in some areas of the private and corporate sector, where common sense, true environmental concern, and commercial logic, is driving awesome technological advancements. Developments in sustainable fuels, low-carbon and net-zero power sources therefore keep my ‘powerboat performance’, if not racing passion, alive and in harmony with my deep appreciation of the natural world and the wildlife it nurtures.
There are massive opportunities for future ‘Powerboat Engineering’, that need to be explored and rationalised, to enable an understanding that low-carbon, net-zero or even zero-negative carbon, does not mean the end of offshore powerboat performance - or fun!
So the next few posts will consider the responsibilities that ‘performance powerboat’ people need to recognise if they are to put an end to this downward spiral in morality and reputation. This will include:
- A look at how the reputation of a sport and one of its highest honours, was so easily trashed!
- Considering where the ‘planing hull’ segment of powerboating is on the ‘carbon reduction’ progress curve - and my thoughts on what we must do, for ‘net-zero’ to gain acceptance by you (ok, us), the ‘performance powerboat’ people!