It’s a long story, this is merely the highlights:

England 1961, an eleven year old has dreams of an outboard to turn his 10ft dinghy into a powerboat after watching the very first ‘modern era’ offshore powerboat race outside the USA – the first Cowes-Torquay. During the race an incredibly noisy boat stopped right off the headland where he is watching – the boat is ‘Glass Moppie’, the driver and crew were Sam Griffiths and Dick Bertram. AB really can claim to have been there at the beginning!

(The Sam Griffiths Trophy was traditionally awarded to the Class-1 Offshore World Champion; it is the pinnacle of the sport. The Bertram Yacht Company ‘Moppie’ series were the prototype ‘deep-vee’ hull designs used in performance production and racing boats to this day.)

A C&G London Institute automotive technology graduation and a five year Ford apprenticeship – plus a passion for motor racing, saw him work his way to a top auto race-team building F2 and F5000 cars - that company later became Roger Penske’s UK Indy-car factory.

In 1973 he happened to see an offshore race again - ‘Dry Martini’, ‘Unowot’, ‘Miss Embassy’ - multiple V8’s, howling outboards, smoke belching diesels, even gas-turbines - this is awesome! He dreams powerboats again and buys an 18ft sportscruiser. June 1976 he joins Sabre Engines turning Ford diesels into race winners; by ’77 he is assistant engineer on the Sabre powered boat that wins the British Championship – the die is cast!

In 1978 he races a powerboat – on a lake – taking his ex-John Nicholson (Nicholson McLaren Engines) OE class Hodges/Mercury circuit cat to second place in the Duckhams Oils Club Championship – but his heart is really ‘offshore’! He leaves Sabre to briefly run Fletcher International Sportsboats (Christchurch) retail rigging shop

By this time his marine engineering reputation is such that he is commissioned by RYA scrutineers to strip and measure one of Renato Della Valle’s ‘Rothmans’ engines during his three heat sweep of the 1982 Class 1 World Championship.

AB spends six months in Australia, returning to the UK in ’83 to establish ‘Adrian Bright Powerboat Engineering’ – taking Mercruiser and Earls Performance Products dealerships. By 1985 he is racing with a client – including the 25th Anniversary of the Cowes-Torquay Classic. His shop is close to Roger Penske’s Indy-car factory and a relationship develops with ‘Penske Cars’.

Consultancy commissions continue, including an order to strip and inspect one of the Fiat IVECO engines from the 1984 Round Britain race-winning Buzzi mono ‘White IVECO’. At year end he takes his first offshore A-Class win in a client’s Hunton 23 Sportscruiser. Through ‘86 and ’87 he continues maintaining production class raceboats, racing with clients and taking more wins.

By now he is supplying most of the top offshore teams with Earl’s fluid system components – including Cougar Marine and Class-1 World Champion, Steve Curtis.

Keen to run his own team, AB buys a new Revenger 25 Sportscruiser hull which he rigs with a single Mercruiser 260. Launching halfway through the 1988 season, he throttles and navigates with Penske Cars CEO, Nick Goozeé on the helm. In six races, ‘Sweet Revenge’ takes six class wins and third Cruiser overall on each occasion, beating B-Class cruisers with twice the power. AB then smashes the Cruiser A-Class speed record on Lake Windermere.

For ’89, two clients order B-Class Revenger Sportscruisers; he throttles and drives with each client at various times, the team wins countless races, two championships and takes B-Class speed record. ‘Sweet Revenge’, renamed ‘Daddies Toy’, takes A-Class National Championship for its new owner.

In 1990 AB takes the Offshore Racing Drivers Association (Cruiser Class) Championship and is awarded UK Offshore Boating Association ‘Engineer of the Year’ trophy at year end – in recognition of industry position and client success. In ‘91 he teamed up with Ring Powercraft in the new Ring 26 B-Class sportscruiser, again, winning virtually every race entered.

Throughout this time a parallel career develops, writing for ‘Powerboat International’ and ‘Raceboat’ magazines. He is elected technical representative for the Power Cruiser Racing Association and is invited by the RYA to assist in re-writing the Production Cruiser Class rules.

In 1993 AB moves to Australia and meets up with offshore racers: Ross Willaton and Bill Barry-Cotter. Working with Ross at Greg Swain Marine, he throttles in a couple of races for Rocco Emanuel in a 33 Fountain – prompting Ross to say (He’d had a few beers!) “There are only two good throttlemen in Australia – you and me”! (He was right on the second one – Ross subsequently became a ‘World’ Champion in both US Superboats and X-Cats!)

Adrian Bright Powerboat Engineering re-established on the Gold Coast, taking Earl’s and Mercruiser again. Supplying fuel and fluid system components to offshore, ski-racers and several Gold Coast based V8 Supercar teams, he quickly becomes a top Australian Earl’s dealer. In 1998 Earl’s invite him to work directly with them in Sydney. McIntyre Equipment brought in the first Steyr MO236 marine diesel from Austria at this time and AB’s interest evolved into friendship with Rob McIntyre. AB represents (contracts) Earl’s and Steyr in Sydney region until returning to QLD in 2000.

In 2001, ABPE Pty Ltd establishes a dealership for Mercruiser, Yanmar, Steyr-Motors and Suzuki in a new marina/resort in north Queensland. AB also imported two Sunsation performance sportscruiser hulls from the US. In 2007/8 he runs a Sunsation 288 demo boat as the ‘Official Pace Boat’ for the AOPC/Superboat offshore series; AB is awarded the AOPC 2007 Clubman of the Year Trophy. AB also provides the start-boat and escort for the Bass Strait Rally and takes in a Poker-Run on the Gippsland lakes while in Victoria.

The writing career develops further with contributions in ‘Australian Powerboat’ and a regular four-page performance/technical section for ‘Propeller’ magazine in Australia and NZ. Further contributions appear in Superyacht magazines ‘OCEAN’ and ‘ULTIMATE BOATING & LIFESTYLE’.

The north Queensland marina/resort developer failed, deeply affecting the business. Substantial financial loss is followed by the marina being completely destroyed by cyclone Yasi. The move is made to Airlie Beach. AB becomes contracted consultant and north QLD representative for Steyr-Motors Australia, also taking private consultancy work, writing occasional magazine articles and developing the ‘Sportscruiser-Sport’ blog. The Bass Strait Rally was re-run in 2011 which saw AB team up with an entrant from WA; they successfully complete the event in a Scarab 26. His account of the Australian Offshore Challenge / Bass Strait Rally is published in ‘Trailer-Boat’ magazine and remains a popular website hit.

It can be stated that the early interest in boats and the subsequent education and training that led to the passion for motorsport, evolved into a profound understanding and a wealth of experience in powerboat engineering. Over the years, this has been complimented by the study of the physics and mechanical engineering principles applicable to refining powerboat dynamics, efficiencies and performance. While the studying never culminated in seeking formal graduation, it is gratifying to see boats with concepts AB instigated over 30 years ago, still racing and winning in the 21st century. Some things just speak for themselves!

Now into the second decade of the 21st Century, the focus has been revised. While a long running legal commission is still very much active, AB is no longer taking consultancy work. The technical focus is now on the practical transition from fossil fuels to a net-zero and ultimately, fully zero carbon future. The invitation now, is to offer power and fuel technology stakeholders a partner in facing the challenge of gaining market and operator acceptance, across the planing hulled craft sector. Embracing every commercial, service, military, leisure and competition application.

For AB, the offshore powerboat technology flame burns as passionately as ever, however he equally values a lifelong interest in observing wildlife, birds in particular. Addressing climate change, habitat conservation and promoting environmental awareness, are in complete harmony with the engineering and operational practicalities of evolving power source and fuel technology, in fast planing craft applications.

Regardless of political manipulation, an understanding of climate change facts is leading to change at the level of responsible corporate strategies and investment decisions in the now urgent quest for reaching net-zero emissions. Low-carbon power in planing craft applications, must be considered and operational, research and development instigated. Equally, such development must build societal understanding, acceptance and market demand. 

At the sporting level, professional motorsports are now trending positively in clean engine and fuel technology. Alternative power sources and fuels do not represent the end of enjoyment and sporting challenges, on the contrary, it is the very place where technical solutions evolve and are proven!

AB always welcomes interest and discussion.