Caption Competition! - July 2009

[alt]

Ok so not a RIB but thought you'd enjoy it... taken last weekend at Round 4 of the Irish National Powerboat Championship, Kilalloe, Co. Clare, Ireland

[diverdad]

Boaters wait for tide to come in to try the new "deep draught launching trolley"!

[neilda]

'Oi 'tink the begger should be facing the other way Sheamus'

[Hightower]

Dog chases Giant Sausage and pulls van and trys to give Van and Boat the Slip.

[astra]

5 irish men and 1 dog look for stolen race boat

[BogMonster]

Irish Ferries trial their new "credit crunch" downsized fast passenger vessel

[Nasher]

Presenting the new 'Iceberg' Racing concept, where 2/3rds of the boat has to be underwater.

Nasher.

[alt]

OK so let me tell you what's going on here....

The driver had brought 2 boats to the race, a Formula 2 on trailer and the Formula 4 (in pic) on the roof as it was the only way it could be brought. Nice set-up I must admit with proper holds etc. so the boat doesn't take flight.

The plan is to just ring a local crane/forklift guy to come down to take it down and put it back up. So on the Sat morning, guy arrived to take it down, excellent! On the Sunday... no sign of him. Running out of time we had to improvise. I don't know who came up with the idea (wasn't me anyway) but great thinking....

We got the Hiace to where you see it in the pic. The boat is on a little launching trolley with wheels. So we wheeled it down from the pits and up the little grass verge you see on the right... lined it all up and lifted it on... easy peasy!

[codprawn]

From the Russ Swift school of motoring!!!

[250kts]

Genius!

Though it must have taken about a 50 point turn to get the van at a right angle to slip.

I have to say, up to the point of the explaination, the suggestions from my collegues at work of what & how was very entertaining.