VULTURE – Part I ‘Introduction’

‘VULTURE is the first Australian – built conventionally-hulled boat to do the “ton” !!
John Lewis won more National and State championships and broke more records than he could paint on VULTURES deck’. (Ted Madden)

VULTURE PART I – ‘Introduction’ – By Bindy Lewis

I was only 2 years old when My dad ‘John Lewis’ started ‘Speedboat Racing’.  Dad had some history in boats but not in building a race boat! and Dad wanted a winner – he was all or nothing. This boat had to be special!  

Dad went to see a local boat builder in Croydon, Dave Gill for the hull.  He also approached a bloke by the name of John Peet, a motor mechanic who lived in the same block of flats.  John Peet said he knew nothing about boats, but Dad did not see this as a problem.  

David Gill finished the timber hull and presented John with a ‘one of a kind design’ – She was a beauty and of highest standards in this craft.  John & his brother Geoff with John Peet set about fitting the engine.  This was in the  late 1960’s  – there were no big flash Auto Parts Stores where you could source what was needed for a race boat.  John had to have parts machined for him, they had to go about all different tasks by being inventive. It was a matter of adapting what you had, have it made or make it yourself – and go looking overseas to America, and importing your own parts.  Dad was always busy, running ‘Lewis Bros’ Plumbing and spending as much time as he could on his new toy  “Vulture”.

The 1970’s was a huge & exhilarating time in boat racing history. The sport was ‘big time’ with bigger and faster boats appearing on the scene.  It was a time when the boat racing phenomenon  was a massive part of Australian Sport!  Acknowledged by the media both in print & on television. They were very exciting times, records were being broken and teams were experimenting like never before.  The enthusiastic crowds were huge!

Camping was popular, making race meets a family affair and a big weekend was made of it.  Dad decked out an interstate coach, “Clipper” Bus for Mum & us three kids – it had everything! I will never forget Dad and the generator he had going full boar while complaining how hot it was, lol! The reason John, my Dad, decked out the Clipper is because he went to every possible race meet and it was way easier for Mum with us kids.  Dad was consistent, always racing, and there were a lot of race meets to attend.

I was so little, I didn’t know about winning, I was too young, (or I was incapable of having the attention span to watch an entire race). What was important to me was that Dad got to the corner first and that the boat did not break. I would ask “Did the boat run out of petrol?”
That was what I thought a break down was

Bindy’s Speedboat Racing tips:
1. Get to the corner first
2. Have plenty of petrol

Thanks for listening,

Bindy

Epilogue: ‘Vulture is the first Australian – built conventionally-hulled boat to do the “ton” !!
John Lewis won more National and State championships and broke more records than he could paint on VULTURES deck’. (Ted Madden)

Check out Bindy’s web site featuring her Dad ‘John Lewis’ and VULTURE