Banzai successfully owned & raced by Ken Wheeler – Designed & built by D. Gill – photo 1973 Gold Cup, courtesy of Kens son ChadHydroplanes: Miss Coldstream owned & raced by Ray Adams – designed & built by GILFLITEDisplacements: RASCALA successfully owned and raced by Bill Baberton – Designed and built by D. Gill GILFLITEOffshore Racing: Jaya owned & race by Colin Prat – Designed & Build by D. Gill circa: 1968
1971 – E.C. GRIFFITH CUP – Australian Motorboat Championship Unlimited. The Worlds most spectacular sport
It began way back in 1910, unlimited powerboat racing was in those days a sport for the wealthy or apparently wealthy few, and their mighty motors thundered a chorus that could be heard for miles as the message was bellowed out that the greatest single event in Australian motor sport was here. They were real racing men in those days and boats were not treated with kid gloves. To race your boat back in the Golden Years of the Griffith Cup you had to drive it to and from the race meeting. Often the only navigation lights were the flames from the red hot open exhausts, but they were the pioneers of Australian boat racing; they laid a foundation for the coming generations.
Easter Sunday – 11th April 1971 Event No. 4: Boat Name: Miss-Chif, Driver: WallyCooper, Hull: David Gill, Club: VSBC Main Race: Boat Name: Vulture, Driver: John Lewis, Hull: David Gill, Club: VSBC
*The following (original) photographs and articles tell a story of what happened if you went down to Dave Gills workshop to talk about your boat or your dream!
Pioneering the early days of what was to become GILFLITE Boats! Now in the business of boating for around 60 years – that’s a Diamond, that’s definitely been made under pressure!!!
EC-Griffith-Cup entrants1978 EC Griffith Cup – photo: Hydro ‘Rebel’ – sister boat to Vulture – built by David GillGriffith Cup EntrantsVSBC-winners-1948-1970The Prop Rider 1970 RecordsArticle: D Gill 1968
Those are ‘not so young’ Dave Gill’s hands holding the article; “When a photo is worth a thousand words and thousands of boats later” not to mention designs, inventions, record holding race boats, award winning ski boats and so on.Griffith Cup ProgramCarnival DayThe Prop Rider – Scrubcat
driver: Jack Long – hull by D GillWally Cooper owner/driver Miss Chiff – D Gill hull – Proprider cover 1969Swallow ProgramWimmera Cup 1976Wimmera Cup ProgramThe Prop Rider 1978 – hulls for sale ( 3 x Gill Hyro’s for sale)For Sale: Gill Hydro – ‘Hydromania’ ex Vulture 1978GILFLITE Javelin. Developed from a background of racing boat success.‘Rascala’ Plywood Clinker built 1970 253 Holden stock-class 70 mph – owner: Bill Babberton
Above: Racing Boats for sale as advertised in Proprider (or similar) circa mid 1970’s
GALLERY: Racing Hulls designed and built by David Gill (circa late 1960’s and 1970’s) – Boat Owner/Drivers and Articles
Rascala built by David Gill 1970 – owner: Bill BabbertonScrubcat – owner/driver Jack LongMiss-Chiff – photo Albert Park LakeMiss-Chiff II photo by Bob-CarterWally Cooper owner/driver Miss Chiff – D Gill hull – Proprider article 1969JAYA – owner/driver Colin Pratt (built by D Gill circa 1968ish)Scrubcat and Miss-chiff (both GILL Hulls)Caprice GILFLITE JavlinB Pee – photo by Bob CarterB-Pee-newspaper-clipping-circa-1970Rascala and Bpee both restored (photo April 2019 courtesy Ken Lemin)Miss Coldstream – Gill HydroRace Boats For Sale Proprider circa 1978 – 3 GILL HullsRace Boats For Sale Proprider circa 1978Hydroplanes: Vulture & Rebel identical boats (both Gill hulls) photo: D Gill backyard circa late 1960’sHiawatha photo 1982 (built 1972)Rebel (later named Hiawatha,. Sister boat to Vulture)Scrubcat IV – photo courtesy Bob CarterVSBC winners 1948 to 1970 (Driver: Jack Long – Boat – Scrubcat – hull by David Gill)Article D Gill – 1968
Article: D Gill 1968
Those are ‘not so young’ Dave Gill’s hands holding the article; “When a photo is worth a thousand words and thousands of boats later” not to mention designs, inventions, record holding race boats, award winning ski boats and so on.John Lewis EC Griffith Cup plaque – VultureVulture – owner/driver: John LewisVulture – owner/driver: John Lewis. Photo courtesy Bindy LewisVulture, Villian Cheetah – all designed & built by GILFLITE
Above: Freebooter owned and raced by Benny Fox – designed and built by D. Gill – circa: early – mid 1970’s
Below: Banzai owned and raced by Ken Wheeler – designed and built by D. Gill- circa: early – mid 1970’s
Above: Banzai owned and raced by Ken Wheeler, build by David Gill
Winner of the 1975 EC Griffith Cup – VULTURE the hydroplane owned & raced by John Lewis – designed & built by David GillVULTURE & REBEL – sister boats designed & built by D. Gill
Rebel – later knows as Hiawatha – originally owned and raced by Geoff Lewis, brother of John Lewis
Vulture – link to Vulture 1970’s – click on photoAbove: Alan Beale driving his first race boat, ‘Psycho’ a mk I GILFLITE Javelin, fibreglass hull with a timber deck. Powered by inline 6 Chrysler. Very successful boat in its day.
Below: Impulse and Rascala – circa early to mid 1970’s
Below: Aussie Connection at the 2026 Yarrawonga Power Boat Spectacular AKA EC Griffith Cup weekend – still the crowd pleaser
Below: Miss Bayswater Bulk (Stampede III) – The Build by GILFLITE
PEYTON built for Keith Harrison – 202 holden with an Erving Head – Designed & built by D. Gill – owned & raced by Keith HarrisonVulture owned & raced by John Lewis – Designed & built by D. Gill
VULTURE always the winner
Below: More articles with mentions on GILFLITE – David Gill – Croydon workshop & where it all began in his Eastfield Rd Shed
Below: RACE PROGRAMS & MEMORABILLIA from the Golden Era of Australian Power Boat Racing – ‘For the Record’
The Australian Unlimited Speedboat Championship – E.C. Griffith Cup program 1948
Above: Scrubcat and Mischief both GILFLITE hulls both boats raced very successfully circa: 1970’s
Above: Offshore Racing: JAYA Owner Colin Pratt built by D Gill 1968ish
Stampede ‘The Glenmaggie Monster’ at the GILFLITE factory pictured with Stan Jones in the office, Doug Brown on the left and David Gill on the right – performing some final adjustments on the thunderboat before successfully attempting and breaking the Australasian Record at Glenmaggie weir in 1971. It is reported that the hydroplane clocked 175mph on the straight. However, all in all it was recorded a 155mph setting a new Australasian record.
