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
*These were the early days of what was to become GILFLITE!
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
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)Vulture, Villian CheetahArticle 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 – link to Vulture 1970’sVictorian Speed Boat Club link
