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VIC OL’ SKOOL SKI BOAT POKER RUN

MARCH 10, 11, 12 / 2023

SA & VIC OL’ SKOOL SKI BOAT SOCIAL CLUB PRESENTS

THE 1ST ANNUAL OL’ SKOOL SKI BOAT RUN

VIC CHAPTER – SAOSSBSC PRESENTS

The EPPALOCK EXTRAVAGANZA – VIC OL’ SKOOL SKI BOAT POKER RUN. Held in conjunction with the Victorian Speed Boat Club, Speedboat Rd, Derrinal, Lake Eppalock Victoria.

Proudly supported by, Nankervis Performance Boats, MSC Signs, Kavanagh Auto Parts Group, Midnight Restos, SA Ol’ Skool Ski Boat Social Club, Savage Force, GILFLITE.

The newly formed Victorian Chapter of the hugely successful SA Old School Sk Boat Social Club is proud to announce the inaugural running of the Eppalock Extravaganza held at the Victorian Speed Boat Club (V.S.B.C.)

V.S.B.C. – Speedboat Road, Lake Eppalock on the Derrinal pool at the Heathcote end.

Here’s a run down on what was an amazing weekend of Old School Ski Boats, Fun, Laughter, Great Food & Booze, Dancing, Camping and Good Times on the Labour Day Long weekend in March 2023.

OLD SCHOOL SKI BOATS: Pre MY2000, Fibreglass, Wood, Inboard, Outboard, Mid Mounts, Rear Mounts, Original, Re-Stored. (It’s not supposed to be a race meeting 🙂 ? Boats must be seaworthy and carry all safety equipment as required by the waterways authorities.

The weekend included the one percenters! The OG’s! (Original Group), as well as many familiar faces, there were a few new faces on board along with generations of boating enthusiasts from the kids to the grandparents and as well as many of the V.S.B.C. members and those who volunteered to help out for the weekend, we all absolutely loved every minute of it!

What an awesome bunch of people!! Thanks for coming everyone and thanks for organising this great gathering Darren Collins & Crew! And a massive shout out to our VOLUNTEERS!!

We can’t wait to do it all again next year. Until then, Happy and Safe Boating.

On behalf of everyone, It was great to meet you all face to face, we look forward to boating with you again at the next Ol’ Skool Boat meet.

GALLERY: DEVELOPED FROM A BACKGROUND OF POWER BOAT RACING, we bring to you ***** OL’ SKOOL SKI BOATS *****

Photo’s courtesy: GILL Girl Media and Trappo (Ray Traplin – VSBC Member) – this post is dedicated to Ray’s beautiful daughter ‘Jessica’ x

1987 GILFLITE SPITFIRE II

Story by Adam Pearsall

Hey there fellow GILFLITE enthusiasts!

My story starts back in 1987 (the year I was born) Michael Deanshaw (a great friend of Mum, Dad and myself) purchased the gilly as a stage ll from Peter Webb at Performance Marine. As a stage two you received hull, engine hatch, interior fitted, gauges (supply only) and a marinising kit for future engine.

Michael being a mechanic sourced a Holden Statesman with a healthy 308! With the help of Ross Pearsall (dad) The 308 was removed from the Statesman and would become the heart of the gilly but before the new heart was fitted it would be sent from Albury down to Barry Myers in Shepparton to be machined. New crank, rods, pistons all blueprinted and balanced once back home it was topped with a nice cranky camshaft, fresh heads and a quadrajet carby…….resulting in a beautiful engine with plenty of grunt for slalom and barefoot waterskiing

Engine was then fitted with soft clutch and electric/starter motor reverse which would make the gilly so user friendly! Check out the electric reverse setup in the pics, incredible compact design as it all fits under the floor meaning no extra box to accommodate a gearbox at the rear of the engine box taking up room in an already small interior.

With the running gear in, gauges and interior fitted all the gilly required was a trailer to be manufactured, this is where Micks Dad Jim stepped in, Jim being a welder by trade and with Micks attention to detail a nice tandem trailer was created to slot under the gilly. Jim did a fantastic job as the same trailer carries the gilly today! Apart from the addition in the last 24 months of a winch, guide poles and a fresh coat of paint the trailer hasn’t been touched in 36 years!!

Gilly was now ready to hit the water…….wow what a boat! It created so many family/childhood memories for Mick, Mum, Dad, me, my brother and sister down the Mighty Murray River in Albury! We all learnt to ski behind it, my brother and I also learnt to barefoot behind it (a childhood highlight of mine)

Unfortunately in 2007 we decided it was time to purchase a larger boat and we sold the gilly to a lovely fella by the name of Ian Bond, turns out we picked a great home for the gilly to go too, Ian is just as fussy as we were and really looked after it Bondy made some great improvements while she was in his possession fitting a Bimini and high pole.

….………fast forward 13 years and Mick, Ross (dad) and I and having a few around the and I say “how good would it be to find the gilly and buy it back”! Both dad and Mick agreed that it was a great idea Mick; “you find it and I’ll buy it back” turns out I didn’t need to look far as Bondy still had it tucked in the shed.

Bondy wasn’t keen to let her go as he was attached to her as much as we were 13 years prior. Once he knew she was coming back home he was okay to let her go

As you could imagine we were all very excited to have the gilly back in our possession!

After Mick and Dad doing all the original build works it was time for me to play my part

So I got straight to work, with the help of David Gill I managed to source original spec interior (vinyl, velour, carpet) materials to bring her back to the condition it left Performance Marine in 1987

I manufactured new side ski pockets incorporating speakers, 12v and usb sockets! With the help of a good mate Jake at Focus Marine & Fibreglass we modified the front of the engine box to accommodate for the centre mount boom/training bar.

Once I finish interior, Mick modified trailer to accommodate winch, guide pole and a fresh coat of paint.

At this point the boat was done! And looking amazing I might add!!

To top this story off last year my 5 year old son skied and barefooted for the first time and my 2 year old daughter for the first time on the ezy ski behind the gilly!!! The boat I learnt to ski behind this made it all worthwhile.

If you have read this far……thankyou and you are probably due for another

Well done to GILFLITE BOATS for manufacturing such a great product!

Meet The V.S.B.C. Commodore ***** Mr. RAY PALMER *****

“Australian Power Boat Racing – the pinnacle of Motor Sport”

and read Ray’s story on how he became ‘addicted to boat racing’ ……..

Introducing the Victorian Speed Boat Club Commodore Mr Ray Palmer. As far as Ray is concerned, (and I will quote the V.S.B.C. Commodore here), “Australian Power Boat Racing is the pinnacle of Motor Sport” and I doubt anyone on this page will disagree with Ray’s statement.

***** The Commodore’s Story *****

My journey with the VSBC began in the early 1990s, when I became stranded in my campervan while

attempting to launch a boat from the lake bed at Eppalock and having to reach out for assistance. I came to meet two outstanding gentlemen who gladly helped me out at the time. Both of these gentlemen are still active life members of the VSBC club today.

With the passage of time, I became increasingly involved in motorcycles, hot rodding, and boating on the Murry River with friends. My passion for boating began in the 1980s, when a friend introduced me to boating and offered me my first drive in an inboard. Three weeks later, I was the proud owner of my first inboard Chrysler Bullet 318 ski boat.

In the year 2000, I proudly became a member of the Victorian Speed Boat Club.

During this time, Lake Eppalock was slowly running at low water level. Months had passed & the drought followed which very sadly lasted about 10 years.

I have happily spent the last two decades as a member of the main committee, where I have been continuously involved in the operation of our club. In 2016 I was appointed Vice Commodore, a position I held for two years before being elected Commodore in 2018. As Commodore, I strive to make some long-term plans. We have developed strong teams from various aspects of our club as well as being part of the Vic Australian Power Boat Association, the governing body of the great sport that we follow. I strongly encourage the club to continue hosting both speedboat racing along with our holiday grounds at Eppalock for our families and general public to enjoy for decades to come.

I am extremely proud to be a member of the Victorian Speed Boat Club and eternally grateful to my wife Joanne for her unwavering support.

To be continued……..

Ray Palmer

Commodore

*** V.S.B.C. members note: With passion, sentiment and dedication, Ray has worked long hours and weekends with his professional ‘know how’ to to keep the Club strong over the past few (difficult) years. He performs his responsibilities as Commodore of the V.S.B.C. for the pure love of the sport and we as a club share a great appreciation and respect for the work our Commodore does in keeping the club successful and growing stronger than ever. Thank you!

Boat Gallery includes current and historical V.S.B.C. Boats

Story by Ray Palmer

Published by: GillGirl No.1 Publishing – Paula (GILFLITE)

Banzai was owned and raced by Ken Wheeler, the Hydro Hull was designed and built by David Gill – circa 1970’s

Ken Wheelers son Chad got in touch with us recently sending through a few photo’s of his Dad’s Hydro ‘BANZAI’ from the early 1970’s, designed and built by D. Gill (GILFLITE).

Words by Chad ……

21 foot Gilflite Hydro built by Dave for my Dad Ken Wheeler in 1971, 215 ci Aluminium Oldsmobile motor. Dad won a number of races in the early 70’s incl. Huskie Shield in 1972, 73. One photo is the framed original plans that Dave Gill gave me about 10 years ago.

My reply / added comments …..

Note: the plans were exchanged for a babies cradle that David hand made for his baby girls to sleep in. Later he gave or sold the cradle to the Wheelers for their babies to sleep in, the cradle was treasured by the Wheelers for sentimental reasons and many years later after speaking to Ken, David asked for the cradle back for his now grown up daughters babies to sleep in. The Wheelers didn’t want to give up the cradle but where enticed to do so when David offered to give them the original plans that David had kept when designing and building Ken Wheelers Hydroplane called BANZAI. The Wheelers agreed and exchanged the original plans for the Cradle. David gave the Cradle to his baby grandchild to sleep in and it has been in the family ever since as a family heirloom. (I wonder if the Wheelers will want it back for their grandchildren). In the mean-time the cradle is being prepared for third generation use as we patiently await yet another baby in our family. This child will make David a Great Grand Father and me a Great Aunty. Anyway, that’s the long story of how these plans came to be part of the Ken Wheeler / Banzai profile and the special family connection between the Wheelers and the Gills.

Published by: Paula Gill (Gill Girl Productions) – GILFLITE by Design (and don’t you forget it)!

Presents the 5th annual S.A. ‘Ol Skool Ski Boat Run

Renmark to Woolshed Brewery

February 18th and 19th 2023

“We are the Original and in our mind the best“

Article and picture gallery by Darren Collins – SA Ol’Skool Ski Boat Social Club

Around 8 years ago we organised a small Ol’ Skool Camero ski boat run from Walker Flat to Swan Reach pub, at the time and to the best of my knowledge no one was doing anything like this back then. That first ‘ol skool ski boat run’ raised a lot of interest and we then started doing runs for all makes of Ol Skool Ski boats. At that stage the runs were all from Walker Flat to Swan Reach. However, in 2018 we visited the Woolshed Brewery and thought it would be a great place to take a run too. 

By Feb 2019 we had a few trophies made up for a ‘Show n Shine’ along with some prizes that were kindly donated by local companies,.

Eleven boats made the first run up, with twenty seven (27) boats joining us in 2020 and in 2021 – sixty six (66) ‘ol skool ski boats were registered for the run but unfortunately the Victorian (covid) lockdowns took sixteen boats out so fifty one (51) boats went on the run, making it a truly fantastic run with an awesome selection of ‘ol skool ski boats admired by all and a great weekend was had. Friendship’s were made and boating stories were shared…

This year 72 boats made the journey up with over 200 people and this was the first year of the Giant Raffle.

Next years 2023 run already has 75 boats registered and our goal is to reach 100.

We are the Original and in our mind the best.

Runs are popping up all over the country now and we are working with some of the guys who attend from VSBC to get a run in Vic somewhere next year all being well.

Looking after the kids

We are starting to organise next year’s 2023 – SA ‘Ol Skool Ski Boat run raffle and wanted to reach out to any business interested in providing any support or offering donations for the raffle.

We share it all across our socials covering over 13,000 people now.  We have Radio and print media coverage from the local media outlets and ABC & 5RM radio.

So if your interested ‘jump on board’, we’d love to hear from you …

For further info

Darren Collins

SA Ol’Skool Ski Boat Social Club

saolskoolskiboatsc.com

[email protected]

0488 091 963

Mr Gill,

              Just a short note to thank you for developing and manufacturing a quality product, the attached pictures show your product nearly 40 years on and other than normal maintenance your craft has been absolutely trouble free which is testament to the quality built into your products.

               People cannot believe your design is from the 80’s and still looks current today. Roy your agent in WA is a competent fountain of knowledge and has been pivotal in helping me maintain the boat, rare to see a dealership/partnership continuing successfully for so long.

Anyway thanks once again for supplying mine and other family’s hours of pleasure over the last 37 years,

Best Regards,

                       Allan Horsley

#gilflitelaser

Roy your agent in WA is a competent fountain of knowledge and has been pivotal in helping me maintain the boat, rare to see a dealership/partnership continuing successfully for so long.

Thank you so much Allan, for your kind words and acknowledgement of the legendary Roy Appleby of Ram Marine. It’s always great to hear back from our customers after decades of satisfaction with their GILFLITE Boat and still going strong. #gilflitecult “only the Best, by the Best, for the Best”

#gilfliteastyleoflife

#gilfliteattitude

“We Know”

Via email from Carol Blake

Hi Paula,

I have just finished reading an article on the great Stampede. It was such a blast from the past.

As a very young girl in the 1960’s, our family would go to all the Race meetings watching the speed boats. Nagambie, Lake Epalock, Lake Modawarrie, Melton and others. My father, Russell Blake was a mechanic and he did all the fine tuning on Stampede. Sadly he died in 1969 so our association with the speedboats ended there.

He used to go out to Croydon and work on her. Back in those days I understand that most of the fine tuning was done by ear. He would stick his head into the engine and work out what needed to be done. He also knew just the perfect mix for the fuels to ensure optimum output.

Dad also did a lot of work with Alan Fordham on his skiff “Sylvia”.

It was wonderful to read the story and see the old photo’s. Mum is still with us and she got such a thrill to see them and it bought back wonderful memories for her.

Is there any chance that you might be able to send through some photo’s of the boat and images of Bobby Saniga and Stan Jones so that I can pass the story onto Dads Grand Children and Great Grandchildren. I would also love a copy of the article to put in my family history.

Yours Truly

Carole Blake

Hi Carol, Thank you so much for your lovely message. I would love to publish your story (as written in your email) in Boat Talk’ on the GILFLITE web site, if that’s ok. If so,  do you happen to have any photos to accompany your story?  It would be a great follow up to the story on Stampede.   Regards Paula

Hi Paula,

Thank you for your kind response. I have attached a photo of “Sylvia” with Stan Jones and dad in the back. 

Mum seems to think it was at Yarrawonga. The photographer was M.Zaetta from Swan Hill. 

I have also attached the article that prompted my letter as I was telling my partner about Stampede. Mum is 90 now and has early onset dementia and showing her these pictures has prompted some lovely memories and stories. 

I just checked out the link to the forthcoming Griffith Cup-so tempted to go.  My goodness it all looks so different. Certainly brings back memories for me as well.

Kind Regards, 

Carole Blake

Below article reference

“But I yearned for a real ski boat with a V8 power unit”

Memoir by John Barwick (absolute boating enthusiast)

John gave me a call the other day upon reading the article on GILFLITE published in Club Marine Magazine titled ‘Guts & Glory’. John lives up around Tamworth Qld area and simply put, he just wanted to pay homage to his beloved ski boat ‘The GILFLITE Integra’ and tell us how much he and his family had enjoyed their Integra over the years. Here’s his story and a few photo’s of “the good ‘ol days” …..

Hello again Paula,

I don’t know how it happened but I accidently phoned your father David yesterday and we had a great chat. I believe that call went for 20minutes or more.  It was great talking to David as we had so much in common. 

Now our boating and Gilflite story.  

Soon after I left school in 1959 I became interested in boating and dreamt of building my own powerboat.  After researching available plans I decided on a 14 foot ply runabout.  I did build it and powered it with a new Ford Falcon 170 engine.  I marinised it with a Hardman marine conversion.  That boat served us well as a ski boat for many years.  The boat was sold and we advanced in a big way in 1968 purchasing a Hammond craft fibreglass ski boat powered with a 308 ci Ford marine engine.  That craft was sold around 1980 as our young family enjoyed boating and the next purchase was a Haines Hunter V17 half cab with a 175 hp Mercury outboard.  The Haines served us well with the family boating on Keepit Dam near Tamworth.  We used it as day boat just cruising about on Keepit and the Central Coast and the Hawkesbury River when on holidays.  We also used it as a ski boat but I yearned for a real ski boat with a V8 power unit.

In 1988/89 I was buying boating magazines as though they were going out of fashion without much success trying to find my dream watercraft.  Whilst travelling in Victoria I came across the Gilflite Integra in a magazine and wow I was hooked.  It had such beautiful lines and I soft talked my wife  into agreeing that this is our dream ski boat and it was  powered by a 5.7 L V8 Mercury.  We both agreed that this was the time for the Integra because our three kids were of skiing age and this was our entry into many years in a beautiful boat. Whilst we were in Vic we arranged a visit to David Gill’s factory to see the Gilflite. We ordered the boat without hesitation and the rest is history.  Many years of fun on the water.  The ski season opened on the long weekend in October with a Carnival and boat racing.  We never raced but acted as the crash boat. The Integra was used in fresh water only and mainly on Keepit Dam.  It was used to pull visiting exhibition skiers at the Keepit Carnivals.  Many many fun years on the water.  We loved that craft but family moved on and our interests changed and we sold the Integra and to the best of my knowledge still operates in the area.  I was so proud of that Integra.  It always drew attention wherever I put it into the water.

I may be a little hazy with the date 1988/89

Very Kind Regards

John Barwick

Thanks for getting in touch and sharing your memoirs with us John, it’s always great to hear that we are doing our job properly, and that is “making people feel good” after all, that’s what boating is all about. All the best, Paula

Integral – that which one can not function without

GILFLITE a style of Life!

Only the Best, by the Best, for the Best!

GILFLITE Quality Guaranteed!

From the GILFLITE archives: 1990 PRESENTATION

GILFLITE Esprit for Australian export (circa 1990)

Gallery: GILFLITE Esprit – A.W.S.A. Tournament approved ski boat. Development and manufacturing excellence of the ‘Esprit’ over the years….. By GILFLITE

GILFLITE Quality Guarantee

GILFLITE a style of Life!