About

About The Adelaide Speedboat Club

Adelaide Speed Boat Club was first incorporated in 1935 and was situated at Snowdens Beach on the Port River . In 1969 the club moved to its present site at the North Arm, which provides an ideal venue for Powerboat Racing and other water sport activities.

Over the years, many drivers of National repute have developed among our ranks.

Within the Powerboat Racing Fraternity, the Adelaide Speedboat Club has a reputation for Quality Event Management and Professionalism (not easy to attain in a totally amateur sport). In 1989 the Australian Formula One Grand Prix Office contracted the club as consultants and race organisers for the Inaugural Formula One Powerboat Grand Prix Event in the Port Docks. Similar services were provided in 1993 for the second Formula One event, which was conducted by the Australian Formula One Powerboat Driver’s Association at North Arm.

The Adelaide Speedboat Club in conjunction with the Riverland Power Boat Club at Berri has programmed a Racing Season.

In the past, the clubs have attracted a huge contingent of local and interstate competitors and spectators to our waters, including many State, Australian, Australasian, American and one World Champion. This year will be no exception.

Throughout the season, several classes of boats from the Nipper class for children up to Hydroplanes, Formula One Outboards and Supercharged Inboards will compete.

With the competitors come the spectators, and given the layout of the North Arm and Berri sites, whilst in attendance spectators are a “Captive Market”for our commentary team, on-site advertising, program content etc., thus providing an excellent opportunity for Sponsors to raise awareness with the audience.

As with any competitive motor sport, in order to attract the competitors, we need the Sponsorship support.

We in powerboat racing understand that with any form of support, there must be a promise of return benefit for the prospective sponsor. Sponsorship is a “two-way street” and we prefer to view your anticipated support as a partnership.

The North Arm Facility

The Adelaide Speedboat Club is situated at North Arm, Gillman (adjacent to the Torrens Island Power station). The venue is able to cater for up to 5000 Spectators.

All patrons receive a full view of the racing and other on-water activities, and are most welcome to walk through the pit area after the meeting to look at the boats and converse with the drivers, and crews.

Corporate viewing areas are available for selected V.I.P’s, sponsors and their guests.

All events are Fully Catered for, with all normal amenities provided by volunteer Adelaide Speedboat Club members.

The layout of the site allows for excellent Sponsorship Signage and Exposure.

What Type Of Racing Do We Do?

The world of circuit powerboat racing in this form is relatively unknown, despite being around since the early 1900’s. A relatively untold secret of Australian sport, circuit racing on water is one of the most spectacular events on the world racing calendar.

Similar to the field of Formula 1 outboard racing, circuit racing at the ASBC involves multiple raceboats in short sprint races in an all out hell-for-leather dash to the finish.

Traditionally there are 3 types of races that can vary in length:

Scratch Race- All boats must line up parallel to the start boat when the white flag is held aloft by the race starter. Once happy with the starting arrangements, he proceeds to quickly drop the flag which signifies the beginning of the race. Hold on to your hat when this happens.

Handicap Race- The clock at the control tower begins it cycle. Each driver milling in the waiting area has been given a time (relative to their lap times) at which they are allowed to cross the starting line. The idea being that all boats will be finishing at around the same time.

Le Mans-Typically used around F1 powerboat circuits, the Le Mans race is the same as a Scratch Race, differing only by the starting method. All boats are lined up along the bank with a brave crew member holding it and driver in readiness. The control tower sounds a horn which begins the race, and drivers must then start their engines and GO

Where this form of racing is unique, it includes not only a wide variety of different classes (see table below) but a wide range of craft types, including outboards, inboards, displacement hulls (like ski boats), tunnel boats & hydroplanes. Making things even more interesting are the mixed class races, where specatators can see B.A.D boats taking on the best F1 boats in the world in what have so far been some of the most exciting races ever witnessed.

It would appear that anyone exposed to the sport, be it competing or spectating, will find themselves in some way drawn back to it. Some would say it’s the pure uniqueness of what the sport has to offer- there’s nothing else quite like it.

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