Life's too short

EXAMPLE: A FAST TRIP

Few people have travelled faster on water than they have on land. Even fewer have exceeded 160 km/h in a boat. But with the help of the five times powerboat world champion, Neil Holmes, I achieved both. Holmes took me for a ride in his £100,000 powerboat catamaran, Talley Medical. He gradually eased Talley Medical, which has a six-litre, 600hp engine and can reach 193 km/h, to 169 km/h.

1

I am a natural panicker, so I was not looking forward to this assignment. And powerboat racing is dangerous. There have been several horrifying accidents. Why anyone would want to risk his life, therefore, for the sake of screaming around the ocean at great speed was quite beyond me. I put the question to Holmes. 'I love being on water,' he confessed. 'Once you get salt water in your blood, there's no stopping you.'

2

The cockpit canopy of Talley Medical was made of the same material as a fighter jet. The seats are like a jet's and the space is minimal. Tied in with a five-strap safety harness so tightly I could not move, I was seated behind Holmes in the navigator's chair. I wore full, flame-retardant overalls, crash helmet and lifejacket.

3

Although boats have not changed much in appearance since the start of the event, the construction has been dramatically improved from the original open-cockpit plywood boats. The first major development was the hard composite cockpit capsule designed to break away from the rest of the boat in a crash. They also introduced an airbag situated behind the driver that prevents the cockpit from completely submerging if the boat flips.

4

Powerboat racing can be an expensive sport. But most people get into the sport at a much lower — and cheaper —level. It is possible to get a second-hand boat, that could be used for recreation as well as racing, for about £2,000.

5

But it would not be possible simply to buy the top-of-the-range, monster boat if you had, say a big lottery win, then go out racing. Race organisers would consider it too dangerous for a novice to join a high-power race. Newcomers to the sport have to work their way up through the different races.

6

It is even possible to make money out of the sport. Holmes has been able to make a good living by using technical expertise as an engineer to build, tune and test boats, as well as winning prize money through his skill as a racer. His skill, however, does not end there — he proved quite adept at not frightening the life out of me. I have had few experiences in my life to equal the thrill and enjoyment I had as we messed about that morning.