Liquid Drag Boat Nationals

From ski racing to drag boat history.

Stan Tindal started out doing ski runs behind a speedboat before building his own plywood boat. That led into competitive skiing, including barefoot and marathon racing, and eventually a Bridge-to-Bridge win.

After a back injury ended his water skiing, Stan moved into drag boat racing. His first event was at Silverwater, where he finished runner-up. From there, the results came quickly.

His Australian achievements included the 1981 6-Litre Australian Kilo Record at 97.3 mph, the 1982 Australian Record at 98.63 mph and then 99 mph, the 1984/85 Drag Boat High Points Championship, and the 1985/86 Limited Alcohol High Points, Winter and National Points Championships.

In 1986/87, Stan won 6 of 8 Australian events, including the Blown Alcohol Championship. He was a record holder (127mph) with a highest recorded speed of 140.7 mph.

In 1988, Stan took his racing to the USA with the boat that became known as the Aussie Express. He went on to win major events, become an I.H.B.A. World Champion, Flatbottom Driver of the Year, Sonny Jones Perpetual Trophy winner, and a record speed around 152 mph.

One of the most impressive parts of the story is the crew. While other teams had six or seven people, Stan credited the success to himself and his wife Nola.

Stan later moved from aqua to asphalt, transitioning into Top Alcohol drag racing.

Penrith is on. 🏁

Liquid Drag Boat Nationals is heading to the Sydney International Regatta Centre on 3–4 October.

This is the next major step. Less talk. More boats. More action.

Expect serious drag boat racing back in front of a national crowd, with Top Fuel Hydros, blown boats, bracket racers and a full field of competitors across the program. This is the highest level of drag boat racing in the country.

Competitor announcements and event details are being finalised now.

The wait for elite racing is over.

Penrith, we are coming.

Organised drag boat racing in Australia has its roots in the circuit racing culture of the 1950s. Early participants began in handicap races at clubs like Cabarita before speed requirements led them toward straight line contests. By the early 1970s, boats like "Ezy Motion" were competing at Silverwater, where clubs provided basic infrastructure like ramps and sand beaches to facilitate racing in industrial areas.

Peter Bennett emerged as a founding father of the Australian scene during this period. After starting with circuit racing in the 1950s, he transitioned to drag racing and was instrumental in helping form the Drag Boat Racers of Australia around 1971. Bennett built a series of high performance craft, starting with the carburetted "Ezy Motion" before moving to more advanced setups.

The technical milestones of the early 70s were established by competitors rebuilding boats to their own specifications. Bennett's "Dad's Toy" used an injected 427 Chev engine to set a class record of 116 mph, a significant benchmark for the time. During this era, hydroplanes were the primary attraction, already reaching speeds over 100 mph as the sport professionalised.

Driving technique in the founding years was a matter of mechanical feel and risk management. Drivers had to slam the throttle while keeping their foot hard down on the plate to bury the nose, allowing the boat to rise slowly under the power of the spinning propeller. These foundational years established the records and rivalries that would carry the sport into the high speed era of the 1980s.

Follow along as we keep sharing the history, the machines, and the people that shaped drag boat racing. More to come.

Underdog 422 Productions

Reminder: the Eildon Drag Boat Festival scheduled for 11–12 April has been postponed.

We will announce a new date once confirmed.

We understand this is disappointing and appreciate your support. If you have any questions or need help with your tickets and refunds, please reach out to us directly.

Australian racers of the late 1970s relied on local engineering talent to bridge the gap with American technology. Stan Sainty built custom aluminium engines for his boat "Fallacy" (the first version being a Sanger flatbottom and the second a Demarco hydro), including an aluminium copy of the big block Chevy. Sainty eventually designed his own twin overhead cam engine, which was a design later used in top fuel drag cars.

Technological progress also hit the timing booth. Jeff Nicholls, an electronic engineering student, developed the first set of laser timing lights for DBR as part of his final year studies. This moved the sport away from informal timing and toward a professionalised standard. It allowed for precise measurement of reaction times and elapsed times on the Hawkesbury.

The variety of racing classes grew to include 5 litre, 6 litre, and blown alcohol flat categories. Kevin Hinkling and Bradley Engineering copied a US design to build "Climax", nicknamed the "Studebaker" for its unique nose design. These innovations ensured that Australian boats were technologically competitive and capable of record breaking speeds.

Follow along as we keep sharing the history, the machines, and the people that shaped drag boat racing. More to come.

Credits:
https://www.streetmachine.com.au/features/stan-sainty-australian-top-fuel-legend #:~:text=In%201983%2C%20Stan%20and%20his,should%20build%20an%20engine%20himself.
https://www.saintyengineering.com/top-fuel-news/43-stan-sainty/218-street-machine-stan-sainty-australian-top-fuel-legend

The formal Australian drag boat scene emerged around 1976, led by the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club and the Silver Speedboat Club. Historical accounts identify two main boats defining this era, Neil Johnson’s "Blueprint" and Kevin Hinkling’s "Hot Pants". Both were Sanger hulls competing in the blown alcohol hydro class because nitromethane was restricted in Australia at the time.

Drag Boat Races of Australia (DBRA) was established in 1977 following a meeting initiated by Jeff Stones from the Upper Hawksby Power Boat Club and Don Ferner from Silverwater. Stones, who owned the boat "Bandit", helped organise a structured committee that met monthly to plan events. This was the first time a group dedicated solely to drag boat racing operated in Australia.

The competition primarily took place at Windsor, Silver Water, Raymond Terrace, and Tacoma. DBRA grew quickly as more boats joined the organised circuit. Early challenges were significant, including major accidents like the crash involving the flat bottom "Ombre" at Windsor, which highlighted the high risks involved in early straight line water sprints.

Follow along as we keep sharing the history, the machines, and the people that shaped drag boat racing. More to come.

Credits:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=816729838526578&set=a.816725288527033
https://hawkesburyheritagetours.org/2019/03/09/upper-hawkesbury-motor-boat-club-cecil-hall-and-glenelg/