The lay day in Inverness was a welcome respite for many of the 44 race teams still contesting the Round Britain Powerboat Race but not for Jonathan Napier’s crew on Team 747. Having made its slow passage through the Caledonian Canal, the boat became the centre of attention when it arrived in Inverness and suddenly the spirit of this waterborne marathon began to show itself.

    The refitting of a new shaft and re-fettled propeller turned into a full engine lift and replacement of engine mounts on one of its CMD QSB 5.9 turbo-diesels and what should have been a two hour task suddenly became an all-night exercise. Enter the Corinthian spirit of people who just wanted to help.

    First in line was Mike Lofts who manages the Inverness end of the Caledonian Canal for Scottish Waterways Board. He, it was, who having kept the wheels turning throughout the lay day, ensured that Team 747 came through the lock system in good order, helped in every way to get the team what they needed on his docksides and rose to dispense fuel to the team at 06.00 on race morning.

    Cummins UK’s own service crew who having been alerted to the problem late in the evening, provided the necessary parts from their stock and two of the crew of Gee, which is Team 747’s biggest rival in the Historic Class, also offered help.

    Skipper, John Guille and engineer, Nathan Ward, worked alongside 747’s own crew through the night and finally saw the Spearfish launched again at 05.30 on Friday morning. Also on call throughout the night had been the organising team’s resident crane operator, Gordon McMath, who personally oversaw the finicky business of lifting and swinging  the engine.

    Once under way, Team 747 was once more bitten in the bottom by luck as it collected a lobster pot line round its propellers and by lucky coincidence, it was Gee’s John Guille who happened to be first on the scene and dived below to cut it away to get them racing again. While the Historic boats, including three Faireys, took anything between 6.5 and 8 hours in difficult conditions to cover the 210 miles to South Queensferry near Edinburgh, the winning team had covered the distance in less than three hours, somewhat highlighting the task facing the older boats.

    Greeted at Port Edgar Marina by supporters from local chandlery and sponsor, Bosuns Locker, and the champagne carrying Katherine, who is Goughy’s long-suffering PA at Dunalistair Holdings in Edinburgh, Team 747 faces three more days of racing and is still locked in friendly battle with Gee for the class victory.