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Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 20 Dec 2015, 17:37
by rayza1
Hi All, another update on Pagans history. I spoke to a lady who's dad was a racer from the Learmonth club and has positively identified Pagan as a boat called Lightning. This confirms what I had been told earlier. What I know now was that a bloke by the name of Dick Curnow was the original owner, that it was originally setup with the Vanguard engine and it was built by Botterill boats. I will get in touch Dick once I get his contact details to see if there are any original pics and any other info. It leads me to wonder whether the Vanguard engine fitted now is the same one as when it was built!

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 21 Dec 2015, 14:26
by Bob Vic
It's like an onion Ray... you just got to keep peeling the layers back to reveal more.

Bob

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 19 Feb 2016, 20:32
by rayza1
Well, I have another update on Pagan. Let me say, i'm getting there. Pagan as I said earlier was called Lightning, it was built by Loydd Pedrick and was the first of his Lightning boats, it was the only one of it's kind that he built. It ran a Vanguard engine although I don't think its the one that's in it now, the original motor had a Triumph head and Dodge pistons in it. Pagan was clocked at 68 mph during a race at Lake Modawarre during the 50's which it won, so it must have had some success!! Loydd sold the boat to Dick Curnow who campaigned it until some time around 1958 when Earl Webster purchased it and fitted it with a holden grey motor, from there it seems its career ended in the Early 70's. All this information came from a chap by the name of Ross Skinner who is a close friend of Dick Curnow and who spoke to him today. Ross has some old 8mm movies of Lightning as well as photo's, while Dick Curnow is trying to find what photo's he has. Does anyone know if Loydd Pedrick is still with us? It would be wonderful to let him know the boat he built still exists and is in reasonably good nick. Ross related a story about a day they raced at Marybourgh when the boat was thrown off course when it hit another boats wake and finished up the bank amongst some trees, while the driver was still trying to figure out what went wrong a child crawled out from under the boat apparently completely unhurt asking if the guy driving was ok! The kids mum ran over and also asked if the driver was ok seemingly unconcerned that her kid had been run over....OH&S anyone! Dick Curnow has promised to give me a call when he gets out of hospital in a few days, i'm really looking forward to that as well getting some f[lm footage as well. I will post what I get.

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 20 Feb 2016, 20:57
by bootlegger
Unreal stuff. Just fantastic when you get the whole story.

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 20 Feb 2016, 22:06
by rayza1
I'm a bit disappointed the boat turned out not to be built by Botterill but I guess for someone to build a boat like this as a one off is pretty impressive just the same.

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 22 Feb 2016, 20:20
by hudstub
Hi Ray,
I have acquired some scanned images of boats from Garry Gascoigne who raced boats in WA in the 1960's and 1970's with his father Harold Gascoigne. Included was this scanned image of Lightning in 1965, driver Lloyd Pederick.
Regards, Ray H.

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 23 Feb 2016, 08:18
by rayza1
Hi Ray, I think this may be a later Lightning. From what I understand mine is from early to mid 50's . This looks to be a clinker, mine is cold molded ply. I confirms the link between Lloyd Pederick and the Lightning boats. The silloette is strikingly similar though

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 14 Apr 2016, 20:09
by rayza1
This video was sent to me the other day by Ross Skinner, it is early footage from the Learmonth Ski and Power Boat Club. It runs for a while but has some interesting old boats in it. Lightning (later to become my Pagan) is featured a couple of times. It's better watched as small as possible due to the footage being very grainy..........Enjoy!! https://youtu.be/_nW0hSeQzSY

Re: Pagan uncovered!!

Posted: 05 Mar 2024, 17:28
by rayza1
It's been a while since i had anything to add to Pagan's story, but while showing the boat at Paynesville i was moved to take two photo's of the writing on Pagans gearbox in an attempt to find a manufacturer. I'm blown away by what i found!!! Bearing in mind Lloyd Pederick built Pagan (Lightning)
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He designed and built his own V DRIVE