Ackerie back into offshore racing?

7:56 AM Tue 9 Jun 2009 GMT

'Stephan (aka Steve Ackerie) has a serious racing record'

Is Steve Ackerie, perhaps better known as Stefan, Queensland's (and Australia's?) flamboyant hairdressing tycoon, planning a return to offshore powerboat racing?

Rumours hinting at that were floating around the Gold Coast over the weekend, but so far I have been unable to confirm the situation.

Steve Ackerie -

An e-mail to the man himself revealed he is willing to discuss his plans with me, but not until week's end.

There's no doubt that a big, bright pink (Stefan's signature colour) catamaran would add some welcome spectacle to the Offshore Superboat Championships.

However, the state's best-known 'barber' would definitely need a new boat.

The pink cat was built in 1999 by Bill Barry-Cotter and his production team during the time he owned Riviera.

It is powered by dual Detroit Diesel 8V-89 engines, which, even if the boat stacked up, would render it unable to be used under the current Offshore Superboat Championships rules.

Chances are the 1999 vintage cat would be too heavy for today's gasoline engines used in the championships' Class 1 sector.

During his offshore racing career, Ackerie won Australian offshore titles in 1985, '87, '88, '90', 91' and '02.

Several years ago, in the very same boat, Ackerie set a Sydney-Brisbane powerboat speed record.

I recall that well, as he called on me for some brief advice after my own failed attempt a year or two earlier.

Close friend and former rival, Bill Barry-Cotter also believes Ackerie might 'have another crack' at the Sydney-Brisbane course and try to beat his own record.

Cairns-Brisbane and a dramatic crossing of Malaysia's Malacca Straits have also fallen into the Stefan record books.

He may even attempt to establish some other records out of Brisbane.

The Australian Power Boat Association (APBA) sanctions such record attempt and those undertaking them have to be timed out at the start and finish of each attempt to win approval.

I guess it's unlikely we'll see a Stefan catamaran at the next Offshore Superboat Championship round off Townsville next month, but Redcliffe in September?

Not impossible, certainly, but for Steve Ackerie nothing is impossible, absolutely nothing!

by Bob Wonders

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Ackerie back into offshore racing?

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