Warpath Targets Cowes Race After Venture Cup Prologue Adventure
Though the Warpath crew of throttleman Daryl Grady and driver Ole Finholdt recently finished sixth out of 12 teams in the 750-mile United Kingdom-based Venture Cup Prologue Race in their 42-foot Chief Powerboats V-bottom, the team plans to be back for the official 2,400-mile Venture Cup, which includes legs in France and Spain, next year. In the meantime, they’ll tackle the Cowes Classic (Cowes-Torquay-Cowes) offshore race on Sept. 1, and in November the 42-footer will be used as a paceboat for the Super Boat International Key West Offshore World Championships.
Wartpath and its friendly rival Cinzano experienced highs and lows during the Venture Cup Prologue.
The 9,500-pound stepped V-bottom is powered by a pair of staggered Ilmor Marine MV10 725 engines connected to Arneson ASD8-6 drop box drive units with a 1.56:1 gear reduction. Twin five-blade props from Hering Propellers help put the power to the water.
Despite facing fuel availability and GPS and VHF radio compatibility problems throughout the Venture Cup Prologue, the team finished first during the second leg of the run from Poole to Guernsey and won the Guernsey Gold Cup. The Team Warpath name is now inscribed on the trophy.
At approximately 250 miles, the Cowes-Torquay Race is significantly shorter than the Venture Cup Prologue event. Based on his most recent—and first—experience in U.K. waters, Grady is taking nothing for granted.
“You never know,” he said. “I have been doing this a long time and I have never seen ocean conditions that big. We were all wearing G-sensors on our bodies, and in the first leg the guys in the Cinzano took over 1,000 10-G hits.”
Warparth finished the Guernsey leg in first place and earned place on the Guernsey Cup.
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