Page 11 - Cape-Camera-March-2024

Cape Camera March 2024

Racing F1 boats is
a dangerous sport.
Speeds of over 200
kph were recorded
and it was heart
stopping, when at
times we could see
the front of the
boats lifting clear
of the water.

Outing to F1 boat racing (continued)

the 200l is insignificant compared to ers is enormous. This is the main rea- into account the time of the day and
the running cost of these machines. I son for Peter retiring from active rac- the position of the sun — for the
noticed a support crew of several me- ing; the forces on his no longer young morning I would recommend view-
chanics and others in the paddock. neck became untenable. ing from the dockside. As one en-
For the petrolheads, the boats accel- Photography was a bit tricky. Tra- ters the harbour area turn left at the
erate from 0 to 100 kph in less than 2 ditional panning techniques didn’t stop street. There are plenty of FREE
seconds! Very tight cornering speeds work well. To begin with, long lenses viewing sites along the road all the
round the buoys make F1 cars look are required. Handheld panning way in the direction of the WW11 oil
pedestrian! Fuel usage (avgas) is 120 at 200mm plus isn’t easy. The very tanks. Move into the proper harbour
litres per hour. pronounced bouncing of the boats parking area for the afternoon shots.
Racing F1 boats is a dangerous made the lower shutter speeds Safety is tantamount and therefore
sport. Speeds of over 200 kph were normally associated with panning opportunities to take photographs
recorded and it was heart stopping, unsuitable. In future I would use a from a boat will be almost impossi-
when at times we could see the front video panning head with the 70- ble to find.
of the boats lifting clear of the wa- 200mm full frame lens. The entry fee to the event — for
ter. Clearly, any mishap at that kind At this event, the boats were running those who don’t want to get out of
speed could be very sore indeed. close to moored fishing vessels and bed very early — was R100 pp with a
The biggest fear is the boat flipping dockside structures etc. Even at f2.8 reduction for kids.
backwards head over heels. the boats merged with the dock wall A repeat of the event is planned for
Divers manned rescue boats as did etc. This resulted in backgrounds be- 2025 but details are not yet avail-
medics and safety stewards. Safety ing sharp, distracting and with no able. F1 Powerboat races take place
was obviously paramount. The divers movement blur. I ended up shooting throughout South Africa. Details
would be at the scene to rescue driv- at 2000-3000/sec and later using my can be found on the F1 Powerboat
ers should there be an upturned rac- blur brush in Photoshop. This is not Racing South Africa Facebook page.
er. The boats carry a small 3-minute ideal as the shots being so altered Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable
oxygen bottle to support the driver cannot be used for sport or PJ; but day with and without my camera. I
while the divers extricate them. it’s fine for Open. I used image sta- will certainly be there at next year’s
The cornering speeds seen were un- bilisation, shutter priority, with auto event, but I will be somewhat better
believable. Turning on a tickey doesn’t focus set for vehicles prepared. And I hope, my diet is over
come into it. The G-force on the driv- Regarding vantage points — taking and done with.

Cape Town Photographic Society 11