York engineer's model boat hits 122mph (From York Press)

York engineer's model boat hits 122mph

8:20am Monday 1st October 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

A TALENTED engineer from York has narrowly beaten his rival’s record by reaching more than 122mph with his model boat at a competition.

Paul Windross, 70, from Fulford reached a speed of 122.91mph with his high-speed flash steam-powered tethered hydroplane at Kingsbury, near Birmingham, though the former motorbike engineer said he hopes to smash the 130mph barrier soon.

He said: “The boats are on a lead and do a 100-metre lap and we are timed over five laps. I’m interested in all sorts of things. I like anything mechanical. It doesn’t matter what it is, just anything that goes fast.

“The hydroplanes are steam powered. They have two six-metre lengths of stainless steel tubing and the water is converted to steam by three blow lamps running on a petrol paraffin mix. The engine is a 14cc and all home made.”

He said his record-breaking run shaved less than a second from the time achieved by rival Bob Kirtley, a fellow enthusiast from the North East, though Paul is preparing for his new title to be challenged soon and has retired to his workshop.

He said: “There’s a lot more potential from both of us, which is good for development. I have got the potential to go a lot a quicker and we are both working to get to 130mph.

“If the condition had been right I’m sure it would reach 130mph.”

Paul is no stranger to speed and says he once reached 200mph riding a motorbike he constructed himself.

He said: “In 1974 I did 200mph on a bike at Elvington . it was a one-way run, but it was a course record at the time. I made it myself.”