SOME boat owners are irate at being blamed for the cancellation of the Port Macquarie round of the speedboat races this month.
Race organiser Australian F1 Superboats issued a media release last week saying the race was being called off because Port Macquarie-Hastings Council had not approved a river site near McInherney Park. “Alternative options to race at Westport Park are not viable for the series due to the non-cooperation of mooring vessel owners and the considerable fees attached in having moored vessels moved from the racing site,” the statement said.
But boat owner John Freeman, who moors his boat near Westport Park, said he was not even aware the races were scheduled for July 11 to 13, let alone been given an opportunity to cooperate.
“How dare they criticise the moored boat owners as being uncooperative,” he said.
“The boat owners are generally the last to find out about these events, but have always fully cooperated with the requests from the NSW Maritime on arrangements for moving moored boats during such events.
“I doubt if there is a single moored boat owner who knew of the scheduled event set down for July 11-13.”
The race organisers “need to lift their game and stop blaming others”.
Mr Freeman said it appeared they had “left the organising of this event to the last minute”.
“At the very least they should now come forward and apologise to all the moored boat owners,” he said.
His sentiments were backed up by another yacht owner. The owner, who did not wish to be named, said he considered the criticism of boat owners “inflammatory and unfounded”.
Meanwhile, the estimate of a $15,000 or more cost to move the moored boats – used by the Superboat race organisers as the financial reason for the cancellation – has been challenged by Dave Bigeni, of Port Macquarie labour hire firm Men at Work.
Mr Bigeni said he had submitted a quote to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council of $8000 to $10,000 for the removal of the boats.
Australian F1 Superboats managing director Kirk Tsaccounis was still overseas yesterday and unable to be contacted. National sales and marketing manager Kathy Briese said she could not comment on race operational issues.