Article and Photographs by Tim Du Vernet

Who wouldn’t find it exciting to be behind the wheel of a racing boat with no limits in speed or power? Unlimited death-defying thrills! 

Nearly a century ago, Harry Greening tore around lake Rosseau for 24 hours in Rainbow III, setting a period record for distance. His achievements have been followed by a legacy of famous Canadian race boats. The history of these magnificent boats and the people who captained them are on display at the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame (CRHF) just outside of Bracebridge.

Before the age of simulators, testing any advances in design required building prototypes and putting them through trials to determine the results. This was a time consuming, expensive and potentially very dangerous process. The driver of a prototype or new design was risking life and limb to be the first to push limits a bit further than before.

With computer technology to the rescue, simulators today play a crucial role in many forms of racing, by providing a controlled environment for testing, training and development. Simulations allow teams to analyze situational data, vehicle data and to familiarize drivers with circuits, all without the risk of a live race or test.

Race drivers of all ages have taken up the simulator challenge for some 50 years, since the Xbox was created and the “Sims” race series developed. Now, the Canadian Race Boat Hall of Fame has its very own simulator. Leveraging the Xbox technology, future race boat drivers of any age can test their skills against other drivers around the world.

Ann Curley, museum director at the CRHF and Harry Wilson, son of Miss Canada IV racer Harold Wilson, came up with the suggestion of adding the simulator to the museum. They looked to the Muskoka Seaflea group to develop the solution of a simulator in its current form. Chris Taylor, Andrew Taylor and Robert Renton, founders of Muskoka Seaflea, were encouraged to create something that would be engaging and entertaining for youngsters to play.

Sea fleas are one of the most accessible ways for a child of any age to experience the thrills of a speeding watercraft safely. Of course, these little boats are, in some ways, miniatures of the huge monsters that reach velocities tenfold or more of the speeds the sea fleas may go. The passion Taylor, Taylor and Renton have for the little boats runs deep and wide. They organize a Sea Flea Fest every other year on Kahshe Lake to celebrate these vessels.

At CRHF, over in the sea flea corner, where horsepower is modest, kids have a chance to taste some of this thrill of speed, without the danger and mess. Harry Wilson offered a fun suggestion that some spray from a spray bottle could be included to make the experience even more authentic!

The CRHF simulator is a modest approach to the concept, which can become very expensive at the professional level. In developing the simulator for the museum, Chris Taylor, whose background was teaching media arts, noted there are not a lot of boat simulators out there.

“I looked at a variety of platforms, keeping in mind that the target audience would be kids from about five to 15 years old,” Chris Taylor explains. “This simulator was never meant to replicate actual race boat experiences like TORC (The Open Racing Car Simulator) or APBA races. I believe there are racing sims out there, but they aren’t as specific to the museum’s context. In the consumer world there are more sailboat computer sim games than power boat.”

Specific simulator consoles, such as “Hydro Thunder” referenced by Taylor, are available but they are also beyond reach of the museum’s current budget. As the concept progresses, he sees potential for two boats to run simulators side by side for exciting competitive play.

With budget and space limitations in mind, Taylor added that “we wanted to create an experience that was ‘plug and play’ where someone at the CRHF would not have to be hovering over the users all the time. Bottom line is that the simulator is simply meant as an entertainment piece – a photo op and an interactive addition to the kid’s zone. It could easily evolve into something more but that entirely depends on the resources available.”

Taylor used the boat Fritti III, a Glen-L TNT model sea flea that was built in 1992, as the foundation for the project. Fritti III had been specially resurrected from well-worn previous display and storage for the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame. After assessing her wear and tear, Taylor transformed the worn varnished wood into a brightly coloured, painted hull that fits perfectly with the colour theme of the museum.

With white as her background colour, “92”, the year of her birth, was reborn sporting the museum’s logo and variations. The care to detail in the painting, including hull serial number, is not to be taken for granted. She is fitted with a bench seat and an Xbox steering wheel. Taylor linked a traditional outboard throttle system to foot pedals, which were relocated to behind the seats. A “driver” sits behind the wheel and presses steering wheel buttons to navigate through the game menu system to choose the course and the choice of race boat.

Gamers should quickly get the hang of the steering and throttle. The game, presented on a large screen, gives ample feedback and there is haptic feedback in the steering wheel too.

The simulator had its first serious test with the public on April 26, the day of the ACBS Spring Tour. Chris and Andrew Taylor were on hand to see how their creation was being received. A gentleman, in his mid 80s was followed by a 13-year-old. As would be expected, the 13-year-old adapted very quickly and set scores good enough to open new challenges. Harry Wilson even gave the simulation a try, enjoying spray in the face to add the “4D effect.”

Wilson believes the CRHF has a “hit” on its hands. “We had eight- to 80-year-olds testing their skills and some, like me, requested a second try,” he said. He even noted that he cut his elapsed time in half on the second attempt. “I absolutely love the idea of clambering aboard #92 Glen-L TNT Chris has rebuilt for young and old,” shares Wilson.

When reflecting on strategies that can make you go faster in the simulation, Wilson explained that a driver tries to pick up nitrous oxide bottles along the route. These give a boost in speed. “If only I had that option 40 years ago!” says Wilson.

Professional Canadian Hall of Fame race boat driver Norm Woods was encouraged to give the simulator a try while assisting with moving boats around at the museum in advance of the season. Woods was told he did great for the first run and rapidly improved his score on a second run. “Finishing in fourth place until I hit the wall,” remarks Woods. “It was quite a thrill.”

Fans of outboard racing are also very positive about the concept. Andrew Fralick, an avid outboard racer, is hopeful about the simulator bringing greater interest to the sport.

Home to the only three-time Harmsworth Cup winner (1959, 1960 and 1961) and winner of the 1959 Detriot Memorial Regatta, Miss Supertest III, the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame is filled with famous Canadian race boats. Huge hydroplanes and similar designs that fly over the water, powered by specially designed engines developing hundreds and thousands of horsepower that propelled the Unlimited Class well over 200 miles per hour. While marvelling at the history and beauty of these incredible boats, the race boat simulator can take you back in time too.