Story by VSBC member: Ms Wendy Gielen - Owner/Driver: Miss Hydromania

Dad (Jos Gielen) & Uncle Neil (Neil Howe) have been involved in boat racing since 1969 working on, building and driving many different boats, claiming championships and water speed records.

They started off in a displacement back in 1969 and in 1971 they purchased their first hydroplane (a 155’), they quickly realized that their passion was hydroplanes and from there the engine size & hull kept increasing with every boat they purchased and raced until they had progressed to the Unlimited Supercharged Hydroplane.

Both Jos & Neil after selling their last hydroplane in 1987 then became valuable crew members (and sometimes drove) for Miss Bud, Aussie Connection and Aussie Endeavour. 
Neil won the 1988 E.C Griffith cup driving Aussie Connection and was back to challenge the cup in 1989, however fate was not kind and he crashed coming around the 1st corner.

Jos passed away in 2020. Neil decided after a hiatus of over 20 years to return briefly to racing and drove Aussie Connection for Peter Taylor but has now retired.

Jos’s oldest daughter, Wendy Gielen, decided to try her hand driving a hydroplane and purchased The Mortician (now called Miss Hydromania) and started racing in the 1.6L Oz Lites category in Season 2023 and is in her 3rd season now (mid life crisis I’m calling it lol). 

The list below highlights the long and successful history of two generations of family racing between 1969 till now ……

• 1969-1970 Rampage 300”displacement (Lewis Skiff)
• 1971-1975 - Hydromania 155”Hydroplane (Repco Crossflow)
• 1975 - Outlaw 155”Hydroplane (Twin Cam Holden)
• 1976 - Ex Havoc 100”Twin Cam Fiat Hydroplane
• 1977 - Vulture/Hydromania 300”5 Litre Hydroplane
• 1978 - Ex Osprey 6 Litre Hydroplane
• 1979-1981 - Solo/Hydromania Unlimited Hydroplane
• 1983-1986 Hydromania Unlimited Supercharged Hydroplane
• Team Member:
  • Miss Bud
  • Aussie Connection
  • Aussie Endeavour
• 16/09/1973 – Certificate of Speed record at Glenmaggie in Hydromania VS55 266 cubic inch class – 94.79mph 
• 1973 - Won Huskie Shield in Hydromania 155
• 1974 – Won Australia Day Medal in Hydromania 155”Hydroplane
• 24/11/1974 – Championship Certificate 300 Hydroplane in 155” Hydromania
• 1977 – Won 5 Litre Series & Australia Day Medal 5 Litre in Hydromania 300”5 Litre Hydromania
• 24/09/1978 – Certificate of Speed Record at Glenmaggie in Hydromania 7500cc Chevrolet class – 108.95mph 
• 1984 – 200kph Badge @232.86Kph – First time in the water
• 1988 - Won 1988 E.C Griffith Cup in Aussie Connection
• 1989 – EC Griffith Cup – Crashed 1st corner 
• 1990 – E.C Griffith Cup Twizel NZ South Island
• 1990 – Won Unlimited open in Aussie Endeavour
• 1994 – Won Unlimited open at Lake Cooper in Aussie Connection
• 1994 – Challenged E.C Griffith Cup at Lake Kirapiro NZ
• Long time member of VSBC – Awarded 10-year membership certificate July 1981

Now carrying on the family tradition
2023 to present: Miss Hydromania - owned and driven by Wendy Gielen

Photos are with courtesy from the Gielen archives. 

On behalf of the VSBC and Australian Power Boat Racing, Thanks for your story Wendy, we wish you all the very best in racing and trust that you will soon be ‘Flying the Chequered Flag on behalf of your ’Dad’
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