As an entrant and attendee of the Forster/Fred Williams Boaties Reunion for the past five years, we were speechless at first when told that the Progress Association had made the decision to ‘un-invite’ the Mid North Coast Speed Boat Club/Boaties event.

Our family travels from Brisbane each year with one of our two 35--year-old restored race boats in tow. Each year we stay at Lanis Holiday Island (where we also stay during Christmas holidays and have done since 1986), each year we eat at local restaurants, each year we spend a small fortune on fuel, each year we book a year in advance and look forward to the next event and each year we support the incredible area which is the Great Lakes.

Our club, Everingham Boat Owners, has supported MNCSC since its inception and for the past two years the club has entered eight boats (with 15 club boats slated for the 2017 event). All of the club members attend the event with wives, children and in many cases parents.

Tagging along to each and every event are my parents (dad 75 and mum 74) who travel from Wollongong so we can all catch up at this 100 per cent family orientated weekend.

Every year we meet up with boating friends and rub shoulders with the legends and Australian/World champions of the sport and industry such as Fred Williams, Ken Warby, Grant Torrens, Dave Carroll, Lee Kavanagh, The Sainty Family and Danny McGuire to mention a few(apologies to any legends I have missed ).

We can assure you, in no uncertain terms, that the Progress Association Family Fun Day would be a mere shadow of its self if it wasn’t for the powerboats.

I am sure that all of our fellow ‘boaties’ would agree that immediate action is undertaken to ensure that either the powerboats are reinstated to the program or an alternative location is provided and approved to run this awesome family event that Fred Williams started a decade ago.

I attach a photo of my 75 year old father ready for an exhibition drive in my restored race boat.

Mike Davison,

Brisbane.