The roar of engines was swallowed by the howl of the wind at CR Swart Dam on February 21, as Dylan Moolman’s charge at the second leg of the F1 Powerboat National Championships ended in dramatic fashion.

A violent crash during practice not only ruled him out of the event but marked his second heavy setback in as many rounds this season.

Moolman was pushing hard down the back straight when conditions turned against him.

“We were just pushing a little bit hard in practice and came down the back straight, and the wind started picking up,” he explained.

“The boat tried to trim down in time, and I just couldn’t catch it. The wind caught the front right of the boat, and it corkscrewed. We blew over backwards and ended up upside down.”

What followed was a harrowing few moments underwater.

“At that point, not much is going through your mind,” he said.

“It’s just a case of letting this thing finish and getting out of the boat. It’s not a pleasant place to be. My oxygen mask broke, so I couldn’t breathe underwater. I had to loosen the belts, try find the canopy, but the cockpit had broken open, and I got stuck inside. Luckily, rescue came and took me out.”

Shaken but walking, Moolman was quick to count his blessings.

“My day is done. But the boat’s replaceable. I’m walking, so that’s all that matters.”

The incident compounds what has already been a bruising start to his championship campaign. He crashed out in the opening leg at Emerald Resort and Casino on the Vaal River.

“This is literally the first two races of the season, and I’ve crashed out of both of them. It’s not a nice feeling, but it’s racing. We know the risks when we get into it. It just hasn’t been my day,” he said.

Despite the frustration, Moolman remains resolute. The older boat damaged in the first leg is close to being race-ready again, while the current hull will head to carbon specialists at Ultra Carbon for repairs. With additional boats expected from Europe, the team is already mapping out a comeback plan.

“We’ll definitely be back. It’s trial and error and a bit of spending money, but we’ve got incredible sponsors backing us. They really support us.”

Moolman entered the weekend optimistic. The newly built boat had shown serious pace in testing, and he described it as the most comfortable he has ever felt in a cockpit.

“We came here wanting to do well. The boat is exceptionally quick. It’s disappointing, but we’re alive, and we’re safe. The mindset now is simple — fix it, get into another boat and race again.”

Moolman started racing at the age of seven in 1999 and has competed in every class, from juniors to Formula 30s, hard runs and rubber ducks. Though he briefly ventured into drifting and other motorsport disciplines, the water always drew him back.

“There’s nothing like it. It’s like flying an aeroplane on water. It’s a special sport, a family sport, and nothing compares to the adrenaline,” he said.

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