Cat versus Pony – who wins?

The challenge was set from one Bathurst winner to another at Australia’s Greatest boatyard - Tony Longhurst’s The Boat Works on the Gold Coast.


Photography by The Boat Works

10 June 2017

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Russell ‘The Enforcer’ Ingall laid down the challenge to take on ‘The Boss’ on his home turf!

The bet was to see if Ingall’s red rocket Supercharged Mustang can successfully haul out of the water Longhurst’s Hybrid Catamaran – Australia’s fastest cruising multihull…a tough challenge – would the Ford be up to it?

Longhurst’s cat comprises hybrid power and electric propulsion at its best. This fully Carbon Fibre constructed mothership weighs in at only 12 tonnes.

In building the boat, Tony Longhurst’s aim was to build the fastest cruising multihull on the water.

With the weight of the cat being next to nothing for its imposing size of 20 metres and wind powered acceleration like that of a Formula 1 car – it can seriously pack a punch in the speed stakes.

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With the Enforcer having plenty of horsepower under his own right foot, there is a possibility for it is a tough contest between the two highly competitive legends of Australian motorsport, who in February joined forces with Castrol and Vodafone for the BMW assault on the Bathurst 12 Hour with Ingall’s Fox Sports sparring partner, Mark Skaife and Formula 1 star, Timo Glock.

The battle between Ingall and Longhurst on whether Ingall’s Mustang could pull Longhurst’s Cat has been raging since that weekend at Bathurst – with the banter building by the week over coffee at The Boat Works Boatyard on the Gold Coast.

“This boat is the latest and greatest, a testament to an Australian boat building industry that is truly alive, is very strong and deserves more recognition than it receives,” said Longhurst.

“It uses a lithium battery and can work on its own or in tandem with solar or wind. It’s silent and lightweight, emission-free and low maintenance, creating energy while sailing. It’s absolutely a viable replacement for diesel propulsion.

“Russell doesn’t realise the challenge he’s got on his hands. He owes me one from Bathurst, but we might have to wait. I reckon the Cat’s the power over the Pony!”

The Enforcer, Russell Ingall is keen to prove Longhurst wrong and give his Herrod Performance Ford Mustang a red hot go at this challenge to haul out his mates 66 foot long cruising Catamaran.

Under his right foot is a 306kW V8 with 530Nm of torque in his supercharged Mustang that has been put through its paces by Australia’s leading performance house.

Ingall will have those infamous Enforcer eyes on as he attempts to get the job done. Can the Ford’s performance be matched?

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