Agnew, the area manager for Caterpillar agents WesTrac, doesn’t mind the anonymity of Dubbo because it enables him to embrace normality and go about his racing with a minimum of fuss.

“If I had a workshop on the main street with an unlimited powerboat, three 1500hp V8 motors and a huge trailer, I would never get any work done throughout the week,” he said.

His dark blue powerboat ‘Typhoon’ is sponsored by Audio Australia and AMA Fabrications and the impressive craft will return to the Hawkesbury at Windsor for the 26th annual War on Water classic on September 18 and 19.

Stringent new safety specifications will come into effect at the meeting.

Unrestricted powerboat racing has been in hibernation since early April when veteran Australian Brian McCosker and American David Bryant were killed in separate accidents on the Manning River at Taree.

McCosker and Agnew were close friends who shared a passion for their sport.

Both McCosker and Bryant were hurled out of their boats at top speeds following catastrophic engine failures and died.

Agnew was competing in both races and left Taree with a heavy heart.

The Australian Power Boat Association has insisted special ‘whirl away’ gear boxes be fitted to all unlimited spec boats as of August 1 and Agnew sees this as a positive move in the right direction.

“I also have a cell boat with oxygen so I can’t be thrown out at 200km/h so I’ve covered a couple of other safety angles as well,” he said.

“There was concern that knee-jerk reactions to Brian and David’s deaths could seriously affect our sport, but I think the APBA has done the right thing and we can all return to powerboat competition in a safer environment.”