Ricky Raynor paid a heart-warming tribute to his son by competing in a memorial powerboat race held in his honour in Dockyard on Sunday.

Nearly three months after Rickai “Pugi” Raynor tragically lost his life in a crash while racing in Hamilton Harbour, the 63-year-old delivered on a promise to continue competing on what would have been his son’s 29th birthday.

Raynor served as a co-pilot on nephew Damon Morris’s boat and thoroughly enjoyed the experience skipping around the Great Sound at high speed, as he feels his son would have wanted him to do.

“I really don’t know how to describe it, but I know Pugi would be proud of me,” Raynor told The Royal Gazette.

“I was also happy that I got to do it on his birthday, so I will never forget this.

“If I went to him today and said ‘Pugi, I don’t think I’m racing’, he would tell me ‘go lay down’. If I didn’t, I’ll get more flak than if I race; that’s how we were. The same thing with the horses and bikes, too.

“I thought about him when I first got in the boat, but after we got going out there my thoughts were on racing. You have to focus on what you’re doing.”

Despite his son’s passing, Raynor was not intimidated to hop back in a boat and go racing again.

“I don’t even think about stuff like that; it’s racing and doesn’t bother me,” he said.

“Once the boat is started I get just as happy as I did when I was 16 or 18 years old.”

Raynor has taken his son’s death in stride and finds comfort in knowing that he lived his life to the fullest doing the thing he loved most — competing — whether it be in powerboat, harness racing or motocross racing.

“Life is strange and nobody is going to live for ever, so I am happy that I had so much fun with my son,” he said.

“You have to learn to live with the cards given to you and that’s the bottom line. Some people would say I wish I did that, I wish I did this. I can’t wish nothing because my son did it all, so I am happy with that.

“I just get strength knowing how much fun I had with him and how much fun he had in his life. That’s basically what it is and I know what he liked and what he wanted.”

Raynor has also drawn strength from the overwhelming support he has received from family, friends and fellow competitors throughout his ordeal.

“I am so happy with the support; the condolences, the calls and the events that they have put on for him. I’ll never forget the support I got from people, even with fixing Pugi’s boat,” he said.

After restoring his son’s boat, Raynor was hoping to drive it in Sunday’s memorial race but was unable to because of propeller issues and a lack of parts.

However, he would not be denied the opportunity to compete after filling in as co-pilot on Morris’a boat at the event, observed by hundreds of spectators on pleasure craft and those lining the wharf at Cross Island.

“I was a little upset because the boat wasn’t ready to race,” Raynor lamented.

“But my nephew [Morris] said his co- pilot couldn’t make it, so I said ‘you don’t have to tell me twice, what time are you going to meet me?’ That’s how I ended up racing, and it was fun.

“If Pugi was here he’d be happy as a pig in mud. He loves this; he loves the sound of motors and I guarantee if he was here that boat would be racing today.”

Raynor still brought his son’s boat to the event to display in front of a mural of the late racing enthusiast.

“Everybody was glad to see the boat and some were relieved it’s back up and looks good again,” he said.

Raynor still has intentions of racing his son’s boat and for the time being is showing no signs of hanging up his racing gear just yet.

“I’m 63, I feel good and I love racing,” he declared.

“I love it because there’s really nothing else to do. If you don’t have a sport, what are you doing to do? I don’t like living like that. I like moving, trying things and having fun.

“These younger guys racing they tell me ‘go home and play with your grandchildren’, but that’s not on my cards. All of them tease me, so I tell them I am going to teach them some respect.”