Can you ID this vintage wooden speedboat?

[ColinF]

If you've read the topic below this one you'll already have seen the the boat,if not there are more pictures on there.I think the fact i labelled it as a jet boat might have narrowed it's appeal.What i need is someone to identify the hull and ignore the fact it has a jet unit for the moment.It's been on jet boat forums in NZ and the U.S but no-one's come up with anything yet.I'd be happy if someone had said " it's just a 14'6" runabout by Joe Bloggs boats" but no-one has so maybe it's something rare or obscure, it's certainly old.I know it's in very bad shape but it doesn't owe me anything.So thinking caps on and see if you or anyone you know can put a name to the hull.

[Paulc]

Having owned one I would say its a Belton Speedbird, I sold mine to Roger Fishburn who is a club member

[Howstar]

Last one sold on ebay in good condition went 1500. so that looks like a loud of scrap wood for next years bonfire sor rry

The trailer and two cups have just triple vthe value

[floater]

A Belton just pitched up on Ebay but no photos yet:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Speed ... 1ea10e7847

[ColinF]

Thanks for the suggestions.We did look at the similarities to Belton models but we think we've identified it now.Check out my topic about info required for Bell Woodworking's Sportsman runabout.The dimensions match exactly and we've even got the original screens.Take a look and let me know what you think.They were made to take outboard or inboard engines which confused us for a while.Howstar's comments made me wonder if the boating community is as stuck up as i feared it might be! The boat was bought as a joint project between me and my Brother.I restore motorcycles and he restores classic cars for a living, the boat was going to be something different to do as a long term project away from cars and bikes.It will be rebuilt along the lines of the inboard boat in the pictures and will use the Dowty-Hamilton 2 stage marine jet because the hull closely matches the dimensions of the Dowty Turbocraft that used these units.The boat and jet unit are the same age.It wasn't about money and a wooden boat that was sold in kit form has to be rebuildable even if it isn't valuable ( i challenge howstar to find me another Bell Sportsman anywhere).We've had a lot of help from clubs/forums/experts/owners etc so we know there are helpful people out there in the boating world.The vintage jet boat forum had the same pictures and when we updated the topic to let them know what it turned out to be they said they thought it was a cool "resto" and wanted to be kept up to date on its progress. Any helpful advice always appreciated.

[ColinF]

It's taken nine months to identify this boat and it's been on so many forums that i can't always remember how much information we've put each of them.I thought i'd add a little of the story of when we bought it because i think it will make Howstar laugh.The boat was actually at a farm sale ( an auction on site of all the farm equipment and machinery when a farm sells up because of retirement etc).I'd been to the viewing the day before and was interested because the boat had a Dowty-Hamilton marine jet in it.Initial research that night just brought up the Hamilton connection in NewZealand and the Dowty built boats here in the UK.We thought it was interesting enough to bid on even though the hull was in a poor state.The trailer wasn't brilliant but it did move,there was also a dead Ford Pinto engine with it.When the boat came up ( lot No 308 ) i was bidding against two other people who were both scrap dealers that wanted the trailer and engine ( and probably the Alloy castings on the jet unit) my winning bid was £30 (about £37 with fees etc) and i was later told by one of the scrap men that he'd have bid more if the boat wasn't on the trailer!!! We've since sold the useable bits off the Pinto ( the block was cracked) and are now about £30 up on the deal!

[Howstar]

Well done 30 quid up ,


Could be a good restoration project if you got skills and fiance and time to do the work , and wish you well seen alot worse boat been restored on here and look brilliant when finished ,Its Labour of love but some times you do think was is it worth when you can just buy one cheaper some where

[ColinF]

The funny thing is i probably wouldn't have thought about just going out and buying a boat.I think it just struck us as interesting because it had the Jet drive in it.We don't know when it was fitted but the hull is the same age give or take a year.It is really just a fun project that will get money spent on it as it goes along.We do restorations on cars,bikes,Landrovers etc for other people and buy in some to restore and sell on,these ones have to be bought in at the right price and we usually double the purchase price plus restoration costs.We're not really worried what it's worth when it's done it is more of a challenge really but i think it would make an interesting little boat if done right and it's a bit unusual too.If it could go as fast as a similarly powered ( straight six Ford ) Dowty hull they do about 35mph and can pull multiple skiers...........but that might be a while!

[Howstar]

Sounds like you falenl in love with her ,You got me excited about what she might look like also I think a Dowty go for around 5k so starting look good

Can`t wait to have a ride on her

Good luck


PS my boat was rescured from a scrap yard

[ColinF]

You'd be welcome to,i just hope your patient..........you've probably got quite a while to practice your water ski-ing!
We'll be researching the history now we know what it is.The company that built it are better known for the original Mirror dinghy sailing boats.It has got what looks like a river registration number on it ( did they have the same thing on lakes? ) but not sure how to track that down yet.If nothing else it might tell us if it had a name.