New jet-boat unit on show

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32542, 27 February 1971, Page 18

New jet-boat unit on show

A jet-propulsion unit which, it is claimed, is a major break-through in drive for 30ft to 70ft commercial craft, was demonstrated at Lyttelton yesterday to show its agile handling qualities and speed of up to 30 knots. The demonstration, arranged by the manufacturer, C. W. F. Hamilton and Company, Ltd, of Christchurch, was attended by commercial fishermen from all parts of the South Island, boat builders, Ministry of Works and Australian Trade Commission officials and persons

interested in running tourist launches.

Among the first to have a spin in the craft were the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr F. I. Sutton) and the Harbourmaster (Captain D. Holden). “This demonstration was preceded by three years of intensive research and development, and is a new field in marine propulsion for New Zealand and the world,” said the company’s jet-propulsion division manager (Mr G. Davison). “This big jet unit is proving to have enormous commercial potential both here and overseas. Export orders are flooding in.” Mr Davison said that Hamiltons had already supplied the Zambian Government with a unit for a car ferry and other transport work, had orders from Tasmania for abalone fishing boats, and had supplied a unit for a tourist barge in Kenya. The company had tendered foi the supply of eight units for use as water ambulances in South Vietnam, and there was a possible market in Hawaii, where it was proposed to use barges to speed the transport of passengers to and from Honolulu international airport. On the drawing board was a 50ft to 60ft craft to be

powered by two 500 h.p. gas turbines, which would match hovercraft performance without the maintenance problems, Mr Davison said. The craft demonstrated at Lyttelton was the company’s floating test-bed a 24ft launch with its jet pump driven by a 300 h.p. Cummins diesel motor. Though overpowered and over-loaded for

its size, the craft displayed all the jet boat’s manoeuvrability and instant response to tne controls. The picture shows a Jet craft taking the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr Sutton) and the harbourmaster (Captain Holden) for a demonstration trip at Lyttelton yesterday.