Messing about in Classic Boats (Healey 75)

`Nice? It’s the ONLY thing,’ said the Water Rat solemnly.’

‘Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.’

The Water Rat’s remarks about the sheer joy of messing about in boats seemed to perfectly describe my recent experience as the guest of Phil Bywater and the members of the Classic Motor Boat Association on St Anne’s Lake on the Battleday Waterski Park in Chertsey. Before Phil rang me I had no idea that MG power plants had been used in speedboats, or that Donald Healey had designed and built powerboats, nor that there was such an active association dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of these wonderful floating classics.

Phil’s MGA with the Healey 75 behind

Phil is an MGA owner who really appreciates the classic sportscar’s sharp handling and listening to the distinctive burble of the exhaust of the 1500 B series engine but he also enjoys the torque and exhaust note from another MGA engine when he gets behind the steering wheel of a Healey 75 speedboat. The 75 was built by the same Healey company so well respected for its wonderful range of sportscars. After a successful career in rallying and working for Invicta, Riley and Triumph, Donald Healey set up the Donald Healey Motor Company in Warwick in 1945. His company developed the Austin-Healey 100/4, 100/6 and 3000 range and the Austin-Healey Sprite motorcars in a licensing arrangement with British Motor Corporation. As we all know the Frogeye Sprite evolved into the Sprite and MG Midget family of entry-level sportscars.

In addition to his design work and making, competent high quality and surefooted sportscars Healey also had a passion for speedboats. These craft were built in the late fifties and early sixties from timber and then fibreglass and share many of the qualities of the sportscar range. Four cylinder BMC B series and six cylinder Healey 3000 engines were chosen as powerplants because of their reliability and torque. The MGA 1,588cc unit had a power output of 80 bhp, which meant the Healey 75 would acquit itself very well in the water and also be capable of towing a water skier.

Familiar engine with twin SUs in Healey 75

Healey Sprite
The Healey Sprite Speedboat and Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite were launched in conjunction and offered as a joint package at the 1958 Boat Show. Both the sportscar and sportsboat even share the speeding arrow Sprite badge. Sprite owner and classic boating enthusiast Chris Banton took me for a spin in a very attractive example of this desirable sports boat. The Sprite is all fibreglass and was a very advanced design in the late 1950s, its styling is very sharp and it still looks really modern even fifty years on. The Sprite is equally impressive on the water and Chris was able to throw it around with great aplomb, it accelerated very quickly and he could deftly execute incredibly tight turns. Chris has been a fan of classic boats for many years and he regards them as one of the best-kept secrets of the classic world.

Engine bay Healey 75

Cockpit Healey 75

Austin Healey 3000 power for the Healey 707

Triple SUs on Healey straight six engine

Healey 75 on the water
Phil was then kind enough to take me out in the Healey 75 and then let me have a turn driving around the water park at Chertsey and I was immediately impressed by the responsiveness of the craft, which was a whole world away from any boat I’d driven before. The responsive handling in combination with the remarkable pulling power of the B series engine was accompanied by the distinctive MGA exhaust burble somehow even further enhanced by the marinised engine. The whole experience gave a driving impression very like piloting an MGA along a country road, although perhaps more accurately like driving an MGA on a very wet country road as the spray occasional found its way past the windscreen. I was certainly not used to the precise handling of this type of speedboat, only having driven a hired motor boat on the Norfolk Broads, therefore I was amazed by the sensitivity of the controls, and the sheer ability of these craft, that can turn very sharply and react instantly to steering and throttle input, all of which inspires great self-assurance in the helmsman. The driving position is not unlike a T-type MG, as one sits on the wide bench seat very close to the dash, with arms bent behind the large steering wheel although the similarity ends with only a single throttle pedal on the floor.

Chris Banton’s Healey Sprite MK 1 with Sprite in tow

Chris Banton

Healey 707 with Austin Healey 3000 engine

Making waves

Ian Griffiths with Healey 75 powered by an MGA engine

Phil Bywater at the wheel of the Healey 75

Steering input is very light, and you quickly feel confident enough to savour the sensation of picking a very precise line around the marker buoys. Driving the Healey 75 requires concentrating on the surface conditions of the water ahead and negotiating the wake of other craft. On a flat surface one can floor the throttle and the boat will dart forward smoothly but when the surface is choppy the power of the boat will still carve a path through the swell, and if the wash is great enough it will launch itself, then come crashing down on to the next wave. All of which is tremendous fun and the boat copes easily, it’s just the occupants that take a hammering.

Even though it was a grey and overcast day in Chertsey sitting behind the wheel in this incredibly handsome craft one could still imagine oneself as James Bond or some rich playboy jet setting around on the French Rivera. I was really impressed with the whole classic motor boat experience which was extremely enjoyable and it’s easy to appreciate why the owners of these wonderful boats can quickly get hooked.

Classic Motor Boat Association

The day at Chertsey was also covered by Classic Boat magazine who turned up with a photographer to put together a feature on Healey speedboats, the Healey Boat section was sponsored by Mr A J P Venn and Son builders. The C.M.B.A. was set up in 1998 with the intention of gathering together enthusiasts of classic motorboats and enable members to run and display their boats.

The wealth of specialist knowledge within the club allows enthusiasts to help each other with restoration projects. By 2007, there were over 240 members most of whom own a classic craft of one kind or another. Owning a boat is not a prerequisite for membership, in fact the CMBA encourage all with an interest in and enjoyment of classic boats. If you’d like to find out more take a look at the CMBA website: www.cmba.org.uk

It’s certainly the case that these classic boat enthusiasts have a real passion for their craft and are dedicated to keeping them operational; my thanks to Phil Bywater and the CMBA for a great day on the water.