| Description | In 1955 the company got involved with building speedboats. Donald Healey was a keen water-skier (as was racing driver Stirling Moss) and the story he tells is that he returned from water-skiing in Nassau in 1955 and was looking for something to do so convinced the company that speedboats were an area to get involved in.
The first Healey Ski-Master was built at Bridport in Devon and the model sold reasonably well with many being exported to the United States. Production for the next model was transferred to the company’s Cape Works in Warwick and it was called the Healey Sprite (the same name was used for the sports car produced by Austin-Healey from 1958 until 1971). A new subsidiary company Healey Marine was set up to concentrate on larger boats with an inboard (rather than an outboard) engine. 'Bic' Healey, who was responsible for marketing for the motor company, was put in charge (allegedly on the basis that he had been in the navy during the Second World War).
'Bic' came to an arrangement with Lord Aylesford of Packington Hall (near Coventry) to use one of the lakes on the estate for testing boats. Family members were frequently there at weekends for boat testing and water-skiing.
A pond at the Cape Works was also used to ensure that boats could float. Production was eventually transferred to Yorkshire.
Inevitably, because of Donald Healey’s competitive nature, Healey boats were entering races and he and 'Bic' often drove them in events. Donald was involved in the 1958 24-hour race at Aix-Les-Bains in France (with motor racing driver Tommy Wisdom). They won the trophy for the best-placed British crew. Another event was the Six Heures de Paris race which took place on the river Seine at the same time as the Paris Salon motor show. This time 'Bic' was co-driver with Tommy Wisdom and although their boat performed well it broke down.
The company switched from wood to fibre glass for the hulls and a chance meeting with world speed record driver Donald Campbell (who was at Warwick to complain about the steering on his car) led to 'Bic' being invited to a trial run for Campbell’s boat ‘Bluebird’ on Coniston Water. Two Healey boats were in the support team acting as rescue craft. Campbell was also managing director of Dowty Marine and 'Bic' got to be driven at high speed by Campbell in one of Dowty’s speedboats on the company’s test lake near Cirencester.
Healey eventually pulled out of boat building as more companies started building them, and because the company could not put the resources needed into the market. Staff were overworked, especially 'Bic' who was also still in charge of car sales. |