There is both good and bad news on the future of Surfury.

Firstly, the good news: The web site has attracted growing international attention and recently we have heard from many who are interested in the boats future. Next year is the 40th anniversary of her winning the Cowes – Torquay and the current organisers may be interested in her being displayed as a static exhibit at the race. There has also been interested expressed in her being exhibited in the USA at a couple of major powerboat shows along side Ghost Rider who was also built by Souters. Ghost Rider  is now preserved in full race order by her current owner and is testament as to what can be achieved with commitment and funding.  Why is it that the same enthusiasm does not exist in the UK as it does in the USA for racing heritage?

Now the bad news: I have had recent discussions with both Surfury curator as well as the Motor Boat Museum in Basildon.
Surfury is on of the very few boats at The Motor Boat Museum at Basildon that is not owned or that has not been gifted to them permanently, she is a guest there as she was left to the Nation by Charles Gardner and is therefore owned and administrated by the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.  As a project, Surfury is not of prime importance to the NMM as they have to enable the care of many of the Nations historic craft with limited finance. This is perhaps understandable when one considers the apathy the commercial world and the apparent general lack of interest there is in Britain’s offshore racing heritage.
The Motor Boat Museum have now been recently gifted several new exhibits in prime order and these will be given preference to Surfury, especially as her condition and her viability as an attraction has declined due to lack of maintenance.

The outcome of this is that she will have to leave Basildon in 6 months time – she is effectively facing eviction.
The only potential destination and future for her at this time is the new NMM at Falmouth, however she is too big to go through the doors and the only way of her being able to be entered into the building would be ether: tipping her on her side, potentially destroying her machinery inside or cutting her up & re-assembling her. Both of these would be fatal to her unique complete condition and any potential future that could be provided to bring her back to full order.

I am going to open a campaign to try to raise the funds for “Surfury” active preservation and also to try to find a home that would enable her to be housed and maintained to the order that she demands and deserves. My first approach will be to highlight her plight to the press and then to appeal to the commercial organisations that have benefited from the development. I also am forming a “Surfury” action group and anybody out there who would be willing to support in either a virtual by voicing their support or tangible way through finance or time then please contact the web site through its Email link.

Thanks once again for your interest and for visiting this site. 

Chris Grayer, March 2006.

Please contact chris.grayer@surfury.co.uk with your thoughts.