Built in 1965 by Souters and designed by Sonny Levi  the Class1 offshore racing craft “Surfury” was arguably the most famous British offshore racing boat of the 1960’s. “Surfury” came 3rd in her first race the Cowes Torquay and also competed in the infamous USA Sam Griffith Memorial Race during 1966.  In 1967 “Surfury” crewed by Charles & Jimmy Gardner they won the Cowes - Torquay in what was then a record time and speed. In 1968 she came second to “Telstar” after a thrilling duel with Vincenzo Ballestereri across Lyme Bay and once again 3rd in 1970 by which time technology had raised average finishing speeds by 30mpph in the 5 years since she was built.
In the late 1970’s “Surfury” was left to the nation by Charles Gardner and she has been on loan at the Motor Boat Museum in Basildon ever since. She is complete – her equipment and machinery intact, remaining exactly the same as that day she last raced in 1970. The curators at Basildon have done all they can for “Surfury”  but no funding has ever been made available for her preservation nor for her long term care, her condition has inevitably deteriorated and she desperately needs at least cosmetic care to preserve her  and rescue her from the sad and unjust  condition she is now in.
Most of the craft in the Motor Boat Museum at Basildon are owned by their trust but “Surfury” remains one of the few “loan craft” housed there and outside the curator’s responsibility and jurisdiction. Quite rightly the priorities for Basildon are to manage their owned assets and not the loaned exhibits. The Motor Boat Museum has now been left a couple of recent craft for display and has therefore informed the NMM that “Surfury” can no longer reside permanently on display within the museum. Her only potential destination is for her to be re-housed within the new NMM at Falmouth – however she is too big to go through the doors. The only solution would be for “Surfury” to be cut into pieces and to be reassembled, or for her to be tipped on her side with the inevitable destruction of her internal and unique Daytona machinery. Each option would be fatal to her unique condition and any long term hopes for renovation.
            We are hoping that you could help to enable a campaign to at least raise the funds to preserve her and also to find a suitable home for her. There is interest in her being displayed both here and the USA for shows and at premier races (especially for next year being her 40th anniversary of her Cowes – Torquay) but that would not be possible due to her current condition. Maybe one day funding could found to renovate her back to running order but significant commercial sponsorship would be required for this to take place, but or now we can only hope that with publicity and support we can save this unique piece of British racing history.

Please - If you are prepared to offer any support –
even just vocal or literal please contact: chris.grayer@btinternet.com or call 07774 810276.