I remember reverse thrust being fairly effective on the mk2 that friends had.

As you say, reverse wouldn't be much needed or much use in shallow, gravelly rivers etc, so understand why it wasn't much of a concern with the earlier ones.

You're right about the sound, certainly not an unpleasant one either. I always used to like it.

As for drawings, I have now found a side view and have a lead on a plan drawing which I am hoping will come good.
My only concern is that I've never built from a plan before, not a hull anyway and certainly not from an original view plan.
I will give it a go as and when time allows (assuming the lead on a plan is a good one). For now, I have more than enough to get on with, with my new to me, Sea Rover and Sea Commander repairs/refurb.

Will

I see Dowty improved the reverse function on the jet, (the early Hamiltons weren't that flash in reverse, - developed originally for screaming up our shallow fast gravelly rivers, where reverse would be pretty useless anyhow) but with the new twin nozzle types they are pretty good,- most manufacturers seem to use that style now.

It looks like a reasonably basic hull,- perhaps you could just draw one up to suit. No flare to speak of so should be reasonably easy. If you can find photo of one side on, you could scale the boat off the pic. At least you have a good selection of pics and vids on the Dowty site to go off.

I had a marinized 110 hp Mk III Zodiac motor in my 20ft Hartley and it went really well, great motor with a sound of their own.

JB

Correct jbkiwi, apart from the 1st versions of the Dowty didn't use the two stage unit, the mk2 and mk3 had that unit fitted.

The plan was to purchase one of the current water jet units and fit to a suitable hull.

As time goes on, no one seems to recognise this model as a kit, so I think I will have to go with a suggestion someone made to me, in using an Aerokits Sea Hornet plan as a starting point and to modify slightly to make it closer (as close as I am capable of anyway) to the Dowty hull shape/design.

I had already found the Dowty heritage site, that's where some of my pictures came from. I have also been in contact with them regarding some accurate/detailed drawings of the boats, but not heard anything back.

Will

The full size boat uses a Dowty/Hamilton 2 stage 'Chinook' jet unit (Hamilton jets NZ 1957) made under licence by Dowty to suit the particular boat. Hamiltons were the first ever commercial jet units sold and still powering boats today all round the world, You will find pictures of this jet unit on the Hamilton Jet site (NZ) for reference (under- Our Story). If you are going to have a crack at making one, you could buy one of the model jet units available today and modify it to look similar, (if you were keen😁). This boat would make a nice model.

https://www.dowtyheritage.org.uk/content/dowty-group/dowty-marine-2/dowty-jet-turbocraft-press-release

Scroll down to the bottom of above article for a good vid of these boats.

https://www.dowtyheritage.org.uk/content/dowty-group/dowty-marine-2/dowty-marine-and-dowty-turbocraft-remembered-by-adrian-waddams

Good vids at the bottom of this as well (Donald Campbell driving one)

JB

This is the full sized boat that I believe it to have been modelled upon.

Will