Canfly

Current boat name

Canfly

Boat class

7404

Function

Sports and Leisure

Type

Length (m / ft)

8.53 / 28ft

Beam (m / ft)

1.68 / 5ft 6in

Leeward

Keel

Propulsion

Engine

Date of build

1922

Place of build

Bowness-on-Windermere

Present use

Museum/LAT

Built by Harry Breaker in 1922 at Bowness-on-Windermere. The design of M V CANFLY was so advanced that speed boats built in the 1960's showed no signs of apparent improvements. The Rolls Royce Hawk engine fitted to M V CANFLY was built in 1917 and was used in the Royal Naval Air Service airship SST3. It was bought as Government-surplus and fitted to the boat which had been built for Major E H Pattinson. The boat has a straight drive with no gearbox and the only way to stop is to turn off the engine. In the 1920's in attempts to provide more control, a 'Kitchen' reversing rudder was fitted but was later removed as it reduced the boat's top speed from 30 mph. M V Canfly was regularly seen at motorboat activites on Windermere and was used as a rescue boat at some of the speed record attempts. This craft is a good example of a powerful aircraft engine being used in a hydroplane. GH June 2011.