Albatros speedboat up for grabs with Bonhams at 75MM

It’s not all cars at the Bonhams sale at the 75th Members’ Meeting, but from the spec of this machine you’d definitely think it had four wheels – Coventry Climax engine, reclining front seats, open top, kill switch on the dashboard and no end of celebrity endorsement. Last year Jeremy Clarkson tweeted that it was “the coolest thing I have ever driven”.

It is, of course, a speedboat. A 1964 Albatross Mk2 Continental, to be precise. In other words definitely no ordinary speedboat but the adored plaything of the rich and famous in the 1960s.

Brigitte Bardot kept her Albatross in St Tropez. Prince Phillip kept two on board the Royal Yacht Britannia. Aristotle Onassis owned an Albatross as did Thai racing driver Prince Bira. Prince Rainier of Monaco had six. The all-aluminium boats from Great Yarmouth were favourite ski boats and they competed successfully in the Paris Six-Hour race. 

Albatross built its speedboats from 1949 using not just leftover aluminium from the war but also techniques learned from making aeroplanes at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. In 17 years they made about 1,300 boats of various types, of which the one in the Bonhams sale is generally acknowledged as the one to have. The four-seat Continental Mk2s are rare, and only 164 of them were ever fitted with the Coventry Climax A-series engine.

The vendor bought the boat in 2015 from its second owners, a Poole ski school that had used it since the 1960s. In original condition but needing work, the boat (and its original Albatross trailer) has now been completely restored, including rebuilt 1,500cc engine, polished hull, new wiring, new interior and re-anodised brightwork. Bonhams says a Climax A-series Albatross restored to the same standard won best motor boat at Monaco Classic Week 2015.

The perfect partner for a Climax-engined racing car? We’d say so. Fully restored and including the trailer, Jeremy’s “best drive ever” comes with a guide price of £20-22,000.