Jones Hydroplane typical of the late 50’s. Originally a 14’ 6” design it was extended by 12 inches. This had the effect of creating a boat similar in proportion to a ½ scale of the 1959 Miss Thriftway.
Hull
length :
15' 6"
Skeg depth 6”
Fin depth 4”
Build date
:
1970
Engine
:
Toyota 7MGE 3ltr DOHC 6cyl stock with triple 45mm Webbers 38 chokes and custom extractors to a 1.09 overdrive and a Col Parry 10” x 15” steel two blader.
Top speed
:
Max 92 mph air speed recorded during racing at Taree July 2005.
After construction in 1970 the boat was painted burgundy with a grey cowl. It is thought to have been fitted with a 351 Cleveland & drag raced & run in the Bridge to Bridge. The boat was sold when its owner returned to live in New Zealand.
In the 1990-‘s the boat passed to a group from Brisbane which included, Barry Hay (Pure Dynamite, now the Baron), Allan Pratt (Fireball), Allan Watson and the Spencers.
Allan Watson set about restoring the bare hull but passed away in 1992 before it was completed. Three years later in 1995 Dave Swan purchased the hull from Allan’s widow.
Dave and Barry Hay convinced Mick Atholwood a 283 he had prepared for Allan Watson should be put into the unnamed boat.
In 1998 the blue boat was relaunched. After a gearbox failure the 283 was removed and purchased by Barry Hay and now resides in Dynamite. On the advice of Graham Howard the 3 litre six from a Toyota Supra/Cressida was installed and the boat was renamed Livewire
Dave raced the boat in SE Qld till late 2003.
In January 2004 Brett Howe bought and named the boat Blew-by-U.
The boat was rebuilt with 12mm aluminium engine bearers running near full length, revised seating and massive floor reinforcement. After the first motor was damaged after a cooling hose came adrift the Supra derived 7MGE was replaced with a Cressida spec (milder) motor.
In the hands of then 16 yo Ryan Rhetton-Howe, Blew By-U completed a season of racing, which despite the milder motor culminated in Ryan driving the boat past 4lt hydros to a race win.
In March 2005 I purchased Blew-by-U. After races at Liddell the transom was replaced after a practice incident revealed it was rotten.
At the GP Hydro World Champs in 2005 it ran for the last time as Blue-By-You. Later being repainted and renamed Thrifty Too after its paint scheme.
