A rather special 1956 Albatross MkIII Super Sport

[Midnight Blue]

This caught my eye in MBY...
A rather special 1956 Albatross MkIII Super Sport runabout is up for auction this weekend, having previously belonged to HRH the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
The only boat lot in the Goodwood Members’ Meeting auction, this classic runabout’s first owner was HRH the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and in her heyday spent more than 10 years as his personal tender aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Bonhams estimated that she would realise between £20,000-£40,000, which is probably somewhere between four and eight times more than one would be without royal patronage and glamour.
Designed by aircraft engineer Archie Pearce and built by his St Olaves, Great Yarmouth-based Albatross Marine, this all-aluminium pop-riveted model had a stepless hull and was propelled by single screw hooked up to an 1,172cc Ford 100E engine, the same side-valve block used in the Ford Anglia of the day.
With a top speed of around 34mph, they were popular for waterskiing and for racing. In all 607 Albatrosses of various iteration were built.

[Folly Reach]

Lovely little boats. Bit of a handful though without a gearbox. Turning the engine back to front and attaching the propshaft to the front pulley never sits well with me.
Turn the key and off you go. Not even neutral let alone reverse... Eek

[Ben]

Yes but they came with a paddle.

[Folly Reach]

Made £60,000.00 plus buyers premium of £9,000.00
Mad world..

[Ben]

I too thought that was an extraordinary result.

[LaDauphine]

I have an Albatross with a Coventry climax racing engine, no gearbox. Owned since 1979 so I am used to no neutral. Actually not a problem with such a light boat. One less thing to go wrong.

Value of an unrestored non-runner like the one sold at goodwood would be £2-3k. Mad world indeed.

[Nicolett]

Seems to me like a good result