Power Boats

A Memory of Whitby.

The wooden clinker built boat, painted white in the lower right of the picture, was one of a pair of fast boats that the late Arthur Shippey and Tom Louis ran from coffee house end steps. They would call loudly ""half hour trips round the bay now"" -- ""come on down"".  Tourists were happy to pay 1/6d for the pleasure of getting soaked to the skin.

As a small boy living close to the harbour in Baxtergate, I was well known to Arthur (who lived next door) Tom liked a drink in our pub, so I was always allowed to take a free ride when things were quiet.  I can tell you that this was a huge thrill.

I often wonder what became the fate of the power boats.