Like the Sea Ranger before, not much is
known about the Power-Ski either. The original 1961 franchise agreement
with an American company gave Sharp's Commercials the manufacturing
rights for up to 1000 units and exclusive rights to all the European
markets. Power-Skis were unveiled to the public on stand UM14 at
the Boat Show, Earls Court in January 1962. They were proclaimed
to be the newest sport to zoom into Britain. Bond made the ski floats
and controls and customers supplied their own outboard engine. This
could be anything from 5 h.p. to 18 h.p. and then the thrills of
water skiing could be experienced
"......without towing
risks. No special skill is needed. Just squeeze the throttle
for more speed or release it for the engine to idle in neutral.
Simple to operate, easy to manoeuvre - the Power-Ski is the
ideal water craft." Float
colours were either Blue, Yellow or Light Brown.
The production records show the first
skis were made in January 1962 - although trials are known to have
taken place locally on Fairhaven Lake in Lytham St. Annes during
1961. Probably helped along by the cool British climate, the Power-Ski
never really caught on and production at the India Mill factory
finished 3½ years later in June 1965. The balance of the
manufacturing rights for 1000 skis was bought by a company called
Kirkham's Marine Ltd. in1966 with the intention of selling them
to hotels in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The new company
increased the buoyancy of the floats by incorporating polyurethane
foam into the hull sections and changed the colour to Signal Red.
A production run of 150 Power-Skis is believed to have commenced
in the summer of 1967.
Although it was reported in the Lancashire Evening Post newspaper that a Greek gentleman, Mr. Nicopopolous Zographos had placed an order for 500 said to be worth £50,000 and an Austrian hotelier had ordered 50 for use on the lakes around his hotels, the Power-Ski does not appear to have benefited from these orders and nothing more was heard of it.
Power-Ski Number Range: 62/1/1 to 65/6/110
Total Bond Power-Skis produced till 1965 = 110
