Built in Deni by Bernie Taylor in the 1970s, the Taylor-Made boat design giving the particular boat its feminine name of Taylormaid.
The Taylor-Made tunnel boat was an advanced performance design for its era.
With multiple uses, the boat was used for speed racing and skiing.
The hull was engineered to ride on a cushion of air trapped between twin sponsors, creating lift that significantly reduced drag and wet surface area.
This allowed the boat to run flatter, faster, and more efficiently than conventional deep-V hulls at speed.
Taylor-Made boats became known for performance-oriented designs, strong, race-ready fibreglass layups and experimental hull shapes, including tunnel hulls.
Produced in very limited numbers from Deniliquin the total made is unknown but the Taylormaid is speculated to be one of anywhere between 15 and 30 in existence.
Taylor-Made tunnel boats are rare vintage performance craft today and are highly regarded among Australian racing and ski-boat enthusiasts.
The particular Taylormaid boat was displayed at the 1977 Melbourne Boat Show, highlighting its innovative design and performance focus at the time.
Bernie Taylor, now based in Queensland, had a wealth of experience in boat design around Deniliquin and helped build several significant buildings around town including the Middy’s Data and Electrical building at 63 End St.
The Taylormaid is now owned by Deniliquin Boat Club Member and Commodore Craig Druitt who has had the boat refurbished into its current top-quality condition.
Having been heavily involved over the last 15 years at the Deniliquin Boat Club, Craig said the Taylormaid is emblematic of Deni’s boating history.
The cutting-edge boat was designed, built and raced here and is evidence of boats and the boat club as part of the fabric of Deni.
The boat will be on display at the Deniliquin Boat Club’s 80th anniversary event celebrations for people to appreciate this Saturday.
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