Award Winning 1912 Brooke Boat 26 / ML 117
as seen in racing livery at Beaulieu

Foreword

I am immensely proud to be the owner of one of the oldest Seaplane Tender’s in the known world today. “Smuggler” (as she is affectionately known), was purchased by my late father James P Clements
at Furness Vale in 1984. This was to be his retirement project, but when her renovation became too much of a personal challenge I took on the mantel until the time of Jim’s passing in 1986, just five years prior to her initial completion in 1991. 

At Windermere that same year“Smuggler ML 117” attended her first Classic Motor Boat event winning ‘First Prize’ award in the ‘People’s Favourite’ category and ‘Best in Class for the Best Pre-War Restoration’.
A further award followed at Windermere in 1997, where she took another ‘Best in Class award in the Best Pre-War Boat’ category.

My mother Joyce was present at both occasions and said that Jim would have been very proud of these achievements!  

ML 117 is today Powered with the only remaining Brooke 40-F28/30 ‘Hundred-series’ Marine Motor, developing 103 h.p. @ 2000 r.p.m. S/N L4407 was fully restored by John D.M. Brooke, Grandson of her original builder from all ‘Ex-Stock’ parts! This craft is representative of the many early Service Marine-craft built by the J.W. Brooke & Co.

Since those halcyonic days, B26 has shown herself to be a superb planing craft. On the plane at just Six-Knots, she is likened to Speed-boat “Tireless II”. The craft seen below was re-engined by John Brooke, the Grandson of her original builder. She was initially given three window lights per side as seen on the Torpedo range at Loch-long, but more recently removed the cabin to bring her back to her origins as a stunningly fast elequant Speedboat that is reminiscent of a bygone era.  

My family’s commitment to rebuilding “Smuggler” has taken many years and it is hoped that her immense speed and historic value will bring much pleasure to a great many people!

Robert J Clements.

Constructed at the Harbour Road Boat Works of John W Brooke & Company, Lowestoft, England, ML 117 was built boat No. 26 on Admiralty Contract Ref. CP 4443/12 before being despatched to the R.N. Torpedo Range at Loch Long, Strathclyde, Scotland on 24th April 1913. She remained in service until 1936 after which she was de-commissioned and sold off locally as ‘Surplus’.

Powered today by a Brooke 40F-28/30 ‘“Hundred” Marine Motor, Serial Number L4407 (rebuilt
by John Brooke in 1993), the only remaining engine of its kind, she remains the earliest complete example of a Brooke Seaplane Tender in existence.