He always claimed that he had simply borrowed the idea from the great mind of Archimedes, and was probably quite bemused when his creation went on to revolutionise boat propulsion.
For Bill, the idea of a jet boat had been a dream since childhood. Growing up on a large sheep station and later purchasing Irishman Creek Station in Central Otago, he was always looking for opportunities to test his skills as a self-taught engineer. Here he built up a large engineering firm manufacturing agricultural and earthmoving equipment, later relocating to a workshop in Christchurch where he developed his first jet boat.
Jet boating soon became a sport for thrill-seekers and Bill’s invention quickly gained popularity all around the world. His son Jon was a member of the team that travelled by jet boat up the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
Through the development of his machine, Hamilton paved the way for visitors to see some of New Zealand’s most breath-taking areas and today jet boats can be seen performing a multitude of tasks, including flood relief, surveying and general recreation in all corners of the world.