Williams Minijet 280
The famous Williams lake – something I had heard about but never had the chance to have a go on. This is the yard’s test lake near their factory in Berinsfield, Oxfordshire, and on the day of my visit, it is mirror-flat and bursting with the colours of a summer’s afternoon. As a place to test the yard’s smallest ever jet tender, it couldn’t be better, especially when you consider that the Minijet is a mere 9ft 2in (2.78m) long, weighs a smidge over 200kg and is capable of 33 knots.
This is a boat that Williams has wanted to build for a long time, that would grant them access to the 38ft50ft cruiser market. Until now, the engine technology just hasn’t been there to provide the sort of performance Williams wanted while keeping weight to a minimum. A tie-up with BRP meant exclusive use of a detuned 45hp version of the 903 Rotax motor used in SeaDoo’s Spark jetski, and this provided just the balance of performance and weight.
It seems to be proving popular already – manufacturers have already begun to design boats around this new model because they know so many customers are just going to want a Williams. Williams predicts that it will build 250 Minijets in 2017 and, once the production line is fully up and running, up to 600 of them a year.
I first meet it on a trailer outside the factory. It is amazingly compact, almost toy-like, but with the familiar aft helm and jockey seat. A small bench forward allows a couple of people to sit facing forward and you could just about squeeze another (light) person on the bow facing in for a short, slow trip.
There’s not much more to it, to be honest, given the tiny blueprint Williams had to play with. There is a digital readout between your legs that shows things like RPM, speed and fuel, and a chunky, square-bottom wheel and tactile, ball-topped throttle.
Turn the ignition and push the starter button and the engine bursts into life, settling down into a growly idle. Lift the throttle cuff, nudge it into gear, and the boat begins to glide forward gently. Slow-speed work is so much easier now; long gone are the days of sweatinducing slow-speed manoeuvres (once you get the hang of steering the opposite way in reverse, that is).
Feed in some throttle and the stubby bow rises up eagerly before levelling off and skimming gamely over the surface. The steering is unbelievably direct, every tiny adjustment taking effect on the direction of travel. The hull grips far harder through the turns than expected but you can also use the throttle to provoke a tail slide and adjust its line just as you can a rearwheel-drive sportscar. And let me tell you, 33 knots may not sound blistering on paper but it feels seriously quick when you’re an inch off the water in a jet-propelled tennis shoe.
Backing off the throttle takes a little bit of care to avoid flooding the transom with wash; the soaked-backside look won’t cut it on the quaysides of the Med.
The Minijet is not a budget option, weighing in at £13,995 but, like all of Williams’ products, you can see and feel where that money is going and it is a beautifully finished bit of kit. I expect to see large numbers of bathing platforms graced with them. Jack Haines
Length 9ft 2in (2.78m) Beam 5ft 1in (1.55m) Engine Single Rotax 45hp Top speed on test 33 knots Price from £13,995 inc UK VAT Price as tested £13,995 inc UK VAT Contact Boats.co.uk. Tel: +44 (0)1702 258885. Web: www.williamsjettenders.com