Peter Bonham Christie and hull specialist Dan Lee have been out on the water together with Apache 555 as the UKOPRA season opener at Southampton draws closer. Lee, the award-winning Cotswolds-based boatbuilder brought in to restore and optimise the boat’s wooden hull, is working directly with the boat on the water as the project enters its final phase of preparation ahead of the team’s first competitive outing.
Throttleman Bligh Julius – the multiple Thundercat champion who joined the crew earlier this month – completes a line-up assembled with specific attention to the boat’s needs. Bonham Christie took custodianship of Apache 555 in February, with a clear ambition to race the historic Don Shead design at the level she was built for.
Hull work and the performance target
The central challenge for the 2026 campaign has always been the hull. Apache 555 is a 57-year-old wooden offshore hull that has achieved considerably faster speeds in competition than she currently delivers. Dan Lee was brought in specifically to close that gap: his remit covers the running surface redevelopment, structural maintenance, and an aesthetic restoration returning the hull to its original dark blue and gold colours.
Lee’s commercial restoration career began with two first-place trophies at the Thames Traditional Boat Festival at his first attempt. His YouTube channel has over 50,000 subscribers and more than seven million views. He is the UK’s first OEM partner for Ilmor Marine Engines. His methodology treats finish as an engineering requirement, not an afterthought.
“Apache 555 isn’t just another hull. It represents a very specific era of design and performance. The focus is on understanding how she was intended to run and making precise, considered improvements that bring her back to that level. With a tight timeline to our first race, it’s about making smart, effective changes that will unlock the boat’s true performance potential.”
Dan Lee, Hull Specialist, Apache 555
“We’re very deliberate about who we bring into the Apache 555 project, and Dan was an obvious choice. Our priority is to return Apache to her original form, matching the speeds achieved under David Hagan. Dan’s combination of craftsmanship and technical insight is exactly what’s needed to do that properly.”
Peter Bonham Christie, Apache 555
The boat’s credentials
Apache 555’s record sets a clear performance target. The 33-foot Don Shead design won the 1972 London to Monte Carlo race, still regarded as the longest offshore powerboat race ever held, then took the 1979 World Class II Championship in Venice under David Hagan. She spent nearly 30 years in the Motor Boat Museum at Basildon before Nick Wilkinson returned her to racing condition. Bonham Christie’s 2026 campaign is the latest chapter.
The UKOPRA season opens at Southampton in May. Apache 555 is entered in Class 2, the class she won at world level nearly 50 years ago. The full preparation process is being documented across the official Apache 555 channels at apache555.com, with Dan Lee Boatbuilding covering the hull work in detail on his own platforms.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
