Adventurer Jon Hamilton, who led voyages along several of the world's great rivers, has died after a long battle with cancer.
The son of jet-boat inventor Sir William Hamilton, Jon Hamilton died on Sunday, peacefully at home with his family in his Christchurch home. He was 84.
Mr Hamilton was an ambassador for his father's invention, piloting Hamilton jet-powered boats on the first upstream run of the Colorado River, and on the Ganges with mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, The Press reported.
Mr Hamilton was born and raised at Irishman Creek Station in South Canterbury.
He completed an engineering degree at Canterbury University and eventually became chief engineer for CWF Hamilton & Co in Christchurch.
Apart from his Ganges and Colorado expeditions, Mr Hamilton also led voyages along the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea and the Zaire in Africa.
In 1982 he became patron of the NZ Jet Boating Association. He was also a keen aviator who still flew gliders in his 80s.
Mr Hamilton is survived by his wife Joyce, children Michael, Karen and Richard, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Christchurch Town Hall tomorrow at 11am.
