[Hancock and Lane]

Hi again. Well done, I must have missed that. Sorry to question your info.

 

Like you, I believe H&L gave up prior to 1988.

 

Hope you get this sorted.

 

Martyn

 

Edit to add. I searched for a 40 footer so maybe that's why it didn't appear for my search.

 

Hi Martyn,

 

Please do question my info, I am a complete novice and need questioning!

 

My question re the surveyor was a genuine one, do they independently verify the maker?

 

Hopefully I will get to the bottom of this, as it would be useful to know, but thanks for your help, I am now one step further along.

 

Simone

 

p.s. When i put dragonfly and Hancock & Lane in the search facility it said no results, so I think its the search facility thats not working too well!

I cannot say as I do not know, but if there is no conclusive evidence that the boat was built in 1988, there may be a possibility that memory has inadvertently thought '88 when it may have been '78.

 

There may be many craft called Dragonfly, and I know Nick Hardey the signwriter lived aboard one such at Harefield in 2000something, and seem to recall him mentioning Hancock & Lane. Memory has no more details - not even the length, though I'm sure it was more than 40'.

 

What on Earth is that in your avatar - it looks like red hot porridge from a wooden tub??? Curious!

 

Hi Derek,

 

Yes it also occurred to me that this could be the result of a simple typo that has now become "fact" ie 88 instead of 78.

 

The signwriter link could be useful - is he on here?

 

The red hot porridge is molten iron, I am a sculptor and occasionally work in iron so this is a photo from a pour, we pour manually in a very pre-industrial manner!

[Hancock and Lane]

There is a site that lists boats that are registered. If you search for Jim Shead.

 

I have done a search on the site and Dragonfly built by Hancock and lane does not appear.

 

Seems odd. Are you sure it is a H&L boat?

Martyn

 

To add. I have searched for Dragonfly 40'. It has a number of boats by various builders and I think one without a builders name. The number is going to help. Can you contact the seller?

Hi Martyn,

 

I looked at this site and did find a Dragonfly listed here http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/boat-reg.php?bn=46822%C2'>

I've pasted the listing in below which states that it was built by H&L in 1988, but i assume this is misinformation...

 

DRAGONFLY Built by Hancock & Lane in 1988 - Length 12 metres (39 feet 4 inches ) a Diesel Inboard engine with a power of 20HP. Registered with EA Southern Region number M21849 as a Powered Annual Over 11m. Last registration recorded on 28-May-2011.

 

The search facility on the site doesn't appear to work very well so i trawled through all the dragonflys manually.

 

The survey report states that the boat is H&L so I am assuming that the surveyor verified this in someway?

 

I know the sellers personally and they have given me all the info they have, they genuinely believe the boat to have been built in 1988, but I can't see how this can be the case, its a mystery!

 

Simone

[Hancock and Lane]

Hi Martyn,

 

Thanks for responding, I don't know the Registration No. but the boat is called Dragonfly, heres hoping !

 

Simone

[Hancock and Lane]

Hello All,

 

I am considering buying a 40ft, Hancock and Lane, steel Norseman and have seen a hull survey report that was done on the boat in 2009, however the survey lists the date of completion as unknown, is there anyway of finding out when the boat was built?

 

The vendors are of the opinion that it was built in 1988 as this is a date they have taken from the Lister engine, however my understanding from this forum is that H&L stopped building boats in the early 80's.

 

I am very new to this so any info/advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Simone