Slow_Dancing Posted October 5, 2021 Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 Hi, I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I'm new to boating so... My boat is a Stourport Classic. I've searched on Google and apart from some dead apolloduck links I've been unable to find anything out about this make of boat. Does anyone here know any information or of any sites with info? A Stourport group maybe? I'm really just looking for history and such Virtual gongoozling if you will... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davis Posted October 5, 2021 Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 Perhaps a photo of your boat would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2021 She's a work in progress. 30ft built in 1984. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroudwater1 Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 (edited) Im wondering perhaps if its the name of the boat rather than the manufacturer? Holt Abbott made canal boats in Stourport from the 1950s , but they were Marine ply, I am not totally sure when he retired, it was perhaps a tiny bit later than 1984 though could have been mid 80s. Its the only place that I can think that allows space to have built boats in Stourport (The basin I think was too crowded for that?) Perhaps they briefly took over Abbotts Canal Pleasurecrafts premises just above York Street Lock. There are some similarities to Abbott boats with the eye of faith? Edited October 6, 2021 by Stroudwater1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroudwater1 Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said: Im wondering perhaps if its the name of the boat rather than the manufacturer? It's down as a Stourport Classic in all the paperwork I have. The name is on the side of the boat (and I'm planning on changing that). I have seen some Stourport 27s offered for sale but the links are dead so all I have with that is the few lines you get on the google search. Searching for pictures led me to a link for a 27 in the Jones boatyard archives which is basically mine but without the cabin at the back. http://www.jonesboatyard.co.uk/boat-sales/classic-27-by-stourport-boats-for-sale.html That's were I hit a dead end. Edited October 6, 2021 by Slow_Dancing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 Back in the day, the plugs and moulds for GRP boats seemed to migrate from maker to maker almost by the month, so the moulds could have formed several slightly different boats over the years. On yours, it seems there may be a join in the top moulding at the back of the cockpit. That suggest to me that they cut the hull mould and inserted a middle section, cut the back off the original top mould and made up a new top mould for the back of the boat giving a longer aft cockpit version. I kind of assume yours is about 32ft long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 Yes 30 foot. That's interesting, I guess my eye is not experienced enough to make that out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroudwater1 Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 39 minutes ago, Slow_Dancing said: It's down as a Stourport Classic in all the paperwork I have. The name is on the side of the boat (and I'm planning on changing that). I have seen some Stourport 27s offered for sale but the links are dead so all I have with that is the few lines you get on the google search. Searching for pictures led me to a link for a 27 in the Jones boatyard archives which is basically mine but without the cabin at the back. http://www.jonesboatyard.co.uk/boat-sales/classic-27-by-stourport-boats-for-sale.html That's were I hit a dead end. Interesting. I cant think where else in Stourport they would have been made, if indeed they were made there, and not just called Stourport as it sounds better that the place they were made. Dawncraft furthur up the Staffs and Worcs stopped manufacture under that name in the mid 1980s so perhaps thats a link? There may well be adverts in the canal magazines at the time for them which would help, but I cant see any in my fairly small collection. , Personally I would be inclined to keep the Classic on the side of the boat somewhere on her as its a main indication of the manufacturer, it looks like metal. Nice boat I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 10 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said: Dawncraft furthur up the Staffs and Worcs stopped manufacture under that name in the mid 1980s so perhaps thats a link? They used to manufacture under Stourport? That's very interesting thank you. And yes she's a lovely boat. Or was and will be again. She has a few original features I'd like to keep. The metal plate is definitely one of them. The gallery is another if I can rescue it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arbutus Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 I think these boats were originally called Ensign Classic (or Classic Ensign) and were cream with a brown top. I assume a boatbuilder in Stourport bought the moulds at a later date. I do remember the Ensign Classic in cream and brown being on display at a boat show. Google Ensign classic and a few images will come up. The link below may even be your 30' boat https://www.uship.com/listing/217912726/Classic-ensign-30-cabin-cruiser/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 Awesome thank you! A new line to tug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroudwater1 Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 2 hours ago, Slow_Dancing said: They used to manufacture under Stourport? That's very interesting thank you. And yes she's a lovely boat. Or was and will be again. She has a few original features I'd like to keep. The metal plate is definitely one of them. The gallery is another if I can rescue it. Oops I meant to suggest that Dawncraft furthur up the Staffs and Worcs stopped manufacture under that (Dawncraft) name in the mid 1980s so perhaps thats a link? I was merely wondering if Dawncraft employees/ management perhaps had anything to do with this, having ceased production/ scaled down at Dawncraft in the mid 1980s. Conjecture only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorlan Posted October 6, 2021 Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 It's listed on CanalPlanAC's boat listing as... Quote Blue Haven II Built by Stourport Boat Builders - Length : 9.14 metres ( 30 feet ) - Beam : 2.07 metres ( 6 feet 9 inches ) - Draft : 0.01 metres ( 0 feet ). Fibre Glass hull N/A power of 10 HP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 73603 as a Powered Motor Boat. ( Last updated on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow_Dancing Posted October 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2021 @Stroudwater1 Ah! I misunderstood. No probs. Thank you Dorlan. You know, One of the reasons I'm renaming her is every time - every time - I use her name I call her Blue Heron. I'm really looking forward to seeing Slow Dancing on her hull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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