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Silent Flight

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54 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Yes I was referring to those odd fins coming from the side. 
 

Mini bilge keels New to me.
 

I am sure this boat can go round Cape Horn now!

To be honest I'd not even looked at that photo before I replied....teach me to look more carefully in future!

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On 30/04/2023 at 14:10, dmr said:

That design of stern is usually seen on the replica inspection launches but does occassionally get used on standard narrowboats.

 

An inspection launch was a sort of posh narrowboat with lots of big windows built to allow the canal owners and other posh folk to "inspect" their canal (investment) in comfort.

 

Seen today

image.thumb.png.42b4e0f12522094f2a58ea637bde9c16.png

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2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Seen today

image.thumb.png.42b4e0f12522094f2a58ea637bde9c16.png

 

That is a beaver stern. 

 

I don't know why it is called that but I believe whoever coined the phrase was in polite and genteel company at the time. 

 

 

Often seen on gentleman's launches on the Thames made many yars ago. 

 

There are a few beaver stern slipper launches as well, without cabins. 

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19 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 

That is a beaver stern. 

 

I don't know why it is called that but I believe whoever coined the phrase was in polite and genteel company at the time. 

 

 

Often seen on gentleman's launches on the Thames made many yars ago. 

 

There are a few beaver stern slipper launches as well, without cabins. 

 

Also GRP boats like the Starley Sundowner.

 

I like a nice beaver,

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The Starley Sundowner is a really interesting little boat. Apparently they are proper little seagoing boats. Only about 20ft but very capable. 

 

I can't think of any other similar boats with that exact stern. 

 

Colvic and Island Plasic are more canoe shaped. 

 

 

 

carousel_custom-starley-sundowner-1980-f

 

Starley Sundowner. 

 

 

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On 05/05/2023 at 13:27, Hudds Lad said:

Often wondered, when Tyler/Wilson do a "Mike Christian" shell, is he an actual fitter? Or is it just a style?

I was told that he was a friend or relative of Tyler and Wilson who passed away some years ago. But I can't remember who told me, so it may not be true.

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7 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Seen today

image.thumb.png.42b4e0f12522094f2a58ea637bde9c16.png

That's a Peter Nicholls I believe (the Braunston one which IIRC was a widebeam definitely is)

There was ~57ft version from the 1990s with that stern and the same livery on sale which was very tempted to go and look at before I bought my boat

 

Surprised the "inspection launch" style doesn't have more takers amongst people that like the really detailed historic replicas. Seems more authentic to live in a replica of the generously proportioned cabins for canal executives to inspect the network than a generously proportioned cabin in the bit that's supposed to be for holding coal!

 

On 05/05/2023 at 11:24, Owls Den said:

Noticed a few of these around. Diff lengths. Think the shorter ones really suit their name.
 

Aintree Beetle. Noticeable features are; Square stern. Pillar effect on round the bow doors. 

 

 

4162E423-1504-449B-8793-84B1118DC483.jpeg

2A3D922C-8EA4-4D35-90F0-E4E646B86D2E.jpeg

 

The Aintree Beetle's design reminds me of the Sea Otter, which is another one that's pretty easy to spot

(taff rail design with big chunky pillars with Sea Otter emblazoned on them like this, over a square cruiser stern. Bows are similarly snub and utilitarian in design too)

image.png.a6d2af82b67b09fbbcf15dffac13eb59.png 

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Inspection launches are okay.  Mine is 9ft wide which does indeed make for a very pleasant space and it has large wood framed windows. 

 

 

I went on a narrow beam inspection launch called "My Pussy" (not a joke) at Braunston about 25 yars ago. I think it was out of Peter Nicholls shed.

 

One point to be aware of is that in some of these designs there is a 45 degree chine plate between the vertical sides and the base plate. This makes the boat swim wonderfully well but takes out floor width which can be quite noticeable in a narrow. 

 

I don't think I'd like an inspection launch narrow boat as the bow and stern can be awkward for locks and you really want to be steering from a nice safe stern working area if doing canal locks. Some of these have indoor steering at the front plus a tiller option but the tiller will probably not be very safistactory. 

 

 

You can't really beat a well executed trad in my opinion having owned quite a few narrow boats. 

 

My 9ft beam replica inspection launch was made for canals and has a cruiser stern with a tiller which is comfortable. I'd not like to steer it from inside with a wheel on a canal. On the River it would be ok but the cut is different. 

 

 

 

 

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28 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

Surprised the "inspection launch" style doesn't have more takers amongst people that like the really detailed historic replicas. Seems more authentic to live in a replica of the generously proportioned cabins for canal executives to inspect the network than a generously proportioned cabin in the bit that's supposed to be for holding coal!

But historic replicas of what? I am only aware of two genuine narrow beam canal inspection launches - the Staffs & Worcs Lady Hatherton and the Grand Union's Kingfisher.

The modern 'inspection launch' is a generic style that owes more to the gentlemen's launches and passenger carrying boats of the Thames and other rivers than anything from the narrow canals.

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46 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But historic replicas of what? I am only aware of two genuine narrow beam canal inspection launches - the Staffs & Worcs Lady Hatherton and the Grand Union's Kingfisher.

The modern 'inspection launch' is a generic style that owes more to the gentlemen's launches and passenger carrying boats of the Thames and other rivers than anything from the narrow canals.

 

Well if I had a bottomless pit of money I'd love a replica of the Lady Hatherton! Judging from photographs the Alexandra on the L&L looks like it would have fit a narrow canal too, and then there's Henry Rodolph de Salis' Dragonfly, and who doesn't want to explore every inch of the inland waterways on a steam launch that looks like this?

image.png.c181af2f7e320da9ce52a656da909bc7.png

 

Obviously the modern ones are reinterpretations and I doubt most of the Thames launches spent much time on canals, but then the ubiquitous "josher tug" is also an interpretation involving a particular tug style, a much larger working boat proportions and whatever the boatbuilder wants to do with the bow, and it's that kind of riffing off historic ideas I meant by "replica".

 

Bridgewater packet boats are another attractive historic style that seems well suited for a leisure boat with a big cabin (once you've made them 8 inches narrower, at least!) but I think I've only seen one modern boat based on them (not on the Bridgewater)

 

 

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3 hours ago, enigmatic said:

, and then there's Henry Rodolph de Salis' Dragonfly, and who doesn't want to explore every inch of the inland waterways on a steam launch that looks like this?

image.png.c181af2f7e320da9ce52a656da909bc7.png

Front cabin for the owner, rear cabin for the staff, and the steam engine in between? Very much a 'gentleman's launch'.

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I can imagine a modern version with a back cabin luxuriously appointed for a Victorian gentleman, front cabin set up as floating flat which contains all the stuff the modern gentleman actually needs like electronic gizmos, a kitchen and bathroom and a good lady crew member!

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It almost looks like that stem post is designed for lifting lock gates. It even has a flat bit on the top. 

 

Rarely does one see such awful and inappropriate bows. 

 

I think eastern europe lady did advertise that they would build another boat so God Forbid it is a second one! 

 

 

Terrible 

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