Anybody know what boat this is?

[carlt]

Ebay clicky

 

Can't think of a wooden motor, with a National, in Milton Keynes.

[Paul H]

Fornax?

 

Paul H

[Chris J W]

I love the description of "I have an original 1935 national diesel engine for sale with 72ft of wooden narrowboat attached"

[carlt]

I love the description of "I have an original 1935 national diesel engine for sale with 72ft of wooden narrowboat attached"

Yes it seems a shame.

 

If it is Fornax I thought she was worthy of a better write up, than that and, underselling her, the vendor may only achieve the engine's value.

[Derek R.]

Looks like he does post and packing world wide too.

[m589]

Fornax?

 

Paul H

As far as i believe fornax is lying under the first main road bridge north of fenny stratford lock so it could well be fornax for sale.

[Hairy-Neil]

Yes it seems a shame.

 

If it is Fornax I thought she was worthy of a better write up, than that and, underselling her, the vendor may only achieve the engine's value.

 

I'd have thought being attached to the boat might well devalue the engine.....

[carlt]

I'd have thought being attached to the boat might well devalue the engine.....

Definitely, in Usk's case!

 

I've been offered a lot of money, for the engine and diesel tanks but only if I take them out of the boat, first.

[bargeeboy]

It is Fornax.

 

Its had a For Sale sign on it last time I passed

[PeterScott]

Ebay clicky

Gosh, a desperate way to sell a boat, particularly on ebay as a new seller. Odds are it's worth more than the current £4k, surely?

[Timleech]

Gosh, a desperate way to sell a boat, particularly on ebay as a new seller. Odds are it's worth more than the current £4k, surely?

 

If it is, then expect to see the price rise significantly before the end.

Owning and maintaining a 70' wooden boat is a very large (time and financial) responsibility, especially if there's work needed when you take it on.

 

Tim

[Hobbler]

Went for £5100 - methinks someone got a bargain if its in reasonable order.

[mykaskin]

Went for £5100 - methinks someone got a bargain if its in reasonable order.

 

It probably needs lots spending on it - £20-30 grand for example. What the owner should have done was sell it as a perfectly good boat, and given most of the money back to the seller to ensure they had the money the boat deserves. I bet you there is a wooden narrowboat without engine for sale very shortly, either that or another sunken wreck thats left for someone else to cleanup (sans engine no doubt).

 

Mike

[carlt]

either that or another sunken wreck thats left for someone else to cleanup (sans engine no doubt).

 

Mike

There are very few sunken wrecks about, these days (left for someone else to clean up), certainly not half tidy ricky motors, anyway.

Edited March 2, 2009 by carlt

[Pluto]

There are very few sunken wrecks about, these days (left for someone else to clean up), certainly not half tidy ricky motors, anyway.

There are about twenty L&LC boats sunk on the River Douglas, about half a mile below Tarlton Lock. They were sunk there during the first half of the 20th century as bank protection. On a visit some years ago, we partially excavated the cabin of one which still had the proper family boat internal fittings - including a double bedhole and a proven cupboard for the horse's food on the other side of the cabin. The boats can be seen at low tide, and in the summer the river can be virtually dry between tides.

 

Other remains on the L&LC are at Plank Lane, below Dean Lock in the old clay pit, and at Armley, with wooden ice boats at Johnsons Hillock, Niffany and Armley. No doubt there are others, though nothing substantial.

 

In Yorkshire, some years ago I found remains of clinker built wooden keels in the Ouse, just upstream of Goole. With the remains of those at St Aidans now destroyed, they could be the only clinker built barge remains surviving.

[carlt]

Yes, I know about these. I was referring more to the "someone else to clear up" bit, rather than archaeological remains.

[greywolf]

all the bids were from the same person,perhaps somebody he knew was trying to bid it up.

[Timleech]

all the bids were from the same person,perhaps somebody he knew was trying to bid it up.

 

No, there were two bidders. The first put in a series of bids starting at £1500.

The second put in one bid of £5,000, but the first bidder beat that.

 

Tim

[Liam]

It does sound like Fornax, which has recently been advertised as the following;

 

1935 Star Class wooden motor boat, built by Walkers of Rickmansworth. Fitted with National engine in working condition. New back end in 1998. Last tarred and pitched in 2006. Non conversion, under new set of tarps. Needs work, hence selling price of £7,000.00.

[Pinkatpole]

No, there were two bidders. The first put in a series of bids starting at £1500.

The second put in one bid of £5,000, but the first bidder beat that.

 

Tim

 

 

The second bid was mine.

 

Maybe or maybe not a sensible decision, but I set a limit of £5K and made sure I was nowhere near a computer when the auction was ending.

 

Being quite aware of the likely cost of the repairs / work and having no intention of removing the National I was fully aware that this could and would have been an expensive project

 

However it would have took me out of my comfort zone, which is not a bad thing

 

Missus would have gone bananas once she had found out, (its not that easy just to sort of casually announce that another boat had joined the family, especially as I still have the industrial JP2 waiting to go into a shell and the modern Jonathon Wilson which she tends to call my expensive shed)

 

However, it would have been fun

 

Slightly disappointed that I put the sensible head on for once.

 

Now where can I found me an old 72ft shell that wants fully restoring and needs a JP2 !!!

[weed slipper]

Publicity is everything. In view of the terrible condition of many historic boats in "museum" hands( no names mentioned, funding is not easy), how about a Time Team dig on some of the above mentioned sunken boats? Could make good TV especialy if you replace Tony Robinson with that flirty Bradbury woman from railway walks.

Or how about Jerremy Clarkson as an outspoken supporter of the waterways. He would love the pollution caused by our big diesels, and is a fan of British industry and engineering skills associated with the real Britain. Not the retail driven excuse for an economy we have now.

 

Ttp

 

MC

[Liam]

The 4mph may be an issue where Jeremy Clarkson is concerned.

[carlt]

Now where can I found me an old 72ft shell that wants fully restoring and needs a JP2 !!!

Wooden motor with new bottoms, mint kelson, good chine plank and intact bows and stern?

[Hairy-Neil]

The 4mph may be an issue where Jeremy Clarkson is concerned.

 

You might be pleasantly surprised. See how he rates this.....

 

clicky

[Pinkatpole]

Wooden motor with new bottoms, mint kelson, good chine plank and intact bows and stern?

 

Intrigued