Mallard Class? Trailable?

[magpie patrick]

Spotted a nice little boat on the canal on Saturday, a 23 foot long fibreglass narrow boat, which had an inboard engine. The owner said it was a Mallard Class, built by Wilderness Boats. I know of their Otter, Beaver and Water Rats, but had never heard of this. He also claimed it was trailable. Anyone know any more.

 

Reason I ask is he was thinking of selling it and if he does I may be thinking of buying it

[Grace and Favour]

Spotted a nice little boat on the canal on Saturday, a 23 foot long fibreglass narrow boat, which had an inboard engine. The owner said it was a Mallard Class, built by Wilderness Boats. I know of their Otter, Beaver and Water Rats, but had never heard of this. He also claimed it was trailable. Anyone know any more.

 

Reason I ask is he was thinking of selling it and if he does I may be thinking of buying it

 

There's no mention of Mallard's on the Wilderness site, though you could always ask them . . . .

[magpie patrick]

There's no mention of Mallard's on the Wilderness site, though you could always ask them . . . .

 

 

I've just rung Wilderness and they've never heard of it!

[Paul H]

There's no mention of Mallard's on the Wilderness site, though you could always ask them . . . .

 

The Mallard was not built by Wilderness but by White Horse Boats of Devizes in the late 80s and 90s. Much more narrow-boat like than Wildernesses they were usually inboard powered and thus too heavy for trailering by most vehicles. I don't think very many were actually produced - Jim Shead's site today lists only 5.

 

Paul

[magpie patrick]

The Mallard was not built by Wilderness but by White Horse Boats of Devizes in the late 80s and 90s. Much more narrow-boat like than Wildernesses they were usually inboard powered and thus too heavy for trailering by most vehicles. I don't think very many were actually produced - Jim Shead's site today lists only 5.

 

Paul

 

Thanks, that's really useful...

 

I think I need to get the trailer and boat down to under 3 tonnes? My thoughts were an inboard may make it a bit heavy

Edited March 15, 2010 by magpie patrick

[Naughty Cal]

The Mallard was not built by Wilderness but by White Horse Boats of Devizes in the late 80s and 90s. Much more narrow-boat like than Wildernesses they were usually inboard powered and thus too heavy for trailering by most vehicles. I don't think very many were actually produced - Jim Shead's site today lists only 5.

 

Paul

 

The small sea otters are inboard, ally built and still trailable

 

Editted to add: That our boat is inboard and trailable, just. It does need a good tow vehicle though.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Phylis

[jelunga]

The small sea otters are inboard, ally built and still trailable

 

Editted to add: That our boat is inboard and trailable, just. It does need a good tow vehicle though.

 

It would have to be some engine to get up to 127 mph steam powered

[Grace and Favour]

It would have to be some engine to get up to 127 mph steam powered

 

and you'd need a skiff for the coal

[Paul H]

The small sea otters are inboard, ally built and still trailable

 

Editted to add: That our boat is inboard and trailable, just. It does need a good tow vehicle though.

 

I suppose I should have said the Mallard was "less easily trailerable than a Wilderness" - the Mallard needed a Land Rover or similar. I think their downfall however was not being able to compete on price with Springer's Water Bug which was produced at the same time.

 

Paul

[magpie patrick]

I suppose I should have said the Mallard was "less easily trailerable than a Wilderness" - the Mallard needed a Land Rover or similar. I think their downfall however was not being able to compete on price with Springer's Water Bug which was produced at the same time.

 

Paul

 

Ah, Paul, are you saying they are, nevertheless, trailable? I'm trying to get gold of White Horse Boats who now appear to be a hire company in Devizes.

[Paul H]

Ah, Paul, are you saying they are, nevertheless, trailable? I'm trying to get gold of White Horse Boats who now appear to be a hire company in Devizes.

 

Yes in fact I think it is, the Waterways World review (September 1989) was actually a bit misleading.

 

It did however go on to mention that the weight to standard specification was 30cwt, allowing 5cwt for a trailer meant that you need a towing capability of 35cwt. The length is 22ft 9ins which is or was just within the legal length for towing. I think there's about 50kg in a cwt so this makes it lighter than a Wilderness Beaver. Still need a large vehicle though and its not as trailerable as a Water Rat or Otter.

 

The hire company used to build the Mallards as a sideline - Ian Sharpe was the man.

 

Paul

Edited March 15, 2010 by Paul H

[gbmud]

You can tow a total weight of 3500KG with a Landrover and regular overrun brakes, or on a Defender, 4000KG with powered (air/vacuum) brakes. The exception being Freelander where IIRC it is 2000 or 2200KG.

 

An adequate trailer is going to be 500KG before you add a boat though.

 

Chris

[bottle]

Magpie Patrick

 

You may like to read this first.

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...cles/DG_4022564

 

And as for a Land Rover etc. towing 3.5 tonne or 4 tonne that is the limit that Land Rover apply and not the 'on the road' limits. IIRC.

[magpie patrick]

Magpie Patrick

 

You may like to read this first.

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Drive...cles/DG_4022564

 

And as for a Land Rover etc. towing 3.5 tonne or 4 tonne that is the limit that Land Rover apply and not the 'on the road' limits. IIRC.

 

 

Thanks Bottle,

 

I'm a pre 1997 (by some margin) driver. One thing that I seem to be reading in those notes that is that the trailer mustn't weigh more than the vehicle: If that's true there are an awful lot of people breaking the law? Or have I got it wrong?

[bottle]

I have not checked recently but yes, many may well be, it is also to do with the speed that you are allowed to tow at as well.

 

It comes down to 'the tail wagging the dog', not a nice experience.

 

Many, many years ago the Caravan Club recommended that the trailer/caravan should not exceed 75% of the vehicle weight (Max gross I think).

[MarkAdrian]

Sea Otter until their recent restructure were trailing their boats for years using a Toyota Landcruiser. We used the service to move our 26ft'er from the Avon to Stone Staffs.

 

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/

 

http://www.tonytugboats.com Is very helpful and provides an excellent trailing service. (I have no financial interest with him).