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what a weird boat....

grahoom

By grahoom
in General Boating

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Catrin Proficient

Catrin

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It looks like the kind of constructions that our kids used to bring back from nursery school contructed out of cereal packs and tissue boxes - "look Mum, I made a boat/ house/ car/ nuclear power station...."

 

Having said that, it seems like a good, cheap way to get out boating.

Cath

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Guest

Guest

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I have seen far uglier boats sell for many times the amount that boat will likely sell for. Stylish it isn't, but as someone else remarked, it is a cheap way of getting afloat. When we set out on the cut in the '60's, boats such as this were not uncommon, often built around ex army pontoons. Punt shaped boats (Jon boats in the USA) may not be very stylish, but have good carrying capacity and stability owing to their shape. Whilst I own a clone boat- sewer tube, I am always happy to see such boats, and feel quite envious of the simple approach. The cut needs more such boats today, and I for one welcome them and their builders. In fact I have often been tempted to knock up a small pontoon to double as a roof box on our clone boat. Whatever happened to fun?

 

Some boats I have taken pics of on the cut that don't have a sharp end:

 

 

S4022877.jpg

S4022887.jpg

S4022920.jpg

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FredDrift Contributor

FredDrift

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When my parents first hired in 1965, Blue Line Crusiers offered camping punts for hire. They were outboard powered, about 20 ft long by 6-7 ft wide, basically shallow rectangular floating boxes, with a pole at each corner supporting a canvas canopy. At night you could put up canvas side screens to enclose the interior. I seem to recall bench seat down each side which presumably doubled as bunks and a small camping stove in the middle. I don't remember a toilet - probably just had to use the hedge!

 

They were really little more than floating tents and must have been a cheap way of getting afloat.

 

I can't imagine many folk would put up with that type of boating nowadays.

 

David

 

Blue Line Cruisers camping boat...................... not unlike this one although this one seems to have a hard top rather than the canvas that I recall - a week with the grandparents and my younger brother spent on the Oxford Canal - Braunston to Banbury & back. Canvas sides and for that added luxury, a canvas divider to make two 'bedrooms'. No loo, no electricity and water in two containers carried on the foredeck.

 

Memory suggests that there was a small fleet of them at Braunston - all named Bluebird I, Bluebird II etc. It was a great adventure for us young uns.

 

 

P018071.jpg

Picture courtesy of http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/Articles.php?wpage=14

 

edited to add that I'm not not sure if I am allowed to reproduce this image but happy to remove it if required

Edited by happynomad
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Guest

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You could probably build it during the course of a morning and be on the canal after lunch, though the paint might be still a bit tacky :lol:

 

Albert.

Now there's a challenge :lol:

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grahoom Rising Star

grahoom

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When my parents first hired in 1965, Blue Line Crusiers offered camping punts for hire. They were outboard powered, about 20 ft long by 6-7 ft wide, basically shallow rectangular floating boxes, with a pole at each corner supporting a canvas canopy. At night you could put up canvas side screens to enclose the interior. I seem to recall bench seat down each side which presumably doubled as bunks and a small camping stove in the middle. I don't remember a toilet - probably just had to use the hedge!

 

They were really little more than floating tents and must have been a cheap way of getting afloat.

 

I can't imagine many folk would put up with that type of boating nowadays.

 

I would! and I know a quite a few other people who would. Wonder if there are any hire places for such boats these days?

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Guest

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I would! and I know a quite a few other people who would. Wonder if there are any hire places for such boats these days?

I would if I didn't already have a sewer tube. Can't see the difference between tenting it on a field, or tenting it on a boat.

 

I have often thought that those tents used on 4x4 roofracks would be brilliant on a pontoon. They fold down flat and look like a roofbox when not in use.

 

Untitled.jpg

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Guest

Guest

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Something like that at 20 plus foot could make a good little liveaboard for a single person on a tight budget.

Very true, they have done it in other countries for years.

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grahoom Rising Star

grahoom

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I have often thought that those tents used on 4x4 roofracks would be brilliant on a pontoon. They fold down flat and look like a roofbox when not in use.

 

Untitled.jpg

 

you could punt yourself about the system, proper low impact boating! :lol:

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