Bonie Kowsky?

[Jayseaess]

Hi

 

A friend is going to look at a boat that the owner says was built in 1997 by Bonie Kowsky (possible spelt wrong), he believes he built around 60 boats?

 

Anybody know of him or his boats?

 

Thanks

 

Nigel

[alan_fincher]

Seems like it may be "Bonikowski"

 

The Jim Shead boat list has quite a few, typically showing as BONIKOWSKI ENG-WIGAN

 

I have seen ones for sale, but know nothing about them.

[the grinch]

Ken Bonakowski was a boat builder based in wigan built a few boats apparently

[Timleech]

Ken Bonakowski was a boat builder based in wigan built a few boats apparently

 

They had/have (the ones I've seen) a distinctive counter.

 

Tim

Edited October 22, 2012 by Timleech

[alan_fincher]

Ken Bonakowski was a boat builder based in wigan built a few boats apparently

Jim Shead lists only one boat built by Bonakowski, but a lot by Bonikowski.....

 

Not that that proves a thing, of course!

[Midnight]

I once had a 45ft Bonikowski which I bought as a restoration project. I sold it to a hire boat company when it was 21 yrs old - The survey showed no deterioration in the shell at all (possibly Sheffield steel). It's still in service today!

 

The roof was only 3mm and a bit flexi and the skin tank was far too wide (no real problems but took ages to heat up as I think the water circulated inside the tank). The water tank was a bit old hat and the run off came into the well deck other than that it seemed to be very well built.

 

I would be inclined to say that Bonikowski was a very good boat builder for that time.

[Pie Eater]

Hi

 

A friend is going to look at a boat that the owner says was built in 1997 by Bonie Kowsky (possible spelt wrong), he believes he built around 60 boats?

 

Anybody know of him or his boats?

 

Thanks

 

Nigel

I remember being taken by his son in law to look at a boat that Ken was building sometime in the nineteen eighties. The boat was a wide beam barge called Walrus and it was nearly finished at the time.

 

As far as I can recall Ken built his boats somewhere near Bickershaw Cricket Club in Wigan.

 

Steve

[Cheshire cat]

Another of his boats is Jed which until recently could always be found somewhere between Lymm and the waterpoint at the old No3, Dunham. Last spring it had a For Sale notice on it so it may have moved away.

[Liam]

I'm not sure if it's still there but up until about a month ago, Jed was out of the water at Hesfords, still being advertised for sale.

[mrsmelly]

Another of his boats is Jed which until recently could always be found somewhere between Lymm and the waterpoint at the old No3, Dunham. Last spring it had a For Sale notice on it so it may have moved away.

 

Ken built great boats. We cruised with him on a few occasions some years ago. The counters where formed much like a Thames slipper launch sloping out and backwards from the stern. Well built and though now will be quite old if well maintained His boats would be one I would avidly search out. Some of the best builders are less well named such as Mel Davies.

 

Tim

[Cheshire cat]

It's on hesford marine website as sold. There are a few pictures.

[Athy]

Some of the best builders are less well named such as Mel Davies.

....who, when he built 'Trojan' for us, was named Mel DAVIS.

[mrsmelly]

....who, when he built 'Trojan' for us, was named Mel DAVIS.

 

[Athy]

Wake up at the back there, please.

[AftApeth]

Another of his boats is Jed which until recently could always be found somewhere between Lymm and the waterpoint at the old No3, Dunham. Last spring it had a For Sale notice on it so it may have moved away.

 

Looks like Jed is for sale again (still?): http://www.apolloduck.com/display.phtml?aid=396021

 

Incidentally, I was looking into Bonikowski boats a couple of months ago, which is when I first came across these forums. I think this was one of the first threads I read. In case anyone is still interested, I came across this article by Jim Shead in 2004: http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/Articles.php?wpage=89. He mentions an enthusiast website aiming to catalogue all of Ken's boats. The website is no longer online, but the WayBack Machine gives interesting snippets from its archives: http://web.archive.org/web/20040419125432/http://www.boni-boats.co.uk/. Jed also gets a mention there.

 

Incidentally, if anyone is interested in finding out a little more about Ken Bonikowski boats I discovered this tantaa while ago using the Way Back Machine.

Edited December 21, 2014 by AftApeth

[Lord Gadbury]

Ok a three year old thread. My boat is probably the '97 for sale, number 58 of 62, before Ken died of cancer in 2000. 

The steel and welding is very good, has an outward Stern, not as pronounced as a Dutch barge. Handles great.