Historic Boats for sale online

[matty40s]

This is the pod that was in Owl still in use at Sileby Mill as a store.

 

 

I believe that was in Battersea before Owl.

[pete harrison]

I believe that was in Battersea before Owl.

It was in the exF.M.C. Ltd. motor currently named KESTREL (the full length one) prior to OWL. I have a photograph of it taken in about 1978 when the Currell's owned KESTREL, painted in their yellow and red livery

 

edit = back then BATTERSEA was a trip boat on the River Thames, and started trading as such in 1977. Prior to 1977 BATTERSEA was employed as a carrying boat. BATTERSEA was sold in trip boat guise in 1993, and was subsequently converted to a house boat with an under cloth conversion.

Edited June 17, 2015 by pete harrison

[Admiral]

I bought the pod from the owners of Kestrel after the Currell's and put it in Owl and lived in it for a year..Was a bit narrow though. Then sold it to the owner of Owl.

[koukouvagia]

Then sold it to the owner of Owl.

...who then lived in it with his girlfriend when it was craned out onto the bank at Sileby mill. When I bought Owl I didn't want it so I left it behind to be used as a store.

[FadeToScarlet]

Unlike James, I'm not a fan of the lift out "pod", idea.

 

I haven't done the exact maths, but unless you are going to desecrate the original gunwales, I very much doubt if the lower half of what has to be craned in can at any point be much wider than 6 feet externally.

 

One of the beauties of a converted working boat, particularly if it has a deep hold, is the massive feeling of space that comes from the 7' width. If you reduced that by probably approaching 1 foot to make a "pod" that will fit between the proper gunwales of the boat, that will still need insulation and lining, and I stuggle to see how you could achieve more than about 5' 6" between the internal "walls". To me this would be a massive disadvantage, and certainly things like cross beds are no longer a possibility.

 

Also unless you have your own canal-side wharf with a large crane and wharf available, it is going to end up not exactly lifted out very often!

 

I think there is a good reason why although this idea has occasionally been tried, it is in fact only very occasionally. How many ex working boats have an actual pod in use right now? I'm not sure I could now name one.

 

Question.... If you have a "pod", where does all the rain water that will land on it end up? Instinctively I feel most will generally end up in the hold giving you a "wet bilged" boat?

These are very valid points, but I think they could be overcome with a bit of thought.

 

It is possible to make a pod that's narrower than the gunwales and is easily lifted out, but it would as you say be very narrow once lined, etc.

 

If I was looking at an unconverted boat, I'd probably have pods made up that stepped in for the gunwale, and then carried on upwards into either a cabin or an undercloth cabin. Remove the wooden gunwales, drop it in, chain the sides onto the pod which has frames to replace the cross chains, then replace the wooden gunwales and seal. You could insulate between the side of the pod and the hull to maximise the internal space then, putting the lining on the inside of the pod directly to maximise the width below the gunwales.

 

If you made some shuts out of, say, 20mm steel plate- in handle able sections- that's your ballast, so the floor in the pod can be as low as possible.

 

Admittedly it would be quite involved to remove the pod completely, but it would be possible, and would allow you to have a completely unconverted boat, the only changes needed being the gunwales; if hull work is needed, then you hire the big crane, take off the gunwales and hoist it out (I dread to think of the disruption we'll have in 30 years or so when Willow needs hull work next!)

 

You could have them in smaller sections that bolted together, so that they could break down into more easily lifted sections.

 

You are right about the internal size- I really wish we didn't have so much wasted space under the floor, to have made more of the available space- but I think with careful design, it would still be possible to have a cabin in a pod with a comparable cross section to a lined-out permanent conversion.

 

Or, alternatively, just buy an already-converted boat..... Much easier! :beer:

[alan_fincher]

If I was looking at an unconverted boat, I'd probably have pods made up that stepped in for the gunwale, and then carried on upwards into either a cabin or an undercloth cabin. Remove the wooden gunwales, drop it in, chain the sides onto the pod which has frames to replace the cross chains, then replace the wooden gunwales and seal. You could insulate between the side of the pod and the hull to maximise the internal space then, putting the lining on the inside of the pod directly to maximise the width below the gunwales.

But on most boats don't the wooden gunwales just bolt on to steel/iron angles on the top of the hull-sides that project inwards nearly as much as the width of the gunwales? I genuinely don't think you could accommodate a pod that was significantly wider below gunwale level, even if you went to all the rigmarole of taking the wood off, and reinstating it - a massive jub, I would have thought!

 

Or, alternatively, just buy an already-converted boat..... Much easier! :beer:

Quite!

[pete harrison]

IAN (again)

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=419975

 

edit = The claims that IAN was the last wooden working boat to be built in the U.K. at Braunston are incorrect as there were five more built there. IAN was however the last wooden working motor to be built at Braunston, completed in January 1948 according to Nurser's / Barlow's records

Edited June 19, 2015 by pete harrison

[Jrtm]

IAN (again)

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/advert.phtml?id=419975

 

edit = The claims that IAN was the last wooden working boat to be built in the U.K. at Braunston are incorrect as there were five more built there. IAN was however the last wooden working motor to be built at Braunston, completed in January 1948 according to Nurser's / Barlow's records

Seams a little cheap whats wrong with it?

[MtB]

Seams a little cheap whats wrong with it?

 

 

It's made of Weetabix instead of steel, I suspect...

[James Owen]

It's made of Weetabix instead of steel, I suspect...

Or perhaps instead of wood ?..steel would be almost superfluous for a narrowboat made from timber...

[MtB]

Or perhaps instead of wood ?..steel would be almost superfluous for a narrowboat made from timber...

 

I know it's a wooden boat, I nearly bought it many years ago!

 

I was being facetious as solid wood turns into a weetabix-like material shockingly quickly, in my experience.

Ian is a charming boat and at that price should sell easily unless rotting fast.

 

The thing I like most about wooden boats including Ian is the glorious smell of them inside!

[junior]

It's booked in for Audlem according to the list i got sent today.

 

Wasn't IAN that the new owners came on here recently (within last couple of years) to announce they were the new owners?

[David Mack]

Wasn't IAN that the new owners came on here recently (within last couple of years) to announce they were the new owners?

 

I was just thinking exactly that!

[Laurence Hogg]

 

I know it's a wooden boat, I nearly bought it many years ago!

 

I was being facetious as solid wood turns into a weetabix-like material shockingly quickly, in my experience.

Ian is a charming boat and at that price should sell easily unless rotting fast.

 

The thing I like most about wooden boats including Ian is the glorious smell of them inside!

 

When I looked at it, there was an unplugged hole from a missing spike at the top of the stem bar, not terribly serious but a prime spot for rot to begin, I really wondered why it had not been attended to, that to me said "poor attention to basic maintenance".

[jollymoggy]

I've been researching about Ian. I've heard so many different things for example its rotting in places. I just wonder if the new owners sorted that out or if they realised it was to much of a project and are now trying to get rid.

[Jrtm]

Im tempted but i know how quickly a floating wooden boat can go from perfect to sinking quicker that a rock.

If was around 8k i would buy it as would give me plenty for any repairs but 12k is just too high if needs some major work all though does say was docked last year so cant be too bad

Im tempted but i know how quickly a floating wooden boat can go from perfect to sinking quicker that a rock.

If was around 8k i would buy it as would give me plenty for any repairs but 12k is just too high if needs some major work all though does say was docked last year so cant be too bad

[Derek R.]

Unless personal circumstances have forced their hand (and ill health is declared), I suspect the present owners have discovered the extent, and cost of repairs. Had they sorted out the problems (whatever they may be) I doubt selling would be foremost in their mind.

 

It is claimed wooden boats can be repaired as easily as metal, but appears to be necessary more often. Judging from the images available, little or nothing has been done in the engine room regards painting, and I do wonder if the heart has ruled the head in previous purchases, and as Laurence has commented - indicative of lack of commitment. It invariably happens, especially with boats of "character" with price tags of less than £25,000. I seem to recall the last price tag was £30,000 - and now £12,000. What does this tell us? Possibly lots of work needed. Sadly this will attract more heart throbs until the head starts hurting. Shame, as I remember her when Bob Beer had her in Aylesbury. She used to bend and jiggle quite a lot back then when turning in the basin. But afloat, and no pumps kicking in.

 

Edited to add:

 

Docked last year. To discover what? A sudden illness? The difference between £12k and £8k would not scratch the surface of major repairs.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Derek R.

[the barnacle]

i always think its not good when they fail to put close up pictures online especially of the hull - if it was re corked last year i am sure the dry dock pictures would be better.

[Tuscan]

wasnt it Ian that was substantially restored down at Jem Bates yard at Puttenham around 20 years ago, lovely looking boat. ( I may be wrong here )

[koukouvagia]

wasnt it Ian that was substantially restored down at Jem Bates yard at Puttenham around 20 years ago, lovely looking boat. ( I may be wrong here )

I thought that was Hood. (May also be wrong, though!)

[carlt]

I thought that was Hood. (May also be wrong, though!)

Hood and Ian had a lot of work done by Jem.

 

A 20 year old restoration may well mean that some of the planks are now ready for more work and I have it on fairly good authority that some of the work (not necessarily Jem's) was incomplete or unsatisfactory.

[Tuscan]

If I remember the work on Ian was done by the young lad that helped Jem and was learning from him, I think he may well have run out of money towards the end the story of many a boater

[carlt]

If I remember the work on Ian was done by the young lad that helped Jem and was learning from him, I think he may well have run out of money towards the end the story of many a boater

 

Knowing the owner back then I am pretty sure that money was never an issue.

[Jrtm]

The diffrence of 12k to 8k means the wolf wont try killing me! Were just finishing last of the house off if 8k means getting the boat and in 6 months spending 6-10k on planking and work thats ok as by then she wont be telling me the house needs finishing.

Im use to the up keep of wooden boats and dane was in a far worse state when dad bought it was only last few years we had her she went down a bit as mums illness came first. Its dads fault i want a wooden boat. She would be happy with a caravan!!

The diffrence of 12k to 8k means the wolf wont try killing me! Were just finishing last of the house off if 8k means getting the boat and in 6 months spending 6-10k on planking and work thats ok as by then she wont be telling me the house needs finishing.

Im use to the up keep of wooden boats and dane was in a far worse state when dad bought it was only last few years we had her she went down a bit as mums illness came first. Its dads fault i want a wooden boat. She would be happy with a caravan!!

[carlt]

The diffrence of 12k to 8k means the wolf wont try killing me! Were just finishing last of the house off if 8k means getting the boat and in 6 months spending 6-10k on planking and work thats ok as by then she wont be telling me the house needs finishing.

 

If it's still available Hardy would be less than 8k and is, in my opinion, a much better "mature" restoration than Ian though Ian is cosmetically prettier.

 

I can pm contact details if you like...