Historic Boats for sale online

[alan_fincher]

Pod conversion- best of both.

 

If it is going in a Josher, only if you are fairly short, or don't mind stooping!

 

Frankly as a six footer I find even a straight undercloth conversion on a Josher fairly unworkable, as I can only stand near the centre of the boat.

 

In my view for tall people you need a "Town" or even a "Royalty" if seriously going that route.

[madcat]

Towns and Royalties , best boats ever.

[Athy]

Towns and Royalties , best boats ever.

...unless you see one heading for you round a blind bend. Those prows are , like, AWEsome, dude.

[AMModels]

...unless you see one heading for you round a blind bend. Those prows are , like, AWEsome, dude.

I can vouch for this, sat in a Dinghy at BCM (pre L being added) having lost the paddles as an empty town class motor comes from under the bridge is a moment you dont forget... at least for 30 odd years anyway.

[madcat]

My Josher friend described Halsall empty as looking like garage door coming through a bridge hole . Project is shorter but just as in your face when empty. Big boats I love them.

 

I'm waiting for Mike Askin to be kidnapped by fairies or beamed up by aliens so I can make off with Victoria no need to warn him he knows I'm lurking in the undergrowth waiting to pinch his boat

Edited October 2, 2015 by madcat

[magnetman]

Not a narrow boat but I think I could get a town class to give way

(Or a dinghy )

Edited October 2, 2015 by magnetman

[alan_fincher]

Not a narrow boat but I think I could get a town class to give way

(Or a dinghy )

 

Oh come on now......

 

If it is going to mount a serious challenge, how come it needs all that padding on the front?

[magnetman]

Not sure ask the previous owner about that I haven't the heart (or muscle) to take it off

[alan_fincher]

Town class bows are often at their safest when you are on another Town class.....

 

"Whitby" at Alvecote this year, photographed whilst I was pinching a ride on my favourite "Large Woowich" - the "Birmingham"....

 

EDITED TO ADD:

 

The daft thing, of course, is that the reality is the front end of an empty boat like this is actually very light, and would probably bounce off fairly well if an impact was less than "head on". But it looks scary, and people go to extreme lengths to stay away from them.

 

Our "Flamingo" is (exactly) the same type of boat, but because the front is ballasted down a foot and a half(ish) into the water, people don't think it even a fraction as intimidating, and hence tend to treat it like any other leisure boat, and not move over or give way.

The reality, of course is that a collision with "Flamingo" at similar angles and speeds would probably have far greater chance of putting a bloody great dent in your boat, than if you had hit the one pictured......

Edited October 2, 2015 by alan_fincher

[magnetman]

Nice picture

 

And yes a good observation and somewhat ironic. Things are not always what they appear to be..

[alan_fincher]

Nice picture

 

And yes a good observation and somewhat ironic. Things are not always what they appear to be..

 

Both boats were at a fair speed as the picture was taken. It is a credit to both Yarwoods and to Harland and Wolff just how little these boats disturb the water than a much less well shaped modern leisure boat, (even the expensive ones!).

[junior]

My Josher friend described Halsall empty as looking like garage door coming through a bridge hole . Project is shorter but just as in your face when empty. Big boats I love them.

 

 

Although this photo would have you believe otherwise!

 

Edited October 2, 2015 by junior

[Athy]

Although this photo would have you believe otherwise!

 

Aarrgghhh, the John Cleese and Two Ronnies sketch is back again - especially as the middle boat has got a face!

[pete harrison]

The daft thing, of course, is that the reality is the front end of an empty boat like this is actually very light, and would probably bounce off fairly well if an impact was less than "head on". But it looks scary, and people go to extreme lengths to stay away from them.

My experience and concerns are more around the height and shape on an empty 'Grand Union fore end' in relation to the windows and fancy paintwork of modern pleasure boats. As I am fully aware of this design fault (of the modern pleasure boat) I take responsibility to ensure impact does not happen, especially as many pleasure boaters will assume me to be a professional boatman who can deal with every mistake that they make

 

edit = widows altered to windows

Edited October 2, 2015 by pete harrison

[Athy]

My experience and concerns are more around the height and shape on an empty 'Grand Union fore end' in relation to the widows and fancy paintwork of modern pleasure boats.

By gum, those Grand Union boats did some serious damage.

[alan_fincher]

I take responsibility to ensure impact does not happen, especially as many pleasure boaters will assume me to be a professional boatman who can deal with every mistake that they make

 

Whilst I think I fully understand the point you are trying to make, I'm not sure that I think many pleasure/leisure boaters today expect that many of these boats are still steered by professional boatmen. Obviously that description could apply to crews operating the relatively small number still involved in the retail coal trade, but I think most other boaters probably realise that most of us are not professionals.

 

I'm happy to be corrected by anybody who believes people think otherwise though.

 

Of course I agree the aim should always be to avoid damage to other boats, although clearly the majority of narrow boat collisions that do do significant damage do not involve working or ex-working boats.

[FMC Ling 317]

Both boats were at a fair speed as the picture was taken. It is a credit to both Yarwoods and to Harland and Wolff just how little these boats disturb the water than a much less well shaped modern leisure boat, (even the expensive ones!).

Nothing swims like a fish class tho

I love Ling, have done since she was the maintenance boat on the S&W, even when BW chopped that chunk out of her gunnels in the early 90's for some reason only they know about she was still gorgeous. All the work done since has only improved her imo, price is reasonable too for a josher motor. If I win the lottery friday I'll be in touch.

Chunk out the gunnels? This is new on me..

Edited October 2, 2015 by FMC Ling 317

[alan_fincher]

Nothing swims like a fish class tho

 

What ever! - You are still not going to persuade me to add it to the fleet.....

[magnetman]

Nothing swims like a fish class tho

 

Chunk out the gunnels? This is new on me..

Was that for the cable reels used when they butchered the towpaths to put optical fibre telecoms gear down? Cable&Wireless or whatever

[Ray T]

 

 

Of course I agree the aim should always be to avoid damage to other boats, although clearly the majority of narrow boat collisions that do do significant damage do not involve working or ex-working boats.

 

Alan, does one include hire boats as "working" boats?

 

For clarity this comment is meant to be "tongue in cheek."

[AMModels]

Nothing swims like a fish class tho

 

Chunk out the gunnels? This is new on me..

When I first saw her she still had wooden gunnels, a few years later BW had done something to the gunnels including taking the wood off. Memory suggests she had some sort of cut out towards the fore end potentially to hold a cable reel, whatever it was it altered the sweeping lines of the gunnel.

 

Having checked my photos it wasnt a chunk out as much as a botched alteration to them, you can see the angle doesnt sweep up it runs straight and then comes off at an angle.

 

[pete harrison]

Was that for the cable reels used when they butchered the towpaths to put optical fibre telecoms gear down? Cable&Wireless or whatever

I am not so sure that LING was used on the fibre cable contracts as it was still in use as a canal maintenance boat back then, and this work was not carried out by British Waterways Board.

[magnetman]

Thanks for that I thought you might have more details - your input on these topics is very valuable

[Liam]

The iron BCN hull in the background belongs to Kez.

[stagedamager]

I thought I recognised it!