Ted Spencer boats

[magnetman]

Also slightly interesting to note that the yellow boat does not seem to have a self centring rudder.

 

Maybe it has been tied off

 

Also looking at the OTTER photos it has bridges on the cant handrails. This is the sort of small detail I feel sure a particular low volume boat maker would stick with. There would be no apprciable saving to customers. I don't understand why it is often missed out. it could be a style thing I suppose.

 

ETA it looks like this one has got thin steel rods across so maybe I got it wrong. Still not the same as the OTTER which I think it a real Spencer boat.

Edited January 5, 2023 by magnetman

[Tonka]

2 hours ago, Andy_B said:

Ted Boats I know of:

Tiber, 1988, 45216
Otter, 1989, 47121
Tessa, (Thatfella) 1990, 48700
Ebenezer II, , 50803
Cypress, , 510381
Atria, , 515993
Lizard, ,520879p
Providence, , 53377

 

one for sale on Apollo duck at the moment Boats for sale UK, boats for sale, used boat sales, Narrow Boats For Sale Ted Spencer Traditional tug narrowboat 48 - Apollo Duck

[magnetman]

6 minutes ago, Tonka said:

one for sale on Apollo duck at the moment Boats for sale UK, boats for sale, used boat sales, Narrow Boats For Sale Ted Spencer Traditional tug narrowboat 48 - Apollo Duck

Looks like that one has got bridges as they have tied the fenders to them.

 

I hate handrails without bridges. One of the worst almost falling in episodes of my life was to do with this problem. I just don't get it.

[Tonka]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Looks like that one has got bridges as they have tied the fenders to them.

 

I hate handrails without bridges. One of the worst almost falling in episodes of my life was to do with this problem. I just don't get it.

as long as the hole is big enough not to block, but what was your problem

[noddyboater]

6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Looks like that one has got bridges as they have tied the fenders to them.

 

I hate handrails without bridges. One of the worst almost falling in episodes of my life was to do with this problem. I just don't get it.

My only head first dunking from my own boat was also due to a handrail gap incident! 

[magnetman]

6 minutes ago, Tonka said:

as long as the hole is big enough not to block, but what was your problem

 

I almost fell in as my boat had a continuous handrail and the other boat didn't.

 

 

Yellow boat handrail

 

 

OTTER  (image below ) has the bridge which is a better design in my opinion. This makes me think the boats were not constructed by the same person. As well as other details but this is the most obvious.

 

 

The bow shape on the boats is also completely different.

Edited January 5, 2023 by magnetman
typo and removed awfulness

[dawnsboat]

I’m wondering about two things which should or should not be off concern 

8mm hull

no weed hatch 

I don’t want these to be an issue, but I’ve never heard of either! 

[magnetman]

8mm presumaby means the base plate. Not really a problem but worth checking out the edges of it during a hull survey.

 

Weed hatch is a sealed hatch opening above the propeller which can be removed in the event of propeller getting wrapped up with weed or more likely plastic bags or other rubbish then you can reach down into the water and remove the rubbish manually. Handy thing to have in theory.

 

 

Boat has no weed hatch. A lot of people think a weed hatch is a Good Thing but I don't buy into this theory. Usually (not always) one can dislodge items wrapped onto the propeller by hanging off the back of the boat and applying a hook on the end of wooden pole. Or sometimes you do it from the canal bank.

 

Better still is to get a feel for the sound of engine and gearbox and if anything changes instantly put it into neutral. Most people will go for full reverse to 'clear the blade' but this can be counterproductive. I'd say neutral then wait a bit then put it in forward and see if it has dropped off. If not then a little click into reverse to "chuck back"  but this is quite a technical procedure in terms of timing. If it is properly fouled then get the hook.

 

Weed hatch is an interesting topic but I definitely don't like them unless off shore somewhere that you can't tie up to the side.

 

 

There will be a lot of people who think a weed hatch is essential.

Edited January 5, 2023 by magnetman

[Athy]

17 hours ago, Andy_B said:

How about this one?

Or (finally) this one - all L&L - possibly not TEDs (if we decide no, I'll remove them)

Possibly, but it's not very long. Steve once built a 47-footer but he much preferred building much longer ones. We once asked him if he'd build a 45-footer for us and got a fairly blunt refusal.

[magnetman]

Was this during the washer phase at Glascote?  Prior to that he built quite a few boats with no washers on them and more varying lengths. 

 

According to the boat list there are shorter ones. 

 

[magnetman]

Another detail with Hudson boats is that he usually used flat portholes. Most other boat builders used the ones with the protruding external rim. 

 

 

[dawnsboat]

Thank you magnetman we have lived on a narrowboat for over 3 years but have hankered for a traditional centre engine tug - I’m getting anxious about living space but we will work that out.

[Athy]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

Was this during the washer phase at Glascote?  Prior to that he built quite a few boats with no washers on them and more varying lengths. 

 

According to the boat list there are shorter ones. 

 

That Billie must be a midget among boats - not only short, but narrow too. The index number suggests that it was one of his early builds, before he had developed his style. I suppose that when his distinctive style became popular (though not with all!) he could pick and choose what commissions he accepted, and in general he chose longer boats.

[Tonka]

6 minutes ago, Athy said:

That Billie must be a midget among boats - not only short, but narrow too. The index number suggests that it was one of his early builds, before he had developed his style. I suppose that when his distinctive style became popular (though not with all!) he could pick and choose what commissions he accepted, and in general he chose longer boats.

it was probably before he started buying in all the steel pre-cut.

I dont mind but when i asked him about the change in style he denied that he had changed the style of the bow. But when you look at Orient you clearly see the difference

[Athy]

57 minutes ago, dawnsboat said:

Thank you magnetman we have lived on a narrowboat for over 3 years but have hankered for a traditional centre engine tug - I’m getting anxious about living space but we will work that out.

's worth taking into account that an engine 'ole can swallow up loads of stuff which would otherwise  need to be kept elsewhere. Ours contains, as well as the Gardner  2LW, two folding trolleys, a jerry can, a lifebelt, the inverter and the fuse box, as well as various pots of potions. Along its length it also has a drying line for washing. So it arguably gains rather than loses spoace. As for the long front deck, it offers copious storage space, or room for a truckle bed.

1 minute ago, Tonka said:

But when you look at Orient you clearly see the difference

Is that Paul Smith's boat at Calcutt? I used to get his "Living On A Narrowboat" newsletters by e-mail, but they seem to have ceased, perhaps because of the corona virus epidemic.

[Tonka]

6 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

Is that Paul Smith's boat at Calcutt? I used to get his "Living On A Narrowboat" newsletters by e-mail, but they seem to have ceased, perhaps because of the corona virus epidemic.

Yes it is, I think he has been very busy doing his training stints

[Mike Hurley]

10 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

Is that Paul Smith's boat at Calcutt? I used to get his "Living On A Narrowboat" newsletters by e-mail, but they seem to have ceased, perhaps because of the corona virus epidemic.

Still going, i had email yesterday.

[Athy]

Thanks gents, I'll chase that up. Paul writes very well so, although I'm not a liveaboard, his articles are alwass interesting and entertaining.

[magnetman]

Regarding the engine room. I once saw a boat where the owner had put a compact washing machine in the engine room and it opened through a cutout into a wardrobe at the end of the bed. Therefore loading took place in a clean area whereas the bulk of the machine was in a less clean area.

 

Depends on available space but I liked this approach. That is if you want to have a washing machine.

 

Also if you have a proper back cabin it can be a useful way to socially distance from any other vessel occupier as well as being a handy visitor room.

 

I've never had a boatmans cabin but it does appeal.

Edited January 6, 2023 by magnetman

[TheBiscuits]

On 06/01/2023 at 13:03, magnetman said:

Regarding the engine room. I once saw a boat where the owner had put a compact washing machine in the engine room and it opened through a cutout into a wardrobe at the end of the bed. Therefore loading took place in a clean area whereas the bulk of the machine was in a less clean area.

 

Depends on available space but I liked this approach. That is if you want to have a washing machine.

 

A friend of mine has a washing machine installed backwards in the "useless" corner of an L shaped galley which is accessed from the other side of the bulkhead via the shower room.

 

Similar principle, and a very good use of space.

[ditchcrawler]

53 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

A friend of mine has a washing machine installed backwards in the "useless" corner of an L shaped galley which is accessed from the other side of the bulkhead via the shower room.

 

Similar principle, and a very good use of space.

Funny there was a photo of one installed just like that on Facebook but not a boat. the front of the washing machine projected about 10cm  into the room, the back the other side of the wall.

[noddyboater]

2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

A friend of mine has a washing machine installed backwards in the "useless" corner of an L shaped galley which is accessed from the other side of the bulkhead via the shower room.

 

Similar principle, and a very good use of space.

Sounds like a less gross variation of the toilet arrangement on a boat I recently moved. That had a lovely new electric flushing loo in the bathroom,  as you'd expect. But to remove the cassette involved emptying a kitchen cupboard of pots and pans before pulling out the false back..  delightful. 

Why nobody sells a cassette toilet that loads from the front is beyond me. 

[ditchcrawler]

13 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

Sounds like a less gross variation of the toilet arrangement on a boat I recently moved. That had a lovely new electric flushing loo in the bathroom,  as you'd expect. But to remove the cassette involved emptying a kitchen cupboard of pots and pans before pulling out the false back..  delightful. 

Why nobody sells a cassette toilet that loads from the front is beyond me. 

Because they are designed for caravans and you dont take the cassette into the van, its effectively outside

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Because they are designed for caravans and you dont take the cassette into the van, its effectively outside

 

Why don't they fit them like that on boats?   

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Why don't they fit them like that on boats?   

They did, but the bottom fell out of the market