Does anyone remember this boat (Elaine/Lucky Duck) from the 90s?

[Black Ibis]

Our old boat, Lucky Duck was always something of a mystery. The builder was listed as Unknown in all the documentation we had for the boat, and we didn't know anything about the history of the boat prior to 2004 when it was bought in a neglected state by the guy from whom we bought it in 2008. Various respected and knowledgeable people of the boating world had looked at it and scratched their heads. But now the mystery is solved! It was built in 1980 in Brierley Hill and then extensively remodeled by a private individual who was a boatbuilder in 1985.

 

http://severnerwillow.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/solving-the-mystery-of-lucky-ducks-builder/

 

I still have a few questions though. Who was building narrowboats at Brierley Hill in 1980? (Ian Kemp has been suggested)

 

And does anyone recognise it/know anything about who owned in in the 90s/early 2000s? Possibly Birmingham way?

It's quite a distinctive boat.

 

Before and after remodeling in 1985

 

 

 

The boat now

 

Mods, if you think this would better belong in H&H, please move it! But it's not old old history so thought perhaps it was better here.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Black Ibis

[dave moore]

Hi

 

Might it have been Delph Marine? I'm not sure when they started, but I did some work for them in the late 80s. They built in a unit near to the bottom of Delph locks. The two sons of the original owner are still around, I see one from time to time, I'll see what I can find out. I'm less sure about Ian Kemp, I know he was involved in building a few boats in the Midlands long ago, but remember that he didn't move from Ellesmere to Dadfords until, I think, 1996.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[David Mack]

Hi

 

Might it have been Delph Marine? I'm not sure when they started, but I did some work for them in the late 80s. They built in a unit near to the bottom of Delph locks.

 

I can remember the boatyard, based in some scruffy buildings on the offside.

 

A Google search has produced a previous thread and a picture .

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8928

 

[Black Ibis]

Went past Delph Marine in the summer. According to this ad they were building narrowboats in 1980. . http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boats.phtml?id=2531

[Black Country Lee]

I've popped in there with the new member 'Brummie Ivan' when we were trying to sort his little Kingfisher gearbox issues. Still trading and building, He'd got a lovely mid-build, albeit floating, hull waiting for fit-out there.

 

Lee.

[Liam]

The middle picture showing the bows looks like the boat has a Northwich look about it....

 

Might just be me though!