Our "New" Boat, (actually quite old).

[Rob-M]

Great set of pictures, I think I have a bit of boat envy.

[alan_fincher]

If the towpath telegraph is working you should expect a visit from Ron, who lives in Braunston village!

I hope not - you should see the state of the brass!

 

EDIT:

 

We may be in Braunston longer than anticipated. Despite assurances from the seller that it was fine, I found the tunnel light wasn't working as we tried to use it arriving here in the near dark.

 

A slight case of history repeating itself, as we discovered "Sickle's" tunnel lamp also not working when we bought her, and again only when we got to Braunston.

 

Just to be helpful, Midland Chandlers are shut today for stocktaking.

Edited November 28, 2014 by alan_fincher

[Athy]

I noticed that only the two male members of the family featured in the photographs. I think I've twigged it: where you bought it there was a sign saying "Big Boys' Toys".

 

 

Never realised that Tesco's sold boats...

Edited November 28, 2014 by Athy

[MoominPapa]

Just to be helpful, Midland Chandlers are shut today for stocktaking.

There's another smaller chandlers just below the bottom lock, which should be fine for spare bulbs, etc.

 

MP.

[furnessvale]

Congratulations on your new old boat Alan & Cath :-), I've admired Flamingo for years, think she used to be moored on the Shroppie & always turned my head. I liked the way the conversion was "separated" from the back cabin & engine room.

 

Looking forward to seeing Flamingo out & about next year.

 

Cheers, Brian

Now I know why you bought Shirley. Like peas in a pod. Both beautiful.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[magnetman]

Interesting whoever did the steel top on it used cant handrails rather than the knuckle crackers on the engine room and the back cabin.

 

I like the boat and like others I quite appreciate the seperated cabin although I don't know how practical it would be as the gap does seem quite small

[Tuscan]

I don't really see the point of separated cabin in a non 'working' boat, we find it more practical to be able to walk through. Glad you've search has ended I'm sure you have a big grin motoring down the cut.

[MtB]

I don't really see the point of separated cabin in a non 'working' boat, we find it more practical to be able to walk through. Glad you've search has ended I'm sure you have a big grin motoring down the cut.

 

 

Having spent a fair amount of time on another boat with that cabin 'gap', I found it a sublimely pleasing thing to have. I'd definitely have a gap on any boat I was constructing a cabin on.

 

MtB

[Nightwatch]

Alan.

I lovely boat you have acquired there.

 

Even Mrs Nightwatch says it's nice.

 

You lucky people! Can I quote Tommy Trinder on here?

 

Martyn

Yes, I like the idea of the gap. As it's such a long boat could that gap be converted to articulate?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not really being serious, honestly.

[MtB]

We may be in Braunston longer than anticipated.

 

 

Swerving off-topic, where are you heading? Do you have a mooring for the FLAMINGO?

 

Or are you planning to breast up against SICKLE or CHALICE?

 

I'm wondering what CRT's view is on renting a mooring from them listed as suitable for a widebeam, then keeping two narrowboats on it, one only intermittently, whilst declaring it as a CCer. Would the 14 day time limit still apply?!

 

 

MtB

[NB Alton]

Now I know why you bought Shirley. Like peas in a pod. Both beautiful.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Yes, Shirley's cabin conversion was modified at either end to be similar to Flamingo's, I'm still not sure whether I prefer Woolwich's or Northwich's but as long as it's "Big" I don't really mind ;-).

 

Cheers, Brian

[churchward]

Interesting whoever did the steel top on it used cant handrails rather than the knuckle crackers on the engine room and the back cabin.

 

I like the boat and like others I quite appreciate the seperated cabin although I don't know how practical it would be as the gap does seem quite small

The gap is very usable on Flamingo to get onside of the boat to the other even for a larger adult as I recall.

[Timleech]

The gap is very usable on Flamingo to get onside of the boat to the other even for a larger adult as I recall.

 

You could set up wheel steering in the gap, with a folding wheelbox...

 

 

 

 

 

<ducks>

[carlt]

Well I believe "Lichfield" is still extant....

Sadly the last I heard was that Lichfield was on the hard at Tuckey's awaiting destruction.

 

Edited to add: Just searched back on the forum and it was craned out in 2010 so the chances of it still being there are slim indeed.

Edited November 28, 2014 by carlt

[matty40s]

2008/9 winter , I think this was lichfield

[Ange]

Sorry - a bit late catching up with this one but lovely boat - congratulations Alan & Cath

[alan_fincher]

Interesting whoever did the steel top on it used cant handrails rather than the knuckle crackers on the engine room and the back cabin.

 

I like the boat and like others I quite appreciate the seperated cabin although I don't know how practical it would be as the gap does seem quite small

 

 

The gap is very usable on Flamingo to get onside of the boat to the other even for a larger adult as I recall.

 

The gap is a very reasonable size, although I have just seen elsewhere a suggestion that it was done that way to allow loading a mororbike.

 

It would be rather less useable with even a small motor bike there, and as it is the only way in or out really needs to be left clear.

 

One problem we may have when starting to try and sort the boat out is that the door really isn't that large, (and it has a side hatch that is no bigger). This was realised, but is a concern. No way are any 8' x 4' sheet materials going to make it in! The interior hull linings are in sheets that clearly can't go through a any of the existing dootrways, so must have actually been inside before all the cabin was completed.

[Naughty Cal]

You really are a glutton for punishment Mr Fincher.

 

[alan_fincher]

You really are a glutton for punishment Mr Fincher.

 

 

Yep, I've been on this forum longer than all but a handful of those still posting!

 

Or were you implying something else?

[David Mack]

I don't really see the point of separated cabin in a non 'working' boat, we find it more practical to be able to walk through. Glad you've search has ended I'm sure you have a big grin motoring down the cut.

Well unless someone has cut a doorway in the front engine 'ole bulkhead there isn't a way through anyway.

 

On Fulbourne, used as a camping boat, our main access to the accommodation under the sheets is similar. And very convenient it is too.

[alan_fincher]

I don't really see the point of separated cabin in a non 'working' boat, we find it more practical to be able to walk through. Glad you've search has ended I'm sure you have a big grin motoring down the cut.

 

Well unless someone has cut a doorway in the front engine 'ole bulkhead there isn't a way through anyway.

 

On Fulbourne, used as a camping boat, our main access to the accommodation under the sheets is similar. And very convenient it is too.

In an ideal world we would have liked full walk through.

 

However, if a boat actually started life as a carrying motor,it seems quite rare to find that in a converted boat.

 

"Grand Unions", of course, have two fixed bulkheads in them, (either end of tghe engine room, so it requires both of these are cut through,and not obstructed by anything else.

 

"Joshers"may well not just have a fixed bulkhead at the fore end of the engine room, but also the massive fuel tank for the Bolinder. We have encountered this, even if the engine is now a Gardner.

 

The only "Grand Union" or FMC motor we came across being sold with "walk through" was "Planet", but this had a back cabin that was beyond saving, and an original engine room that was getting close to beyond saving. I reckon it needed up to £20K spent just on steelwork, and although perhaps otherwise the nicest boat we saw, we felt the price being asked just too high - even with hindsight I don't think I would have paid what I'm told someone did.

 

Even in Planet the "walk through" was hazardous, with far too many unguarded parts - the dog could not have gone in there without a lot of changes made to shield "rotatey bits".

 

The true walk throughs were largely butty of horse boat conversions. LMS railway boat "Ajax" was by far the best, but I'm not sure a converted horse boat would ever have fully satisfied what I wanted. That said, it was irrelevant, because the owner is a total nightmare who twice pulled out of a fully agreed sale. I don't think I'd conceivably have got involved with him again if he had comeback and said he had changed his mind again, and was finally (at the third attempt), actually prepared to let it go.

 

Ultimately we are not getting any younger, and after a year and a half of looking, have decided to go for what we now have, even though it is very different from what I thought wew might end up with.

 

Finally my favourites are "Grand Unions", I already have a Northwich, and I particularly like the bulk of the "Large" or "Big" Town class boats. This may have influenced the decision!

Edited November 28, 2014 by alan_fincher

[madcat]

Big Northwich best boat of all.

[churchward]

 

 

 

The gap is a very reasonable size, although I have just seen elsewhere a suggestion that it was done that way to allow loading a mororbike.

 

It would be rather less useable with even a small motor bike there, and as it is the only way in or out really needs to be left clear.

 

One problem we may have when starting to try and sort the boat out is that the door really isn't that large, (and it has a side hatch that is no bigger). This was realised, but is a concern. No way are any 8' x 4' sheet materials going to make it in! The interior hull linings are in sheets that clearly can't go through a any of the existing dootrways, so must have actually been inside before all the cabin was completed.

I take your point re size of access doors but I liked the gap when I saw it on Flamingo. It makes a clear distinction for one thing between the old style cabin and engine 'ole structure and then the modified front cabin.

 

Good luck with the interior refit it will be a cracking boat when completed it already looks the part on the outside. Could another hatch be put in the front angled structure of the cabin easily? That may help with access.

[alan_fincher]

Big Northwich best boat of all.

.... Yes, but you would say that!

[Black Ibis]

I'm glad Willow is a walk through conversion- it had doors in the bulkheads originally. But its unusual for historic converted motors