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Josher Style Bow


churchward

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I like the fact some builders have and do build in their own style it brings an interesting element to what can be a rather formulaic design constraint ie a Narrowboat. I like Hudson fore ends but this is a bit too exaggerated for me.

 

However calling this is "Josher Style" seems to be stretching the point. I have never seen one like this. and not heard of the boat builder before. I think it looks like a Duck Billed Platypus laid on its side. Still it is different and someone may love it. I like the boat otherwise it looks quite nice and has an interesting engine.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/70ft-Trad-Narrow-Boat-with-Josher-hull-Liveaboard-/271922630515?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f4fda0f73

Edited by churchward
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Used to be at Bulbourne workshops. Maybe still is? I always thought of it as an 'icebreaker type' bow rather than 'Josher style' myself

I think it may have been a subject on here before but not sure when that was

The owner used to go fast through Tring cutting when I used to hang around in the area in the late 90s and early 00s. Quite a deep boat I think

 

Edit.to correct autocorrect

Edited by magnetman
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I'm kind of surprised the owners of this have described it as Josher style, as they do actually also own an immaculately restored real unconverted Josher, so will certainly know exactly what one looks like!

 

Curious though it may sound, I think Sentinel's hull may originally have been built to carry, rather than as a leisure boat. I have some distant memory it had something to do with the potteries, possibly carrying goods between factory sites.

 

However I may have that completely wrong!

Certainly an unusual boat though, I agree, but not a Josher!

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Nice enough looking boat, but agree that it's not a josher bow, but I guess the reverse is what people recognise and is maybe what sells?

 

A lot of 'copies' are a bit exaggerated.

 

 

Daniel

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I may be wrong, but I thought that Sentinel was built to break ice? At least I'm sure that's what the current owner told me some year back?

I think that makes more sense in being built as an ice breaker or copy of. The eBay advert says it was built in 1976 so I imagine it was not built as a working boat although perhaps used parts of an old boat?

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Nice enough looking boat, but agree that it's not a josher bow, but I guess the reverse is what people recognise and is maybe what sells?

 

A lot of 'copies' are a bit exaggerated.

 

 

Daniel

I've seen another one similar to this, and if my memory serves me correctly, they were modelled on an old working boat-possibly an ice breaking tug. I'm sure I saw one in an ancient photo somewhere. I suspect Mr Hogg will know better than me.

The one I saw in the flesh, so to speak, was at Allen's yard in Oldbury in 1990, and it was having major work done on the hull.

Bob Allen told me the story that a potential customer had come to him to have a boat built, but was not prepared to put up with the two year waiting list. The customer had definite ideas of what his boat would look like, and took his business elsewhere.

The guy who built the boat for him was a welder, not a boatbuilder, and this would probably have been his first narrowboat, but the customer did at least avoid the two year wait.

After being launched the boat was sailed away as far as the first lock--a narrow one, and the boat would not go in. This is the boat I saw at Allen's being split down the middle, bow to stern as it had been built 7ft 6ins wide according to Bob. It took well over two years before the guy had a usable boat.

I wonder if it might have been Sentinel?

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I may be wrong, but I thought that Sentinel was built to break ice? At least I'm sure that's what the current owner told me some year back?

 

That was my first thought when I saw the exaggerated and ugly (IMO) pinch bow. Now the more subtle Hudson pinch looks just right wink.png

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I think that makes more sense in being built as an ice breaker or copy of. The eBay advert says it was built in 1976 so I imagine it was not built as a working boat although perhaps used parts of an old boat?

 

I have just found what Derek R said about "Sentinel" some time ago in a former post.....

 

Sentinel is amongst five built in the seventies, now 70'. Was used to carry barrels I believe to 'The Steamboat' pub.

 

 

 

I thought I had seen something about use for carrying, but this does sound a bit strange.

 

Perhaps Derek can clarify?

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I have just found what Derek R said about "Sentinel" some time ago in a former post.....

 

 

I thought I had seen something about use for carrying, but this does sound a bit strange.

 

Perhaps Derek can clarify?

The boat gets more interesting. Could this be one of the last Narrowboats built to carry cargo?

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The boat gets more interesting. Could this be one of the last Narrowboats built to carry cargo?

There were a couple built specially to transport ceramic goods from one Potteries factory to another, they worked into the '90s I think, but I'm not sure when they were built. Somebody on here will know!

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I think the owner of Sentinel needs to come onto the forum and solve the problem of the origin of the boat once and for all.

He has told me its history, but alas I've forgotten. I'm pretty sure that the bow was made by apprentices of a well known boat builder. Can't for the life of me remember the details .sad.png

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The boat gets more interesting. Could this be one of the last Narrowboats built to carry cargo?

I have quickly put the following list together of boats built post 1970 with the intent of being used for commercial carrying:

 

1973 - MILTON QUEEN

1974 - SEAMUS

1975 - PIONEER

1978 - MILTON PRINCESS

1980 - PHOEBE (butty)

1980 - NEWBURY

1980 - NELSON

1991 - STOKIE No. 1

1992 - NEWDIGATE

2003 - ARUNDEL

c2005 - ALDRIDGE (built for trade ?, but has traded)

2007 - HADAR (built for trade ?, but has traded)

 

All of the above are full length motor narrow boats, apart from PHOEBE.

 

I also have DUSTY and THE COALBOAT, both of which are currently trading but whether they are purpose built or adaptations of pleasure boats I do not know (I have only seen DUSTY once and it looked like a 'deconverted' pleasure boat to me).

 

There are also a number of modern built 'camping boats' but I have not counted these, although clearly they could in theory be loaded.

Curious though it may sound, I think Sentinel's hull may originally have been built to carry, rather than as a leisure boat. I have some distant memory it had something to do with the potteries, possibly carrying goods between factory sites.

I am sure I remember seeing SENTINEL tied long term at Tardebigge New Wharf with a cabin conversion by the 1980's.

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I have quickly put the following list together of boats built post 1970 with the intent of being used for commercial carrying:

 

1973 - MILTON QUEEN

1974 - SEAMUS

1975 - PIONEER

1978 - MILTON PRINCESS

1980 - PHOEBE (butty)

1980 - NEWBURY

1980 - NELSON

1991 - STOKIE No. 1

1992 - NEWDIGATE

2003 - ARUNDEL

c2005 - ALDRIDGE (built for trade ?, but has traded)

2007 - HADAR (built for trade ?, but has traded)

 

All of the above are full length motor narrow boats, apart from PHOEBE.

 

I also have DUSTY and THE COALBOAT, both of which are currently trading but whether they are purpose built or adaptations of pleasure boats I do not know (I have only seen DUSTY once and it looked like a 'deconverted' pleasure boat to me).

 

 

Pete, I think that Dusty's former owner Mark Boardman told ne that Dusty was specifically built for trade. He remarked that she was built heavier and more powerful than a typical leisure craft.

 

Are the Miltons the ones which were used in the pottery trade? The names sound familiar.

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The ad. said it was designed and built by Brian Duvall but, to me, it doesn't have the look of one of his. He was known for building the "Lincoln tug", a craft with a very pointed fore end and (to me) ridiculous amount of kick-up in the back cabin and hull. The fore end of this boat looks very like those advertised in the mid-70s by an outfit called Spurr Marine, working out of Great Bridge, although the stern is another matter. Josher, whether fore end or stern, it ain't.

Spurr Marine advertised that they built either all-steel or composite hulls, the latter evidently from 3" elm. Anyone know if they did?

Incidentally, the ad has now ended..

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I have quickly put the following list together of boats built post 1970 with the intent of being used for commercial carrying:

 

1973 - MILTON QUEEN

1974 - SEAMUS

1975 - PIONEER

1978 - MILTON PRINCESS

1980 - PHOEBE (butty)

1980 - NEWBURY

1980 - NELSON

1991 - STOKIE No. 1

1992 - NEWDIGATE

2003 - ARUNDEL

c2005 - ALDRIDGE (built for trade ?, but has traded)

2007 - HADAR (built for trade ?, but has traded)

 

All of the above are full length motor narrow boats, apart from PHOEBE.

 

I also have DUSTY and THE COALBOAT, both of which are currently trading but whether they are purpose built or adaptations of pleasure boats I do not know (I have only seen DUSTY once and it looked like a 'deconverted' pleasure boat to me).

 

There are also a number of modern built 'camping boats' but I have not counted these, although clearly they could in theory be loaded.

I am sure I remember seeing SENTINEL tied long term at Tardebigge New Wharf with a cabin conversion by the 1980's.

An interesting list. There are not many post 1976 so Sentinal will be in the last 10 or so boats built to carry.

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  • 3 years later...
On 14/07/2015 at 08:50, alan_fincher said:

 

I have just found what Derek R said about "Sentinel" some time ago in a former post.....

 

 

I thought I had seen something about use for carrying, but this does sound a bit strange.

 

Perhaps Derek can clarify?

Sentinel was one of 10 built by Brian Duvall somewhere on the BCN using a brake press. If my late farthers boat is anything to go by some odd sheet sizes. The bows were based on a old boat Brian Duvall owned and I believe converted and lived on.  This being Emerald, the early boats had more wood than the later I.E a mix between bottoms gunwhales and cabins.

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On 14/07/2015 at 14:36, johnthebridge said:

The ad. said it was designed and built by Brian Duvall but, to me, it doesn't have the look of one of his. He was known for building the "Lincoln tug", a craft with a very pointed fore end and (to me) ridiculous amount of kick-up in the back cabin and hull. The fore end of this boat looks very like those advertised in the mid-70s by an outfit called Spurr Marine, working out of Great Bridge, although the stern is another matter. Josher, whether fore end or stern, it ain't.

Spurr Marine advertised that they built either all-steel or composite hulls, the latter evidently from 3" elm. Anyone know if they did?

Incidentally, the ad has now ended..

A boat called Alison sold recently be Rugby Boat Sales was a Spurr Marine shell (1980 ish) It was originally built with a wooden bottom and modelled on an icebreaker.

Les Allen then stretched the boat by 10 fèet and added a steel baseplate. The boat steered superbly and in reverse almost perfectly. The upper cabin steelwork was slightly skew whiff,  looking from the rear the handrails curved differently.

 

20180530_113911-1377x2448.jpg

Edited by matty40s
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3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

A boat called Allison sold recently be Rugby Boat Sales was a Spurr Marine shell (1980 ish) It was originally built with a wooden bottom and modelled on an icebreaker.

Les Allen then stretched the boat by 10 fèet and added a steel baseplate. The boat steered superbly and in reverse almost perfectly. The upper cabin steelwork was slightly skew whiff,  looking from the rear the handrails curved differently.

Do you have any photos as I have seen Brian Duvall boats being wrongly sold as spur marine. Once you have spent all your life on and looking at them you kind of know them lol. That said Allison isn’t a name that I remember tho they do get re named 

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It was definitely Spurr Marine, a complete boat history from original drawings and invoices up to present day. 

Few more pictures here.

https://rugbyboats.co.uk/listings/alison-55-1976-spurr-marine-trad/

 

The Tawny Owl team may recognise it as one we passed on the BCN whilst going up the Aston flight......bit of a noisy boat...?

Edited by matty40s
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9 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It was definitely Spurr Marine, a complete boat history from original drawings and invoices up to present day. 

Few more pictures here.

https://rugbyboats.co.uk/listings/alison-55-1976-spurr-marine-trad/

 

The Tawny Owl team may recognise it as one we passed on the BCN whilst going up the Aston flight......bit of a noisy boat...?

I can see why people might think she’s a Duvall but definitely not his. 

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39 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It was definitely Spurr Marine, a complete boat history from original drawings and invoices up to present day. 

Few more pictures here.

https://rugbyboats.co.uk/listings/alison-55-1976-spurr-marine-trad/

 

The Tawny Owl team may recognise it as one we passed on the BCN whilst going up the Aston flight......bit of a noisy boat...?

 

I wouldn't describe that as a "gorgeous sleek front end"!

17 minutes ago, djgoode1980 said:

However this isn’t a Spurr definitely a Duvall http://newandusedboat.co.uk/used-boats-for-sale/740

I do wonder if there was a connection between the 2 

The bow is completely different from Alison. 

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8 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

I wouldn't describe that as a "gorgeous sleek front end"!

The bow is completely different from Alison. 

Yes however sentinels was more pinched abit like Alison’s but still not Spurr. The thing that’s gets me is the Elums all being reverse shark fins.

On 14/07/2015 at 08:50, alan_fincher said:

 

I have just found what Derek R said about "Sentinel" some time ago in a former post.....

 

 

I thought I had seen something about use for carrying, but this does sound a bit strange.

 

Perhaps Derek can clarify?

I don’t know for a fact but was told by them was built for a Brewing company as a beer boat not sure if this was transport or selling. However have seen photos of Sentinal with just the back cabin. 

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