Duchess Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/groups/narrowboatusers/permalink/10157639777450352/ We are looking to see if anyone knows the boat builder of this very interesting hull Please see the Facebook post shared here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Hogg Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Possibly from Fox's on the fens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Not a Fox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Brightley Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 It's unlikely to be a Fox's boat, as their main characteristic is a raised feature on the bow, as in these pictures: http://www.foxboats.co.uk/gallery/?wppa-occur=1&wppa-album=3&wppa-photo=32 and My first thought was that it might be by Peter Else / Fenny Marine, see http://www.ayland.eu/gands/G&S/Peter_Else_Narrowboats.html , but it isn't quite the same as the photos that I can find: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X Alan W Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 There was a guy (sorry no name) that built a couple of boats in his garden on the offside just above Gallows Inn lock on the Erewash in the early /mid 70's that had a similar looking fore end The second boat built for his brother? took a time to complete so that ? could account for the 1977 engine dating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Hi All Thank you so far for the input I am waiting for a picture of the Stern The fore end, T stud and chequer plate all have the look of a Harborough built. The narrow Gunwhales make me wonder if the steel cabin has been formed over a fibreglass one? I'd like to know more about these two boats on the Erewash. Names, if anyone else knows? I checked the boat listings and no other boat name had the current number but that only applies to the time the boat listings been available I would have thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 The fore end, T stud and chequer plate all have the look of a Harborough built. The narrow Gunwhales make me wonder if the steel cabin has been formed over a fibreglass one? I'm pretty confident that hull has no connection with Harborough Marine. (This is the second completely unrelated thread where I have said something similar within a couple of minutes of each other!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddingtonBear Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 What is "very interesting" about this hull? Looks like a pretty dull, basic middle seventies bit of fabrication to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 What is "very interesting" about this hull? Looks like a pretty dull, basic middle seventies bit of fabrication to me. It's interesting purely because it's unique, the owner would like to know more about it and if someone on the forum knows anything we would be grateful. Even though it may not be your cup of tea so to speak, perhaps you could just let us marvel over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 I'm pretty confident that hull has no connection with Harborough Marine. (This is the second completely unrelated thread where I have said something similar within a couple of minutes of each other!) I'm inclined to agree with you Alan On reading some of the other blogs and googling it there would seem to have been quite a lot of people in and around M Harborough that built boats. Materials used could have been the same or maybe some features copied. Otherwise, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chertsey Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 It's interesting purely because it's unique, the owner would like to know more about it and if someone on the forum knows anything we would be grateful. Even though it may not be your cup of tea so to speak, perhaps you could just let us marvel over it. What's so special about it? Certainly from those two photos nothing catches the eye - perhaps more photos or a description of its unique features would help,people both appreciate it better and identify it. If it's unique then it's surely likely to be a one-off so you're unlikely to be able to trace it to an established builder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 What's so special about it? Certainly from those two photos nothing catches the eye - perhaps more photos or a description of its unique features would help,people both appreciate it better and identify it. If it's unique then it's surely likely to be a one-off so you're unlikely to be able to trace it to an established builder. No one has said she is special I merely said I'd post the pics on here to see if anyone had any ideas as to where she was built. I don't think we ever expected that she was built by a known builder either. If anyone had recognised the boat they may have been able to help to trace previous names or etc. If I can get more pictures I will certainly post them for all to see. Thanks for your input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/groups/narrowboatusers/permalink/10157639777450352/ We are looking to see if anyone knows the boat builder of this very interesting hull Please see the Facebook post shared here Looking at the photo I like the way the bike is propped on the sign asking you to dismount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete harrison Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) https://www.facebook.com/groups/narrowboatusers/permalink/10157639777450352/ We are looking to see if anyone knows the boat builder of this very interesting hull Please see the Facebook post shared here The FaceBook account states: "Hi hello Internet boaties. Does anyone know who might have built this boat? It has quite a distinctive bow and I've not seen one quite the same, I bought it in Bugbrooke in 1999. The paperwork says builder unknown, it was registered in 1988 but I think it's older as all thickness etc are in imperial. It's 40ft & the engine is a 1977 Sabb. Thank you" If anyone had recognised the boat they may have been able to help to trace previous names or etc. Thanks for your input I have done a little digging within the British Waterways Board documents I hold on their index numbers. Jim Shead's website suggests that TASHTAR has the B.W.B. index number 72510. I can definitely identify this number as being issued in 1985 (not 1988 as stated on FaceBook) as I have a printout for that year, the main difference being that in 1985 when this powered pleasure boat licence was issued this boat carried the name PAPPYS edit = the documents I hold do not list details such as owner, home mooring, builder, engine type or power output e.t.c. - and as has already been stated in other similar threads the B.W.B. index number can only date when the boat was registered to be on B.W.B. waters. Edited October 9, 2016 by pete harrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chertsey Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 No one has said she is special I merely said I'd post the pics on here to see if anyone had any ideas as to where she was built. I don't think we ever expected that she was built by a known builder either. If anyone had recognised the boat they may have been able to help to trace previous names or etc. If I can get more pictures I will certainly post them for all to see. Thanks for your input If it's not a known builder it's unlikely to be recognised, was the point I was making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnetman Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 I think there are other boats similar to it. I can see its a bit different. Colecraft and also Hancock and Lane did a lot of boats some of which strayed from their usual shape. The 3rd picture put up by John Brightley is similar to one of Colecrafts more "unusual" hulls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 The FaceBook account states: "Hi hello Internet boaties. Does anyone know who might have built this boat? It has quite a distinctive bow and I've not seen one quite the same, I bought it in Bugbrooke in 1999. The paperwork says builder unknown, it was registered in 1988 but I think it's older as all thickness etc are in imperial. It's 40ft & the engine is a 1977 Sabb.Thank you" I have done a little digging within the British Waterways Board documents I hold on their index numbers. Jim Shead's website suggests that TASHTAR has the B.W.B. index number 72510. I can definitely identify this number as being issued in 1985 (not 1988 as stated on FaceBook) as I have a printout for that year, the main difference being that in 1985 when this powered pleasure boat licence was issued this boat carried the name PAPPYS edit = the documents I hold do not list details such as owner, home mooring, builder, engine type or power output e.t.c. - and as has already been stated in other similar threads the B.W.B. index number can only date when the boat was registered to be on B.W.B. waters. As always Pete you are a mine of information Thank you I will pass this on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnetman Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 As mentioned there were loads of fabricators in the 70s who built narrow boats. Another name I can think of is Gregory Canal Cruisers. Even if someone said "yes it's definitely one of those" its still tricky to prove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) It reminds me of a boat seen on the River Wey around 1982/3. Most distinctive 'canoe' shaped bow. Don't remember the name though. That was also about 40'. John Brightley's link to Peter Else shows a few similar bows (amongst the odd others), and the name PAPPY as given by Pete H. would ally with PAM, GAMPY, SASSY, and BIG ANNIE. Edited October 9, 2016 by Derek R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted October 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 It reminds me of a boat seen on the River Wey around 1982/3. Most distinctive 'canoe' shaped bow. Don't remember the name though. That was also about 40'. John Brightley's link to Peter Else shows a few similar bows (amongst the odd others), and the name PAPPY as given by Pete H. would ally with PAM, GAMPY, SASSY, and BIG ANNIE. Thank you Derek We can follow that one through maybe. I did go on that page but then the internet went down so I didn't go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo No2 Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) It reminds me of a boat seen on the River Wey around 1982/3. Most distinctive 'canoe' shaped bow. Don't remember the name though. That was also about 40'. John Brightley's link to Peter Else shows a few similar bows (amongst the odd others), and the name PAPPY as given by Pete H. would ally with PAM, GAMPY, SASSY, and BIG ANNIE. Derek - would it have been Nancy Larcombe's Nancy Bell? It has a very distinctively shaped canoe-like fore end and is about 40'. I'll try and ferret out a photo of it - I am sure I have one on the other PC. Here's a link with an image - page down to page 8 - http://www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/bcn/bcn224.pdf Edited October 9, 2016 by Leo No2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Brightley Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Derek - would it have been Nancy Larcombe's Nancy Bell? It has a very distinctively shaped canoe-like fore end and is about 40'. I'll try and ferret out a photo of it - I am sure I have one on the other PC. Here's a link with an image - page down to page 8 - http://www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/bcn/bcn224.pdf From the details given in the link, it looks like Nancy Bell was originally a Fenny Marine boat - the canoe style fore end, the thick framed windows and the fact that the original engine was a Yanmar give it away. Clearly on this boat the steelwork was contracted out to Colecraft. The bow doesn't have the same detailing as the boat in the original post though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) Derek - would it have been Nancy Larcombe's Nancy Bell? It has a very distinctively shaped canoe-like fore end and is about 40'. I'll try and ferret out a photo of it - I am sure I have one on the other PC. Here's a link with an image - page down to page 8 - http://www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/bcn/bcn224.pdf Yes! Nancy Bell didn't ring one, but Towed Haul most certainly did. Wasn't the owner using it as a studio? [ETA it's in the text that it was] That's the pair I remember seeing on the Wey. Edited October 9, 2016 by Derek R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo No2 Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 (edited) Yes! Nancy Bell didn't ring one, but Towed Haul most certainly did. Wasn't the owner using it as a studio? [ETA it's in the text that it was] That's the pair I remember seeing on the Wey. A more up-to-date image for you Derek. 07-April-2012 at Brookwood Country Park as part of a Byfleet Boat Club trip. Edited October 10, 2016 by Leo No2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted October 10, 2016 Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 Thanks Kathryn, good to see it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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