Jump to content

Who made these boats?


man1nvan

Featured Posts

1 hour ago, abnormalsheep said:

The windows in my boat aren't as angular as the boats in the most recent pictures - much more rectangular with rounded corners. The front of the boat is very similar though! The curve seems more pronounced but perhaps because it's not in the water? The D-bars are in the same positions too.

More pictures please. the sheerline on my old swanline looked very much like that last piccie. What is it like at the stern? What shape is the front well deck area and gunwhales? What is the index number? Its age may be better attributed by the number.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The swan line boats were built at Fradley and by Horace greaves of stores road Derby before being made by Handcock & Lane. Only the latter were all steel and non had the steel tube top edge to the cabin

Daivson Bros also made (or bought in ) shells with that distinctive steel tube top edge to the cabin.

The bridge guards were fitted to some boats fitted with timber or glass fibre super structures to stop hirers ripping the top off on bridges.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
On 26/06/2017 at 15:23, johnthebridge said:

I think she was built by Davison Bros, at Sawley. They were called Trentcraft and were available from 35' to 55'. Page 25 of the 1976 "Waterways World guide to Pleasure Craft" carries a photograph that could be the very boat in the first photo of the OP's query.

The top photo in the OP is Admiral Benbow moored at Whittington. Only ever seen it moored until Saturday when it came past us near Kings Orchard, winded in the marina entrance then moored behind us.

 

According to Canalplan Johnthebridge is correct

 

Admiral Benbow Built by Davison Brothers - Length : 13.71 metres ( 45 feet ) - Beam : 2.07 metres ( 6 feet 9 inches ) - Draft : 0.55 metres ( 1 foot 10 inches ). Metal hull N/A power of 999 HP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 62842 as a Powered Motor Boat.  ( Last updated on Wednesday 22nd May 2013 )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Abnormalsheep it looks like someone has added extra superstructure to the front of your boat. the front well drain outlets on a Swanline boat would normally be at the back of the front well deck.  The photos at the very start of this thread do not look like any of the Swanline boats that I remember.  If its an original hireboat then it would have had a black hull, green roof, white sides with a red line (approx 4inches deep) above the gunwale  

The Swanline hire boats were fitted with one of four engines between 1970 and 1980 that I know of.  They are the Lister SR2 for the 36ft & 45ft Steel hull/GRP superstructure, Lister SR3 for the 58ft all-steel, Lister ST2 for the early 32ft 6in and 49ft all-steel boats and the Petter 1500 watercooled marinised VW Golf engine for all the 39ft all-steel boats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Sorry. I know this is an old thread.

 

With regards to the Davison Brothers Boat Builders. I actually own one of their 30 foot short boats. Needless to say mine was renamed to Flying Fox a great number of years ago. Not sure when she was registered but the previous owners said around 1974.

 

She has been well looked after, never had mains electrics installed and never overplated. Last out of the water survey showed a minimum hull thickness 5.4mm so she has stood the test of time.

 

I know that some people get her confused with Fox Boat Builders, because of the name.

 

So I thought I would also post a photo of her.

FB_IMG_1672077184694~2.jpg

20230105_182317.jpg

Edited by Flying Fox
spelling mistake
  • Greenie 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely boat.

 

I too have never had pitting or corrosion problems on any of my modern(ish) boats, and I too put this down to never having 230Vac on board. 

 

My 1887 boat however, finally corroded through the riveted iron baseplate about eight years ago, with no 230Vac anywhere to be seen. 

 

 

 

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 26/06/2017 at 09:54, Athy said:

One rarely sees boats with those curved guards - which I know as "bridge bars" but that may not be the right term - these days. I wonder why not.

We knew  them as Idiot Bars.....

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.