Paul H

The notebook is now in the museum at Ellesmere Port and does not appear to have been digitised so you’ll need to visit or talk to an archivist on the phone - they’ve emailed me scans in the past (for a price.). There is also a website nurser.co.uk published by a descendent of Frank Nurser but all the pics have disappeared. There is a page about “the notebook” which appears to suggest one page is labelled Cabin Dimensions http://nurser.co.uk/construction/notebook-at-national-waterw/index.html Paul

I don’t think a 3ft wide bed in a motor boat cabin is unusual in fact I’ve come across a 2ft 10” one. They were rarely occupied by two adults who would have chosen the more commodious butty with a 3ft 6in to sleep on. Of course the other limitation is the length between the lining boards on a wooden boat - 5ft 6ins if you’re lucky! in Tom Chaplin’s A Short History of the Narrow Boat there is a scan of a few pages of Frank Nurser’s notebook which gives the “bed place” as 2ft 7 and a half ins! Paul

I see at long last Tycho is under offer. (not by me!) https://www.aquavista.com/boat-sales/boats-for-sale/oxfordshire/tycho/1075 Really hope it’s going to someone without access to a gas axe! Paul

That’s Max Sinclair’s old boat! 😀

£52,000. And I don’t think it actually sold in the end. There sadly seem to be very few people looking to take on historic boats, let alone unconverted ones these days. Paul

I remember commenting when this was posted the first time that it wasn’t an original specification more a description from memory and old photographs. Iirc it was put together by John Edwards of the Beaulieu at Gas Street. I took issue with the size of lettering which was wrong and there may well be other inaccuracies. Lawrence pointed out that different yards had different interpretations of the scheme anyway. Paul

I think that was only his archive. The remaining stock and patterns for the narrow boat hardware he had produced under the banner of The Boatman’s Cabin Co was sold many years ago to High Line Yachting at Iver. Ten years ago it was all still there in dusty boxes in one of the sheds. Paul

I think that is the Kent. Paul

The builder/converter was a chap called John Mattey - nothing to do with the BCN carrier and contractor Alfred Matty.

Sara, converted iceboat for sale. Beautiful boat but not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve pointed out that Alfred Matty had absolutely nothing to do with it! https://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat/narrow-boats-traditional-for-sale/793421 I believe it has been stored in a barn in Northamptonshire for the last couple of years. Any idea of the history Alec? agg221. It is said to be be ex-Oxford Canal Co 1900ish and was sold on together with a larger iceboat in the 1960s by Blue Line, beautifully converted with reclaimed hardwood and fitted with a kind of outdrive arrangement. Paul

I believe the remains of Beatrice are sunk in the Troy Cut at Rickmansworth where it has been in the queue for an unlikely restoration for a couple of decades. With the sad death of Chris Collins restorer of Albert, Roger, Mimas and Progress it will now never happen. Paul

Possibly Wyken Colliery Arm where Coventry Canal Society have their moorings? It would have looked very different before the construction of the M6. Paul

The converted Erewash Tree class motor boat Fir has or had 2 universal joints with the prop shaft going under the table cupboard and bed hole with the engine offset in the engine room. It was a long time ago when I was shown round but seemed a good idea at the time - much increased headroom and much easier to manoeuvre yourself round the engine. Also GUCCC Town class butties are positively palatial with 6ft or so headroom! At the other extreme ex-FMC Victory before its recent rebuild had 4ft 10in headroom in the back cabin! Paul

Stewart and Lloyds Tug No 1 ?