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MoominPapa

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It's a BCN joey hull. Originally unpowered, cut and given a counter stern - Probably this one (from Jim Sheads site)

 

COOTE Built by B C N Bantock in 1909 - Length 20.7 metres (67 feet 11 inches ) - Beam 2.13 metres (7 feet ) hull colour Black superstructure colour Green/crea a Diesel Inboard engine with a power of 14. Registered with EA Anglian Region number G17268 as a Motor boat. Last registration recorded on 19/04/2005.

 

Rick

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Yes,

 

I don't know my BCN boats in detail, but it looks very like a boat I had that I now know to have almost certainly been a "Bantock".

 

About 100 or more years old sounds correct to me, but someone like Laurence Hogg will probably identify the exact type.

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I think Coote is the boat I knew in around 1980 as "Aries Ex-Coote" then, by the standards of the day, a very posh houseboat indeed and moored in Battlebridge Basin. The owners were pretty posh as well - Elizabeth Grove and her husband - we had a moorers' meeting aboard once and she served caviar, probably the only time in my life I've ever had it. Incidently, Elizabeth wrote a canal-based children's book called Wintercut much borrowed (but only by me) from my school library some years before.

 

The last time I heard of Coote it was for sale with Virginia Currer from the Northolt moorings of High Line about 4 years ago. Not particularly smart but seemingly serviceable, it shows how quickly boats can go downhill particularly if the cabin is wooden.

 

The Wooden Canal Boat Society lists an Aries/Coote on their website as BCN 20917. If this is the same boat (as seems likely) the fact that it is not actually wooden is entirely consistent with the accuracy of their lists!

 

I'd have though the boat is ripe for buying at a good price if the owner can be traced!

 

Paul

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I have a great affection for these boats, as our first "metal" boat was one, albeit with an appallingly bad "motor" conversion.

 

They make a great leisure boat, full of character, with a nice front end shape, but relatively shallow sides can give a well proportioned boat, without a deep draught.

 

There are examples into at least double figures on the return trip we have just done through London, and up the Lee and Stort, some very tidily presented, others rougher, but none as bad as this.

 

They will make a nice "tug style" boat, done sympathetically.

 

The hulls are generally wrought iron, not steel, and last remarkably well. If they have had a steel bottom to replace wood at some stage, this might be thinner than the original sides, despite being a lot newer.

 

One of the odder examples of a boat of broadly this type is "Bream" that has a front end in this style, but it's back end is Josher, (I think!).

 

Not sure all I am referring too class as "Bantock", but all have a similar fore-end appearance.

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  • 3 years later...

It is Aries ex Coote - was a sad sight. Coote was her original name with Aries added when my parents bought her - It being bad luck to change a boat name and them not liking Coote I assume? She was kept in very good condition then, posh maybe but I am surprised at the caviar story - not Liz's usual style!

I am that daughter mentioned in the discussion!

Sorrell

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I never want another boat. I don`t really want another boat. I s`pose if the right boat came along. That looks interesting. If I had that I could do things to it . I want it , I really want it ..... Oh dear

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The Wooden Canal Boat Society lists an Aries/Coote on their website as BCN 20917. If this is the same boat (as seems likely) the fact that it is not actually wooden is entirely consistent with the accuracy of their lists!

 

Paul

B.C.N. 20917 was issued on 05 July 1909 as an open iron day boat named COOT for M. & W. Grazebrook, Netherton. This is the boat that later became ARIES, exCOOTE.

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As mentioned in post 2 of this thread COOTE had an Environment Agency registration:

 

COOTE Built by B C N Bantock in 1909 - Length 20.7 metres (67 feet 11 inches ) - Beam 2.13 metres (7 feet ) hull colour Black superstructure colour Green/crea a Diesel Inboard engine with a power of 14HP. Registered with EA Anglian Region number G17268 as a Motor boat. Last registration recorded on 19/04/2005.

THE HOBBIT Built by B C N Bantock in 1909 - Length 20.7 metres (67 feet 11 inches ) - Beam 2.13 metres (7 feet ) hull colour Black superstructure colour Green/crea a Diesel Inboard engine with a power of 14HP . Registered with EA Anglian Region number G17268 as a manually propelled craft. Last registration recorded on 11-Apr-2010.

There are two names listed under this registration which indicates that COOTE was renamed as THE HOBBIT in mid 2005. This is supported by the British Waterways Board index 60092 for 2005 which gives this boats name as THE HOBBIT.

Looking at the photographs it is my view is that this boat is not a Bantock, and has nothing to do with that company.

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Passed this, moored on the Little Ouse. The conversion is decaying, but the hull looks like it could be something interesting. Does anyone have any idea what the history and identity of the boat is?

 

MP.

 

rivet1.jpg

rivet2.jpg

rivet3.jpg

rivet4.jpg

This boat in my opinion is not a Bantock as in the sense of the well known earlier and later versions. The guards ending in a straight line I have seen on another boat, also there is a guard at the waterline which I would like to know whether it is original.

The fore end turnover also contradicts the builder as being Bantock. Without further investigation Harris or Hartshill might fit the frame but another small builders existed too.

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I'm stretching my memory here but I would say it was Harris's of Netherton. The term "Hotholer" also springs to mind but I recall no more. It's not a Bantock as I recall them.

A "Hotoler" is a Hartshill Iron & Steel boat.

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I'm stretching my memory here but I would say it was Harris's of Netherton. The term "Hotholer" also springs to mind but I recall no more. It's not a Bantock as I recall them.

We used to have an 'OtOler' here as a work boat, it didn't have a guard along the top edge of the hull plating. I've no idea whether or not they were all similar, though.

 

Tim

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B.C.N. 20917 was issued on 05 July 1909 as an open iron day boat named COOT for M. & W. Grazebrook, Netherton. This is the boat that later became ARIES, exCOOTE.

This looks entirely consistent with this boat, and I agree seems to confirm this as not a Bantock, despite recent registrations claiming it as such.

 

My comments earlier only meant to say it is at least similar in that it is a single ended BCN day boat, with reasonable lines to the bow, rather than the "wedge" end that so many BCN boats had.

 

Apart from any above water differences,, my understanding is that most Bantocks were originally composite, wooden bottomed, boats, wheras Ot Olers were all iron because they were loaded with .material that would have been too hot for wooden bottoms.

 

Can anyone verify, please, or have I been fed nonsense?

 

Isn't Reginald claimed to be an Ot Oler? It is a very different front end shape to what people usually identify as Bantock.

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This is the boat which we had here, which people who knew far more than I about such things told me was an "'Ot'Oler", last seen returned to rest on it's native territory.

 

image0-2.jpg

 

It's one from which BW had cut off one end to use as a concreting boat or 'tunnel boat', so I don't honestly know whether it was originally double ended or had some shape to the other end.

 

Tim

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This is the boat which we had here, which people who knew far more than I about such things told me was an "'Ot'Oler", last seen returned to rest on it's native territory.

 

image0-2.jpg

 

It's one from which BW had cut off one end to use as a concreting boat or 'tunnel boat', so I don't honestly know whether it was originally double ended or had some shape to the other end.

 

Tim

Certainly not many similarities I can see there to Reginald, which I thought was also claimed by some to be an 'Ot' 'Oler.

 

Mind you, if the name relates to who owned it, or the purposs for which it was used, rather than a distinct design, both could be correct.

 

11_Reginald.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

Hi all, we bought this boat on ebay in September 2014 and we have since had her lifted out of the water and we are in the process of bringing her back to her former glory! Despite fears of the metal being totally rotted out as she was full of water when we bought her, most of the metal work is in very good condition, we have spent the last 6 days fitting 5 new metal plates and rose welding alot of old rivets. She is going to be our first house boat and we are really excited at te fitting her soon so she can go back in the water! We nought her as The Hobbit but think it best to give her her old name back COOTE.

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Hi all, we bought this boat on ebay in September 2014 and we have since had her lifted out of the water and we are in the process of bringing her back to her former glory! Despite fears of the metal being totally rotted out as she was full of water when we bought her, most of the metal work is in very good condition, we have spent the last 6 days fitting 5 new metal plates and rose welding alot of old rivets. She is going to be our first house boat and we are really excited at te fitting her soon so she can go back in the water! We nought her as The Hobbit but think it best to give her her old name back COOTE.

That's good to hear. I remember Coote looking like a good boat, and it's good to hear that she's not still mouldering on the Little Ouse. Did she come with an engine, and if so, is it interesting?

 

Are you in the Fens?

 

 

MP.

Edited by MoominPapa
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