Christopher James

[Graham and Jo]

On the original subject I saw the Christopher James in 2012 at deepcut after she had come out of the dry dock. I had a chate with the owner and had a look inside.

 

 

[Leo No2]

Another image I have of Christopher James taken just above Lock 28 on the Basingstoke - just outside the dry dock on 02-Oct-12.

 

 

[Jean-Mary]

On 02/09/2017 at 22:39, Andy Hall said:

My wife and I have now owned CJ for thirty years. I first saw it when we were on our first canal holiday aboard a Gordon's pleasure cruiser. It was at that time owned by Eric and was in the colours descibed earlier.What I could not work out was how it went through the water so quickly and without hardly a ripple. That is compared to the craft we were in which if I recall was so small you could do everything from the bed! Had no power and certainly did not steer in a straight line I was smitten. I now know CJ goes very well especially on the Thames, it also goes very fast in reverse and can be steered in deeper water as the swim starts half way down the boat, cheers me up each time I do it.

With regard to George Bunting under his ownership it was painted green and red.

Christopher James is still alive and well.We took him out for the day a couple of years ago. When he arrived I was most interested to see he had bought with him Les Allens original model of the boat in the form of an ink well, this had sat on the chairmans desk until closure.

With regard to construction its true the story (I think it was second plank down )it had one piece planks front to back thats on both sides. This could not be easily seen because of the ice plating.I'm told Les Allen did this for a bet.The main side planks are thirty two foot long,fourteen inches wide two inches thick so on first glance it looked like it's steel.The last big job I did with the help of my friends Martin and Peter was to replace the stern post and the two aft lower strakes.The stern post is nineteen inches long and that was from a tree one side of its heart no sap some bit of timber.

At the moment I am painting the exterior of the cabin.I have always painted it in tecoloid dark admiralty grey,as per the Chris Cleggs photographs of it outside the works in the sixties. This paint vairies quite a lot in shade of colour.

So CJ is still fit and well. I don't know how brother tug James Loader is, I think it's on the side at Braunston.

 

Hello, I am the granddaughter of Eric and Betty Foakes - are you still the owner of Christopher James? 

[Andy Hall]

Yes my wife daughter and I still own it and will be on the dock at Deepcut for its biannual docking in two weeks time. The engine is still going ok, hope to be out on it in the summer. Regards Andy.

[Jane Piper]

On 30/08/2017 at 12:01, Joseph said:

Fascinating. I'm sure I saw Christopher James on the Main Line in 1990. 

My father and I met John Phillips at Longwood in July 1970, when we were cruising the BCN; he then had a cruiser Cirrus V. Does anyone know if he is still with us? I think he was a bit younger than my father, who would now be in his mid-90s, but some people are long-lived!

Thanks in advance.

Joseph

 

John Phillips is most definitely still with us. 92 years young. Living on the Isle of Man. I am about to show him this thread. He will be delighted.

Edited July 2, 2022 by Jane Piper