Jump to content

Joseph Hopper - Bantock


Movin' on

Featured Posts

Hi

I'm trying to find a boat that was for sale at Great Haywood but didn't appear to sell - does anyone know its current whereabouts??

If it sold no worries but if it didn't and the owner wants to get in touch PM me here ........................

ALSO if anyone knows of a truly classic/historic boat for sale or coming up soon a tip off would be much appreciated.

J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JOSEPH HOPPER was an awful looking boat that had very little going for it in my opinion, especially at £44950 or even the later reduced price of £39950.

The former Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd. large Northwich motor OTLEY is for sale on the Apollo Duck website, and at £30000 appears at first sight to be a bit of a bargain. I do wish somebody would hurry up and buy OTLEY as it is a boat I have known for over 40 years and I am achingly tempted, but it would be a great shame if the full length cabin were to be completed as OTLEY has always been an open boat :captain:

edit = I have just seen your other post in Boats Wanted and your requirement is for a boat with a shallow draft - so OTLEY will not be suitable as it is 3' with the counter flat on.

Edited by pete harrison
Link to comment
Share on other sites

not "shallow" as such but certainly cruise-able in these days where CRT prioritise everything but navigation!

My last tug was 31" when stationary and had issues when cruising and the 24" prop dragged her down an extra 4" - 30" underway with more than (RN DM2) 18hp would be OK

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

JOSEPH HOPPER went back on the Apollo Duck website last night, but still at £39950:

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat.phtml?id=507354

:captain:

New bottom, new gunwales, new superstructure...she sounds like a bit of a "grandfather's axe".

From the photos, I would agree that there  are better-looking old boats around. But no doubt she's the ideal craft for someone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

JOSEPH HOPPER went back on the Apollo Duck website last night, but still at £39950:

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/boat.phtml?id=507354

:captain:

The bow shape really does not resemble anything else I have ever seen labelled "Bantok" (sic).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been told that Joseph Hopper was a BCN Joey. The Joey being a butty/ barge that was towed by a tug. There are several of these boats on the system that have been converted into  powered craft. There is a similar boat at Kings Bromley Marina that appears to be electric powered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Celestine said:

I've been told that Joseph Hopper was a BCN Joey. The Joey being a butty/ barge that was towed by a tug. There are several of these boats on the system that have been converted into  powered craft. There is a similar boat at Kings Bromley Marina that appears to be electric powered.

Yes, if you take "Joey" to be a generic term for all BCN day boats, that is exactly how it started life.

Being completely pedantic, some people insist the term only applies to certain BCN boats though, and it is perhaps more usually applied to the type that was bi-directional, such that the rudder could be moved to either end.

This example is of a type with a more formed front end, not suited to hanging a rudder, so was designed to have a rudder at one end only, and to be winded when it needed to change direction.
 

"Bantock" is a term applied to a particular breed of BCD day boat, (always "uni-directional"), but this boat doesn't look to me like a Bantock.

It is probably fair to say that far more BCN boats were moved by horses though than tugs - tugs meant two operations of every lock - a horse avoided that.  Haulage by horses continued in small amounts more or less to the end of commercial traffic on the BCN.  I would say tugs were more commonly used on the lock free stretches, where they could pull trains of these boats, without needing to pass through locks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 
 

"Bantock" is a term applied to a particular breed of BCD day boat, (always "uni-directional"), but this boat doesn't look to me like a Bantock.
 

I was led to,understand that "Bantock" was a boat builder building several type of narrow boats including long distance boats their"trademark" being the iron hull with wooden bottom strake & bottom some had a nice looking (to me) fore end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

I was led to,understand that "Bantock" was a boat builder building several type of narrow boats including long distance boats their"trademark" being the iron hull with wooden bottom strake & bottom some had a nice looking (to me) fore end.

Indeed.

It was also the inspiration for the distinctive bows of the boats Graham Reeves built, unless the customer specified something else,  like the pinched bows of the shells he built for Stowe Hill shells Wharf boats. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, X Alan W said:

I was led to,understand that "Bantock" was a boat builder building several type of narrow boats including long distance boats their"trademark" being the iron hull with wooden bottom strake & bottom some had a nice looking (to me) fore end.

Only the earlier ones I think had a bottom strake in wood on the sides, as well as the wooden bottom itself.  Later ones were all I think a more conventional composite boat, with only the flat bottom in wood.

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

Indeed.

It was also the inspiration for the distinctive bows of the boats Graham Reeves built, unless the customer specified something else,  like the pinched bows of the shells he built for Stowe Hill shells Wharf boats. 

I'm not really seeing that one, I'll admit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Only the earlier ones I think had a bottom strake in wood on the sides, as well as the wooden bottom itself.  Later ones were all I think a more conventional composite boat, with only the flat bottom in wood.

I'm not really seeing that one, I'll admit!

Compare these images and see if you can see a slight resemblance. 

474932975_87659e651d.jpg

cookley3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

I'm not sure of the build date of a Bantock that was in tug form "EMERALD" in 1988 in the ownership of Colin Palin the bottom & lower wooden strake was replaced in steel on the dock at Langley Mill

I remember her well, as she was moored near here, in March, for years, a most handsome boat. I believe that a building date of 1890 was claimed when she came up for sale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Halsey said:

Thanks for all contributions - this thread seems to have taken on a life of its own which I'm happy to leave as it is very informative for others - for my part it has served its purpose - thanks again

There is a bantock type boat for sale currently at Virginia Currer on the slough arm, boat is called Rebecca and is priced in the mid thirties. The hull looks to be in very good condition, and the conversion to motor stern is nicely done. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BWM said:

There is a bantock type boat for sale currently at Virginia Currer on the slough arm, boat is called Rebecca and is priced in the mid thirties. The hull looks to be in very good condition, and the conversion to motor stern is nicely done. 

This one.
 

This doesn't on the face of it look at all a bad deal to get an historic boat without paying a high premium for it.  It's personal taste I suppose, but to me the counter has a bit too much rise to the stern.  That said, of course there is no "correct" motor stern for such a boat, because they never had one.

The Perkins engine is not the most suitable in the world.  At least the engine room is in the "right" place, unlike some conversions of BCN boats.

Unless there's something not obvious from the photos, a better deal than many on sale at that brokerage, I would have thought.

Has this been added to the "Historic boats for sale" thread I wonder.  I'll have a quick look, and if I can't spot it quickly I'll add it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't added it to the historic f/s thread, still haven't mastered the embedded link. The stern has got a fair amount of sweep but is well executed and doesn't seem to have taken away too much original structure. Boat has been on our moorings for a fair time and I have often admired the condition of the hull, with prominent rivets not showing much wear. From memory the original baseplates may still be in place. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, BWM said:

There is a bantock type boat for sale currently at Virginia Currer on the slough arm, boat is called Rebecca and is priced in the mid thirties. The hull looks to be in very good condition, and the conversion to motor stern is nicely done. 

I used to pass this boat every few days when it tied at Tardebigge Old Wharf in the early 1980's. Back then it was powered by a very impressive Lister JP6 and was a very attractive boat for a B.C.N. conversion :captain:

  • Greenie 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.