Chas78 Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Hi All, Has anyone got any knowledge of this boat builder? is it part of Hancock and Lane? any info very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 42 minutes ago, Chas78 said: Hi All, Has anyone got any knowledge of this boat builder? is it part of Hancock and Lane? any info very much appreciated Wernt they built at Shardlow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Jordan Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Dobson and Son were owners of a yard at Shardlow Derby. They built wooden cruisers and fitted out narrow boats based on steel shells built by others.The had a reputation for quality work and were one of the original suppliers to early pleasure cruiser owners and operated the first chandlery stores I remember visiting. Im sure that someone will provide you with much more information about the company, they have a long history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 3 minutes ago, Mike Jordan said: Dobson and Son were owners of a yard at Shardlow Derby. They built wooden cruisers and fitted out narrow boats based on steel shells built by others.The had a reputation for quality work and were one of the original suppliers to early pleasure cruiser owners and operated the first chandlery stores I remember visiting. Im sure that someone will provide you with much more information about the company, they have a long history Yes I thought so I looked at one near on thirty years ago now whilst looking for my first boat and the name ringed a bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB Lola Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 And the boatyard is still operating and seems pretty busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveR Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Had a lot of wood work done here and it is superbly done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dccruiser Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 9 hours ago, Mike Jordan said: Dobson and Son were owners of a yard at Shardlow Derby. They built wooden cruisers and fitted out narrow boats based on steel shells built by others.The had a reputation for quality work and were one of the original suppliers to early pleasure cruiser owners and operated the first chandlery stores I remember visiting. Im sure that someone will provide you with much more information about the company, they have a long history Totally correct Mike, They were building wooden cruisers in the early 60's and are still very active fitting out shells, i moored at dobsons in shardlow way back in the late 70's when i got my very first boat a plywood Dolphin cruiser made by a company called brooklands aviation from used plywood packing cases! Hancock and Lane were building narrowboats in Daventry until the early 1980's I.I.R.C. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas78 Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 14 hours ago, mrsmelly said: Wernt they built at Shardlow? I think so but can't find any info on them? Thank you all for the information very much appreciated the thing is the boat i have bought has a plaque saying Dobson but index number shows built by Hancock and Lane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 12 minutes ago, Chas78 said: i have bought has a plaque saying Dobson but index number shows built by Hancock and Lane? The boat index list is only as good as the information provided, it is not an 'official' list, just someones best efforts at producing a useful resource. Like Wikipedia, the information is subject to change/correction when the actual 'facts' come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Jordan Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Hancock and Lane were formerly agricultural engineers working in Daventry, they made complete boats and a huge number of shells for other builders. Their quality was very high in my opinion. Dobsons gained good publicity when they fitted out a shell built by Trent Welding of Burton on Trent, The boat owner was John Gagg who was a very regular contributor to Waterways Worlld. The travels of "Nike Four" featured monthly I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceinSanity Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 So this boat is likely a Hancock and Lane shell fitted out by Dobsons. May be very good, depends how it's been looked after, as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Jordan Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 In the late 60s I spent a day visiting the workshops of Hancock and Lane and Springer Engineering, the plan was to buy a shell to fit out. It was a day of contrasts! I'm not surprised that a shell from Hancock and Lane has lasted well, I think it was in their premises that I saw a huge shot blasting setup used to prepare shells for painting. Towards the end of their time as shell builders they also sold pre profiled kits of steel parts for home builders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X Alan W Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 In the early 60's Dobson's buiilt Classical high quality wooden, narrow beam centre/rear cockpit cruisers similar to the Taylor boats built at/in Chester later they produced a same style of boat but with GRP hull wooden cabin/s followed by all GRP boats of the same style at around that time they started fitting out steel hulled NB's on bought in shells the Company was a Father/son set up & the son Clive? was & possibly still is a respected marine architect/surveyor They had moorings & chandeliery & did repairs & servicing to I understand a high quality although my only experience is purchase of bits in the shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty40s Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 I do think it trades under the JD Narrowboats name now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas78 Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 All very interesting thanks again i have found out that these boats had a steel thickness of 6/6/6mm is this good or bad as the hull survey as of 2013 shows a lowest reading of 4.5mm on base plate the boat was built in 1980 so has lost only 1.5mm in nearly 37 years . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotEver Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 3 minutes ago, Chas78 said: these boats had a steel thickness of 6/6/6mm is this good or bad It’s neither, simply typical of when it was built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 16 hours ago, dccruiser said: Totally correct Mike, They were building wooden cruisers in the early 60's and are still very active fitting out shells, i moored at dobsons in shardlow way back in the late 70's when i got my very first boat a plywood Dolphin cruiser made by a company called brooklands aviation from used plywood packing cases! Hancock and Lane were building narrowboats in Daventry until the early 1980's I.I.R.C. Rick Hi, We started out with one of these in 1975, a Dolphin 16 - dreadful design, leaked when first launched until the wood swelled.................did not put us off though. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dccruiser Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 3 hours ago, LEO said: Hi, We started out with one of these in 1975, a Dolphin 16 - dreadful design, leaked when first launched until the wood swelled.................did not put us off though. M Mine was a Dolphin 21 fitted with a 25hp evinrude speedtwin .... i used to often "cill it" to carry out running repairs as it would spring leaks! ... Used to actually sleep with one arm dangling towards the floor , so if your hand got wet you knew it was time to start baling! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas78 Posted November 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 Thanks again all for the info very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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