If It Aint Brooke Then Don't Try To Fix It..

[C.Ricko]

Hello there, I aquired this lovely little launch early last year, the owner rang and asked if i could find a good home for her on the Broads as she didn't want her to go to the Thames.. 

I found the perfect person! 

She is a  1927 Brooke Empire launch Mk1, (the Mk2 had the engine vents in the combing) 

I think the original owner only had her a couple of years before selling her to Jack Powles of Wroxham who named her 'Baby Betty' after his daughter, 

they later sold it to a family friend who kept her for the next 50 years. 

 

the  original Brooke empire engine was replaced in the 1930s  with a 1936 ford engine,  more recently a yanmar 1gm was installed which i immediately tore out! 

The plan was to replace a rotten engine bearer, and put a nice 4cylinder nanni diesel in her.. 

 

[WherryNice]

Beautiful!

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[Chelsea14Ian]

If I at some time have a few spare bob,that's the kind of boat I would love.On days like this would be great.

What a lovely boat Clive.

Ian 

[C.Ricko]

As it turns out, I decided to replace the transom, and the combings, there is a patch of rear deck which needs sorting and also another rotten bearer. 

she was full of bilge gunge, which is now out and ready for a wash out, also the side linings were plywood and basically dust due to woodworm, 

the transom is now removed as are the bearers, the rudder bearings are excessively worn so need sorting out 

 

 

[Bedslad]

Stunning

[Hockham Admiral]

Gosh, Clive, you don't hang about, do you!             

[C.Ricko]

I pulled the engine out a while ago which went straight into one of moon fleets   day boats, 

on wednesday we started pulling it apart, I am good at destruction but i won't be doing too much re assembly, our boatbuilder (Steve) has put some back together already and made some of the new bearers, he is away next week so I will completely strip the rest of the engine bay, scrub the inside of the hull and hopefully paint the insides ready for his return.

I will fit the new engine and make it work, I have a small gearbox which was taken off Jomaric because although it was virtually new I did not feel it was strong enough for the cruiser, so i will fit that, 

I might also make a start on the instrument panel and see about how I can get the switches knobs and dials working with the new engine. (if possible) 

[JamesLV]

Wow she's a beauty, a touch of Riva about her (if that's not swearing?)

[C.Ricko]

touch of riva? 

How about this 1939 British Powerboat Company..

not a great photo.. 

[JamesLV]

I definitely need to up my British Boat knowledge Clive! My father has a place in Italy and a passion for Italian cars and motorbikes so I've been submerged in Italian things for years hence my Riva obsession (and being a Bond fan) 

incidentally, however, The Bluebird boat on which Donald Campbell and Mr Woppels met their fate was constructed a matter of yards from my office...

[C.Ricko]

off topic a bit but British powerboat co built plenty of military boats but there are few records of their small craft. 

BPB Co small boats that survive as far as I know are

 Miss Britain in Greenwhich.

Miss England in Science Museum

Miss Paris in France

White Heather in Windemere museum

A stepped hull boat in Italy mention in a classic boat article about ten years ago.

Panther III in the USA (Hubert Scott Paines own boat)

Dragonfly (My boat)

Redfox. ( recently fitted with a modern engine and outdrive i think )

[Polly]

Loving this thread!

[petersjoy]

Another day boat for the fleet when it's finished.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Perhaps up market.Would be great as a picnic boat,Smoked salmon sandwiches,cucumber sandwiches. Strawberries and cream washed down with Pinks.

[stumpy]

Don't forget the Lloydloom chairs - so much more civilised! 

[Vaughan]

On 9/24/2017 at 15:53, C.Ricko said:

Perhaps going off subject a bit but that lovely shape "shouts"  Scott-Paine of the British Powerboat Company.

This boat was somewhere in re-fit when I called at Portsmouth Dockyard a couple of weeks ago but MGB 56, her prototype, was the old gunboat "Morning Flight" on which I grew up, on Thorpe Island.

 

This beautifully preserved RAF rescue launch was the earlier 60ft BPC design of fast patrol craft and was the reason I wanted to visit Portsmouth dockyard. This is exactly the same hull as the boats of the 2nd MTB flotilla which were based in Hong Kong from 1936 until HK fell to the Japanese in 1941.

 

They were powered by three Napier Sea Lion engines and were known by the local Chinese fishermen as the "Wind Thunder Boats".

By the way, that's my father at the controls!

[Springsong]

I used to spend much of my school time doodling these  type of boats along with those beautiful flying boats Sunderland and the huge clippers.  Hubert? Scott- Paine a very unsung genius in my eyes.

[Vaughan]

I have read that before he started his own company, BPC, at Hythe, he was a director of Supermarine and was a designer of the pre-war racing seaplanes, from which the design of the Spitfire evolved.

His design of MGB 81, above, was to try and get the Admiralty "short 72" contract, but this went to Vospers with their prototype, which is the preserved MTB 102. He then took his design to America where it was used for the US Navy PT (patrol torpedo) boats, one of which was famously commanded by a certain Lieutenant J.F.Kennedy.

[C.Ricko]

we have had progress on this project, 

most of the bearers have been made and fitted, the hull has been scraped, hoovered, pressure washed 3 times and hoovered out a few more times, and most of it painted, there have been some nasty bits made to look better and we have replaced 2 frames which were a bit soft. 

the main engine bearer is being made and should be fitted this week.. 

 

[Springsong]

Clive is that a Bluemells  steering wheel ?  There are companies in the vintage car world restoring these nowadays,you could try David Wall he would know.

http://www.davidwall-wroxham.co.uk/ 

[Jonathan]

I will echo Springsong's recommendation.  David is a very friendly and helpful person, but I would guess that you already know that!

[C.Ricko]

Hi,

Yes I know of David Wall, but its good to know the steering wheel has a name!

I will research that a bit.. 

Thanks. 

 

[C.Ricko]

couple more pictures out of sequence!

[C.Ricko]

couple more of the engine bearer before fitting and trial fitting, 

also more rotten frames but we will attack them at the next stage of proceedings, as we are considering the best way to deal with the fore deck and it may prove easier to remove it and re lay  it. the boat is very lightly built and the deck planking is about 5/16'' and although laid on splined is not strong enough to step on and over the last 90 years she has been stepped on a bit ...

[C.Ricko]

the bottom photo is in the fwd footwell, it shows a new bearer over the rotten frame, the bearer is not really fixed to much so will easily come out when the new frame is made and fitted, 

I have decided to use larch for all the repairs so far  as it is a good wood to use and will be light, we laminated the engine bearer so this should be strong as well