Newson Boats 1980s Fleet Were Are They Now?

[MauriceMynah]

11 hours ago, Upcycler said:

For me that is one ugly looking boat

I have to say, I agree!

[Vaughan]

14 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

11 hours ago, Upcycler said:

For me that is one ugly looking boat

I have to say, I agree!

I think they were popular as hire boats because, as you see in the photo, even when they are standing still they look as though they are doing 20 MPH!

I would certainly never recommend anyone to operate them in a hire fleet however, after a lot of bitter experience!

[MauriceMynah]

As we both know Vaughan, different boat styles appeal to different folk. That style doesn't do it for me, but I'm not necessarily sure why.

[Tobster]

19 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I have to say, I agree!

Everyone has there own opinions on the looks of a Boat, it would be a very boring world / waterway if we only liked one style of boat.

When my Grandfather operated 2 of the Ideal 40s in the 80s they were by quite some margin, the most popular in terms of  total weeks of bookings.

Also, they are one of the best handling boats I have ever driven, no need for bow thrusters.

 

[Oddfellow]

These were a modification on the Sealance I believe. There is a Sealance being used as a liveaboard on Thorpe Island. 

[oldgregg]

Makes sense, they do look to have a proper hull and the entry point is unlike anything else in hire.

I was always a fan of them but I know they're a very Marmite design. The 40 probably looks sleeker as it's narrower too (I think they just scaled the design for the 45) but the 45's look good and are absolutely cavernous inside.

[Dan]

14 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

I think that's the same boat as in the picture that started this conversation off. Was Top Gem 1 not originally Broadband Grebe 1 many years ago? 

It was.  However I think the one in the photo i one of the Grebe's is probably Grebe 2 as the front (side) window doesn't quite look the same on Top Gem 1 to me.   Here is number 2 (ex 'Grebe 2).  It seems a real shame that there are no photo's of the two Turkish Desire's in the database....

[Tobster]

29 minutes ago, Dan said:

It was.  However I think the one in the photo i one of the Grebe's is probably Grebe 2 as the front (side) window doesn't quite look the same on Top Gem 1 to me.   Here is number 2 (ex 'Grebe 2).  It seems a real shame that there are no photo's of the two Turkish Desire's in the database....

I will try and post some photos I have of Turkish Desire 1 at her launch party

 

[webntweb]

16 hours ago, Upcycler said:

For me that is one ugly looking boat and with photo shop men on board so to speak, the picture for me is destined for the shedder.

Seven years too early for Photoshop. The pic of the men would have been cut in by an artist then the edges airbrushed - not very successfully in this pic though.

I wasn't keen on them but I did hire a 45, Pink Champagne; the full width double cabin at the stern was almost as big as our bedroom at home.

[JennyMorgan]

BeBe Grande was probably the most popular 'honeymooner ' in her day, hence several look alikes were built. Only problem being flat batteries, the honeymooners rarely went far enough to charge the batteries! More than once I helped Fred Newson by telling him where she was moored up, sometimes she went no further than Oulton Dyke and there she would stay for the week!

Richard, from the other place, had what I believe was one of Newson's bigger boats moored in his dyke, when he had one, regretfully she sank and had to be broken up. I sometimes go months & months without seeing him, sometimes I see him quite regularly and then it's generally in the the Bitch in the Ditch, (Lady of the Lake) at Oulton Broad but of course that's closed right now but I'll ask him, if I remember, when he does surface.

[Poppy]

27 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

BeBe Grande was probably the most popular 'honeymooner ' in her day, hence several look alikes were built. Only problem being flat batteries, the honeymooners rarely went far enough to charge the batteries! More than once I helped Fred Newson by telling him where she was moored up, sometimes she went no further than Oulton Dyke and there she would stay for the week!

Richard, from the other place, had what I believe was one of Newson's bigger boats moored in his dyke, when he had one, regretfully she sank and had to be broken up. I sometimes go months & months without seeing him, sometimes I see him quite regularly and then it's generally in the the Bitch in the Ditch, (Lady of the Lake) at Oulton Broad but of course that's closed right now but I'll ask him, if I remember, when he does surface.

Regular 'Dogging' spot then ?

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:

BeBe Grande was probably the most popular 'honeymooner ' in her day, hence several look alikes were built. Only problem being flat batteries, the honeymooners rarely went far enough to charge the batteries! More than once I helped Fred Newson by telling him where she was moored up, sometimes she went no further than Oulton Dyke and there she would stay for the week!

Richard, from the other place, had what I believe was one of Newson's bigger boats moored in his dyke, when he had one, regretfully she sank and had to be broken up. I sometimes go months & months without seeing him, sometimes I see him quite regularly and then it's generally in the the Bitch in the Ditch, (Lady of the Lake) at Oulton Broad but of course that's closed right now but I'll ask him, if I remember, when he does surface.

I remember Richard had one of loynes go down on his mooring. It was one of their Loch Ness class originally built by Little Ships. 

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, JanetAnne said:

I remember Richard had one of loynes go down on his mooring. It was one of their Loch Ness class originally built by Little Ships. 

Right, I won't bother Richard then!

[JennyMorgan]

51 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

I remember Richard had one of loynes go down on his mooring. It was one of their Loch Ness class originally built by Little Ships. 

I've probably got it all wrong but the boat that I remember being on Richard's mooring, and the one that I assumed had sunk, was one of Fred's that had been taken on by Peter Cooper at Hoseason's old yard.

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:

I've probably got it all wrong but the boat that I remember being on Richard's mooring, and the one that I assumed had sunk, was one of Fred's that had been taken on by Peter Cooper at Hoseason's old yard.

Interesting Peter.... I feel the need for a bacon roll in the morning 

[JanetAnne]

There was this one ( one of your own photo's I believe Peter) dated Jan 2011. I reckon that's a few years too late so you may well be onto something. 

[JennyMorgan]

33 minutes ago, JanetAnne said:

There was this one ( one of your own photo's I believe Peter) dated Jan 2011. I reckon that's a few years too late so you may well be onto something. 

Might well be my snap but I had completely forgotten it, until now! Definitely not the boat that I had in mind though. Perhaps I need two bacon rolls! This one had so many holes in it between wind and tide, poor old thing

 

[MauriceMynah]

10 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Perhaps I need two bacon rolls! This one had so many holes in it between wind and tide, poor old thing

I have no idea how you achieved that !

[Cal]

23 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

As we both know Vaughan, different boat styles appeal to different folk. That style doesn't do it for me, but I'm not necessarily sure why.

Me neither. Something about the shape just doesn't do it for me. Too square at the back and far too pointy at the front!

[floydraser]

23 hours ago, Tobster said:

Everyone has there own opinions on the looks of a Boat, it would be a very boring world / waterway if we only liked one style of boat.

When my Grandfather operated 2 of the Ideal 40s in the 80s they were by quite some margin, the most popular in terms of  total weeks of bookings.

Also, they are one of the best handling boats I have ever driven, no need for bow thrusters.

 

I can fully see how these boats would have been fashionable in the 80s. They look like Gerry Anderson designed them for Ed Straker in the series "UFO"!

I imagine that fitted with clear windows, that saloon would have been like an oven in the summer.

[Upcycler]

22 hours ago, JanetAnne said:

There was this one ( one of your own photo's I believe Peter) dated Jan 2011. I reckon that's a few years too late so you may well be onto something. 

At one point in her early life, this was someone's pride and joy. I hate to see boats looking like this. 

[JennyMorgan]

When she came out of the boatshed and down the slipway she would have been immaculate,  her hull varnished and glistening. Lenny Balls, the foreman boat builder, and Phil Crosland, yard owner, proud of yet another job well done. Their creations would sometimes go out on their first week's hire, only to return in a less than pristine condition, and the yard people would wonder why they had bothered. Then on Monday they would start building yet another immaculate boat! 

[JanetAnne]

2 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

When she came out of the boatshed and down the slipway she would have been immaculate,  her hull varnished and glistening. Lenny Balls, the foreman boat builder, and Phil Crosland, yard owner, proud of yet another job well done. Their creations would sometimes go out on their first week's hire, only to return in a less than pristine condition, and the yard people would wonder why they had bothered. Then on Monday they would start building yet another immaculate boat! 

Here she is in her prime

[Tobster]

On 06/05/2020 at 13:43, Dan said:

It was.  However I think the one in the photo i one of the Grebe's is probably Grebe 2 as the front (side) window doesn't quite look the same on Top Gem 1 to me.   Here is number 2 (ex 'Grebe 2).  It seems a real shame that there are no photo's of the two Turkish Desire's in the database....

Here as 3 photos I have, one leaving the builders, entering the water for the first time & just after launch

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, Tobster said:

Here as 3 photos I have, one leaving the builders, entering the water for the first time & just after launch

Spot on Tobster!