The worst design ever!

[Maxwellian]

I saw on like like that being advertised by one of the hire yards a couple of years ago. I can agree that the looks were not at all aesthetic.

[gancanny]

  are you referring to the lovable  DC30 

 

   they are a very popular boat in the private sector now the hire yards have no use for them

 

  i believe richardsons still have one on the fleet,  refurbished only 2 or 3 years ago

[MauriceMynah]

I quite like the DC30, but as was said at the start of this thread, beauty is very subjective. For my part, the design I find least attractive is the ferry marine's "Diamond Emblem". It further rubs salt into the wound as the Ernest Collins boat of the same name was, in my opinion, one of the best "lookers" on the broads

[Matt]

It's probably not surprising that the 'Commodore Bridgemaster' (aka Thunder) type from Broom was by far the best effort.

I do love the space that Thunder brings, particularly the really large saloon but she is not perfect-the kitchen is a bit of a corridor so difficult to pass etc and there is a third shower off of the saloon which is almost pointless as to use it you would have to close all the curtains and with a boat of that size I would imagine it's often two families onboard and nobody wants to see me getting out the shower!

[Oddfellow]

The Dandy does nothing for me because of the huge forward window which is a bit of a trademark design on many of these. The centrecockpit ones are particularly displeasing to my eye.

 

I've never been a lover of many Shetland designs either.

 

Thunder's layout is a curious one with that third shower. Nice idea for the heated towel rail in there, but the compartment would have been better suited as something else.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Yeah.. The shower was an odd addition.

 

 

 

I`ve been considering buying a share on one of these, and have looked on both of them. I did remark when i saw this shower cubicle that it would make an ideal "wet locker" if coming down from the high level steering position, so you`re not dripping water through the aft cabin from wet weather gear.  When talking to the share owners of Lightning in June, they pointed out that some owners have made the comment that as a dedicated shower room, it`s good to use, as you`re not getting everything else in the toilet compartment soaking wet, which i have to say is a good point.

[Matt]

they pointed out that some owners have made the comment that as a dedicated shower room, it`s good to use, as you`re not getting everything else in the toilet compartment soaking wet, which i have to say is a good point.

As long as you don't mind shutting all the curtains and then traipsing through the boat dripping wet to go and get dressed! You also them have to find somewhere to put the mop and other stuff that sits in the shower

The front toilet/shower is far bigger and better to use in my opinion!

[LondonRascal]

I think we all know any boat is going to be somewhat of a comprmise...It just seems some designers perhaps thought  that people would compromise more than they may have in the end.

 

It is why some boats go on and on and reamin popular with owners and hirers alike, and others slink off after a few years to be forgotten.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

There are (were) two firms going by the name of Dawncraft - your Dandy is built by the one that was based in Worcestershire, whereas I think Andy is referring to the one based in Wroxham. Whilst they did build some nice looking wooden boats, in later years IIRC they were responsible for possibly the worst hull design in the forward-steer bathtub category. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it has fairly sharp corners at either side of the bows, and pretty much every example I've seen now has stainless steel reinforcement (or other less aesthetically pleasing) over them, as they're incredibly vulnerable to impact damage.

 

 

Hi Teademon, from the way you describe it, it sounds like you`re referring to the "Foster 30", which has one of the ugliest hulls ever made. Barnes Brinkcraft had a much longer version which was a cut and shut job, which ended up sunk at Marina Quays for a couple of years, due to the joint between the two seperate hull and superstructure mouldings splitting. I saw this boat ashore at Wayford Marine having been recovered and gutted, with the joint being repaired and strengthening frames being bonded in.the hull sides.

 

The Dawncraft design from Wroxham was the Illusion and ilusive 37, which was a seriously ugly piece of work, with a terrible layout.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I think there`s been quite a few ugly pigs around, Barnes Brinkcraft had one which was a high top design, with a farly narrow beam, hideous.

 

another one i`ve never really warmed to is the latest Alph range with the tear drop windows and rounded roof, a real pig to be honest.

 

I`ve never really liked the sports cruiser designs, as what`s the point of having something that looks a million dollars, but goes like 50cents, if you knw what i mean?.

 

But i think the one that tops the bill in outright pig ugliness has to be the Le Boat design with the high top right at the back. It looks like they thought they had to come up with something differnt, so they designed something that did`nt look like anything else just for the sake of it.

 

Some of the best broads designs came from the 70s and 80, and are still good to look at today, with barely a few from the 90s making it in there.

[teadaemon]

Hi Teademon, from the way you describe it, it sounds like you`re referring to the "Foster 30", which has one of the ugliest hulls ever made. Barnes Brinkcraft had a much longer version which was a cut and shut job, which ended up sunk at Marina Quays for a couple of years, due to the joint between the two seperate hull and superstructure mouldings splitting. I saw this boat ashore at Wayford Marine having been recovered and gutted, with the joint being repaired and strengthening frames being bonded in.the hull sides.

 

The Dawncraft design from Wroxham was the Illusion and ilusive 37, which was a seriously ugly piece of work, with a terrible layout.

 

You're correct, the Foster 30 and 45 were the two designs I was thinking of, and they're amongst the ugliest floating objects (I'm not sure they deserve to be called boats) it's ever been my misfortune to lay eyes on. Sadly they're not the worst I've seen, that title is shared by a few home built steel canal boats I've come across on eBay (unfortunately I don't have pictures, although unless you have copious quantities of eye bleach to hand, you may appreciate this). There seem to be a few people out there who think that because they can weld steel, they can build a canal boat, and the design isn't that important. I've never quite understood the mentality of somebody that will put hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds into a project, but baulk at paying several hundred quid to buy an off-the-shelf set of plans for the hull.

[Oddfellow]

While you're talking about ugly hulls, the Mediterranean was never something I gazed longinly at.

[therealist]

Maybe its just me but I quite like the Kingfisher boat, hasnt that one recently come of hire? Hence the reason for sale?

[Oddfellow]

There were only 2 kingfisher 44s made. The last one in hire was a sponsored boat with DRL at Womack last year.

 

Both are on sale currently with different brokers.

[therealist]

I know NYA has one but who is marketing the other?

[loribear]

I think the sedan type of boat is my favourite kind, as it's roomy & warm & i like the sliding doors at the back which is good for reversing, but the one i think is the ugliest boat is one ive seen up stalham i think it was, it is a very wide bathtub type of boat but which looks like it"s got a damn greenhouse on the front yuk. Lori

[MBA Marine]

I know NYA has one but who is marketing the other?

Broads boat sales were/are marketing Krista mian.

BBS Was run by Steve and his wife Loraine, but Steve sadly passed away recently so im not sure what the business's current status is.

 

I suspect the Kingfisher boats will rapidly loose value over the next couple of years until they are affordable by livaboards, the space inside those boats if used a little differently is incredible and they would convert easily. 

[therealist]

Incredible difference in asking price between the 2 Kingfishers! I know one looks better than the other but £30050 difference?? The sums are not adding up!

[MBA Marine]

Incredible difference in asking price between the 2 Kingfishers! I know one looks better than the other but £30050 difference?? The sums are not adding up!

If you look up close there is not that much to choose between them, Krista mian has a better engine in a Nanni, and its paintwork took less of a bashing than the other (formerly DRL's Dream Time) but both are painted and both far from mint.

 

There is no justification for the difference in the asking price other than the owner of Krista mian is a little deluded and refuses to reduce it. As I have said before I have worked on both both boats this year so have been able to compare the two.

[Oddfellow]

I think that's the one Andy was talking about, too... They're pretty.... er.... Special :naughty:

 

 

Ah, Hermes. That's one "special" vessel...

 

Horning Sailing Club has a refitted Mediterranean that was gutted and rebuilt at Woods Dyke by ANH Yachting a few years ago, I have to say that the sense of space inside these is amazing, but the slab-fronted visual of the hull.superstructure aren't pleasing to my eye.

 

Clearly lends itself to being a conservatory though.

[therealist]

I may be a little stupid, but I would be interested in having one of them, just not at those prices!! Especially with painted hulls etc but interior space wise they have much potential!

[therealist]

Having never been onboard either, on paper the layout looks fairly decent, I have children so the aft cabins would be ideal for them. That aside I am thinking more of using one of the rooms to store all your gear, fishing tackle, tools coats shoes etc, it could be all organised tidy with racks for rods etc. (im a bit OCD lol) a full re-upholster on the one the NYA are selling and in my view you would have a very comfortable boat. A bit of tidying Jobs here and there and I think it would be great, that is.....providing it is totally dry from above to begin with. My current boat has a rather large canopy on top which is where all the gear gets stored when we are onboard, its good but not ideal for the broads, a lower overall airdraft would be better !

[MBA Marine]

Having never been onboard either, on paper the layout looks fairly decent, I have children so the aft cabins would be ideal for them. That aside I am thinking more of using one of the rooms to store all your gear, fishing tackle, tools coats shoes etc, it could be all organised tidy with racks for rods etc. (im a bit OCD lol) a full re-upholster on the one the NYA are selling and in my view you would have a very comfortable boat. A bit of tidying Jobs here and there and I think it would be great, that is.....providing it is totally dry from above to begin with. My current boat has a rather large canopy on top which is where all the gear gets stored when we are onboard, its good but not ideal for the broads, a lower overall airdraft would be better !

You have more of a chance getting a deal on the one with NYA, the owner is a nice chap and although he is not about to give it away he does need to shift it, it got moved to NYA's brokerage to make use of free mooring with them!  I spotted no leaks inside and it has most toys you would want inside, Bowthruster, Shore power + inverter. Not sure about a immersion that might be one upgrade needed.

 

Duel helm gives a nice option, up high in the cockpit gives a good view and great vision of the vessel for maneuvering, and up fwd for rainy or freezing cold days.

 

You should view them both, its always fun having a snout around boats.

[therealist]

I need to do some grovelling I think. An immersion is an easy Job for me aslong the tank will take one, I enjoy tinkering and improving upgrading as I go along so it would be ideal for me. Exterior and underwater condition is what I am most concerned about and wether the windows leak when it rains. Its a nuisance if they do. Everything else is within my capabilities in time.

[ExSurveyor]

My Topliner is moored next to a Foster 30, it does make my boat seem good in comparison, we have not quite blighted our stretch of the Yare, yet...