All these craft normally attend the Thames Traditional Boat Rally at Henley on Thames each summer, and you can see them there "in the flesh"
NAME: "TAGGS"Type: Swiss Racing Launch
Year: 1909
Builder: Megevet of Geneve, Switzerland
Length: 33 ft.
Engine: Ford Model "B"
Details: 4 Cylinder Petrol
Hull: Carvel Planked Mahogany
Moored: Staines, River Thames.
Notes: Typical racing boat of the period - high turtle-back and decks to keep out spray, and very pronounced tumble-home aft, to avoid squatting. .
NAME:"STRAIGHT ACROSS"
Type:"Everyman" Class Cruiser
Year:1951
Designer:ARC Marine
Builder:ARC Marine, Littlehampton
Length:30ft, 2 inches
Beam:8ft, 6 inches
Draft:3ft, 3 inches
Engine:BMC
Details:1500c.c. Diesel
Hull:Carvel, Mahogany on Oak
Superstructure:Mahogany
Moored:Hurley-on-Thames
Notes:Motor Cruiser with steadying sails, many built from 1947 to 1955, 3 still on the Thames and others on the English Coast. Originally had Chrysler Crown petrol engine.
NAME: "FLYING SPRAY"
Type: Saloon Launch
Year: Circa 1924
Builder: H. Gibbs, Trowlock Island, Thames
Length: 30 ft
Beam: 6 ft, 10 inches
Draft: 18 inches
Engine: Morris Navigator
Details: 1500 c.c. (27 HP) Petrol
Hull: Carvel, Mahogany on Sitka Spruce
Superstructure: Mahogany, Etched Glass
NAME: "NOMADS"
Type: Centre Wheelhouse TSDY
Year: 1962
Designer: John Bain
Builder: Seaborne Yacht Co.
Length: 30 ft
Beam: 8 ft, 10 inches
Draft: 3 ft, 8 inches
Engine: Twin BMC Newage
Details: 1500 c.c. Diesels
Hull: Carvel. Teak Bottom, Honduras Mahogany Topsides
Superstructure: Teak
Moored: Thames Ditton, Thames
Notes: Originally had twin-cylinder Petter engines. Spent many years in the Bristol Channel and around the coast of Devon, England.
NAME: "HERO"
Type: Steam Launch
Year: Circa 1890
Builder: Probably Andrews of Maidenhead
Length: 35 ft
Beam: 7 ft, 6 inches
Draft: 2 ft, 3 inches
Engine: LIFU Compound Steam Engine
Details: Compound 2.25x4.75x3 (7 HP)
Hull: Carvel. Teak on Oak Frames
Superstructure: Mahogany Canopy on Brass Stanchions
Notes: She has a clipper bow and a counter stern. She has seating for ten people, and was originally an electrically-driven Thames tripper launch named the "Avondale". The present steam engine was fitted 1971. She appeared on BBC TV's Series "The Onedin Line".
NAME: "MARAIME" (pron. mar-ray-me)
Type: Centre Wheelhouse TSDY
Year: 1938
Designer: Robert Clarke
Builder: Burnes of Bosham
Length: 34 ft , 9 inches
Beam: 9 ft, 6 inches
Draft: 3 ft, 9 inches
Engine: Twin BMC/Newage "Commander"
Details: 2300 c.c. Diesels
Hull: Carvel. Pitchpine on Oak
Superstructure: Marine Ply/Mahogany
Moored: Trowlock Island, Thames
Notes: Same designer as Francis Chichester's "Gypsy Moth III". She started life on the English South Coast, "joined" the Navy during WW2, was then on the East Coast at Norwich, and finally the River Thames. Had petrol engines until 1959.
NAME: "MINIE-SHOO-SHOO"
Type: Motor Canoe
Year: 1926
Designer: Hobbs
Builder: Hobbs of Henley-on-Thames
Length: 27 ft, 4 inches
Beam: 4 ft, 6 inches
Draft: 1 ft, 3 inches
Engine: Ford Watermota
Details: 1600c.c. 4-Cylinder Petrol
Hull: Carvel, Honduras Mahogany on Oak
Moored: Edgewood, Cookham Dean
NAME: "PIROSKA"
Type:Motor Canoe
Year: 1935
Builder: Bonds
Length: 25 ft
Beam: 4 ft
Draft: 1 ft, 8 inches
Engine: Gaines Universal
Details: 10 HP Petrol
Hull: Carvel, Mahogany on Oak
Moored: Windsor, River Thames
NAME: "MASSEY SHAW"
Type: London Fire Brigade tender
Year: 1935
Designer: J. Samuel White
Builder: J. Samuel White
Length: 78 ft
Beam: 19 ft 6 inches
Draft: ?
Engine: Glennifer
Details: 2, 8-Cylinder Diesels
Hull: Rivetted Steel
Superstructure: Rivetted Steel
Moored: West India Docks, Thames
Notes: A "Dunkirk Little Ship", she was built at Cowes, Isle of Wight. Pumps capable of 3000 gallons/min at 80 psi. Very active during Dunkirk evacuation. Retired from duty in 1970
NAME: "JOMARIC"
Type: Wind Boat
Year: 1947
Designer: Graham Bunn
Builder: Graham Bunn of Wroxham
Length: 32 ft
Beam: 10 ft 6 inches
Draft: 2 ft 3 inches
Engine: Ailsa Craig "Albin"
Details: 16 hp A.B.2 Diesel
Hull: Carvel, Mahogany and Teak
Superstructure: Mahogany and Teak
Moored: Wilson's of Sunbury
Notes: A Norfolk Broads "Windboat". Owner Mr Vernon Willey.
NAME: "ARTHUR"
Type: Open Launch
Year: 1962
Builder: James Silver
Length:13 ft 6 inches
Beam: 5 ft
Draft: 1 ft 6 inches
Engine: Stuart Turner P6M
Details: 5 hp Petrol
Hull: Clinker, Mahogany on Rock Elm
Moored: Wey Meadows, Weybridge
Notes: Built as a ship's launch for the M.Y. Mary Fisher. Shown receiving the Bull Smith Trophy at the Thames Traditional Boat Rally 1995. Now owned by Mr and Mrs Guy Cooke
NAME: "LADY EVELYN II"
Type: Cruiser
Year: 1963
Builder: Johnson Jago & Sons, Leigh-on-Sea
Length: 27 ft
Beam: 8 ft 6 inches
Draft: 2 ft 9 inches
Engine: BMC Navigator
Details: 1800 cc
Hull: Hard Chine, Semi-diagonal Carvel Planked, Teak on Oak
Superstructure: Mahogany Marine Ply
Moored: Bates Marina, Chertsey, Thames
Notes: Cruised extensively on the Thames and other rivers. Restoration in 1994 at Dennett's Boatyard.
NAME: "FANTASY II"
Type: Cabin Cruiser
Year: 1959
Builder: Tough Brothers, Teddington, Thames
Length: 40 ft
Beam: 11 ft 10 inches
Draft: 4 ft 10 inches
Engine: Twin FODEN FD4
Details: 120 hp Diesels
Hull: Pitch Pine on Oak
Superstructure: Teak
Moored: Staines, Thames
Notes: Cruised extensively at sea. Owned by Peter and Jean Towerzey. New engines built by Rolls Royce.
Other Pages To Visit:
- "The Thames Traditional Boat Rally " home page
- - Now has three large new galleries of amazing photographs!!
- The Thames Vintage Boat Club page
- - Now has an enlarged gallery of members boats
- our page of Other Boating Sites on The Internet
Thank you for visiting our site.
Any suggestions or comments welcome - mail me at
- mike@phillipsweb.co.uk)
Mike Phillips - Webmaster
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