The Boats

The colourful boats set the scene at Crick Boat Show.  With several dozen floating boats within the marina, and a dozen or so land-based boats, you’ll be spoilt for choice.  Be sure to climb aboard a few and take a look inside for an insight into life on the waterways.  Presented by national and local boat builders and brokers, the narrowboats on display form the heart of the show.  More details of the boats that will be at the show will be released in due course.

Favourite Boat In Show

Vote for your  FAVOURITE BOAT OF SHOW and WIN £100 of Marks & Spencer vouchers PLUS Waterways World subscriptions

The Favourite Boat of Show competition is a tradition of Crick, brought to you by RoyScot Larch on the quayside. If you’re taking a look at the boats in the marina this year, make sure you pick up a voting slip and return it to the RoyScot Larch stand.  The boat with the most votes receives the award of Favourite Boat of Show, and this result is announced mid-afternoon on Monday. There is also a prize draw for all who voted to win a £100 Marks & Spencer voucher and Waterways World subscriptions! The winning exhibitor will receive a trophy and a bottle of champagne.

Winners in recent years include:

2012:
MGM Boats - Snail’s Pace
2011:
William Piper Narrowboats - Barolo
2010:
Barnowl Narrowboats - Oakapple

Day Boats

  At Crick Boat Show this year, visitors will be able to take a trip out onto the water to experience the Grand Union Canal on one of four day boats.

 The first boat, provided by Lime Farm Marina, is a 32ft day boat which seats 20. The second boat, Ouzel II, provided by Union Canal Carriers, is a 35ft boat and seats 12.  The third and fourth boats are provided by Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats and each can seat up to 12.

 To book your free 30-minute trip out onto the canal, visit the London Narrow Boat Project Marquee on the quayside (Q50) to select a time and obtain your ticket.
Day boats are scheduled to leave every ten minutes starting at 10.10am until 5.20pm.  The three boats will be leaving the marina on a rotational basis.
Make sure you take this opportunity to truly experience the Grand Union Canal during your visit to Crick!

Contacts

Blisworth Tunnel Narrowboats
01604 858868
dayboats@millwharfboats.co.uk
www.millwharfboats.co.uk

Lime Farm Marina
01788 570131
Cathiron, Rugby CV23 0JH
www.limefarmmarina.co.uk

Union Canal Carriers
01788 890784
Bottom Lock, Braunston, Daventry, Northants NN117HJ
bo@unioncanalcarriers.co.uk
www.unioncanalcarriers.co.uk

Historic Boats

Nutfield, Raymond, Sagitta, Mendip, President and Kildare will all be attending the 2013 Crick Boat Show.

Nutfield & Raymond

Raymond was built on Barlow’s Dock in Braunston in 1958 and was the last wooden working boat to be built in the UK. It was launched the same year, in the hands of Arthur and Rose Bray and Rose’s son, Ernie Kendall. Nutfield was built in 1936 by W.J. Yarwood & Sons of Northwich, for the Grand Union company.

The two boats were brought together by Blue Line in 1968 when the aging motor boat, Roger was replaced by the ex-GUCCCo Nutfield. Following the contraction in the use of the waterways, eventually only one contract remained for the pair: the delivery of coal from Warwickshire to the jam factory of Kearley & Tonge Ltd, in Southall. This too came to an end in 1970 with the closure of the factory and, with it, the era of cargo carrying on the canals.

After the end of the ‘Jam ‘Ole’ contract, Nutfield was sold and used as a passenger trip boat. The Brays continued to live in Raymond for many years, eventually passing it on to Jim & Doris Collins. By 1993, Raymond had deteriorated to the point of sinking and was towed away for eventual restoration.

The Friends of Raymond was formed in 1996 and took over ownership and responsibility for Raymond, which was in such poor condition that it had to be dismantled in situ at the Black Country Museum. In 2000, Phil Babb completed a total rebuild and, for several years, the restored boat was shown around the canals in its original Barlow’s livery. In 2003, the Friends also acquired Nutfield and reunited one of the last pairs to work on our canals. Raymond was repainted in Blue Line colours in 2007 and now awaits a complete repaint. Restoration of Nutfield is progressing slowly, as funds become available, but is now resplendent in the old Blue Line livery from 1968.

Summer 1969, Winkwell top lock. Rose Bray on board Raymond

Sagitta

Sagitta (Latin for ‘Arrow’) was built in 1935 by Yarwoods of Northwich on the River Weaver and was delivered to the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Limited. By early 1944, Sagitta was no longer in service and upon investigation, the boat was found to be in a very poor state, partly sunk and without an engine. 

In 1948, upon nationalisation, British Waterways took over Sagitta and changed the livery to their blue and yellow. During the 1960s, Sagitta delivered cargo including coal and then in 1974 became part of the British Waterways maintenance fleet.
  

In 1991, Sagitta was taken over by Staffordshire County Council who converted the hold into a floating class room, moved the engine and repainted the boat. Paired up with the butty, Carina, Sagitta attended events around the Staffordshire canals, for education on water safety and the history of the canal system. Around 2003, the boat was put into British Waterways’ Heritage Fleet and was taken to events on the BCN by the ‘Friends of the Working Boats’.
  

Dudley Canal Trust took over the responsibility of Sagitta in 2009, with the intention of taking the boat to canal rallies around the country, promoting the history and aims of the Trust as well as their boat trips into the Dudley Tunnel and Limestone Mines. That year, work to return the boat to its original 1935 GUCCC colours and livery was completed. Sagitta will be moored just outside the Black Country Living Museum when not touring.

Mendip

Mendip was built in 1948 by W.J. Yarwoods & Sons of Northwich for Fellows Morton and Clayton. She is 70ft long, with a composite hull of iron sides and wood bottom. Her current engine is an 18 bhp Lister FR2, installed in 1956 but, when built, was fitted with a 9 hp Swedish Bolinder semi-diesel engine. She is famed for her association with 'Chocolate Charlie' Atkins and her work on the chocolate crumb trade between Knighton and Bournville. She underwent a complete restoration at her home of the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port in 2009-2010 and made a gala return to Bournville in Summer 2010.

President

President was built as a steamer in 1909 at a cost of £600 in Fellows, Morton and Clayton’s company dock at Saltley, Birmingham. In 1925 President’s boiler and engine were replaced by a 15 horse power Bolinder. As part of the motorised fleet, President was soon able to tow a butty direct to Birmingham on the newly formed and widened Grand Union Canal. New routes and cargoes probably took President to Ellesmere Port, Liverpool and Manchester before she was sold twice and ended her working days with the British Waterways northern maintenance fleet. In 1973, President was advertised for sale as a derelict hull and was bought for restoration to its original appearance, complete with working steam plant; from 1978 she was operated as a museum piece throughout the canal system. 

President was bought by the Black Country Living Museum in 1983 and Friends of President was formed the following year to assist in the operation and maintenance.

Kildare

Built in 1913, and celebrating her centenary this year, Kildare was a horsedrawn boat and was also towed by steamers and diesel-engined boats. Kildare was built by Braithwaite and Kirk in West Bromwich, for Fellows Morton and Clayton, one of 24 similar composite (with wrought iron sides and elm bottom) butties. She traded throughout the canal system, carrying a variety of cargoes. After several changes of ownership, and a name change in 1957 to Snipe, the boat became part of Warwickshire Fly Boat’s fleet, under her original name. In 1991, Kildare was bought by the Black Country Living Museum, aided by Friends of President and a Science Museum grant and was extensively renovated in 1992. Kildare, although outwardly resembling a fully clothed working narrow boat, has been fitted out to provide accommodation and support facilities for President.

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