Brooklands Aviation Dolphin 16 - any info gratefully accepted

[lolbeck]

We have chanced upon a Dolphin 16 that is an ex-hire boat for Hoseasons but know nothing more about it and have found little by googling. So I am asking if anyone here can tell us more.....

She is in excellent condition all told - we have reason to believe that she has been stored under cover on her trailer since the 70s. I am pretty sure the hull is wood but again seems very sound and she appears to be in original condition inside too - has a cooker with tuck away sink under and a loo bit. She has a sliding roof to allow access at the back - a lot like a mini narrow boat.

In truth I think all she needs is a bit of spit and polish and she will be a cracker (safety certificate needed obviously though am hoping this will be fairly straight forward as I assume hire boats were well maintained during their working lives and I don't think she has done a lot else.)

The plate says she was manfactured by Brooklands Aviation Ltd, Northampton (serial no. 1277) though most Brooklands boats appear to have been made somewhere in Surrey....?

I have tried to add photos without success.......I will try again.

Can anyone tell us anymore about her, her age or her manufacturers and whether there is an owners club or similar?

Many thanks.

Laura

Edit to try photos again......

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/lolbeckphotos/BLUETIT002.jpg

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/lolbeckphotos/BLUETIT003.jpg

 

[Tremlett 15]

We have chanced upon a Dolphin 16 that is an ex-hire boat for Hoseasons but know nothing more about it and have found little by googling. So I am asking if anyone here can tell us more.....

She is in excellent condition all told - we have reason to believe that she has been stored under cover on her trailer since the 70s. I am pretty sure the hull is wood but again seems very sound and she appears to be in original condition inside too - has a cooker with tuck away sink under and a loo bit. She has a sliding roof to allow access at the back - a lot like a mini narrow boat.

In truth I think all she needs is a bit of spit and polish and she will be a cracker (safety certificate needed obviously though am hoping this will be fairly straight forward as I assume hire boats were well maintained during their working lives and I don't think she has done a lot else.)

The plate says she was manfactured by Brooklands Aviation Ltd, Northampton (serial no. 1277) though most Brooklands boats appear to have been made somewhere in Surrey....?

I have tried to add photos without success.......I will try again.

Can anyone tell us anymore about her, her age or her manufacturers and whether there is an owners club or similar?

Many thanks.

Laura

Edit to try photos again......

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/lolbeckphotos/BLUETIT002.jpg

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu201/lolbeckphotos/BLUETIT003.jpg

great find, I have a 1971 Dolphin brochure ( in colour ) that includes ur boat "Dolphin 16 Forward Drive" production was suspended in 1969 but was restarted in 1971 due to demand, standard spec LOA 16' beam 6' 6" weight 406 kg ( 8 cwt ) cost in 1971 £ 560 ex motor ex works, skin ( sides & bottom ) 9mm ply, stem 3" laminated ply, keel 1" iroko, hog 4" x 1" Mahogany, chine 3" x 2" laminated ply, deck 9mm ply, transom 36mm laminated ply, cockpit & cabin sole 12mm ply, frames 4" x 7/8" mahogany , all ply to BS 1088,

Brooklands Aviation ltd, Marine division, Buttocks Booth, Northamtpom. NN3 1QH.

If you send me a PM with ur real name & postal address, I will send you a colour photocopy of the complete brochure.

T 15 ( Austin )

 

[Ratty and Moley]

Brooklands Aviation were at Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Well known for their Tiger Moths painted in a distinctive nlack lower fuselage and red upper and nose with silver wings - in fact there are a few still painted thus and at least one based at Sywell still in those colours. First time I have heard of them building boats though.

She looks a nice craft and will indeed look nice when buffed up.

 

[lolbeck]

If you send me a PM with ur real name & postal address, I will send you a colour photocopy of the complete brochure.

T 15 ( Austin )

Thank you so much - that would be fantastic!

And it is interesting to know that she was made by the same folk that made Tiger Moths so thanks for that info, Ratty and Moley. I assume there was only one Brooklands Aviation.......?

She is lovely - not a true 'classic' but she most certainly has a yesteryear charm about her.

Is there any way to find out when she was built, do you know. The serial number isn't bringing anything obvious up on google.

Thanks again both.

 

[malcolm2]

Cannot remember the exact history Brooklands Aviation but think it goes somewhere along the lines that they were indeed originally based at Brooklands in Surrey, but moved to Sywell Aerodrome, before or during the second world war, building war time light aircraft such as Tiger Moths, and sub assemblies for other larger aircraft.

Like many such companies when the war finished they had to find alternative markets for the wood working skills. Hence the move into boat building. In the late sixties early seventies they moved on to using GRP hulls, instead of marine ply, although the decks and superstructures were still largely wood.

Seem to remember that one of the original Fairline sales directors (Bill Buxton) had a connection with either Brooklands or Kitchener Marine who were at Bedford, and at one time were Dolphin dealers.

Back in the early 70's My first boat was a 20. Also had a 24. Like all wooden boats providing they are looked after, they will go on for years. If not looked after, then they very quickly go beyond economic repair.

 

[Tremlett 15]

Thank you so much - that would be fantastic!

And it is interesting to know that she was made by the same folk that made Tiger Moths so thanks for that info, Ratty and Moley. I assume there was only one Brooklands Aviation.......?

She is lovely - not a true 'classic' but she most certainly has a yesteryear charm about her.

Is there any way to find out when she was built, do you know. The serial number isn't bringing anything obvious up on google.

Thanks again both.

cant help with the dates/serial No's, my brochure which is 1971 covers:
24' aft cockpit, 24' centre cockpit, 20' outboard or sterndrive cruiser, 19' mk 2 2 & 4 berth outboard cruiser, 16' dayboat or forward drive, Wincheon boat trailers for Dolphins & construction spec, ( for all models was still all plywood construction., the marine division at Buttocks Booth was 70,000 sq ft used solely for marine.

I have it colour copied & it will be in the post tomorrow, 1st class. ( give a few £££'s to RNLI to cover post & colour copying )

Austin ( T 15 )

 

[lolbeck]

( give a few £££'s to RNLI to cover post & colour copying )

Austin ( T 15 )

I most certainly will.

Thanks again.

 

[Tremlett 15]

I have it colour copied & it will be in the post tomorrow, 1st class.

Austin ( T 15 )

sorry, delay in the post.........Mrs T15 forgot to post it yesterday.............but its in the post today, I hope.

 

[lolbeck]

The brochure arrived yesterday - thank you so much T 15. Donation made as promised.

I think I know what I will be doing this weekend...................

 

[Tremlett 15]

The brochure arrived yesterday - thank you so much T 15. Donation made as promised.

I think I know what I will be doing this weekend...................

no problem..........

If you are holding onto the Dophin, you may want to consider joining

www.cmba-uk.com

I think we have one Dolphin in the "club" ( in Scotland ), we have w/e meets / rallies & with ur boat you have free accommodation,

 

[jazzert100]

Dolphin 16

We used to have one on Loch Lomond at Rowerdennan in the 70's.
My brothers and I's daily chore was to pump her out every morning it always had a good 3" of water inside.
Nothing worse than if you were sleeping in her and you forgot and put your bare foot into freezing water.
We fibreglassd the hull bit she still leaked.
It had an aincient 18 hp Evinrude like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WHqRvc5-zM
It was enough to get her on the plane,however we craved speed and power
and upgraded to an aincient 35 hp Evinrude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-Bgm8frmw
The 35 was certainly faster but a whole lot more unreliable probably not helped by having a 10 year old adjust the carb settings on the move as my dad was upfront driving and I tweaked the carbs just to try and get a little more rpm!
I was a highly trained technician having already mastered meccano and lego!!
Ours was affectionatley known as the "Balmaha Bus" and we crusied up and down Loch Lomond for years with probably far too many people inside and outside clinging to the roof.
It could handle wild weather pretty well as we got caught in a few scarey trips through 4 foot waves.

 

[malgre5419]

Dolphin Cabin Cruisers

Hi All,
and I know I'm a bit late, but I only just found this posting. I worked for Brooklands Aviation, building Dolphin Cruisers. Brooklands were based at buttocks booth, Lumbertubs lane, Northampton, and they used to have the contract to repair all the Royal Air Force trainer aircraft before they were Jet trainers, They also build Dolphin Cruisers to compensate for low work load on the Aircraft side. Originally all the hulls were bs 1088 marine ply skins, but lated we moved over to GRP, we made our own plugs from which we made the Moulds. They made boats from a 16' day boad upto a 24' wide beam cruiser, they also made a 23' centre cockpit narrow boat for the canals. They were really good times, but eventually Brooklands went bust and the boat building side was sold to a company in Southampton, the work force all had the chance to move down there, but I stayed in Northampton. I still have Pics of the original plywood boats.

 

[Shorecroft]

Hello Laura

I've just come across your post on the Dolphin 16, can you tell me what has happened to it? I remember these boats from my childhood and quite like the idea of acquiring one but you never see them around.

 

[ROBBIE82]

Dolphin Cabin Cruisers

Hi All,
and I know I'm a bit late, but I only just found this posting. I worked for Brooklands Aviation, building Dolphin Cruisers. Brooklands were based at buttocks booth, Lumbertubs lane, Northampton, and they used to have the contract to repair all the Royal Air Force trainer aircraft before they were Jet trainers, They also build Dolphin Cruisers to compensate for low work load on the Aircraft side. Originally all the hulls were bs 1088 marine ply skins, but lated we moved over to GRP, we made our own plugs from which we made the Moulds. They made boats from a 16' day boad upto a 24' wide beam cruiser, they also made a 23' centre cockpit narrow boat for the canals. They were really good times, but eventually Brooklands went bust and the boat building side was sold to a company in Southampton, the work force all had the chance to move down there, but I stayed in Northampton. I still have Pics of the original plywood boats.

Some fantastic information ? I would love to see some of the pics you have .

 

[Stuart dolphin16]

Hello, here is my Dolphin 16. She is on the Shropshire and Llangollen canal where she started her journey in 1964. Best wishes.

 

[Eccythump]

Hi, I also have a Dolphin 16, love using her on the local river and Windermere, I’ll enclose a few pictures. I also have one of the original Wincheon trailers

 

[Eccythump]

I have a Mercury 6hp twin on her at the moment, but would ideally like to purchase an outboard with a few more hp. Ideally a 50hp, if anyone knows of a good condition classic that’s available please? I’d be very interested.

 

[Stuart dolphin16]

Well, she is splendid indeed. Thank you for sharing. I am having some trouble with the cabin controls at the moment, and have taken them off to try to improve them. I would love a chat if you have time. 07855278915. Thank you.

 

[WOODY57]

Hello all, whilst searching for information about 2 boats I have, built by Brooklands Aviation Northamptonshire
I came across this thread and wonder if anyone has further information
Boat 1 Dolphin 19 on its original Wincheon trailer
Boat 2 Solent 16 complete with trailer and Johnstone out board

Thanks in advance
Woody57

 

[Refueler]

I have the Bristows 1968 book ... and sadly the 16 is not mentioned .. but book has full entries for :

Dolphin 19 Mk II
Dolphin 20
Dolphin 23

All listed as Cold moulded Marine Ply on Mahogany frames ..... must be a bit before the GRP ones.

I must admit that I have a liking for the older boats sail and motor. They seem to have character in their form. Not like todays modern boats. Guy in next house from me has a new 12m MoBo ... which looks horrendous !