Lost their way?

byron

byron

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Reading all the positive postings about the Birchwood 25 and boats of similar ilk makes me think boat builders have lost their way.

It seems obvious to me there's a crying demand for a boat that looks like a boat and not a streamlined jelly mould. Perhaps this is why the Dutch Steelers are so popular for they too look 'right'.

Thank gawd! I thought it was me getting old and cratchity with my distaste of boats with curves and weird windows.

Taking Broom's as an example. The Broom Crown to me was the best looking boat they ever built and the design is as fresh today as it was in 1979.

How do others feel?
 
I agree with you Byron, when we were looking for a boat we wanted one that looked like a boat and so ended up with Dutch Steel. Brooms were just leaving the mould so glad we didn't go that route as much as I had admired Brooms from the 60's.
 
I know what you mean Byron. I've always thought that old Birchwoods, Freemans and Brooms look at home on the Upper Thames whilst more modern cruisers look better at sea.

Thinking back to our first boat, a Freeman 22 mk1 which we bought in the mid 80's, I always felt the rounded coachroof and round cornered windows made it look old fashioned. I much prefered the more angular lines of the Freeman 27 and felt it looked more modern. Seems strange then that some 25 years on, I still find the more angular boats are more appealing than the newer rounded type.

Quite the reverse with cars though. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
as a raggie, can I say that I agree completely. The only mobos in the marina that make me think twice about changing from sail are the Dutch steel ones. It's their intrinsic beauty and self-evident seaworthiness, allied to the lovely "dong" factor, rather than "splinter".
 
What's wrong with jelly moulds! been sailing one for years. Joann is hot moulded ply and that only seems to come in curves. Unashamed curvy raggy post. But I do agree that the Dutch have a way with steel and produce some beautiful craft however they are powered.
 
I am very fond of the old rounded GRP stuff (Such as the Norman and Freeman stuff of the 60s/70s) but they all look a little sad nowadays, while the later square stuff such as the Mirage and Princess ranges of the late 70's to late 80's looked just right, and nicer than the pointy stuff which followed.

Modern Med style sport cruisers (Bayliner/ Maxum/ Regal type) look very sexy, but are not as suited to the upper Thames, as the traditional stuff.

One wonders, as styling changed and evolved, if practicality was binned in favour of looks. It seems that way...

Given the frequency of Locks, one needs to be able to walk around a boats perimeter fairly easily, the boat should steer straight, and be broad of beam enough to sleep on comfortably, while dynamics and performance play a very secondary role, while at sea, one may be far more interested in Seaworthiness in poor conditions, and performance.

Therefore, as far as non tidal use is concerned, the traditional GRP cruisers are superior IMHO.
 
As you found with Shamby, it is a case of Horses for Courses.
The best thing for non-tidal Thames is a displacement craft with good accomodation and decent decks. Haines and Sheerline also do some nice river cruisers. (Sheerline even do one that can get under Osney Bridge, something a Birchwood 25 cannot do!).
 
The twin Volvo powered model will with a good run up, apparently.

The end result looks more like a Shetland 570 though.... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
SWMBO was quite taken by the Antaris boat at Earls Court. so much so that SHE has been pricing them up. Scary... nice boat though and a nice simple design. A bit like our Freeman but modern.
 
That was our fave boat too! (As the Riva wasn't for sale)

I loved the retro colours (A bit like my Shetland 570, but with the rope, and a Blue hull) and smart interior, and it was all so practical and easy to live with.

I think the Birchwoods hard top might be nice though....no doubt time will tell.

The Boatshow model was well over £70K though, so perhaps the basic model at £53K is a little crappy by comparison?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sheerline even do one that can get under Osney Bridge, something a Birchwood 25 cannot do!).

[/ QUOTE ] Ken Grimes, who some on here will know, had a Birchwood 25 that would indeed get under Osney. I seem to remember he had to make some of the hard-top mounted 'ornaments' detachable or at least foldable, then it would just slide under.* Even better than that, one Richard Orton has a hard-top Birchwood 33 that will go under, and did all the necessary work himself. I'm sure he would advise if anyone wanted to follow suit.

Byron - being a Dutch steeler ( or should that be 'stealer'?) myself I can only concur. They look right, are extremely stable, have very usable side-decks and the interior design makes maximum use of the space. Can't see myself ever wanting anything else.

* Helen Grimes is the only woman I know who would cook a full roast dinner, on their B25, when they were out on a Sunday!!
 
There is a Birchwood 25 at Bray that has no hardtop and (I think) a folding windscreen.

Not sure of the full story now, but I think the owner said it was built that way rather than being a conversion.

I do sometimes wish for an opening side window by the helm in the summer, and it would help with communication, but other than that I am happy with the hardtop.
 
Ken & helen Grimes. Still members of the Ditch although they now live in Jockland and rarely if ever come down to see their Profile 33 which is at that little Marina below Mapledurham Lock.
 
Agree an opening side window would be a great improvement. I love the hard top as it really makes it feel like another cabin when moored up. Only issue is on very hot days (so not often lol) it can be a little warm behind all the glass, hence my addition of a small 12 volt fan at the helm. Apart from that no problem. On communication if older son is in non hearing mode I stick my head through the sun roof and politely ask him to move his A**e /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
You can be face to face with the average teenager and still be "not heard"!

I have found girls are worse... a terse instruction can open floodgates...... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
An opening side window would indeed be very useful on the B25, used to find it like sitting in a greenhouse when helming on a hot day.

Solved the problem by sitting on the hard top and steering by dangling my feet down through the sunroof!

Was fine for normal steering going along the river but a bit awkward for sudden evasive manouvers like when a rower gets in the way - much better vantage point to watch them sink from up there though...
 
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