Norseman Motor Sailer

[Caer Urfa]

Anybody got or had a Norseman 33 Motor Sailer, I am doing some research on them and trying to find out who made the GRP hulls and how many were made, maybe Colvic or Tyler boats.

Please send a PM and I will get back to you.

Thanks
Mike

 

[scottie]

Not sure about motor sailer but there was a Norseman built by Aberdour
Marine designed by GL Watson twin thorny croft engines (standard diesels)
I don't don't think that they would do their own mouldings so Colvin may have done them
Mcgloughlan who was g l watson at that time was involved as I remember .

 

[Caer Urfa]

Many thanks scottie for your info, I have had a good reponse by PM and hopefully I will get some answers to a couple of bits of the missing information I want
BUT it is the little bits of information that solves big puzzles.

Mike

 

[LadyInBed]

The Good Yacht Guide (Motor Sailers) has this to say:
(it looks like it was reviewed in MBY in 68 and PBO in 69)

 

[Colvic Watson]

They don't seem to fetch so much now, shame really, a nice design. Weren't they a touch narrow by Colvic Watson standards? And I think the aft cabin is quite small with a relatively low ceiling and stern that begins to tuck up and in?Pretty boats, there was one for sale at Shotley, we did consider it.

 

[PCUK]

I had a copy of MBY with the test of the first one to leave the factory. Appended below (hope it is large enough to read) I Was given a hull and superstructure for the 33 a few years ago that had never been fitted out. (It was in the way and was going to be cut up) Cleaned and polished it and sold for £10,500. Would like a few more like that!!!

 

[Caer Urfa]

They don't seem to fetch so much now, shame really, a nice design. Weren't they a touch narrow by Colvic Watson standards? And I think the aft cabin is quite small with a relatively low ceiling and stern that begins to tuck up and in?Pretty boats, there was one for sale at Shotley, we did consider it.

Hi Simon

The Norsman and the Spey class motor Sailer were the forerunners to the Colvic Watson as they were both also designed by G L Watson & Co 'but' they are two entirely differant designs of boat that's why I am researching them for my final part 3 of the History of the Colvic Watson Motor Sailer as many of the details of the Norsemen and Spey class can also be found in the Colvic Watson.

The Norseman 33 is indeed much narrower in the beam (10') than the CW 34'-6" (13') and somewhat lighter depending on the engines fitted and the CW 34'-6" is a much bigger/heavier boat all round.

Many of the Norsmen were also built at Aberdour Marine !

Mike

 

[Caer Urfa]

I had a copy of MBY with the test of the first one to leave the factory. If I can find it I'll scan it for you. I Was given a hull and superstructure for the 33 a few years ago that had never been fitted out. (It was in the way and was going to be cut up) Cleaned and polished it and sold for £10,500. Would like a few more like that!!!

PCUK

Thanks, that will be very usefull if you can find a copy as many times the small bits of info are the key to many puzzles
PM me and I will send my e-mail address
Mike

 

[Caer Urfa]

The Good Yacht Guide (Motor Sailers) has this to say:
(it looks like it was reviewed in MBY in 68 and PBO in 69)

Thanks mate another bit of usefull information.

Mike

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Norseman was developed from GL Watson Lifeboat

I always thought that the Norseman 33 was developed from a ships lifeboat with its semi rounded transom and this extract from the following advert would seem to confirm that

http://www.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=221219

Quote The hull design of this boat was developed from a ship's lifeboat hull design by GL Watson and built by Viking Marine.

To be honest I do not see the “blood line” between the Norseman 33 and the Colvic as the entire hull shape looks different whereas the Spey as built by Jones of Buckie were based on fishing boat lines. The Spey however had a true canoe stern coming to a point whereas the Covic is more rounded.

Having nearly bought two different Speys” over the years, I recall that they had finer lines of entry forward of the beam than the Covic Watsons.

Hope this helps

PS. Just realised the connection. "Viking Marine = Norseman"

 

[Colvic Watson]

From that link it seems they have more in common with the older Nauticats. I'm constantly surprised by the high regard old Nauticats are held, compared to a CW34 they are about half the internal volume. I know I'm I'm biased about how great the CW is but 10ft beam on 34ft length isn't much for a family oriented craft - our old Macwester 28 had 9ft2" beam!