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Well My Norman has ...............?

Mystery Boat

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T O P I C R E V I E W
IanM	Posted - 01 Aug 2018 : 20:18:59 Can anyone tell me anything about this boat? Make, model, approximate age, bare weight etc. Dimensions are 16' long, 7' wide (or maybe 6' 10")
12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Fred	Posted - 04 Oct 2018 : 14:55:01 Another interesting little twist on Ian's mystery boat. Although the links to Birchwood are still relevant as they originally operated from the same factory at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. this Interglass Marine advert from 1966 shows what looks very like Ian's boat described as a GEMINI 16ft Mini-Cruiser. (The same firm is also advertising Thunderball and Thunderski speed boats, so the "Thunder" link is also there. .... now back to Deano's one!
df	Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 08:13:39 quote: I can't match Dave's fuel consumption but I bet I can beat him on oil The oil sounds like a cheaper option, I used a couple of litres over the 2 weeks, probably more on the river speed bits than the sea bits. NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community. Visit leomagill.co.uk
IanM	Posted - 23 Sep 2018 : 16:41:26 Apologies for the late reply. We've been off on our jollies on our Norman 55, meandering down to Aylesbury and back. I can't match Dave's fuel consumption but I bet I can beat him on oil - 12 litres in 16 days hehe. Fred, top research and very much appreciated. It amuses me that such a small and unassuming boat is named THUNDERJET I'm hoping it's not the last surviving example of this model as I'm halfway through butchering the transom to fit the "wrong" outboard!
df	Posted - 15 Sep 2018 : 19:30:27 Nice one Fred, Miss Marple's got nowt on you! NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community. Visit leomagill.co.uk
Fred	Posted - 15 Sep 2018 : 17:27:08 A bit more research into Ian's little boat reveals that it is indeed both a Birchwood and a Vanguard Thunderjet 16. A 1980 edition of Canal and Riverboat has an article on the history of Birchwood Boats and includes the following: Ted Andrews started the Birchwood Boat Company at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham in 1959. He was a furniture maker and boating was just a hobby which turned into a part-time business fitting out cruisers at his home, called 'Birchwood Lodge'. He got in a spot of bother with the local planners so in 1961 set up a small factory in an old cinema nearby, still part-time and initially concentrating on fitting out the 19 foot Vanguard Spectre, with mouldings produced by Bourne Plastics. 1963 saw Birchwood at the Earl's Court Boat Show, with Ted Andrews taking a fortnight's holiday to staff the stand. Volume of business forced Ted into deciding between the boat and furniture businesses and by the following London Show he was fully engaged in boat-building. Birchwood were now doing all their own moulding and started to produce the 16 foot Thunderjet minicruiser and the 12 foot Thunderball sportsboat. In 1966 a second factory was acquired to cope with orders. By 1968 Birchwood had started to produce the first of their larger inboard-engined cruisers, the Birchwood 25, and were on their way to great success. Production of the smaller boats ceased. So Ian's nice little mystery boat dates from around the mid-1960s and has some interesting historical significance in leisure cruiser development.
cliveshep	Posted - 03 Aug 2018 : 14:16:24 I'd have called it a Vanguard except it's too short in hull and cabin, the Vanguards I remember were better looking, around 18ft long. They had that distinctive flare at the bow which is what this little example has, something that set Vanguard apart from the others. I remember toying with the idea of one but at the time (1972) Ladyline at Barbridge were doing good deals on Norman 20's so we ordered one while cruising past from the Langollen Canal in our little CB15 and had a bloody cold drive back up from Carshalton in Surrey just after Christmas to do the change over. We had a bigger trailer with the CB15 on it and the CB's trailer in pieces in it's cockpit. Our tow car was an ex army Series one SWB Landrover with a canvas tilt and no heater and a thirst for petrol any Irishman raised on Guinness could be proud of. Seldom have two people been so cold. We launched the CB, assembled it's trailer and recovered it. Loading the Norman from a bits of wood under it's keel where Ladyline had put it - no crane available of course, meant winding it onto the trailer from ground level, so meant un-hitching the trailer, which gradually stood up on it's end with me standing on the top in mid air winding the Norman uphill with a two speed winch until it reached the point of balance when we all crashed down onto the ground. Digressing but not to be forgotten! Finally living the dream!
Fred	Posted - 03 Aug 2018 : 10:43:40 Hmmm, more time wasted searching through old boat brochures and books. I love it really! There is an interesting (well to this sad old git anyway) link between the Vanguard Thunderjet and Birchwood Boats. Way back in 1965 Birchwood were producing their "Vanguard Express" 20 ft.GRP cruiser. The Vanguard Thunderjet is included in the 1969 Boat World listing shown as manufactured by Birchwood in Nottingham. But it is described as 15'10" and �900 including 10 hp engine! So possibly this is Ian's boat, a really early (and shorter) model Thunderjet made by Birchwood before the operation was spun off to a separate company "Vanguard Boats" based in Frome, Wiltshire and Birchwood Boats went on to better things. Never ceases to amaze me how well these very early GRP boats have survived.
IanM	Posted - 02 Aug 2018 : 19:13:23 quote: Originally posted by Fred Who? You mean that stroppy old git? He would have told you that it was a Vanguard Thunderjet from the early 70s.with an interesting mod to the rear of the cabin, but he'd probably be wrong as usual. Now he's read the question properly, and if he is right, he might even tell you more: The trailing weight (exc. engine) is 700 pounds (317 kilos). LOA is given as 17'8", draught 1'.0", beam 6'8", transom height 1'8".It has integral buoyancy and was rated for inland and off-shore with a max 50 hp. motor. I prefer to think of him as that stroppy old helpful git. The Thunderjet certainly looks similar but this one is only 16 foot long. Did Vanguard make a shorter variant? My main priority is figuring out the weight as it is sitting on an unbraked trailer. The trailer needs work but only if it is going to be legal with that boat. It certainly tows well and feels light but I don't really want to be at a weighbridge with the trailer in its current state.
df	Posted - 02 Aug 2018 : 19:02:57 quote: Who? You mean that stroppy old git? Come on Fred round it down better than that, there's lots of us fit that description. NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community. Visit leomagill.co.uk
trevork	Posted - 02 Aug 2018 : 14:47:53 Thanks Fred, reliable as ever.
Fred	Posted - 02 Aug 2018 : 10:04:22 Who? You mean that stroppy old git? He would have told you that it was a Vanguard Thunderjet from the early 70s.with an interesting mod to the rear of the cabin, but he'd probably be wrong as usual. Now he's read the question properly, and if he is right, he might even tell you more: The trailing weight (exc. engine) is 700 pounds (317 kilos). LOA is given as 17'8", draught 1'.0", beam 6'8", transom height 1'8".It has integral buoyancy and was rated for inland and off-shore with a max 50 hp. motor.
trevork	Posted - 01 Aug 2018 : 23:22:15 Looks vaguely familiar but I'm not sure where from! Shame Fred isn't around methinks! Actually, after looking, it seems Fred does have a look every now and again so, FRED! ANY IDEAS!

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