Last time, we looked at the boats which scored highest in the favourite boat vote at the Crick Show. This time we’re looking at something different – a selection of the other boats.

Britain’s biggest inland boat show isn’t just about the boats that win the coveted trophies. There’s something for everyone, from trads and semi-trads to cruisers (most of which had a massive pram hood over the back deck), every variation on layout, and plenty of different lengths. There are builders who’ve been around for decades, and some who were showing for the first time.

BATH CANAL CRAFT
Silly Knot To
57ft
£220,000

Bath Canal Craft are a new name to Crick, but this is actually their fourth boat. It was originally being shown to sell, because the owners, who live in Spain, feared they’d made a mistake in having a boat built. But four days bringing the boat to the show made them realise they’d be silly not to keep it!

Bath build only electric propulsion boats, and this one has a Vetus e-line motor, and a Vetus proportional bow thruster. Power comes from 592Ah lithium battery bank from Pylon Tech. They can be charged by Mase Mariner 5.6kw generator, or almost 2.9kw of solar panels on the roof. There’s an 8kw Victon inverter to give a mains supply. It’s built on an Aintree shell, with a stern that’s square but with rounded corners, so they shouldn’t get quite so bashed.

Inside, the boat has a very fresh, light interior, with a fitout using painted panels and ash. The galley has laminate worktops, a Lagan twin induction hob, a combination oven and microwave, a washing machine, and a 24-volt Shoreline fridge. The owner made the stained glass used in the high-level cupboard door.

The owner also made the striking dinette table, made from wood and resin, and containing things such as shells and pebbles from favourite beaches, and a tiny Watney’s red barrel that spent decades on the owner’s mother’s key ring. It was a legacy from her that paid for the boat. Her 1930s chairs are in the saloon, having been recovered with the same fabric used in the dinette.

Stained glass in the pocket door to the shower room is from The Pod Floating Studio. There’s a quadrant shower, a Thetford loo, and a basin on a unit, with a cabinet above. The cabin, at the bow, has a bed which fills the whole width of the boat, but lifts gull-wing style to allow access through. There are also big wardrobes.

VERDICT: Impressive first time exhibitor.
CONTACT: bathcanalcraft.co.uk

BESPOKE BOAT CO
Plan B
60ft semi-cruiser
£210,000

Bespoke Boats started with widebeams, but also showed a narrowboat last year; this year, their widebeam won the Favourite Boat title for the second year in a row, and this narrowboat was moored alongside. They now have the facilities to build three boats at a time, and say they have slots for narrowboats more easily available than for widebeams.

This boat is built on a shell by Steel Empire, a relatively new company. It’s powered by the Beta e-drive electric propulsion system, which includes the Beta 14kw electric motor, a generator, and an 18kw 48-volt lithium battery bank. There’s also a 5kw Victon inverter.

The galley, at the rear, has green units and Corian work tops. There’s all-electric cooking, with a Klarstein induction hob, as well as a combination oven and microwave. There’s also a washing machine, and a freezer under the dinette. The dinette itself has a reversible back to provide extra seating to the saloon, and there are side doors both sides. The saloon has a Lockgate Refleks stove. There’s painted tongue and groove above the gunwales, and wood below.

The through shower room has a Separett composting loo and a corner basin unit. The quadrant shower is lined with shower board in a honeycomb tile effect – a clever nod to the bees pictured on the outside round the Plan B name. The cabin has an inline bed, high level cupboards, and generous wardrobes.

VERDICT: Stylish, and an affordable electric drive option.
CONTACT: bespokeboatcompany.com

BICKERSTAFFE BOATS
Unnamed
57ft 6in semi-cruiser
£169,995 (Show price – usually £189,995)

Bickerstaffe have a tried and tested formula, so there seems little reason for them to change it. Their shells are now built by their sister company, Elton Moss, though – but still feature a large square rear deck.

The galley is at the stern and has grey cupboard doors and sparkly quartz work tops. There’s a grey central ceiling feature which runs the length of the boat. Equipment includes a Thetford oven and hob, a microwave, and a 12-volt fridge. The Pullman dinette converts into a bed, and has side doors alongside. In the saloon, there’s grey painted tongue and groove under the gunwales, a tv unit, and a Squirrel solid fuel stove. The shower room has a quadrant shower lined with grey laminate, a Thetford toilet and a corner unit with a basin.

The cabin is at the bow, and has an inline bed, oak units with grey doors, and a tv.

The boat is powered by a Vetus 42hp engine, and there’s a 55kgf Vetus bow thruster. There are four 170Ah AGM deep cycle leisure batteries, a Vetus 3kw inverter, and 480 watts of solar panels on the roof.

VERDICT: good value boating.
CONTACT: bickerstaffeboatcompany.co.uk

BLUEWATER BOATS
True Blue
60ft semi-cruiser
£200,000

Bluewater are one of the few firms who build their own shells as well as fitting out boats. In this case, True Blue has a large square semi-cruiser stern. Propulsion is by the Vetus E-line 11kw electric motor, with a 6.5kva auto-start generator. There are eight 200Ah Victron lithium batteries in four pairs (to make the 48 volts the motor needs) sited under the dinette.

The galley, at the rear, has oak units with grey doors, and Staron solid surface worktops. There’s an AEG induction hob, a Neff oven, and a separate fridge and freezer. There are two single dinettes, one each side of the boat, each with side doors with glazed inners. The saloon has a sofa bed, a Lockgate Refleks stove, an under gunwale tv unit, and a shelving unit on the bulkhead.

The walk-through shower room has a square shower cubicle, a composting toilet, and a vanity unit with a countertop basin on a solid surface worktop. The boat has an enclosed bow, so the bed is a full 5ft wide at the very front of the boat. There are drawers in the base, and plenty of wardrobes with hanging space and drawers.

VERDICT: A boat which packs a lot in, from a builder who does everything.
CONTACT: bluewaterboats.co.uk

ELTON MOSS
Lagniappe
58ft cruiser
£225,000

Elton Moss built this boat as an example of their eco-friendly range, by which they mean it has electric propulsion. It uses a Fischer Panda 10kw electric motor (although the firm also offers the Beta e-drive or a Lynch motor if you want something more powerful). There are eight lead carbon batteries arranged in pairs to give the 48 volts the motor needs. To charge them, there’s a Fischer Panda generator which is programmed to come on automatically when the batteries drop below a certain level, and there’s 1kw of solar on the roof.

Elton Moss build their own shells, and this one has a large square cruiser stern. Inside, the saloon is at the rear, with a sofa bed and an attractive curvy shelving unit. There’s then a built-in L-shaped dinette.

The galley has black sparkly quartz worktops, a Neff oven and a Neff induction hob, and mosaic tiles as a splashback. There are more mosaics to provide a feature in the quadrant shower, and there’s also another curvy shelving unit, this time with a quartz worktop and a round basin on top. The loo is by Thetford. The cabin has an inline bed, with high-level cupboards and plenty of wardrobes.

VERDICT: serial hybrid in a reliable package.
CONTACT: eltonmoss.com

NORTON CANES
Florence
60ft trad
£270,000

Florence was the only trad stern boat on show, and it was traditional in many other ways too – such as the roses and castles painted by Dave Moore on the stern doors and the pigeon box, and the fact that there were coins set into the steerers step – in this case one of the first King Charles coins.

The boat is built on a sheerline Josher shell by Tyler Wilson. The lines are beautiful, and touches like the big chrome lamp on the bow just adding to the look.

Inside, it’s a reverse layout boat, with the galley at the stern. This has walnut worktops and a Belfast sink. The cabinet doors, which are all made in-house, are Shaker style, and all have ceramic knobs, chosen by the owner. These crop up the entire length of the boat. The raised dinette has plinth drawers, and the back is reversible to give extra seating in the saloon. Side doors have glazed inners.

The saloon has a Lockgate Reflecks stove, a central bookcase, and an under gunwale unit with lovely chunky wooden tops. The walk-through shower room has a quadrant shower, a corner basin, and a Jabsco loo. The cabin at the bow has an inline bed and plenty of wardrobe space, with more lovely solid oak doors and ceramic knobs.

The boat is powered by a Beta 43 engine, and there’s a Victron 3kw inverter charger.

VERDICT: Traditional but modern, with superb workmanship.
CONTACT: nortoncanesboatbuilders.co.uk

OVATION BOATS
Hobbit
42ft cruiser
£142,000

Ovation showed two boats – one was their standard 60ft Charnwood Edge with a diesel engine, but in many ways this boat was more interesting. The Hobbit is just 42ft long, but has electric propulsion, thanks to an 8kw Lynch motor. There’s a Beta Gen 10 generator, and a lithium battery bank from Pylon Tech. There’s also a 5kw Victon inverter, and 1.2kw of solar on the roof.

The shell is by Soar Valley Boats, and has a square cruiser stern. It’s perhaps not the most attractive shape, but does maximise space give the boat’s short length.

Inside, the cabin at the rear has two single beds and plenty of wardrobe space. The shower room has a quadrant shower, a Thetford loo, and a round basin. The galley is an efficient U-shape, with a Statesman slot-in cooker, and a Fridgemaster fridge. The saloon has built-in L-shaped seating, a tv unit, and a Bubble stove.

This is a boat which shows that you don’t necessarily have to go for the typical 58ft in order to get everything you need.

VERDICT: packs a lot in.
CONTACT: ovationboats.co.uk

Read more in the September 2024 issue of Canal Boat. Buy the issue here