A cabin cruiser

[Simpo Two]

This is 'Orion Clipper', run by Uber Boats/Thames Clippers. I thought that with a rear cabin it would make a rather decent private vessel.



They tell me it's an 'FBM Executive Launch'... but I can't find them anywhere...

[Ledaig]

Related?

Fairey Marine Ltd, latterly known as FBM Marine

[Simpo Two]

Ledaig said:

Related?

Fairey Marine Ltd, latterly known as FBM Marine

You know what, I found that page but read it as 'formerly'!

Such a pity when corporate bigwigs throw away a famous name for a meaningless acronym.

[Huntsman]

As far as I know (a little bit about Fairey) the boat pictured is nothing to do with Fairey Babcock.

[Simpo Two]

Huntsman said:

As far as I know (a little bit about Fairey) the boat pictured is nothing to do with Fairey Babcock.

The plot thickens...!

Uber Boat by Thames Clippers said:

Hello John

Thank you for your interest in our Comet Clipper. It is an FBM Executive Launch.

Kind regards
Liza

Somebody must have made it. I like the hull shape and the big airy front cabin. Just needs an aft cabin and then swap the wheelhouse for something convertible for fresh air and low bridges.

[Chrisgr31]

Google states that somewhere on the Thames Clippers site it says she was built in 1992. Does any of this help? http://www.cheverton.org.uk/workboats.html

[KTF]

Simpo Two said:

Somebody must have made it. I like the hull shape and the big airy front cabin. Just needs an aft cabin and then swap the wheelhouse for something convertible for fresh air and low bridges.

"Star Clipper, Storm Clipper and Sky Clipper were all built in 1992, by FBM Marine Ltd, at Cowes on the Isle of Wight."

From: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547...

"Thames Clippers started out by employing a trio of FBM Hydrocats built by FBM in Cowes, Isle of Wight. "

From: https://www.shippingtandy.com/features/mbna-thames...

Which brings it back to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Marine

[Simpo Two]

Good sleuthing! But Orion Clipper is a different design, not a cat. And who'd have thought a bollard could be so lethal...

I was surprised that there wasn't a normal website - ie in that if you google 'FBM Executive Launch' you expect to find the company. Anyway, it seems they're not made anymore, which is a pity.

[Chrisgr31]

I think you need to find out the dimensions of it. It would also be useful to know who Thames Clippers bought it off in 2016 and what she was named before. I wonder if it is based on one of the military hulls built by Fairey and converted

[Simpo Two]

Chrisgr31 said:

I think you need to find out the dimensions of it. It would also be useful to know who Thames Clippers bought it off in 2016 and what she was named before. I wonder if it is based on one of the military hulls built by Fairey and converted

Maybe. It looks like GRP to me and has a very low freeboard. You wonder what happened to the moulds.

Being unable to find a boat exactly to my liking I contacted some of the Broads hire companies to ask where they got their boats from. Can't remember which one it was but to my surprise they said they made their own. So I asked if they'd be interested in making one for me (six-figure sum) and they said 'Sorry too busy'. But then, the last year has been rather hectic there.

[Chrisgr31]

Simpo Two said:

Maybe. It looks like GRP to me and has a very low freeboard. You wonder what happened to the moulds.

If its one mentioned on the Cheverton site it says most were destroyed. I would email the address on the Cheverton site to ask if they can shed any light. It appears they were linked to MHB at the time.

[JulianPH]

Are you hankering after a new boat mate?

[CAPP0]

JulianPH said:

Are you hankering after a new boat mate?

Do you know anyone who's selling one, Julian?

[hidetheelephants]

Bugger all internal volume in a quite narrow and shallow draft hull; unless you need those characteristics(your cruising ground has lots of shallows etc) they're a pain in the arse.

[Simpo Two]

Chrisgr31 said:

If its one mentioned on the Cheverton site it says most were destroyed. I would email the address on the Cheverton site to ask if they can shed any light. It appears they were linked to MHB at the time.

They seem/seemed only to make small sailing yachts, a strange partner for the former Fairey Marine.

JulianPH said:

Are you hankering after a new boat mate?

I'm always looking for a new boat The snag is that I haven't found a design that's more suitable than mine. I really need to design my own from the keel up!

hidetheelephants said:

Bugger all internal volume in a quite narrow and shallow draft hull; unless you need those characteristics(your cruising ground has lots of shallows etc) they're a pain in the arse.

The rivers can get down to 4' depth in summer. As for the low freeboard, I guess that's why the front cabin looks tall. It would have been interesting to discuss ideas with the maker, but they're keeping a low profile. The marine industry can be strange.