Padstow Speedboats
Discussion
Trying to identify the make/brand/design of the speedboats that operate out of Padstow in Camel Estury.
http://www.padstowboattrips.com/page2.htm
Anyone know what they are?
http://www.padstowboattrips.com/page2.htm
Anyone know what they are?
tuffer said:
The same design of boats are also used out of Looe on the other coast, been in use since I can recall and I have been going or living there since 1969.
Think you'll find they were all sold, although someone may have bought one to try and start up again.Can't help with the design but it brings back memories of the Swifts off Southend Seafront in the sixties and seventies. Supposedly from the desk of Alan Bernard and would be worth an absolute fortune now if they hadn't been broken up / abandoned.
MOTORVATOR said:
tuffer said:
The same design of boats are also used out of Looe on the other coast, been in use since I can recall and I have been going or living there since 1969.
Think you'll find they were all sold, although someone may have bought one to try and start up again.Can't help with the design but it brings back memories of the Swifts off Southend Seafront in the sixties and seventies. Supposedly from the desk of Alan Bernard and would be worth an absolute fortune now if they hadn't been broken up / abandoned.
tuffer said:
MOTORVATOR said:
tuffer said:
The same design of boats are also used out of Looe on the other coast, been in use since I can recall and I have been going or living there since 1969.
Think you'll find they were all sold, although someone may have bought one to try and start up again.Can't help with the design but it brings back memories of the Swifts off Southend Seafront in the sixties and seventies. Supposedly from the desk of Alan Bernard and would be worth an absolute fortune now if they hadn't been broken up / abandoned.
http://www.boatmad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1595...
Owners retired three years ago. Thread shows the builders as well.
And a very small bit of video of the Southend jobbies. See 0.45.
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/record-whitsun
Hi to all, I have owned Superstar in Looe for 2 years now and carrying on the tradition! The Looe boats all came from Pearns in Looe and Superstar was built by Gerald Pearn in Morval near Looe and launched in 1972. The design is based on the Miss Looe speedboat built in mahogany around the mid to late 50's from which a mold was taken and a small production run was made. The Padstow boats are slightly different in hull design most notably at the bow. I have heard many stories about the boats most of which are hard to verify. The molds and drawings etc were destroyed in a fire for the Looe speedboats. Needless to say the surviving boats all handle differently and my boat is a very capable sea going boat with performance, grace, and high speed handling second to none. There is just Superstar left in Looe now.
waverider said:
Hi to all, I have owned Superstar in Looe for 2 years now and carrying on the tradition! The Looe boats all came from Pearns in Looe and Superstar was built by Gerald Pearn in Morval near Looe and launched in 1972. The design is based on the Miss Looe speedboat built in mahogany around the mid to late 50's from which a mold was taken and a small production run was made. The Padstow boats are slightly different in hull design most notably at the bow. I have heard many stories about the boats most of which are hard to verify. The molds and drawings etc were destroyed in a fire for the Looe speedboats. Needless to say the surviving boats all handle differently and my boat is a very capable sea going boat with performance, grace, and high speed handling second to none. There is just Superstar left in Looe now.
Hi all, I have the first of the current Padstow speedboats built by Gerald Pearn in 1977. She is cold moulded mahogany with a Ford Sabre 280c engine. A mould was made from her following a season in service at Padstow, from which the others were made. She came out of service in Padstow in 2002 and has been used for speedboat rides in Southend, Essex for the last 10 years. She is a great sea boat, with a good turn of speed, circa 30 Knots, the hull is still in very good condition with a great engine fitted a couple of seasons ago. A great boat for the driver and passengers alike!
Thamespeed said:
Hi all, I have the first of the current Padstow speedboats built by Gerald Pearn in 1977. She is cold moulded mahogany with a Ford Sabre 280c engine. A mould was made from her following a season in service at Padstow, from which the others were made. She came out of service in Padstow in 2002 and has been used for speedboat rides in Southend, Essex for the last 10 years. She is a great sea boat, with a good turn of speed, circa 30 Knots, the hull is still in very good condition with a great engine fitted a couple of seasons ago. A great boat for the driver and passengers alike!
Hi Thamespeed, did you by any chance have a ride on my boat this season? I had a chap tell me about a mahogany boat he owns or with a ford engine around your area. There was also another who said he used to own a boat like mine but in mahogany and a ford engine and he wanted to find it again. These boats ARE extremely good fun and very capable though mine is a grp hull with mahogany deck. most of the original speedboat drivers in looe are still about and good for a story of " the old days". We'll have to get all the Pearn boats together some day.This boat lying derelict on the shore just west of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, been meaning to get to take pics since this thread was started, had to orchestrate a family day out to get there!
Ford straight six, appears to be cold moulded timber skinned in GRP.
Looks like the area is being cleared, so I guess may not be around for much longer.
Ford straight six, appears to be cold moulded timber skinned in GRP.
Looks like the area is being cleared, so I guess may not be around for much longer.
It has a construction and features very similar to the Pearn boats from Looe with very similar lines other than the rarity of the wheelhouse. There is a lot of wood used in the construction of the hulls but most were GRP hull of varying thicknesses with wood stringers to mount the deck and other things such as bulkheads and floor beams. Mine on Superstar is an inch and a quarter GRP in places. Superstar weighs about 2900kg with all equipment on board.
I have been informed by a friend that Thunderbolt was sold to someone near Weymouth. and they say that a boat from Looe was sold and the bulkheads taken out with a wheelhouse fitted for'ard and the rear cockpits used as a fish room. They weren't sure if it was Thunderbolt but it certainly looks like this was the Looe boat to me. The hull is most likely GRP as it would of rotted away by now even sheaved in GRP. Most likely laminated with woven glass mat as most of them were. As I say there is a lot of wood in them to screw everything to and for structural integrity.
I have been informed by a friend that Thunderbolt was sold to someone near Weymouth. and they say that a boat from Looe was sold and the bulkheads taken out with a wheelhouse fitted for'ard and the rear cockpits used as a fish room. They weren't sure if it was Thunderbolt but it certainly looks like this was the Looe boat to me. The hull is most likely GRP as it would of rotted away by now even sheaved in GRP. Most likely laminated with woven glass mat as most of them were. As I say there is a lot of wood in them to screw everything to and for structural integrity.
Edited by waverider on Tuesday 14th January 20:28
Edited by waverider on Tuesday 14th January 20:45
Edited by waverider on Wednesday 15th January 00:14
waverider said:
Hi Thamespeed, did you by any chance have a ride on my boat this season? I had a chap tell me about a mahogany boat he owns or with a ford engine around your area. There was also another who said he used to own a boat like mine but in mahogany and a ford engine and he wanted to find it again. These boats ARE extremely good fun and very capable though mine is a grp hull with mahogany deck. most of the original speedboat drivers in looe are still about and good for a story of " the old days". We'll have to get all the Pearn boats together some day.
Hi Waverider, I've not managed to be in Looe when you are running as I am usually busy doing the same thing in Southend at that time. I will try and pop in when I'm down your way this season. Would be great to get a few pearn speedboats together at some time. I will post a picture of my boat, as I said before she is cold moulded mahogany with a laid mahogany and holly deck. Looks very nice but lots of work compared to GRP! ![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/oZmYAchE.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/V1J39YGU" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/V1J39YGU.jpg)
Edited by Thamespeed on Wednesday 22 January 18:14
Edited by Thamespeed on Wednesday 22 January 18:18
Hi Huntsman,
I wonder if the boat in the picture i have uploaded is the same Thunderbolt as the poor old thing that you have found?? I think it is a very strong possibility. All the best.
I wonder if the boat in the picture i have uploaded is the same Thunderbolt as the poor old thing that you have found?? I think it is a very strong possibility. All the best.
Huntsman said:
This boat lying derelict on the shore just west of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, been meaning to get to take pics since this thread was started, had to orchestrate a family day out to get there!
Ford straight six, appears to be cold moulded timber skinned in GRP.
Looks like the area is being cleared, so I guess may not be around for much longer.
Ford straight six, appears to be cold moulded timber skinned in GRP.
Looks like the area is being cleared, so I guess may not be around for much longer.
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