Kit Carew | National Historic Ships

Registration number 3825

Status Registered

paula.palmer

Details

Function Leisure Craft

Subfunction Narrow Boat

Location Yardley Gobion

Vessel type Canal Boat

Current use Private use

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Construction

Builder Len Walton, Oldbury

Built in 1968

Hull material Wood

Rig None

Number of decks 1

Propulsion Motor

Number of engines 1

Primary engine type Diesel

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

7.00 feet (2.13m)

Air Draft

5.00 feet (1.52m)

Length: Overall

39.00 feet (11.89m)

Tonnage: Gross

5.00

History

KIT CAREW is a carvel constructed wooden (oak sides and elm bottom) canal boat cruiser, built in 1968 by Len Walton of Oldbury, West Midlands. She was one of the last wooden boats to be built by Walton, and unusual with a square stern, as most Waltons were built with a rounded stern. She has wooden knees through-out, whilst other Waltons were built with iron knees. She is fitted with her original Lister SR-2 engine.

At some point, she was called ABLE TAZMAN and was a part of the Norbury Junction hire boat fleet. It is unknown when she ceased to be a hire boat or when her name was changed to KIT CAREW.

Extensive repairs were carried out in 2001 and 2012 with side planking and some bottom planks being either repaired or replaced. The cabin area has been refitted but she retains her original lines. She has been regularly caulked and blackened by a wooden boat specialist, Bates Boatyard in Tring. She has been owned by her current owner since 2011.