1 bedroom houseboat for sale
Key information
Features and description
- Tenure: Freehold
- Historic 63ft Teak and Oak converted motor launch
- Built in 1920s
- 63ft x 12ft vessel
- 1 bedroom
- 1 Bathroom
- Entry through the wheelhouse
- Open plan space of kitchen and lounge
- Effective log burning stove
- Toilet and separate shower
The hull is an original Teak hardwood on oak beams with a copper sheathing and copper rivets from the keel to above the water line and from aft to stern (originally for tropical waters), which was built by 'Short Bros' for the Governor of Borneo and launched in 1920 at Rochester as the schooner ‘Discovery’. Her name was changed to Harpado at some stage and during the war was fitted with two engines and a fuel tank to the stern. At around this time a deck gun placement was fitted to the bow deck as it was utilised as a supply ship to HMS Defiance in Devonport where it played a crucial role in torpedo training. Harpodo’s history during the war is still classified.
The vessel does have Chrysler Crown twin prop engines which would need to be reconditioned as have not been used for many years.
The current configuration is entry through the wheelhouse, currently used as an office, going down the stairs opens into an open plan space of kitchen and lounge with effective log burning stove. There is a toilet and separate shower and leading to the stern of the vessel is the bedroom and a storeroom that could be a second bedroom. The deck has a solid awning giving an excellent space for all year round use. The stern deck offers plenty of additional open space.
The 11kw solid fuel burner gives plenty of heat to the vessel and there is good head room and a beam of 12ft
The current owner has been on this residential mooring for the last 42 years and is now looking to move on. The mooring is located at the end of a single track private lane and has secure gated parking, mains electricity, cess pit sewage ( cassette toilet currently) and a water supply from a well.
Access to the motorway networks of the M25,M3 and M4 are within easy reach and there are frequent trains to London Waterloo as well as Heathrow a short drive away.
Further information areas :
To gather provenance and photographic evidence of this vessel, consider the following steps:
National Archives (UK): The British North Borneo Company, which administered the territory, has records housed at The National Archives in Kew. These records may include construction details, correspondence, and photographs related to the "Discovery." You can search their catalogue online or plan a visit to access these documents.
DISCOVERY
Devonport Naval Heritage Centre: Located in Plymouth, this centre preserves the history of Devonport Dockyard. They may have archives or photographs of vessels constructed there, including the "Discovery." Contacting them directly could provide access to relevant materials.
PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL
The Box, Plymouth: As Plymouth's museum and archive, The Box holds extensive collections related to the city's maritime history. They might have records or images pertaining to the "Discovery." Exploring their archives or reaching out to their staff could yield useful information.
THE BOX PLYMOUTH
British Newspaper Archive: Contemporary newspapers from 1920 might have reported on the launch of the "Discovery." The British Newspaper Archive offers digitized versions of many newspapers, which could contain articles or photographs of the vessel.
Maritime Museums and Libraries: Institutions like the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich or the Caird Library may have records or photographs of vessels built at Devonport during that period.
Online Archives and Forums: Maritime history forums and digital archives may have user-contributed photographs or information about the "Discovery." Websites dedicated to naval history or shipbuilding might also be valuable resources.
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