By Jani Roberts - >
This is my own sketch of my boat and home
for the past 4 years. She was built in 1937 by Elco - the Electric
Boat Company - of New Jersey of oak and cedar with a mahogany saloon
and internal fittings. She is 41 feet long and 11.5 feet wide. She
draws 2 ft. 9 in. so she can travel safely in quite shallow water.
She was built capable of being taken up on the plane. Top design
speed is 20 mph... not very high by today's speed boat standards! But
to reach that speed I would have to jazz up the engines - and shake
loose every joint.
She was built for the bead-wearing 1930s
set to cruise around Manhatten but some how she found herself in
England in 1938 and then joined the British navy. I do not know if
she went to evacuate the troops at Dunkirk.
The original advertisement for her says
that she is designed to be able, if desire, to "ship a man" who will
have his own access to the decks for "early morning cleaning". This
convinced me that this boat was for me!
I am quite in love with being a water
gypsy. She is warm and snug in winter no matter if ice lies beside.
She is a delight in Summer. She rocks me to sleep, her walls curve
around me. She is dry and comfortable, has a bath, shower and tumble
drier .... what else could a woman want! Well yes, a phone... she has
that too and is on the 'net.
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