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boat details
Escargot Pedal Powered Canal Boat
Estimated price for orientation: 1 465 $
Category: Narrowboats or Canalboats
Class:
Description Condition: Used: An item that has been previously used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
LoonEscargot Pedal Powered Canal BoatBelieved to be the ONLY one in the UKThis is a chance to own and enjoy an incredible pedal powered canal boat. The Escargot was originally designed by US naval architect, Philip Thiel, who, in his retirement designed and built a number of environmentally driven pedal-powered vessels. This one was built in 1997 especially for the Environment Agency. It was professionally built to the highest standard with no expense spared. I understand it cost around £12,000 to build. Two of Philip Thiel's students who had assisted him in building the original prototype in Seattle came to the UK to help build this Escargot.It remained with the Environment Agency for many years as a work and rescue boat. I have included a photo of it being used. It was sold at an auction and was out of the water for a short while before we purchased it in 2013. We are a family of five and are experienced at building and converting vehicles into amazing spaces. Over the following year we modified and renovated the Escargot into a really comfortable and quirky boat that we have enjoyed and really love.We spent the summers/autumn of both 2014 and 2015 on the waterways. 2014 was spent on the River Lea and Stort and 2015 we ventured along the Lea, up the Hertford Union Canal and onto the Grand Union. Through Kings Cross, Camden, Islington, Regents Park, Little Venice and all the way up to Cowroast, near Tring, pedaling nearly 80 miles. Mooring up in London was really easy as she is small enough to get in spaces other boats were too big for. We spent approximately six weeks exploring London.Loon is currently in storage in the marina at Cowroast. Both trips were a completely different experience and totally amazing. We have three children who are all home-educated. This is how we were able to spend a greater length of time on the boat and it gave us many many opportunities to educate our children. We are only selling her now as we have another adventure planned, this time in a Morris Traveler Camper van that we also built.Loon is 18ft 6" in length and 6ft wide. The original boat had an internal headroom of 4ft 6" but we added a central large twin wall polycarbonate opaque domed roof. I can stand comfortably under it and I am just over 5ft 7". It is positioned over the kitchen and bathroom area where standing is more necessary.The boat is made from Gaboon ply, all the joints are sealed and it is coated with epoxy resin. There is no rot at all. It is insulated with cork and a layer of thermal insulation foil. The ceiling is also tongue and grooved.There are three full size single beds, 2ft x 6ft, in the bow of the boat. They have foam mattresses and fully waterproof covers. Under the beds there is a HUGE amount of storage. The middle bed is made up using a small table that rises and lowers. My kids ate at the table, did their school work, played cards and then made up the bed at night. It's a really comfortable and easy space to spend time in. There is also a front hatch out onto the deck. There is a sliding window both sides and a small vent in the rear for the middle bed.Saloon doors close off the front cabin at night. On the right hand side of the middle section is the kitchen. There is a small sink, whale-pump tap and two 10ltr water storage containers. Designed especially to be removable to they can be carried to a water point if necessary or easily filled up when moored at a water point. I kept another 20ltr bottle at the rear of the boat and easily topped up the 10ltr bottles. We were never far from a water point and always had plenty for our needs.Next to the sink is a custom made Windy Smithy Wendy woodburner and small shelving units for storage of mugs etc. We used a small rocket stove which fits inside the burner to cook on, (not included in sale) or a single ring gas stove sitting on top of the woodburner. The floor is a hand-made varnished shower tray.On the left hand side is the toilet unit. It is a very clever design built by an experienced compost toilet builder. It is housed/hidden under a lid so that you wouldn't know it was the toilet and to keep everything clean. It is a dry compost toilet with a urine separator. The urine is pumped to two tanks at the rear of the boat which I discreetly empty when necessary. The solids go into a compostable bag which is easily emptied. A fan immediately goes on when lifting the lid so that there are no smells emitted from the toilet. In the main cabin area there are two shelving units which provide plenty of storage. I used them for all my kitchen goods and food. There are two sofas either side of the boat which easily pull together at night to form a double bed. They are made up of futon mattresses and have hand-made covers. There is plenty of storage under the sofas for bedding etc.On either side of the sofas are full length shelving units. On the right side there are a four shelves and the one on the left side houses the batteries, electrics and a hanging rail where we keep coats, life jackets etc.There are sliding windows throughout the boat with curtains. The front room has new hand-made curtains with black-out lining, the roof dome has a hand-made curtain also with black-out lining but the main living area still has the original curtains. These are fine but could certainly do with updating.There is Flotex carpet throughout, fully removable and easily cleaned.The front outside deck has two lockable storage compartments, also accessible from the inside. There are bungees strung around the edges which we used to dry swimsuits, life jackets etc. The two pedal units are housed at the rear of the boat. They were professionally and purpose built specifically for this vessel. They slot into the floor of the boat and can be securely locked in place. Loon can be easily pedaled by one person but it is much better with two. Pedaling is really easy at 35rpm. It won't make any difference the faster you pedal, you still go at the same speed, approximately 3 1/2mph, (walking speed). It really is very leisurely. Our 11 year old daughter manged to reach the pedals and really enjoyed pedaling along. We put two new saddles on for extra comfort.Across the back deck is a bench. There is a 6ft square umbrella covering the rear to keep you dry in the rain and shaded from the sun. We pedaled all day in the rain and it kept us dry. We purchased this new in 2015 so it was only used for a short time.Loon does not have a fridge but we bought a Waeco Cool Ice cool box that worked perfectly well and also fitted under the rear bench. (not included)There are also outside fenders, ropes and a lock key.There are two solar panels on the roof. The large one feeds two large batteries which is used only for an electric thruster. The thruster is permanently fixed onto the rudder. This is just for emergency use in case you need a bit of extra oomph! The smaller solar panel feeds one large battery which services all the electrics, lighting, 12v sockets, usb charger. All the internal lighting is LED and there is a 12v jack and a USB charging point. We never ran out of power and it all worked really well.Loon is Boat Safety Certificate exempt and we found the license fees are extremely reasonable. Loon is registered with the Canal and Rivers Trust. Our insurance is less than £300 per year and I can give you details of the company that I use.I am also including a junior/childs kayak and paddle. My kids had hours of fun paddling up and down the waterways on this. Loon is on a towable boat trailer, to my knowledge it was purpose built for Loon. I will put two new tyres on the trailer this week and a new winch. It also has a wheel clamp.As part of my renovating Loon I re-painted the hull with the original paint and painted the rest of the woodwork white. It has been out of the water for the last 18 months covered up but would probably benefit from a lick of paint just to tidy her up.It is used, it is 20 years old but she is in very good condition and whoever buys her will have some amazing fun adventures on her. Everyone who sees her comments on how unusual she is, everyone wants to stop and chat and to ask questions about her and to take photos, she is admired by other boaters and passers-by alike. Facebook group Weird Waterways was started by a fellow boater after seeing Loon moored up.If you look on google images there are a number of photos of her. She is perfect for fun family holidays, or even longer journeys, cruising the rivers and canals of both the UK and Europe. We thought of taking a longer journey and traveling the UK canal system but instead are hitting the road in a purpose built camper. We are sad to see her go but hope others will enjoy her uniqueness and beauty.Loon is currently in storage at Cowroast Marina, near Tring, Herfordshire. Viewing is highly recommended, you will not be disappointed. If you would like to come and view her I will be there all day friday/saturday/sunday this week. Give me a call to let me know you would like to have a look and to arrange a time.Buyer MUST collect from Cowroast Marina by the end of April, preferably beforehand. Storage is paid until this time but the marina is developing this area and so storage cannot be continued from this date. You could put her into the water here, there is a slipway and a man who charges approx £50 to tow her in. You would then just need to arrange removal of the trailer.We towed Loon perfectly well with a petrol Honda CRV, max towing capacity 1.5 tons, it tows just like a caravan.Our daughter managed to spill a cup of tea over our laptop and so unfortunately we don't have hardly any photos of the inside of Loon. I will try and add some as soon as I go there on thursday this week. In the meantime I hope the current photos give you an idea of how she looks in the water and the fun that can be had using her.If you are interested in the history of the boat you can read an entry into the Southampton Canal Society's Newsletter dated December 1997 all about the original build and purpose.You can also see a few more photos along with other projects that I have undertaken here: www.izbaliving.wordpress.com/category/escargot-boat/You will need to meet me at Cowroast Marina on 1st/2nd April to make final payment and for the hand over of keys.£500 deposit within 24 hours of auction ending, payment of balance to be agreed, either cash on collection or bank transfer.Loon is advertised elsewhere so I reserve the right to end auction early. If you have any questions or would like to view Loon then please give me a call, Dave: 07704170101.
Description
| Condition: | Used: An item that has been previously used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition | Country/Region of Manufacture: | United Kingdom |
LoonEscargot Pedal Powered Canal BoatBelieved to be the ONLY one in the UKThis is a chance to own and enjoy an incredible pedal powered canal boat. The Escargot was originally designed by US naval architect, Philip Thiel, who, in his retirement designed and built a number of environmentally driven pedal-powered vessels. This one was built in 1997 especially for the Environment Agency. It was professionally built to the highest standard with no expense spared. I understand it cost around £12,000 to build. Two of Philip Thiel's students who had assisted him in building the original prototype in Seattle came to the UK to help build this Escargot.It remained with the Environment Agency for many years as a work and rescue boat. I have included a photo of it being used. It was sold at an auction and was out of the water for a short while before we purchased it in 2013. We are a family of five and are experienced at building and converting vehicles into amazing spaces. Over the following year we modified and renovated the Escargot into a really comfortable and quirky boat that we have enjoyed and really love.We spent the summers/autumn of both 2014 and 2015 on the waterways. 2014 was spent on the River Lea and Stort and 2015 we ventured along the Lea, up the Hertford Union Canal and onto the Grand Union. Through Kings Cross, Camden, Islington, Regents Park, Little Venice and all the way up to Cowroast, near Tring, pedaling nearly 80 miles. Mooring up in London was really easy as she is small enough to get in spaces other boats were too big for. We spent approximately six weeks exploring London.Loon is currently in storage in the marina at Cowroast. Both trips were a completely different experience and totally amazing. We have three children who are all home-educated. This is how we were able to spend a greater length of time on the boat and it gave us many many opportunities to educate our children. We are only selling her now as we have another adventure planned, this time in a Morris Traveler Camper van that we also built.Loon is 18ft 6" in length and 6ft wide. The original boat had an internal headroom of 4ft 6" but we added a central large twin wall polycarbonate opaque domed roof. I can stand comfortably under it and I am just over 5ft 7". It is positioned over the kitchen and bathroom area where standing is more necessary.The boat is made from Gaboon ply, all the joints are sealed and it is coated with epoxy resin. There is no rot at all. It is insulated with cork and a layer of thermal insulation foil. The ceiling is also tongue and grooved.There are three full size single beds, 2ft x 6ft, in the bow of the boat. They have foam mattresses and fully waterproof covers. Under the beds there is a HUGE amount of storage. The middle bed is made up using a small table that rises and lowers. My kids ate at the table, did their school work, played cards and then made up the bed at night. It's a really comfortable and easy space to spend time in. There is also a front hatch out onto the deck. There is a sliding window both sides and a small vent in the rear for the middle bed.Saloon doors close off the front cabin at night. On the right hand side of the middle section is the kitchen. There is a small sink, whale-pump tap and two 10ltr water storage containers. Designed especially to be removable to they can be carried to a water point if necessary or easily filled up when moored at a water point. I kept another 20ltr bottle at the rear of the boat and easily topped up the 10ltr bottles. We were never far from a water point and always had plenty for our needs.Next to the sink is a custom made Windy Smithy Wendy woodburner and small shelving units for storage of mugs etc. We used a small rocket stove which fits inside the burner to cook on, (not included in sale) or a single ring gas stove sitting on top of the woodburner. The floor is a hand-made varnished shower tray.On the left hand side is the toilet unit. It is a very clever design built by an experienced compost toilet builder. It is housed/hidden under a lid so that you wouldn't know it was the toilet and to keep everything clean. It is a dry compost toilet with a urine separator. The urine is pumped to two tanks at the rear of the boat which I discreetly empty when necessary. The solids go into a compostable bag which is easily emptied. A fan immediately goes on when lifting the lid so that there are no smells emitted from the toilet. In the main cabin area there are two shelving units which provide plenty of storage. I used them for all my kitchen goods and food. There are two sofas either side of the boat which easily pull together at night to form a double bed. They are made up of futon mattresses and have hand-made covers. There is plenty of storage under the sofas for bedding etc.On either side of the sofas are full length shelving units. On the right side there are a four shelves and the one on the left side houses the batteries, electrics and a hanging rail where we keep coats, life jackets etc.There are sliding windows throughout the boat with curtains. The front room has new hand-made curtains with black-out lining, the roof dome has a hand-made curtain also with black-out lining but the main living area still has the original curtains. These are fine but could certainly do with updating.There is Flotex carpet throughout, fully removable and easily cleaned.The front outside deck has two lockable storage compartments, also accessible from the inside. There are bungees strung around the edges which we used to dry swimsuits, life jackets etc. The two pedal units are housed at the rear of the boat. They were professionally and purpose built specifically for this vessel. They slot into the floor of the boat and can be securely locked in place. Loon can be easily pedaled by one person but it is much better with two. Pedaling is really easy at 35rpm. It won't make any difference the faster you pedal, you still go at the same speed, approximately 3 1/2mph, (walking speed). It really is very leisurely. Our 11 year old daughter manged to reach the pedals and really enjoyed pedaling along. We put two new saddles on for extra comfort.Across the back deck is a bench. There is a 6ft square umbrella covering the rear to keep you dry in the rain and shaded from the sun. We pedaled all day in the rain and it kept us dry. We purchased this new in 2015 so it was only used for a short time.Loon does not have a fridge but we bought a Waeco Cool Ice cool box that worked perfectly well and also fitted under the rear bench. (not included)There are also outside fenders, ropes and a lock key.There are two solar panels on the roof. The large one feeds two large batteries which is used only for an electric thruster. The thruster is permanently fixed onto the rudder. This is just for emergency use in case you need a bit of extra oomph! The smaller solar panel feeds one large battery which services all the electrics, lighting, 12v sockets, usb charger. All the internal lighting is LED and there is a 12v jack and a USB charging point. We never ran out of power and it all worked really well.Loon is Boat Safety Certificate exempt and we found the license fees are extremely reasonable. Loon is registered with the Canal and Rivers Trust. Our insurance is less than £300 per year and I can give you details of the company that I use.I am also including a junior/childs kayak and paddle. My kids had hours of fun paddling up and down the waterways on this. Loon is on a towable boat trailer, to my knowledge it was purpose built for Loon. I will put two new tyres on the trailer this week and a new winch. It also has a wheel clamp.As part of my renovating Loon I re-painted the hull with the original paint and painted the rest of the woodwork white. It has been out of the water for the last 18 months covered up but would probably benefit from a lick of paint just to tidy her up.It is used, it is 20 years old but she is in very good condition and whoever buys her will have some amazing fun adventures on her. Everyone who sees her comments on how unusual she is, everyone wants to stop and chat and to ask questions about her and to take photos, she is admired by other boaters and passers-by alike. Facebook group Weird Waterways was started by a fellow boater after seeing Loon moored up.If you look on google images there are a number of photos of her. She is perfect for fun family holidays, or even longer journeys, cruising the rivers and canals of both the UK and Europe. We thought of taking a longer journey and traveling the UK canal system but instead are hitting the road in a purpose built camper. We are sad to see her go but hope others will enjoy her uniqueness and beauty.Loon is currently in storage at Cowroast Marina, near Tring, Herfordshire. Viewing is highly recommended, you will not be disappointed. If you would like to come and view her I will be there all day friday/saturday/sunday this week. Give me a call to let me know you would like to have a look and to arrange a time.Buyer MUST collect from Cowroast Marina by the end of April, preferably beforehand. Storage is paid until this time but the marina is developing this area and so storage cannot be continued from this date. You could put her into the water here, there is a slipway and a man who charges approx £50 to tow her in. You would then just need to arrange removal of the trailer.We towed Loon perfectly well with a petrol Honda CRV, max towing capacity 1.5 tons, it tows just like a caravan.Our daughter managed to spill a cup of tea over our laptop and so unfortunately we don't have hardly any photos of the inside of Loon. I will try and add some as soon as I go there on thursday this week. In the meantime I hope the current photos give you an idea of how she looks in the water and the fun that can be had using her.If you are interested in the history of the boat you can read an entry into the Southampton Canal Society's Newsletter dated December 1997 all about the original build and purpose.You can also see a few more photos along with other projects that I have undertaken here: www.izbaliving.wordpress.com/category/escargot-boat/You will need to meet me at Cowroast Marina on 1st/2nd April to make final payment and for the hand over of keys.£500 deposit within 24 hours of auction ending, payment of balance to be agreed, either cash on collection or bank transfer.Loon is advertised elsewhere so I reserve the right to end auction early. If you have any questions or would like to view Loon then please give me a call, Dave: 07704170101.