Welcome to Bon Viveur Boats

             

 

We are currently developing a new range of boats in the style of our highly acclaimed 50ft x 13ft 'Bon Viveur 1500' (above).

The first model of the new range is the

Bon Viveur 825

a 27ft x 6ft 9ins 'trailable' model using the same light-weight but super-tough fibre-reinforced epoxy composite materials as her big sister.

Apart from being immensely strong, this material won't rust, rot, corrode or suffer from osmosis and will require virtually no maintenance!
 

If you happen to be in the neighbourhood (Devizes, in Wiltshire), you are more than welcome to come and view work in progress.

For a limited period only, we shall be offering epoxy composite shells for DIY fit-out with a promotional price of £12,950 + VAT.

Drive-away versions with outboard motor options will be around £16,950 + VAT. Drive-away versions with inboard motor options will around £21,950 + VAT (see below for full specification) and the Classic can be fully fitted out by us to customers' individual requirements. Prices for a fully fitted-out version with inboard diesel engine start at around £35,000 + VAT.

Actually the concept, as such, is not new in that, five or six years ago, we produced what we then called the 'Gem 23' as an exercise in seeing if we could design a 'compact' boat that:

was light enough to be towed,
was strong enough for life on the inland waterways,
did not fall over as soon as someone stepped on the gunwale,
did not look like a cut-down narrowboat and had its own style/personality,
did not look too tall for its length,
would sleep 4 in 2 separate cabins,
could have an inboard or outboard engine, decent galley, shower, flushing toilet, central heating and all the comforts normally associated with a well-fitted-out craft if desired,
was competitively priced.

In the event, we succeeded in all our aspirations - except the last one, mainly because the materials we were using to keep strength up and weight down were expensive and the processes of construction labour-intensive.

We then got side-tracked into building bigger versions (the 'Bon Viveur 1500') for the Continent.

However, recent rises in the price of steel, stabilisation, and in some cases, reduction of the prices of our materials, efficiencies created by our use of computer-aided design and major improvements in our construction processes have encouraged us to look again at the market for a towable 'mini barge'. Quite apart from the ability to 'go exploring' even into Europe with the 825, we also think that the increasing scarcity of moorings in the UK and the low-maintenance aspect of our construction materials are now more significant than ever.

We have modified the design slightly so that the 825 will be more obviously the 'little sister' of the 'Bon Viveur 1500' thus preserving the Bon Viveur 'look' which people seem to find attractive.

The layout shown above is pretty much that of the Gem 23 which worked quite well + a bit more elbow room since we have increased the overall length by 4ft.

We plan to offer part or full fit-out and will be happy to quote for a complete package once we know what a particular client would like in the way of basic equipment:

inboard or outboard engine,
steering system,
water system,
heating system,
galley equipment, sink, cooker, fridge etc.
toilet system,
décor,
etc.

 

BV 825 'Classic' - Sailaway Version - £21,950 + VAT

Specification

Hull painted with 2 coats of pitch-epoxy
Superstructures painted with primer
Windows and portholes, gold anodised aluminiumm toughened glass
Doors and hatch covers
6 stainless steel mooring cleats/bollards
8 stainless steel fender eyes
Rubbing strakes

Beta Marine BZ482 13.5HP 2 cylinder inboard diesel
Technodrive 2:1 gearbox
Dash panel with tach/hour meter and warning lights/buzzers
Engine battery, split charge relay and associated wiring
Raw water cooling system with filter
Wet exhaust with muffler and goose neck.
Control levers and cables
88 litre fuel tank, filter, fuel-water separator, fuel tap

Helm with 500mm diam. stainless steel/wood wheel.
Cable steering system
Rudder, rudder stock, gland.

Prop shaft with flexible coupling
Stern tube with cutlass bearing and stuffing box
3 blade manganese bronze propeller

'Wheelhouse' with fold-down windscreen and interlocking roof panels,
Canvas side screens with zip-up doors

We shall be publishing more information as the project develops.

In the meantime, if you would like to have a chat about the project, please contact Peter Sylvester on

07867 943 395 or 07803 986 511

or email epsylvester@btinternet.com

More information about the 'Bon Viveur 1500'