INCREDIBLE, UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED, HISTORIC WOODEN NARROWBOAT ‘FRIDAY’ FOR SALE
“You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht” is of course the unmistakable first line from the 1973 hit from Carly Simon, ‘You’re so Vain’.
Well, I’m not at all vain, and this isn’t exactly a yacht, but the past five years with my beloved wooden Narrow boat ‘Friday’ has felt like I’ve been at a party every single day.
My memories of time with great friends and family on board this special boat will stay with me forever – it’s been truly amazing!
Most people walk down a driveway or path or straight off the busy streets to the door of their first home, but I like to do things a little differently.
On a cold March morning I climbed aboard the spacious rear deck of this beautiful boat, peered through some delicate cut-glass porthole windows in the lovely wooden double doors, before taking the few steps down into the galley and smart living accommodation for the first time. This was going to be my home for the next amazing five years.
I absolutely loved everything about it and still do, but my partner and I need some more room now to share our lives together, so sadly Friday is for sale and is available now for a brilliant summer ahead.
Built at the renowned Peter KEAY Boatyard in Walsall in 1970, Friday is very unusual in that she’s one of only three known pleasure boats built by KEAYS in their esteemed sixty five years in business. Most historic narrowboats have lead a hard, heavy commercial life moving coal, cocoa or steel along Britain’s waterways but Friday was built as a pleasure craft and a strikingly beautiful one at that.
Originally built with a solid elm bottom and powered by a gentle, characterful , two cylinder Lister diesel engine, she’s never going to break any speed records, but that kind of misses the point. Life aboard Friday is about pure enjoyment – it’s for relaxing with friends or family either moored up in a sunny picnic spot or on the move, sedately looking for the next place to stop and have an adventure. This could be as simple as just listening to your favourite music in your very own unique detached residence or preparing and eating great food from the lovely, well equipped rustic styled galley kitchen with modern niceties such as a four ring gas hob, electric oven, a modern fridge and a lovely jam pan sink made from solid brass, sitting in solid wooden handmade worktops and preparation areas.
Check out this You Tube video to get a real flavour of how much fun has been had over the past five years: https://youtu.be/B2vynFcsJlc
Of course for many people, novices and experts alike, they don’t know much about a wooden hulled boat, but this beautiful gem was lovingly and carefully restored and renovated to an exceptional standard before I bought her and the work was carefully catalogued so I could see what an amazing restoration was done on the vessel.
A full Hull Condition Survey Report was carried out once I took ownership, which reveald she was in stunning shape and the entire hull has been professionally blackened by a local boatyard near Skipton to keep her ‘shipshape’. The yard has commented how remarkable she is when they’ve worked on her.
With modern facilities such as a gas fired boiler, electric oven, a modern fridge and four ring gas hob when onboard you can live very comfortably. There’s a separate shower room with a modern power shower with a hand basin and cassette style WC and in the living/sleeping area there are numerous 240v/13 amp plug sockets dotted around for everything the modern day demands, Friday is perfectly capable of providing some really unique living and/or work space or as a centre for some well earned peace and quiet away from all the noise and bother associated with modern life.
The high quality interior fittings are lovely and as well as a skylight and double doors at either end to open up the interior to warm sunshine, the is also a lovely wood burning stove with a back boiler feeding two radiators for when the nights draw in and you want to light a few candles for a cosy evening in.
Currently moored only a short stroll from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire village on the Leeds/Liverpool canal, train links to anywhere are readily available at both Shipley and Saltaire.
Friday is a very special boat and she’s looking for another worthy custodian, so please contact me for more information to see what fun you could have with your new life afloat.
Thank you,
Captain Sam
Current Price: £39875.00
This Incredible, Unique And Beautifully Restored, Historic Wooden Narrowboat ‘friday’ boat is located in Shipley, BD17 7DW and is being sold on eBay by 5altedcheese.