Collins Open Launch for sale in Henley on Thames United Kingdom

A rare and spacious varnished mahogany open launch

Condor was sold by HSC a few years ago to its current owner who was attracted by the spacious cockpit and the beauty of the hull shape. He took her to Stanley and Thomas in Windsor for extensive work below the waterline and has invoices totalling more than £20,000. However this is the most important part of any boat and she is set for another 50 years ! Built of mahogany on oak with a foredeck reminiscent of the Gibbs launches being built on the Thames at this time, she was in fact built by Collins of Wroxham who also built find craft in the nineteen thirties. Given the current fashion for entertaining afloat it seems that the long deck with the large cockpit is fashionable once again nearly ninety years later and the glorious slipper launches so beloved of the nineties may be being challenged by these varnished beauties known as gentleman’s open launches. Indeed they featured in the home guard both on the Norfolk Broads, Windermere in Cumbria and on the Thames, many with guns mounted on their foredecks. At that time she would have been powered by a Gray Marine engine but now has a more recent petrol engine, a Morris Navigator powers the boat and runs very quietly starting on the button.

Condor has six blue painted lloyd loom chairs as well as an aft bench seating two to three people. A trailer is also available and the boat has a fitted full length cover.

Condor still has her original name as is written in the Lloyds register of which the current owner has a copy. She was then owned by a Mr. King.