PROCEED

Like many aspects of life, there’s always a bit of history behind things that get to the end of their own life.  Before we left the Weaver Navigation, we passed a couple of interesting boats (well I thought they were).  The first, tied up by a boatyard was an old tug called ‘Proceed’.  Although obviously not used any more (read derelict), she had that lovely robust hardworking tug shape I find appealing.

Tug PROCEED

Tug PROCEED – view of the stern

So – a bit of history :

Built in Belgium in 1954, for the Belgian Navy, she was fitted with a 450 bhp, 7 cyl MAN engine, and first named ‘Hendrick II’. She worked for two owners in Antwerp before being sold to company in Poole, Dorset, and renamed ‘Pullwell Bravo’. Below is a picture of her at that time (1975) – (pinched from the internet).

Named ‘Pullwell Bravo’

She was them sold to a company in London, and then sold on to a dredging business in Plymouth. A second Plymouth owner renamed her ‘Coastal Man’, before selling her on to firm in Jersey. Her next owners used the tug on Tyneside, before selling her on to a business in Northwich (on the Weaver Navigation) who renamed her ‘Proceed’. Perhaps someone plans to restore her.

The second boat that appealed was an old cruiser named ‘Owaissa’.  A little bit of research revealed the boat was built in 1934. Certainly still looking good.

Owaissa