Herbert Woods Delight Class

Now personally, I have a love and passion for classic Broads boats however, the boat offered here is quite simply incredible and by far and away the most stunning and impressive restoration I have ever seen.

This impeccable Herbert Woods Delight class boat must be seen to be fully appreciated. She has been in her current owners' family and tender care now for the last 19 years and is one of just 12 ever made by one of the oldest boat builders on the broads, Herbert Woods.

She was built between 1930 and 193. However, the family believe the actual date to be 1933. So this remarkable vessel has seen her way through WW2 and everything since and was lovingly treated to a full multi-year complete restoration by Colin Buttifant of Swallowtail Boatyard in Ludham, being re-launched in 2005 with a new Nanni diesel engine back into the loving care of her Broadland family. This boat is not so much presented as exhibited! It is impossible to believe that she was not built last year as she is totally unmarked and impossible to fault. Her wood gleams with the warmth and an attention to detail that only a professional boat builder can bestow to the material and it must be noted that you just do not find this level of workmanship on boats any more. From small designs in the battery box lid to the whole exterior, every cabinetry panel and even in the heads compartment, this boat just overpowers the viewer with the most excellent example of the boat restorers art.

Make no mistake, you will not find a boat that comes close to the finish of the beautiful vessel and that includes many a new boat just built. The family has used her regularly on the Broads and always kept her under cover in a wet boatshed. She has had no expense spared to maintain her in her incredible condition and it shows in every place you look. This includes under the floors and inner hull.

She is quite simply the best and most evocative example I have ever seen of a classic wooden Broads cruiser. If you want the best of the best and dream of taking to the river to recapture the bygone heyday of British boating, then this is your opportunity to acquire a stand out vessel of her generaton. She does, and will continue to, draw crowds wherever she goes from admiring passers-by as she is a true object of beauty and desire.

The hard deatils of the boat are as follows, direct from the family:
The ‘Delights’ were a class of 12 motor cruisers built between 1930 and 1936 by Herbert Woods of Potter Heigham. This is hull XI and was fully restored by a professional boat builder (Colin Buttifant, Swallowtail Boatyard, Norfolk) from 2003-2005 with no expense spared. She has been moored inside a boathouse in Horning, Norfolk ever since, and has been regularly winterised and maintained. She has 3 berths, 2 parallel bunks in the rear cabin, 1 in the forward cabin along with a galley and toilet. Both cabins have heating and the galley is equipped with hot and cold water via a stainless steel sink and gas cooker with oven, grill and 2 rings. Large parts of the boat were rebuilt to original specifications during the 2005 restoration. The works also involved installing brand new elements including a Nanni 3-100 HE diesel engine, replacing the electrics throughout, a pressurised water system, replacement rudder, a Webasto heating system, a Voyager 2000 gas cooker and recarpeting throughout.
The roof of wheelhouse is retractable.
She was also last antifouled winter 2019.

Mechanical & Electrical
29HP Nanni 3-100HE diesel inboard engine - 2005, last serviced 2017
Plumbing and gas systems all renewed 2005, new par max 2.9 water pressure pump 2016
12V auto bilge pump new 2019
Webasto cabin heating - 2005
Traditional 12V cabin and cockpit lights - 2005
New 90ah platinum starting battery - 2020
New 110ah platinum domestic battery - 2020
Oil and fuel filters replaced 2019

The family is only offerieng the vessel for sale due to recent bereavement so the opportunity to obtain such a rare vessel has presented itself. This is genuinely a once in a life time chance to acquire such a long loved vessel and she is sure to sell to the first viewer as there is nothing not to like.

Her Broads Toll is paid to March 2022 and she has a current valid Boat Saftey Certificate to 24/03/2025.

These boat details are subject to contract.