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Extending the cabin does not mean losing the traditional appeal

- ADAM PORTER

BOAT TEST

EACH MONTH WE PUT NEW BOATS THROUGH THEIR PACES

Performance • Interior • Specification

If you’re planning to live aboard your boat, maximising interior space can be a big priority. Recently, we’ve seen more boats which have sacrificed their well decks for an extended cabin for just this reason.

But the look of the boats isn’t to everyone’s taste – including the owners of this boat, Andy and Tara Nash. Their shell builder, Tim Tyler of Tyler Wilson also isn’t a fan, so together they have come up with a design which extends the cabin, but looks traditional at the same time.

This boat, which has been fitted out by Braidbar Boats -– undoubtedly one of the top names in the industry – also pulls off the trick of combining that traditional outside with an unashamedly modern interior and the latest technology. It has a hybrid drive system, a huge battery bank, and is gas free.

Exterior

Flutterby is built on a 62ft shell which immediately comes across as being a bit special. It’s at the bow where the magic happens. Having rejected the modern take on an extended cabin, the owners settled on an interpretation of the cloth-covered hold of a working boat instead. But they were still worried about what the forward bulkhead would look like, so Tim Tyler suggested a Potters Cabin at the bow. This would really ramp up the traditional look, and have the added advantage of providing a huge storage locker.