R W Davis & Son Ltd

12/12/2024

Today we brought one of our hoppers out of retirement ready to help out with the dredging in the docks where her sister ship has been working since early November. These vessels are 90ft x 20ft and carry around 200 tonnes each. Photos show our towing vessel 'Dorothy' bringing her around to the dry dock for a facelift.

24/10/2024

'Saultrader' a 70ft barge designed and built by R W Davis in 1989 is for sale, she is currently lying in France near Toulouse. This boat is the star of several books written about cruising continental waterways by Keith Harris. Nearly all of our barges have crossed the channel and stayed over there. The sale is being handled by Nationwide Boat Sales.

20/06/2024

Last week's salvage work. The Freeman cruiser was at Bredon and had gone up with the floods and then back down onto her own mooring post. We had to remove the post and patch up the damage before righting her and pumping the water out.
The Atlanta 24 was sunk outside the Hop pole hotel in Tewkesbury. We winched her up, pumped her out and then towed the pair of them to our premises with the Dorothy.

05/06/2024

We've currently got this beauty in drydock for routine maintenance. Based in Swansea the Dorothy Gay has been a regular visitor to us over the last 15 years.

09/01/2024

The 'Dorothy' hard at work again today. The salvage and towage of the Looe lugger 'White Heather' which had sunk in Gloucester docks.

06/10/2023

Congratulations to Craig Glassonbury, manager at R W Davis & Son who has recently been elected to the membership of the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association and will now be carrying out marine surveys. With over 35 years in the boat building industry, Craig certainly knows what to look out for on both sea-going and inland craft.

16/06/2023

The vessel salvaged yesterday being towed by the Dorothy and now ashore at our yard.

15/06/2023

The 'Dorothy' hard at work again today, raising a boat on the river Avon.

20/04/2023

We recently completed the construction of these two passenger vessels designed to carry up to 20 passengers each through the underground tunnels of Speedwell Cavern in the Peak District. They have replaced the earlier boats and by now they will have been lowered down into the cavern and ready to take passengers More details on the Speedwell Cavern website.

20/04/2023

One of our Tug Yacht 33 motor cruisers having the wheelhouse fitted before being moved into the big shed.
For 'action' shots of an earlier vessel check out TugYacht33 on youtube.

07/02/2023

Former RNLI boarding boat 'BB239' having her new transom fitted. She's got a pair of 50hp Mariner outboards so should be fun.
We're looking forward to sea trials in this one.

16/12/2022

63ft East coast fishing boat being broken up at the yard. To save time in the dock we took her down to waterline while still afloat and towed her into the dock for the rest of the hull and the keel.

21/11/2022

18/11/2022

The 'Dorothy' hard at work again today. A challenging tow of the 84ft barge 'Semington' from Upton to Saul. Thanks to Nelson 40 'Chelengk' for acting as the brakes (many times) with the river flowing fast. Gloucester docks added to the challenge when we were stuck on mud and struggled to get moving.

10/11/2022

Another interesting vessel this week. 'Wisdom' is a coaster 49 designed by Branson boats. She's in for routine maintenance before heading out to sea.

10/11/2022

Gravel barge 'Pike' leaving us last week after drydocking for routine maintenance.

14/10/2022

A busy week in the drydock. Shot blasting a barge and applying 3 coats of epoxy. Also there's a narrowboat in for survey at the far end.

12/10/2022

Our annual crane inspection was yesterday, all good and ready for another year of boat lifting.