As is so often the case, Samuel Charles started life as a modest 57ft, but as the project progressed the length necessary to fit the new ideas grew, until it had to stop at 70ft. But this is not to say the boat is profligate with space, and we approve of how most of the areas have used it.

The Centre piece, as we have said, is the massive Kelvin K2. The owner had always wanted a traditional engine, and he bought this 70 year-old diesel before he even decided on the boatbuilder. It obviously has to sit in its own engineroom, so this forms a natural division in the boat.

Aft is a 'boatman's cabin', but fitted out in modern materials and with a modern layout. Forward come bathroom, galley and saloon, while at the bow is a long cockpit with room for a whole party.

In many cases owners feel they have to follow a theme throughout the boat, but in designing Samuel Charles, Fernwood decided that each are should have its own character, with the natural breaks forming the divisions. The result, as our pictures show, is a boat that is individualistic and striking, but not disjointed, and one that the majority of visitors on board gave their approval to at the recent Crick show.

Externally the boat is loosely based on the design of the canal ice-breakers, with a long, low bow, sharply raked forefoot, S-shaped forward swim, and plenty of rivets applied along its length.