Description

Advancing years and increasing difficulty in maintaining our beloved Ampère, the first professionally built electric narrowboat of the current generation, mean that it is time to find her a new home, making this an opportunity for someone to acquire this pioneering boat.

Specifications

Accommodation

The front steps, two single berths and the dining table pull out from under the tug deck. As well as the berths, this provides a choice of 2 relaxing seats facing into the saloon or 2 or 4 dining ones facing the table. A TV is located in the upper part of the cupboard on the left in the first photo, with storage below and under the bunks. There are also bookshelves on the galley bulkhead. Loose furnishings comprise a 2-seater, leather, Stressless settee and a matching stool/side table. The main lighting is LED wash lighting of the ceiling, augmented by 4 wall lights and a brass standard lamp. Heating is by a combination of the underfloor system, a Kabola ‘Old Dutch’ oil stove, and 2 domestic fan heaters, which can also be set up to provide frost protection using a separate thermostat.
The galley has Honister green slate worktops and flooring, a 2-ring induction hob, large combi-microwave oven, larder fridge and small freezer. The domestic hot water calorifier Is under the sink, minimising the runs to the points of use and thus wastage of hot water.
The Honister slate is continued into the toilet/shower, which has a basin, Leesan macerator toilet and pentagonal shower, the latter giving more usable space than the more common quadrant ones. The underfloor heating is augmented by a large towel rail.
The bed is a 4’ x 6’6” double, pulling out slightly from the wall to give more elbow room. The batteries occupy about half of the space underneath with the rest given over to storage, complementing the wardrobe, drawers and various smaller cupboards in that cabin. A skirting radiator augments the underfloor heating. Bedding (including 2 duvets, 4 pillows and their covers for the main bed, plus some more random items for the pull-outs) is included. The mattress will need replacing shortly but we feel it better to leave that choice to a new owner.
The main electrical cupboard, the washing machine and the charger for the Dyson vacuum cleaner are in the utility area. together with wet hanging and storage.

Saloon from the Galley

Table when pulled out

Table Inlay

Front Bunks

Induction Hob

Belfast Sink

Washbasin

Shower

Bed

Construction

Ampère's shell, from top builder Roger Farrington, is based on the tugs of the Stewarts & Lloyds company. She is 57’6” long x 2’6” draft and weighs 22 tonnes. We believe that the plate thicknesses are 10/8/6/4 but can't find the original documentation.
The fit-out, in American White Oak, is by Wharf House Narrowboats and, unlike many subsequent boats, the electrical installation was done by a qualified electrical engineer, Tim Scoones. She is double glazed throughout (with some, blown units replaced recently) and, as a bonus, the back doors carry the last paintings done by famous boat painter Ron Hough.
The hull was fitted with anodes and epoxy blacked prior to launch, with the blacking topped up in 2019. It was subsequently grit-blasted and epoxy sprayed in 2023 after some lifting of the original coating was found, the anodes and stern bearing being replaced at the same time.

The Bow

The Stern

The Launch

Equipment

Ampere comes with all the standard things like an electric cable, water hose, pole and a selection of windlasses (including EA and ratchet ones). Less common are a self pump-out kit, a high-spec aluminium anchor (as a steel one capable of holding her would be too heavy to handle) and a Dyson vacuum cleaner. There is also a selection of spares, pipes and plumbing and electrical fittings.
A modem is in a cupboard behind the shower provides Wi-Fi, also carrying the signal for a Sonos hi-fi system.
As the vendors are coming off the water most domestic equipment (cooking, crockery and cutlery) and a fairly comprehensive tool set are available as part of the sale.
The current BSS runs to May, 2027, but the vendors are willing to arrange a new inspection before handover.

Engine(s)

Ampère has a TEMA SPM132, permanent magnet, AC motor, controlled by a Sevcon Gen 4 controller and rated at 15 kW @ 1,000 rpm. This drives a 20” x 14” Crowther propeller, this combination providing greater propulsion efficiency than the smaller, faster props fitted to most boats. Less than 2 kW is needed to maintain 3 mph in open water, though up to double that can be needed in canals, depending on their width and depth.
Power comes from a bank of 6 x 5 kWh Pylontech LFP rack batteries, new in March, 2025, after the originals began to fail. They are principally charged by a Victron Quattro 10/140 from the onboard generator, an 8 kVA Fischer-Panda 8000NE, mounted in the bow. The generator front bearing will need replacing within the next 2 years, or so. To maximise overall fuel efficiency the generator coolant not only heats domestic hot water but supplies heat to an underfloor system via a second, larger calorifier (the blue patch in the generator photo).
430W of solar make a small contribution and mains power can be used when available.

Ampère's Motor

Ampère's Generator

Safety Equipment

Two flotation aids are included and a life-ring is available if required.

Location Map