Unique Floating Restaurant

Wright International Ltd is proud to have this superb 3 star Converted Tug Restaurant on our books direct from owner. It is truly worthy of the three stars from its construction, appearance, style, elegance and cleanliness. Everywhere is immaculately clean and fresh. Getting a vessel clean is one thing getting it to smell fresh is work of art. It is all down to ventilation, cleanliness and choice of materials. This owner got it right on all accounts. Wright International Ltd has now sold a number of party boats as well as having more available for charter. We have found there to be a very strong demand for these boats as it offers something different and unique compared to standard restaurants and night clubs etc. This particular boat is an ex tug that has been converted to a very successful restaurant in a marina. This has served well as a marina club house as it offers a nautical atmosphere and is now making a very impressive turn over each year. This is a one off opportunity to acquire such a business and vessel and as such we strongly recommend all serious parties to act fast. The danger with tug conversions is that most of them end up being rather tacky and in finished off in bad taste. There are also several on the market where finance was so tight that obvious signs of cutting corners ruin what would otherwise be a very lucrative business. Having had the pleasure to see this vessel for ourselves we can with confidence ask anyone from any country to come and see how a tug should be converted. This boat is credit to its owner as he was the successful businessman who had the knack of knowing what was appropriate and what was not. Don’t take our word for it please come and see how a conversion should look like and whether you are intending to serve pub food or cordon blue this vessel very cleverly supplies the correct ambiance for all occasions. Contact either Robert or Greig now and let us tell you first hand just what a delight this vessel is.

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Dimensions

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Construction

When shipyards around the world built Tugs like this they built them to last. Everything had to be stronger than the last one and as a result tugs like this are around today as legends to an era that will never return. When you get owners converting these tugs the first thing that happens is they lose the nautical feel to the restaurant in favour of more room or simply to reduce the cost of conversion.

This owner wanted to create a restaurant that not only served food but did it with style. He did that with consummate ease.

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Accomodation

ACCESS – The restaurant is presently located in a tidal Marina and this means the owner had to have two means of Access to compensate for the tides. Access is normally from an enclosed gangway with a lockable entrance gate. The alternative as you can see from the photographs is a second gangway to the upper deck. This again has a lockable get entrance.

RECEPTION – When you walk down the enclosed gangway you are immediately into a bright reception area. This is your first real sense of just how tastefully the Tug has been converted into a restaurant. There is a wooden construction overhead with translucent sheeting to allow the guest to walk around dry, yet with a sense of being in the open air. Selected pot plants and ornate rope work maintain the nautical image and yet make it a convivial approach to the restaurant itself.

HEADS – there are two heads to the starboard of the reception area. The gents has two Urinals and a fully operational domestic WC. There are also sinks to wash up. Tastefully decorated it is bright, clean and fresh. The ladies WC has two cubicles and the wash hand basin and has again been finished in pink yet with enough artefacts to provide the nautical theme even to the Ladies WC.

MAIN SALOON – This is where the owner has to be given as much credit as possible. If you look on the wall you can a picture of what the owner was presented with as a tug. Now as you look at the finished article you left in total awe at his vision. As you enter the Saloon you are immediately aware of the large double glazed windows allowing copious amounts of natural light into the whole saloon. The excellent choice of colours and the use of wood and rope has blended in perfectly. Instead of the structural steel supports being painted out they have been finished of with timber slats bonded direct to the steel. In a combination of ornate and functionality the wooden slats have rope wound round to support the glue on the slats.

The large port side tables seat six at each and appear to be supported with rope and pulleys. This is just an image as the table is supported on legs and rope and pulleys yet again just an artefact to create the ambiance. The headroom must be well over two metre and the roof has artefacts like the original ships wheel suspended from above. The fan/light is effective without being intrusive. The walls have timber up to dado height and a painted finish above. The floor is finished off as is the ceiling in a wooden veneer.

The bar is on a raised plinth and again has been constructed with timber slats and ropework to blend in with the rest of the main saloon. Built in to the bar and the adjacent wall is ample amounts of storage for the glasses and bottles of wine. The portside windows as well as being double glazed are also angled to create the “Ship” feel and not just domestic double glazing. The clever use of colour and materials selected for wall coverings, table covers, blinds, etc have presented not only an image of brightness but also one of unquestionable cleanliness.

The aft section is again a storage area with built in microwaves and cupboards for the white crockery and the wine glasses.

GALLEY - If a restaurant like this is to be successful it not only has to look right it has to be functional for all the guests on board at any one time. One has to plan for a full house and hope it does not happen too often as that would be nice for the Bank but would put the entire staff under stress.

So when it came to having the galley functional for this many people it had to be fully fitted, easy cleaned and plenty of storage. Again the owner deserves full marks for achieving top marks on all accounts.

Take a close look at the photographs because this is one of those times where you would thousands of them to describe what you are looking at in the pictures. As you enter the galley immediately to the left is the main cooking area. You can see the two industrial microwaves on a shelf over the shelves housing the pots, pans and crockery. The large six ring gas hob and double oven are finished off in stainless steel and conveniently placed shelf above has the cooking oil and a huge extractor fan. The hot plates and deep fat fryer can also be found adjacent to the cooker. The floor is of aluminium checker plate and the walls and ceiling in easy clean PVC and stainless steel. Every space has been thought out to maximise the potential. The large stainless steel worktop has two refrigerators under this has all the fast turnover items stored for convenience. A full height refrigerator is against the stairs down the walk in dry foods storage. There are fridges and freezers everywhere on this galley and the amount of storage is only surpassed by how it all fits in allowing the entire galley to remain spotlessly clean and bright. Over to port is the separate room where the dishes can be washed, the baking can be done and the salads prepared away from the heat of the cookers, ovens and hot foods. This area also houses a cooker for the soup of the day to simmer away on, more micro waves and more deep fat fryers.

On the port side as you walk toward the bow the chefs specials board is to be found with tantalising suggestions all kinds of tastes. Again it is obvious without being vulgar and this totally in keeping with the whole ambiance of the main saloon.

As you climb the stairs to the upper saloon you are aware of just authentic the owner has managed to keep the Tug it started out as. You pass the wheelhouse pretty much as it was when it sailed for the last time. The brass telegraph down to the engine room, the spoked ships wheel (the original is hanging from the ceiling on the lower Saloon) and of course just enough artefacts to be tastefully correct for a wheelhouse. None of this is functional as the engine was dismantled to make way for the galley.

Continue round and you see Neptune himself welcome you to the upper Saloon. The upper saloon has again a bar for the guests to enjoy a drink without having to run up and down the stairs. Again the windows are double glazed and large allowing in plenty of light.

The upper saloon is more or less a mirror image of the lower saloon with the exception of you being constantly aware of the outside deck. The large French doors allow you to go out on deck and here you can sit in the sunshine or the rain as it has a weatherproof roof. The deck has been finished off in anti slip green paint and the furniture wooden on ornate cast iron. For safety a netting has been put round the handrail preventing even the smallest of children from getting into harms way. On that note there is a port and starboard gunwales but the owner blocked these off so as not to have badly behaved children running round and round the deck, annoying other customers and endangering the children in the first place.

Decking Equipment

Again you have to see this boat to see all the equipment that goes with it. However there is one point that has to be made and that is the security of this vessel. Most ships that are converted have still got mooring lines. Some are made of wire but they are still mooring lines.

This ship has an elaborate and cleverly engineered system of ties bolted to the ship at one end and to the harbour wall. This not only stops the ship form pulling on the lines but also controls the movement of the ship itself. There is no point having your dinner guest sea sick and this control system works well. The day we viewed the vessel it was blowing quite hard and yet the boat was remarkably stable.

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Safety Equipment

Safety is paramount on any ship. It is even more so on a restaurant ship as the focus is on the food and not on the guests welfare. You can never say never but you can say this owner has thought of practically everything when it comes to safety. Without labouring the point he has managed to combine safety with style a combination very hard to achieve. Take the ring lifebuoys. They are functional, convenient and yet they have been used as nautical artefacts at the same time. The handrail has a green netting that again blends in rather than being incongruous to the general ambiance. Fire extinguishers are everywhere and again subtle and imaginatively positioned so as not to draw attention to them.

Disclaimer

The details of this vessel is offered in good faith but cannot be guaranteed. Nor can we warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.