Landamores: The Elanco Story

a history of building on the Broads
Landamores have been building boats in Wroxham and Hoveton since 1923.
The company has grown and evolved considerably since then, initially leading the way in Broads hire cruisers before changing focus to build and develop offshore racing yachts in the 60s and 70s. This led to a long association with Oyster, with Landamores building Oyster’s iconic ocean-going cruising yachts from the late 70s to 2012, when Oyster took the building of their yachts in-house. Along the way we have always built a variety of craft, from the popular lapstrake dinghies to the Elanco 30 river cruisers that can regularly be seen racing on the Broads. A new era sees us building classic launches and stylish motor yachts; new boats but still the quality craftsmanship, design and high-spec finish that has become synonymous with Landamores. 

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge

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1923

Small Beginnings

E. C. Landamore and Co. was born when Ted (Edward) Landamore started letting rowing skiffs, half-deckers and Amy, a small motor launch, from rented premises on the River Bure in Wroxham.

Amy

Amy, a small motor launch, was used for day trips on the River Bure in Wroxham in 1923.

Amy - the small motor launch.

Historical Wroxham

Duchess

In 1924 Ted built Duchess, a ‘water bus’ and the first of its kind on the Broads, for Billy Littleboy, who was later to found Broads Tours.

Duchess Launch

Duchess

Nikko

Nikko, Landamores first motor cruiser was built in 1925, and the hire fleet began

Nikko

Elanco Craft

Further motor cruisers, Myori, Kaori, Ikari, Omori, Tama, Delta, Melba and Wanda were built in the late 20s and 30s to expand the hire fleet, which had become known as ‘Elanco Craft’. The fleet moved in the early 30s to its new home, and our current boatyard, in Hoveton.

Elanco Craft

 

Empress

Empress, a 2nd water bus, was built for Billy Littleboy in the early 30s

Landamores Empress

Empress

 

Vesta

Vesta 1 and 2 were built in 1938 to join the Elanco fleet. The Vesta was a 32’, 4 berth motor cruiser and it went on to form the core of our hire fleet. Vesta 3 and 4  followed in 1939.

Our pre-War Vesta

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1939

Wartime Help

The onset of war saw Landamores, like most other boat builders, shut-up shop. The company soon re-opened and focused on the war effort, initially making household goods and Nissen hut ends before being commissioned to build boats for the war effort.

Household Goods

Landamores first wartime commissions were for Nissen hut ends but they also went on to make ammunition boxes, wooden mine-sweeping floats and household goods (clothes horses, stepladders and ironing boards) throughout the war years.

Landamores Household Goods

Lifeboats

In 1941 the yard was able to return to boat building with an order for clinker-built ship's lifeboats.

RAF Air-Sea Rescue Launches

In 1942 the main building shop was extended to make room for the construction of two 65’ RAF Air-sea rescue launches. These high-speed craft had three engines and were constructed with double diagonal mahogany planking.

Harbour Launches

Between 1943 and the end of the war eleven 45’ Admiralty Harbour Launches were built. These were round bilged vessels with double diagonal larch planking.

harbour launch

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1946

Peacetime Holidays

The end of the war saw the return of boating on the Norfolk Broads and Landamores were able to start operating their hire fleet once again. The pre-war fleet was soon supplemented with new craft, designed and built by Ted.

Vesta

12 further Vestas were built between 1946 and 1949 to join the fleet and to replace some of the earlier boats that were sold off.

Vesta Construction

Vestella

In 1949 Ted designed and built a new model for the hire fleet, the Vestella, bigger than the Vesta at 35’ it could accommodate 5 people. 7 were built between 1949 and 1955

vestella

Vestina

Ted also designed and built a smaller model, the Vestina. She was a 2-3 berth aft cockpit cruiser, 6 Vestinas were built between 1953 and 1958.

vestina

Vestina

Velanda

Velanda, a 30’ 4 berth motor cruiser with a more modern styling, was designed and built in 1963 to be added to the hire fleet.  4 were built from 1963 to 1965

Velanda

Elanco Craft

In 1967 the hire fleet, at this point numbering 23 in total, were sold to Jenners of Thorpe so that Landamores, now under the helm of Ted’s son Leslie, could focus on building private craft.

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1950

Building for Pleasure

Whilst the winter months were filled by building and maintaining the hire fleet, the summer, when all the boats were being used, allowed time for Landamores to build boats for private ownership. This work became more and more important to the company before eventually taking over as the mainstay of the business under Ted’s son Leslie’s leadership.

The list below is not exhaustive but details a large number of the boats that were built by Landamores during this period. The vast majority of them were designed by Leslie Landamore, who was a skilled naval architect.

Slipper Stern Launch

3 slipper stern launches were built in the 50s for the Three Horseshoes pub in Hoveton

A Landamores Launch

Snark

A Norfolk Punt, Snark (number 49),was built by Landamores in 1956 and is still raced today at the Norfolk Punt Club. She was one of the first to be built from plywood.

Snark

Lapstrake Dinghies

9’6 and 11’6 lugsail dinghies, the ‘Landamores Lapstrake’ design were built between 1956 and 1966 and around 60 were made. Later, moulds were taken off of both dinghies and GRP versions were made.

Lugsail sailing

 Lapsrake dinghy

Miss Mischief

In 1956 Mischievous Miss (11’6) was built, closely followed by the more popular Miss Mischief (12’9). These were small speedboats that were capable of 35mph!

Miss Mischief

Bittern

The popular Bittern Dinghy was designed by Leslie in 1960 and around 60 were built by Landamores

Bittern Dinghy

Sparklet

Sparklet, a National 12 dinghy, was designed in 1961 and proved very popular. Around 60 were built between 1961 and 1967, one of which (N2153 'Reflection', sailed by Robin Steavenson) won the Burton Cup in 1966. http://www.national12.org/boats

National 12 'Sparklet'

Eclan

Eclan, an elegant motor cruiser based on the Vestella, but bigger at 37’, was built in 1962. She is now known as Snowgoose and can still be seen on the Broads.

Eclan

Carenda

Carenda, is a pre-was Vesta that was re-built for estuary use (by modifications to the wheel house and the addition of 2nd engine). Although she left the Broads in the 60s she has recently been seen back in Norfolk.

Landamore Carenda

Carenda

Rujac

Rujac,a 26’ hard chine ply motor cruiser, designed by Leslie, was built in 1964. She was the first of 4 such boats.

Elanco 26 at the London Boatshow

19' Launch

Landamores designed and built 11 19’ day launches from 1965

19' Launch

Glass Reinforced Plastic

GRP hulls made their first appearance at Landamores around 1965, one of the first to be fitted out was a small day lunch called Blue Nymph

Waverly and Maudelayne

Waverly and Maudelayne were 27’ versions of Rujac, modified to have a round bilge and conventional planking. They were built in 1966.

Amazon

Amazon, built in 1969, is a small dinghy that was built from a 6” illustration in a book and shipped all the way to Lake Michigan in the USA! The photo show Patricia Landamore sailing her..

Amazon Broad Dinghy

Amazon

Yeoman

The Yeoman was originally designed, by Leslie, for Eric Yeoman who wanted a boat of similar performance to a White Boat (Y&BOD) but with simpler rigging. The first was launched in 1969 and was stripped planked, it is now on display in the Museum of the Broads. The design proved popular, so a mould was made, and a fibreglass version built. The Yeoman has been popular ever since and is raced on the Norfolk Broads and further afield. For more information click here.

Yeoman

The Yeoman Brochure

Kinsman

The Kinsman, a drop keel version of the Yeoman, was developed for easy trailing and launching.

A Kinsman sailing in Portugal

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1967

Out to Sea

By the Late 60s, the focus of the work at Landamores was shifting again and a number of estuary and sea-going boats were appearing amongst the Broads cruisers, launches and dinghies. The emergence of GRP was also having an effect, with Landamores making plugs for mould tools and gradually fitting out more GRP hulls and building fewer wooden ones.

TL90

In 1966 the TL90, or Tucker-Landamore 9m, was the first large plug to be constructed by Landamores for GRP moulding. 12 of these were built and fitted out at the yard.

TL90 Cascade

A TL90 hull being launched

Otter Class

The Otter class (36’ and 40’) were sea-going twin engine motor yachts, the first was built in 1967. Designed by J Francis Jones, Julia Gee was followed by Son of Zeus and then Kailmora.

An Otter CLASS

Otter construction

Hustler 30

The Hustler 30, designed by Holman and Pye, was first built in 1969; 4 were fitted out by Landamores during that year. The Hustler range were marketed by Island Boat Sales.

Hustler 30

Hustler 35

The Hustler 35 was the next in the Hustler range and the first was built in 1970. In total, around 130 Hustlers (of various models) were built by Landamores.

Hustler 35

Hustler 35 deck plug construction

Trocar

Trocar, a strip planked 30’ racing yacht was designed by Holman and Pye and has been raced successfully ever since she was launched in 1972.

Hustler 25.5

In 1972 a Hustler 25.5 named UFO was built for Richard Matthews, who would go on to found Oyster Marine and work in partnership with Landamores for many years.

UFO

UFO Class

 The UFO class (27’, 31’ and 34’) were launched in 1973. Following the success of Richard Matthew’s first UFO, others were developed. Richard’s UFO 34 was so successful that all his friends wanted one too and Oyster Marine was founded!

UFO 34

George Poole

 In 1974 a 31'8 Sloop, George Poole was the last carvel hull to be built at the yard.

George Poole

George Poole

Xaviera

 Xaviera is a half-tonner, designed by Stephan Jones and built by Landamores, with a cold-moulded wooden hull. Built in 1976, she signalled the start of the ‘SJ’ range of boats and a number of similar boats were built and marketed as the Hustler SJ32.

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1977

The World is our Oyster

The success of the Hustler and UFO range led Richard Matthews to found Oyster Marine in 1973, with Landamores as their builder. The relationship was hugely successful and both Landamores and Oyster Marine flourished, turning out high quality, hand-built cruising yachts that have become world renowned. By the late 70s Leslie’s son Anthony was on board and he took over the running of the company in the 80s. Anthony was instrumental in Landamores’ growth and development to keep pace with the demand for bigger and better Oyster Yachts.

Landamores always kept close to their roots though, producing several Broads boats alongside the luxury Oysters. Landamores have built far too many Oysters to list here but some of the key models are shown below.

Oyster 37

In 1977 the first Oyster 37, Botkill was builtshe was shown at the 1978 London Boatshow. The 2nd and 3rd Oyster 37s, Pala and Oystercatcher (pictured below) were build in 1977.

Oyster 37

Oyster 39

Ostrea, Richard Matthew’s Oyster 39, was built in 1978 and was the first to be designed as a ‘cruising’ Oyster. This cruising yacht found the niche for a combination of luxury and performance that Oyster have made their own ever since.

Oyster 39

Oyster SJ41

The first SJ41, a Stephan Jones designed one tonner, was built in 1980. These yachts were very successful racers and the design, focusing on speed and performance, was quite radical at the time.

SJ41

Oyster SJ43

The SJ43, a two tonner, was a stripped out racer and successful as it’s smaller sister. The fist SJ43 was built in 1981.

SJ43

Oyster 46

In 1981 the Oyster 46designed by Holman and Pye, was a cruising Oyster with a centre cockpit and the first deck saloon yacht; a concept that revolutionised cruising yacht design.

Oyster 46

Cirrus

In 1982 the hull for Cirrus, an Andrew Wolstenholme designed Broads river cruiser, was the last wooden hull to be built by Landamores (to date!).

Cirrus

Melinda

Melinda, built in 1983 was the first Elanco 28. Designed for racing in the River Cruiser Class and cruising on the Broads she was originally owned by Anthony Landamore and still races very successfully. A number of other Elanco 28 hulls were supplied to be fitted out by other builders and they can be seen regularly on the Broads.

Broads Yacht

Melinda

Oyster 435

TheOyster 435, Oyster 435 was one of the most popular Oyster designs. Production started in 1983 and the boats were so sought after that our workshops had to be extended to allow two 435s to fit in the centre bay and thereby increase our capacity! The 435 was available with either a coachroof or deck saloon, an aft or centre cockpit, and as either a ketch or a sloop.

Broads Yacht

Oyster 435

Oyster 53 and 55

Production of the Oyster 53 and 55 began in 1986. These models proved to be very popular as they were large yachts that were designed to be sailed by 2 people. Anything larger is likely to need a professional crew on board!

Oyster 53

Matilda

in 1990 an Elanco 30, Matilda, was built for Anthony, whose family had outgrown Melinda. Matilda is a 5 berth river cruiser that races well and is comfortable for cruising the Broads. Matilda was the first of the River Cruiser Class to be rigged with a fixed topsail, an innovation of Anthony’s that has now become standard on most gaff rigged Broads cruisers.  Anthony is still regularly racing Matilda on the Broads.

Matilda

Oyster 80

The first Oyster 80, Free Spirit, was built in 1993. Configured with a deck saloon, the 80 was the pinnacle of luxury cruising; an ocean-going yacht with world wide capability she (like all of her smaller sisters) had all the facilities and mod-cons of a home on-board.

Oyster 80 hull arriving

Oyster 72

In the late 90s the Oyster 72 was in production. She had a sleek design and was a higher performance yacht that the typical cruising Oysters had been.

Oyster 72

Tiky

Tiky came to the yard in 2009 for a full refurbishment. She was the first steel hulled boat fitted out by Landamores and had her interior upgraded to a hand-built Oyster-style fit-out. Read more here.

Tiky

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2012

Continuing the Story

In 2012 Oyster, who were by then known as Oyster Yachts and no-longer owned by Richard Matthews, decided to take all their building in-house and our long association with them ended. Landamores, still under the leadership of Anthony but now with three members of the next generation on board, have been busy working on exciting new products and are continuing to build beautifully crafted, quality boats in our Norfolk boatyard.

Bridge Broad

Landamores took over Bridge Broad Marina in Wroxham in 2017. This beautiful spot was better known as the boatyard of Porter and Haylett and is just upstream of Wroxham Bridge. We have year-round moorings available and have already begun a programme of improvements to a marina that had previously been rather neglected.

Mayfly 16
Our new Mayfly 16, Nymph, was launched in May 2018. She's a beautiful boat with a torqeedo electric pod motor that sits below the hull, leaving the cockpit completely open and free of the usual engine box. She's fitted out as a 'standard' model, with mahogany deck inlays, coving and seats all varnished to a high-gloss finish.

 

Mayfly 16 'Nymph'

 

Jersey 36 Elanco
Our first Jersey 36 Elanco 'Kimaru' was launched in September 2018 and shown at the Sounthampton Boatshow. Kimaru has a bespoke oak joinery interior fit out that has been beautifully finished to form a spacious and sociable wheelhouse. She has twin diesel engines as well as an electric saildrive, enabling her to run silently on inland or calm coastal waters.

Jersey 36 Elanco 'Kimaru'

Jersey 36 Elanco 'Kimaru'

 

Mayfly 21

Following on from the success of the beautiful Mayfly 16 launch, Landamores developed a big sister for her; the Mayfly 21.

The first one, Naiad, was launched in Summer 2019 in time for the Thames Traditional Festival. Built with the same varnished mahogany decks and coamings as the Mayfly 16, Naiad's classic looks made her an instant hit. She has a 4kW Torqeedo pod motor for peacefully quiet cruising with a surprising turn of speed!

Mayfly 21

Mayfly 21 'Naiad'

Mayfly 21

Mayfly 21