Mothership Marine ~ Sunflower
Award winning, bespoke solar electric narrowboats.
Mothership Marine are award winning, bespoke solar electric narrowboat builders located in Oundle Marina near Peterborough. The Mothership team of craftsmen are dedicated to building high quality energy efficient boats. Through their technical innovation, they are pushing at the edges with new and exciting ways of boat building. At the same time adopting a pragmatic approach to design and construction learnt from many collective years in design and build.
Like many of Mothership Marine’s clients, Peter and Tracey were entering retirement. Their plan was to keep a home on land, but spend as much time as possible aboard Sunflower during the warmer months. They love hosting and entertaining friends on board, where conversations often drift from “you have to try this Burgundy” to “did I mention this boat runs on solar electric?”
One key element of their design brief was the ability to enjoy a morning cup of tea with a view out the front of the boat. To make this possible, they opted against the typical drawbridge bed and instead chose a compact double with an extension piece. This choice altered the bathroom layout, making space for a dedicated shower area. The result is a highly sociable layout—one the owners are eager to share with their guests.
Sunflower features a semi-cruiser stern with synthetic teak decking. Her cabin doors open a full 180 degrees, and inserts can be placed in the corner gaps to extend the seating area seamlessly. As you step down into the main cabin, you’ll find an electrical cupboard to your right and a combined storage space and cloakroom to your left.
The galley is fully equipped with all the essentials. At the far end of the galley, near the duck hatch, there’s a folding table on the starboard side. Opposite, on the port side, sits a Hobbit Stove, which serves as the boat’s primary heat source. Just forward of the stove is the saloon, which features a generously sized built-in sofa that doubles as a dining area for entertaining guests.
Beyond a sliding door lies the bathroom. To the right, you’ll find an unusually spacious shower for a narrowboat, along with a sink and composting toilet. Above the toilet is a custom-shaped cupboard that cleverly shares wardrobe space with the adjoining bedroom. The bathroom’s black fixtures and fittings provide a striking contrast to the warm, reclaimed pine used throughout the boat.
Our Hobbit Stove is the ideal choice for this type of narrowboat, view our Canal Boat Flue Kits and explore how one of our stoves could be the heating, cooking and hot water solution on your boat! Visit their website here.
