Name Owl

OWL was built in 1976 by Ron Turner of Runcorn, Cheshire for Jack Taylor, late of the Anderton Canal Carrying Company, the last commercial narrow boat carriers in the North West of England after the Anderton Co ceased trading. As built she was a carrying tug with a short open hold, 45 feet long for ease of turning on the Bridgewater Canal, where she was based. Her lines are based on the Yarwoods built motor narrow boats operated by W H Cowburn & N Cowpar Ltd of Manchester, as Jack Taylor considered those boats to be the best "swimmers" on the canal. Jack Taylor operated OWL on rubbish collection and towage contracts on the Bridgewater and nearby canals. 

When work finished she was converted for leisure use by Jack's family with a short living cabin and tug deck built over the hold. OWL passed through a number of hands before being purchased by her current owner in 2006. Since then her hull and cabin have received considerable repair work, with hull overplating and replacement cabin sides. She is still propelled by her original Lister HA2 diesel engine, which was second hand when installed. The engine has also been rebuilt under the current ownership.