b'Longspring - an Andrews slipper launchLOA 30ft. Beam 6ft 5ins. Draft 16ins. Built in 1962 by Andrews Boathouses of Bourne End. Single chine construction with Mahogany planking on Oak frames. Mahogany deck and fit-out. BMC Vedette petrol engine.The Slipper Launch is a Thames icon and a remarkable legacy left by Andrews Boathouses whose styling and production methods were influenced by the emerging automotive industry of the time.By the mid-1920s chrome plating had become a well-established technology and was very fashionable in car styling. Andrews gave their range of Slipper Launches car-like attributes and linked this new fashion to the Thames tradition of the elegant launch. Like other boatyards on the Thames the skills used to build these boats were handed down from time-served boatbuilders to their apprentices.Longspring is a very original example of the 30ft variety. She is correct in every aspect, from the deck fittings to her petrol engine. I do not think launches of this quality survive in such good condition just by chance, and Longsprings good fortune to have knowledgeable owners is an important factor. Caring for Longspring is a partnership between the boatyard and her owner; it is an arrangement that has developed over many years and is led by a joint respect 52'