Roebuck Estates & Peter Freebody & Co Slipper Launches by Yves de Contades
When exquisite English sparkling wine meets handcrafted river launches, the result is a truly British affair: a celebration of heritage, beauty, and quiet indulgence. The collaboration between Roebuck Estates and Peter Freebody & Co is a masterstroke of elegant storytelling where timeless craftsmanship on water meets a sparkling tribute to patience and precision. And it all came together on one glorious, slow-paced afternoon on the River Thames.
Peter Freebody & Co: The Art of the River
Tucked away beside a sleepy curve of the Thames, Peter Freebody & Co isn’t just a boatyard it’s a time capsule of elegance. With over 300 years of family boatbuilding behind it, the workshop remains one of the last custodians of a tradition that places craftsmanship above commerce and elegance above all else.
These are not boats so much as floating objets d’art. Each one is lovingly constructed by hand, varnished to mirror-shine, and finished with details that speak of a bygone era: flowing mahogany lines, brass fittings, bespoke upholstery, and the unmistakable silhouette of the iconic Slipper Launch. This is boating not as transport, but as ritual. No two vessels are alike, and they are never mass-produced, only commissioned. And only by those who understand the romance of the river.
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