Emrhys Barrell, who was a long-time contributor to Practical Boat Owner, has died at the age of 78
Emrhys Barrell had a long and distinguished career at sea, as a journalist and as part of the British marine industry, writes Paul Wagstaffe.
He was a pioneer in electric boating, exploring and writing about the UK’s rivers and canals and the waterways in Norway, Holland, France, Italy (Venice), East and West Germany and the USA/Canada.
Born on 5th March 1948, Emrhys Barrell studied Naval Architecture in Newcastle and Sunderland. He qualified as a Merchant Ship Deck Officer and worked on bulk carriers across the Atlantic and into the Great Lakes.
Joining Derek Kelsall Multihulls, he progressed to project manager and was involved in the construction of significant round-the-world sailing vessels, before he joined Motor Boat and Yachting magazine as a technical journalist and boat tester. At the same time, he experimented with electric propulsion on a small day boat on the River Wey.
Moving to the Isle of Wight, he took on the role of yard manager at Groves and Guttridge in Cowes and was responsible for new builds and providing support to Admiral’s Cup competitors, Cowes Week participants and offshore racing power boat crews entered in the Cowes to Torquay International Power Boat Races. He then became yard supervisor at the Berthon Boat Co at Lymington.
Emrhys Barrell spent many years testing gear for Practical Boat Owner and other UK boating magazines
In 1987 he returned to journalism, becoming the joint founder (with Jeremy Paxton) and editor of Motor Boats Monthly. They brought a fresh approach to testing and reporting on motor boats at a time of significant growth in the industry.
With his wife, Linda, Emrhys Barrell then set up the Thames Electric Launch Company based in Goring on Thames. The company was a pioneer in fitting pure electric and hybrid electric propulsion systems into existing private and new boats, including patrol boats for the National Rivers Authority and The Broads Authority and a promotional canal boat for British Waterways, with installations developed with Ian Rutter.
They were always keen to show the benefits of electric propulsion, especially through record attempts, setting a World Electric Boat Endurance Record of 137 miles in 30 hours, non-stop on one battery charge in August 2001 [1]. The record was set on the River Thames in the 100-year-old 30ft launch, Pike, which has been fitted with a Thames Electric Launch Company Delta Drive, using the latest LEMCO (Low Emissions Core-Engine Technologies) motor. Batteries fitted were the latest high-performance traction cells from Chloride Motive Power, whose extra capacity enabled the boat to complete the run with power to spare.
In 2000, Emrhys and Linda Barrell were presented with the St David’s Trophy by the Electric Boat Association in recognition of the company’s contribution to electric boating.
The Thames Electric Launch Company organised the first all-electric boat show, Electric Experience, in 1995, and regularly exhibited at the London Boat Show at Earl’s Court, the IWA Waterways Festivals, the Beale Park Boat Shows and various Electric Boat Association events. It was also the UK agents for Duffy in California (USA) and Interboat in the Netherlands.
Emrhys Barrell continued as a journalist, contributing to Practical Boat Owner where he became the magazine’s electric boat expert for years, as well as other boating publications. He was also the founding editor of Canal Boat magazine.
Emrhys Barrell (right) tested numerous boats for Motor Boats Monthly and other magazines
The Thames Electric Launch Company won Trophies at The Thames Traditional Boat Festival and continued to be a leading installer of Electric Drive Systems right up to 2026.
Alongside his writing and gear and boating testing, Emrhys was also a volunteer Vice President of the River Stour Trust in Suffolk, where he arranged publicity and fundraising events, raising enough money to pay for new lock gates and reconstruction works to re-open Stratford St Mary and Dedham wide beam barge locks to navigation.
Linda and Emrhys Barrell also had a keen interest in classic cars, owning a V8 Triumph Stag. They were very active in the Kennet Valley TR Club and took part in classic car trips in the UK and Europe.
Emrhys, who died on 23 March 2026, will always be remembered for finishing his phone calls with the words of a journalist, “Keep in touch”. Life will be less interesting and rich without his leadership, but his many friends and customers will keep in touch with his wife, Linda and each other.
Emrhys Barrell: 5th March 1948 to 23rd March 2026
His funeral will be held on 16 April 2026 at 11.30am at West Berkshire Crematorium, Bath Road, Thatcham, Berks, RG19 4DL. Donations to Cancer Research via AB Walker Funeral Directors of Reading.
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