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Anyone Had Brinks Omega Yet This Season?


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I'm presuming it's either been permanently hired or out the water as I've never seen it on Barnes' webcam, just wondering if anyone had hired her this season and if there's any new treats on board as we have her for a week in October.

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Hiya,

trust me I've watched Robins video many times, but thank you. Just wondering if anyone had hired her yet this year as over the last couple of years they've added new flooring, and bow thrusters, intrigued if anything new has been added for the forthcoming season. Though hopefully not electric cooking, gas is one of the main reasons we chose her!

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As far as I am aware all that has been done is the removal of the old TV and odd aerial, and a larger nicer one put in its place, and the inclusion of a  bow thruster. Barnes are not going to ditch gas on all their boats, but the old hobs are long obsolete and replacements are frankly not as a good as the old ones and don't stand up so much in the hands of hirers like so much these days things are not built as tough.

I found placing the bin of all things on its side was a great way to make an impromptu foot rest. The heating is very powerful on this boat as it only has two outlets - one in the cabin and one in the saloon.  The boat is not very heavy or large but has a 50HP engine and this really is a bit big for it and means it takes longer to warm up as it really is doing so few revs to do 4MPH so as a result the water takes longer to heat up too. Decent fridge, full size mind you. Only one 240v socket that is in the galley and oddly no microwave.  My advice is bring an extension lead so you can use items in saloon or cabin and not just in the galley. 

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When I hired it back in 2002 I think it was fitted with a BMC engine and it didn't have a bow thruster.  It had an eberspacher heating system that wasnt really up to much to.  

I remember ending up pinned side on to the quay in salhouse by the wind.  We eventually asked some guys on a sailing boat to help us get away and they helped by pushing the bow off the quay.  

Cant believe how many years ago that was now but it was a nice boat and we really enjoyed having it. 

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11 hours ago, LondonRascal said:

As far as I am aware all that has been done is the removal of the old TV and odd aerial, and a larger nicer one put in its place, and the inclusion of a  bow thruster. Barnes are not going to ditch gas on all their boats, but the old hobs are long obsolete and replacements are frankly not as a good as the old ones and don't stand up so much in the hands of hirers like so much these days things are not built as tough.

I found placing the bin of all things on its side was a great way to make an impromptu foot rest. The heating is very powerful on this boat as it only has two outlets - one in the cabin and one in the saloon.  The boat is not very heavy or large but has a 50HP engine and this really is a bit big for it and means it takes longer to warm up as it really is doing so few revs to do 4MPH so as a result the water takes longer to heat up too. Decent fridge, full size mind you. Only one 240v socket that is in the galley and oddly no microwave.  My advice is bring an extension lead so you can use items in saloon or cabin and not just in the galley. 

I think I've watched your video so many times now Robin I know it word for word! Really looking forward to hiring it, should sit right in between my two previous hires, being Brinks Sonata (tiny tiny boat) and Fair Jubilee. Hopefully at 6'3" I should be about ok for the foot rest!

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20 hours ago, dnks34 said:

When I hired it back in 2002 I think it was fitted with a BMC engine and it didn't have a bow thruster.  It had an eberspacher heating system that wasnt really up to much to.

Are we talking about the same boat here? I am none too certain if they have had more than one Omega and sold one, but the one I hired and is the one and only in fleet now,  certainly has always had the Nanni it has now from new - and the Webasto heating by the looks of it under the floor certainly did not look like it was a 'newer' unit back in 2014.

The reason the heating is very hot and powerful is it is a 3Kw model but only has two outlets, so you get a lot of air being moved by the heater itself, a small duct run also means very little heat loss.  Another nice touch is it takes air in from the saloon through a 'cold air return' vent to heat not cold air from the outside as many do. It also is controllable through a sort of thermostat.

Talking of heating - on Bronze Gem it has a Eberspacher but Richardson's in their infinite wisdom had decided to drive a screw through the temperature adjuster wheel on the control unit mid way between max and min. This robbed you of all control - upon removing the unit I found the screw head gone straight into the circuit board narrowing missing some traces and a capacitor.  -Boat yards, honestly - I get why they do it, so people do not leave the heated on lowest setting for prolonged periods and cause the glow plug to coke up, but this method was extreme (but not unheard of) on Sunlit Horizon 2 the temp sensor and controller was hidden behind a panel behind the TV - likewise set mid point between low and high.

 

 

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In 2002 the engine was grey so Im assuming it was a BMC as most BMC's ive owned since have been grey, as you know Nanni units tend to be blue. 

It also had the square eberspacher heating control with a dial and a switch.  

I saw Omega in Wroxham stripped out over the winter while we were moored there in 2010 and it had a Nanni unit fitted then but I'd be very suprised if it hadnt had an engine change since the time I hired it in 2002 and it was built/added to the fleet in 1996.

It also doesnt have the standard Nanni engine instrument panel on the dash which I would imagine it probably would have been fitted with if it had a Nanni unit from new as they usually supply one with a new engine.  

That is unless it had a Nanni painted grey! 

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James you need to take a pic of the engine now lol - I've seen some Red Nanni's which usually indicate a rebuilt engine. Brinks Ultimate has one of these red ones. Oddly I have never seen a grey BMC - And off blue but not a Nanni blue but not a Perkins 'blue' either.

It may explain why Omega seems to have a larger engine for her size sort of we have this one lets swap the BMC out for it - there was one of these for sale recently with twin 43hp Nanni's - sure would be maneuverable but bit over kill for the Broads. http://www.norfolkboatsales.co.uk/used-boats/aquafibre-renaissance-31-lady-daphne-538.asp

 

 

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I wish I could take a picture now, sadly I'm at work and don't get on board until October, unless there is another James under a pseudonym which I don't know!

Can't believe she's 17 years old, looks good for it!

twin engine would be fun on Breydon, an aquantances parents own/owned Keamanta, from memory a Broom Ocean 37, which is/was moored at Brundall, that was running twin Perkins turbo diesels, certainly overkill for the broads, as it was when she was on the restricted parts of the Thames near Henley!

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