andyandsallyb

Hi John, Looks like I will be able to make it with a workmate for a lads weekend on Evening Star. A stern mooring will be fine and we will not require leccy. ! Andy & Richard

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The weekend vanished in a flash, we were blessed with glorious weather on Saturday, not so nice on Sunday. Took some pictures of ES to share. ! Andy

Hi everyone, Well, this is a very exciting day! I called Herbert Woods yesterday (Thursday) afternoon and confirmed that "Evening Star" was back in the water, and ready for our weekend cruise. So off to bed now for a good nights sleep, ready fro the drive up Friday lunchtime. Potter Heigham Here we come! ! Andy

Hi Everyone, When we purchased our boat in 2009 we were offered the choice of either "Twilight 1" or "Twilight 2" as both were for sale. When viewing both craft it was always on the cards that we would refit the interior of the boat and so, the internal condition was not as important to us as the external. Both boats were built by Harbour Crusiers and pretty much identical inside. Taking the time to look over them, "Twilight 2" was definately the better of the two, but of course after many years service as a hire crusier, she has sustained a few marks and scrapes along the way. Most noticeable was the bridge impact damage hi lighted in the first photo, this included some rather badly filled gel coat and a severly buckled hand rail, with many stress cracks around the window frames. When we had "ES" taken out of the water for the hull repaint and bow thruster, I met with the guy who would be doing the job at Herbert Woods and asked him if there was anything that could be done to improve the cosmetic apperance of the gel coat? I suggested maybe filling rubbing down and locally painting, He says to "Leave it to me" so I took His advice. Today I have been up to potter Heigham to have a look over "ES" before she is re floated this week. I just have to show you all the wonders that can be achieved by those in the "know". I find it difficult to hand over jobs like these to others when I have the skills to do-it-myself, but I can honestly say that I am damn glad that on this occasion I did! What a fantastic result! While the pushpit was being made I ordered an new hand rail to replace the damaged one, but the work that has been carried out by the guys at "HW" is nothing short of fantastic. They have surpassed my expectations by miles, and I am a firm believer in credit where credit's due. I am amazed by this repair and have spent a while closely looking for the tell tail signs, but even under flourecent light, I cant find any. Extremely impressed, and cant wait to get her back out on the river. If anyone is going to be on the upper bure next weekend and see us out, please say hello..... ! Andy

Hi Jonny, Have moored with woods now for four years and the yard is consistently getting upgraded. The new build scheme seems to be never ending, Firstly there was a third supreme light, then 2 Superior lights, then 2 Olympic Lights, Then Royale Light, and now these 2! I have always been impressed with the stadard of work turned out by HW and there seems to be an increase in the level of work being carried out on private craft this summer. I am so please with what they are doing at the moment, I cant wait to get her back out on the river! If all goes according to plan she'll be back in on Friday..... ! Andy

Pushpit fitted, awaiting dodgers. ! Andy

Well, another day and more progress..... Pushpit brightwork installed and bow thruster functional...... Well pleased!!!

A couple more.......

11:55pm Sunday 24th June 2012 Just got home after spending the afternoon @ Herbert Woods. I had to post these, could not wait! The pictures don't do her justice but you'll get the idea. ! Andy

Evening Star's latest addition. Got to name her for BA registration, any ideas? Evening Starlet?........ ! Andy

Hi Col, These are the fenders that were on "ES" before, just changed the ropes for navy ones and fitted fender socks to match. ! Andy

Fenders !

Just a quick progress report........ Bow thruster tube now installed and hull prepared for painting..... ! Andy

Hi Everyone. The story continues....... Been a little quiet recently, preasures of work, and a holiday...... Herbert woods finally lifted Evening Star last week for a Bow thruster install and a hull repaint, The Hull is going to be "Tru Blue" (Dark navy blue) witha red antifoul. We are also taking this opertunity to have a few cosmetic external improvments such as replace a couple of damaged (Bridge damage) hand rails (damaged when we brought her!) and a couple of minor gel coat repairs. We have also had a pushpit rail made by the good folk at "Marine Weld". ! Andy

Sue and Tony Brightwell the owners of the riverside shop and tea room are open from the first week in April through to mid November. During our visits as hirers and more recently private boaters they have become very good friends of ours. The shop sells a variety of provisions including tobacco and off licence wines, beers, spirits and many of them locally sourced. Newspapers, magazines and a range of toys and gifts (which is why my kids like it) are also available. In addition you can get a cracking full english breakfast in the tea room. The windpump is open to the public with a suggested donation of £2.00 per adult and £0.70 per child. There is an exhibition inside the windpump and if you are brave enough it is possible to climb to the top. The windpump is currently undergoing maintenance by the Norfolk windmill trust and later this year should be fitted with new sails and fantail (the old ones have recently been removed) As for the Stracey Arms, It's last use was a Chinese buffet but that closed in 2009. The building has suffered several break in's during its dormant period, but now has a new tennant who have been busy over the last few months refurbishing it to reopen as a Spanish Tapas Bar. they believe that the majority of the trade will come from the A47. There is a small sign riverside, but that is it. If you didn't know it was open you could quite easily mistake the site as closed, as the signs from when it was the "Pontiac Roadhouse" (before the chinese) are still there.

Hi Jonny, I have a trade account with a motor factor here in Crawley, The Yuasa Marine batteries cost £87+vat each. Not sure what the retail is on them but as a comparison, I paid £65+vat each for the last set of Schnap Gold lead acid ones, and they are now dead, that was only eighteen months ago. If I get five years out of these I would consider that a reasonably good investment. ! Andy

Well it never ends does it? Taken the plunge today to replace the 4 batteries on "ES" with the "Proper" thing. We have been running standard lead acid batteries and have had a few problems with longlevity. The problem is the domestic bank and the fact that repeated charging and discharging results in a very short life. Hopefully here is the answer..... ! Andy

Hi Neil, Will be around the weekend of the first May bank holiday Sat 5th to Monday 7th, with my youngest daughter. We will probably end up at Oulton on Sunday evening. "ES" is being lifted out Wednesday 9th for a Bow Thruster, Hull Paint (Navy Blue), Antifoul and new Prop. We don't have any specific plans and could meet anywhere if thats when you are about? ! Andy

Ready to use !!!

Hi John, We will be there Saturday / Saturday Night Andy, Sally, Megan, Lyndon, & Sharin "Evening Star" Stern on anywhere ! Andy

Just a small modification...... Earlier in this thread I posted details of the Surround Sound system installed in "ES". The sub-woofer speaker in the base of the seating unit (shown in previous pictures) was installed in a sealed cabinet within the seat base. This is the simplist form of installation for such a speaker and is technically known as an acoustic suspension. The volume of air in the sealed cabinet helps control the motion of the speaker cone and also provides a baffle against the rear occuring wave, and hence improves low frequency delivery. One problem with such an installation is the ammount of soft materials used paricularly in the seating and other items such as curtains and head linings, these materials love to absorb low frequencies and overall lower the audable output. Now I have not tried to recreate a nightclub experience afloat, far from it, but I do enjoy, and have a passion good quality audio. Not wishing to ramble on with the technicalities..... An easy way to address the problem of output loss would simply be to add another speaker, but with some maths and a length of tube it is possible to create what is known as a "ported bass reflex" installation. Basically this is how the majority of commercially available sub-woofers work. Put simply, it is possible to "tune" a volume of air to resonate within the tube "the port" at a certain frequency, the outcome is that notes around that frequency end up being boosted by several Db with no extra power being required. Bingo! ! Andy

12:35am Friday 24th February Just got back from spending most of the day in Potter Heigham putting the final bits together. An absolutely glorious day weather wise with a temperature of 17 degrees and almost no wind. Beautiful. We are nearly finished now with only grouting of the tiled splash back area around the basin to do before towel rail, mirror, shower head and other items can be fitted. ! Andy

More pictures...

Well a couple of days and what progress !!! Never tried this laminating lark before but the results are truly fabulous.... The bathroom is now fully paneled and ready for the sink and shower mixer to be plumbed in. we have decided to tile a splash area around the basin and then it will be ready for the sealant gun!!! Very tired, but very happy ! Andy